In such a crisis situation, spending so many points to improve the fruit's abilities seemed useless.
But this is not so.
The description was crystal clear.
Can change the speed of yourself and objects upon contact. Does not affect other living beings.
Murphy only understood the meaning after reading it twice.
Speed is not only about speed, but also about direction. Although the speed fruit could not affect other living beings, like a fruit like Mori-Mori, it could affect the owner himself.
In other words, after acquiring intermediate level abilities...
Murphy could fly.
After the purchase, a flood of information once again poured into his mind. His body quickly adapted, and mid-level abilities were mastered instantly.
Really.
You can do this too!
Feeling the searing heat creeping ever closer, Murphy showed no sign of panic. To the surprise of the three observers, he jumped slightly backwards, toward the sea.
The magma had already completely covered the ground on his side, leaving no place to step. However, Murphy remained hovering steadily in the air.
Saint Charm didn't yet understand what was happening, but Akainu and Eugene's pupils narrowed.
This is not Geppo!
He just stood in the air!
This... is the ability to fly!
If the land could no longer hold this speed force user, that meant Murphy could leave at any moment. And if this guy escaped, they would both be ashamed to show their faces to the authorities!
Deploy a star vice admiral, and a vice admiral with high-speed flight abilities, and still miss out on some kid?
Not to mention the disapproval from the Tenryubito, they themselves would hardly be able to bear it.
Geppo!
"The Great Eruption!" While Eugene was still hesitating whether to pursue, Akainu soared into the sky without further ado. He couldn't allow himself such a disgrace!
He had been holding back all this time, fearing that large-scale attacks would bring devastating consequences to Sabaody Archipelago. Now, he didn't even think twice before using such a move.
A terrifying attack was approaching, and even its precursor had colored the entire area red. Akainu's arm suddenly began to swell like an erupting volcano, instantly forming a limb like that of a giant.
The magma fist grew larger and larger, collapsing like a mountain onto Murphy, who was standing in midair. Murphy looked at the giant fist calmly, even with a slight smile on his lips.
100x full speed!
The next moment, the giant lava fist continued moving into the distance without hitting anything, and then exploded in the distance.
Boom!
Streams instantly fell from the sky like a fiery rain, covering the entire zone #75. After which screams of pain and cries of despair immediately rang out!!!
The inhabitants of this area found themselves in a real hell. Their bodies were burning, they were throwing themselves about, rolling on the ground, but it did not help, even the sea was blazing with furious flames.
Akainu's gaze did not waver - in the name of Absolute Justice, everything can be sacrificed.
Soru!
Akainu's silhouette flashed through the air, and in an instant he was next to Murphy. The magma currents surrounded Murphy, blocking his escape route. But in the sky, although there was no escape forward, backward, left or right, there were still directions up and down.
Murphy disappeared from the magma ring and Akainu's attack again, and a moment later he appeared even higher in the sky.
Although he dodged, he looked surprised. In the previous attack, Akainu used the exploding fire rain drops from the Great Eruption as anchor points to continuously move through the air with Soru. This speed was much faster than a simple Geppo, and thus much more dangerous.
Murphy watched Akainu warily, fearing that he would release another technique like this to pursue, or simply use Meteor Volcano for a full-scale attack.
All this was extremely dangerous - Murphy could not withstand a single blow, the slightest carelessness would lead to defeat.
Akainu did not take any further action, his eyes were full of rage, he was glaring at Murphy. Apparently, he never expected to trip over such a boy. It seemed that he had already realized that he could not do anything to Murphy, and his body was slowly falling under the influence of gravity.
But Murphy did not relax for a moment - these battle-hardened men were never simple opponents, and the slightest relaxation of vigilance could lead to disaster. And indeed, suddenly he was overcome by a strong sense of danger...
This time, it wasn't magma, but several huge air currents that attacked from the side, surrounding him from above, below, left and right.
Murphy had no choice but to step back. Then, a hurricane-shrouded figure appeared behind him.
Eugene also joined the fight.
Its speed was not inferior to Murphy's fifty times. Those giant wings, eclipsing the sky, emitted an alarming black light, and suddenly fell down on Murphy from above!
Boom!
Although Murphy barely defended himself with Haki, he still flew straight back from the blow. And in that direction, Akainu had already gathered a huge ball of magma in his hands, which had been waiting for him for some time.
