Fang Yi! I want you to go all out this time—not hold back like you always do!
On the beach of a small island, Barrett stood firm, eyes burning with seriousness as he challenged Fang Yi.
"Barrett, is that really necessary? We're comrades, not enemies," Fang Yi replied, clearly exasperated.
Three days ago, their crew had clashed with another pirate group. The enemies had been strong, and to avoid involving Captain Roger, Fang Yi had gone nearly all out, holding back only his ultimate move—Flame Dragon Explosion. Otherwise, he had shown much of his hidden strength.
This had greatly surprised Barrett. During training and sparring, Fang Yi never seemed that powerful. So, when they arrived at this island, Barrett immediately demanded a serious one-on-one fight.
Fang Yi wasn't eager to comply. Barrett was just too tough—it took everything Fang Yi had to even keep up, and letting his guard down for a moment could mean instant defeat.
"Just let me feel it—your full strength," Barrett insisted. His tone wasn't aggressive, but it was absolute.
This was also a form of acknowledgment. On the ship, other than Roger himself, only Rayleigh and Fang Yi were considered worthy opponents by Barrett.
"Xiao Yi, since Barrett's so determined, you might as well go all out. I want to see how strong you've become, too," said Yamon, stepping in with a rare comment.
Since marrying Jabba, Yamon's fiery personality had softened. She was now more rational, and sometimes Fang Yi could even sense a maternal warmth from her. But now, seeing Barrett pushing Fang Yi like this, she couldn't stay quiet.
Fang Yi, seeing even Yamon speak up, sighed helplessly.
"Alright… Let's give it a go."
"Good! I knew you wouldn't let me down," Barrett said with a broad grin.
"Then get ready!" Fang Yi warned, preparing to fire.
"Wait," Barrett raised his hand, "Call Wangzai too. You're a team."
Fang Yi's face darkened. "No need. Since you want a fight, I won't take the easy way. Take this!"
SWISH—
Before the words had even left his mouth, Fang Yi loosed an arrow glowing with green energy—a Binding Arrow aimed directly at Barrett.
Barrett instantly recognized the threat. If hit, the vines would entangle him and leave him wide open to further attacks.
He dodged immediately.
"Hmm…"
Barrett's pace slowed. He knew this was what made Fang Yi so dangerous—whether you blocked or dodged, his arrows still found their mark.
But this wasn't his first duel with Fang Yi. He'd learned that unless the special effects of the arrows landed, the attack wasn't fully effective. Even if it felt like being hit, if he avoided the arrow's path, the abilities wouldn't trigger.
He didn't stop—he had to close the distance before Fang Yi locked him down.
"Think you've got me cornered?" Fang Yi smirked, dancing across the sand while letting arrows fly with incredible rhythm and control.
Even without special abilities, his arrows could still harass and wear down Barrett. And if one triggered Stun, the match would turn instantly.
Barrett knew he had to get close before Fang Yi gained the upper hand.
The two of them moved like a storm across the beach—one chasing, one retreating—but Fang Yi always managed to stay a step ahead, landing counters when opportunities arose.
"Let's see you dodge this!"
Barrett finally pinned Fang Yi against a cliffside and launched a powerful punch.
Fang Yi knew there was no escape this time. He raised his Sun-Chaser Bow to block.
But just as Barrett's punch made contact, he felt nothing—like he'd punched empty air.
BOOM!
Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Fang Yi kicked Barrett hard in the chest, using the rebound to gain distance again.
What had happened? Fang Yi had triggered his Evasion skill, causing Barrett's attack to phase right through him.
"Gotcha!"
Fang Yi didn't waste the opportunity. Mid-air, he drew and released another green-glowing arrow.
Barrett had no time to dodge. He raised his arm to block, and the arrow struck.
WHIP—
Vines exploded from the arrowhead, wrapping tightly around Barrett's limbs.
"Break!"
Barrett instantly activated Armament Haki, shattering the vines with brute force.
But Fang Yi had already launched another volley—multiple arrows with elemental effects.
Barrett didn't have time to dodge. The next arrows hit him full-on, one burning, the other freezing. He winced as fire and ice scorched and chilled him simultaneously.
Even so, Barrett refused to fall.
Fang Yi's attacks came in waves, one after another—but Barrett endured. The damage wasn't insignificant, but still not enough to end it.
"I told you—if I can't land a fatal blow, I can't beat you. But as long as I keep pressure on… You can't beat me either. That's why this fight is pointless," Fang Yi said, continuing to fire while circling.
Barrett stayed silent. He was waiting for the right moment to launch a counterattack.
But then it happened—
Fang Yi's Ice Arrow struck again. Barrett's body shuddered, and then—
"Ugh… GAH!"
Barrett fell to one knee, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
"What happened?!"
The crew watching nearby gasped. Just moments ago, Barrett had seemed fine—why did he suddenly collapse?
"You were hiding a finishing move…"
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Barrett slowly looked up at Fang Yi.
Fang Yi stood silently.
How was he supposed to explain this?
The truth was, Barrett had just triggered Fang Yi's Lethal Strike skill—a 3% chance to deal massive, critical damage.
Though he had leveled the skill to Lv 3 using skill EXP scrolls, he had never once planned to rely on it in combat. The odds were too low—it was just a novelty… a passive trick that might activate randomly.
And now Barrett had been the unlucky first victim.
Fang Yi had even stopped attacking after noticing the skill had triggered. Otherwise, even Barrett might have been finished right then and there.
"That wasn't some hidden trump card…"
"It was just bad luck. Normally… there's no way I could've beaten you this easily," Fang Yi said honestly.
Still, deep