Akainu's eyes flashed, he grabbed the ball with both hands and threw it with all his might. The huge ball of magma flew forward at a rapid pace.
The next moment, a ball of magma collided with Murphy.
Akainu looked ahead with confidence. Even though there was a ball of magma between him and Murphy, preventing him from seeing clearly, he was sure that the boy was about to turn to ash.
However, on the other hand, Eugene's face suddenly changed. The boy he had just hit with a punch was falling at a tremendous speed.
But in the blink of an eye, Murphy's body stopped. Not just slowed down, but went from extreme motion to complete stillness without any transition, looking strange yet harmonious. Then Eugene saw an even more incredible sight - Murphy, no longer falling, could easily dodge the magma ball. But he didn't dodge, instead he reached out to meet the magma ball flying towards him... and touched it.
Not blocking, not pushing away, if I had to choose a word to describe it, it was just a touch. The boy's only defensive measure was a layer of Armament Haki on his hand, but that level of Haki against Akainu's magma would hardly last even a second!
Eugene frowned and watched his opponent closely, trying to figure out what he was going to do!
Finally, the hand touched the ball of magma, and Eugene, with his excellent dynamic vision, saw this moment well.
The Armament Will on Murphy's hand quickly shattered, then the palm began to turn red - most likely, in a moment it would become charred, and then completely turn to ash.
But this never happened. The huge ball of magma instantly left its place and flew back along the same trajectory, but with even greater speed.
The speed increased, but the direction changed.
Boom!
Akainu didn't have time to do anything, he only saw the ball of magma in his eyes growing bigger. Then it crashed into him, throwing him far back.
Of course, his own magma couldn't hurt him, but even after falling to the ground, he still didn't understand what had happened. Eugene, however, saw everything - the boy, at the cost of only a burnt palm, had accomplished something incredible.
Is this a fruit ability?
Maybe a reflection?
But what does this have to do with acceleration?
Eugene asked himself three questions, completely confused. Although he couldn't figure it out yet, his movement didn't stop - they were in combat now, and he was heading toward Murphy again.
Then he saw an action that sent a chill down his spine.
Murphy, with a slight smile on his face, pulled a short sword from his belt. And threw it at a certain figure on the ground...
Hundredfold speed!
It was the speed of Saburos' sword. Murphy aimed straight at the center of Saint Charm's forehead.
A cold glint flashed through the air. Before Akainu and Eugene's eyes, the blade rushed towards the Holy Charm. Since things had progressed this far, there was no longer any point in fearing a full-scale hunt from the World Government. With the speed fruit, he no longer had to worry about being cornered - in this vast world, he could end up anywhere.
Poof! The sound of a short sword piercing flesh echoed in the hearts of those present.
Blood spurted into the air like a fountain, spreading a magnificent red color that, in the reflection of the light, illuminated the frozen face of Saint Charm. And the hand, separated from the body and rushing towards freedom...
- AAA!!! - Saint Charm, falling to the ground, screamed in pain.
Saburosa passed through Saint Charm's arm, turning him into a one-armed Tenryubito.
Akainu and Eugene simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
It's good that you're alive!
Murphy frowned at the result.
— Missed. The higher in the sky, the stronger the air currents, and given the considerable distance, with the initial ranged attack level, the short sword didn't hit the forehead exactly. Too bad... I should have strengthened it to a medium or even high level before the attack, especially since I now had enough points.
Having missed his chance, he knew that such an opportunity would never come again. After which, Murphy watched in disappointment as Eugene appeared at the side of Saint Charm in the blink of an eye.
If that was the case, there was no point in staying here any longer.
Murphy's silhouette began to move, raising a light stream of air, and disappeared over the horizon in an unknown direction. Now he had officially declared himself in this world, and immediately became a thorn in the side of the World Government.
The situation was even worse than Luffy's in the original story. Also, when faced with conflict with the World Government and endless complications, he was not as carefree as Luffy.
Murphy was not a trouble-seeking man, because he hated problems. But he was no coward, either, so he solved problems when they arose. And the easiest way to solve a problem is to eliminate the people or organizations that create it.
Since we're destined to stand in opposition to the Tenryubito and the World Government... Then why not just turn this world upside down... Upside down!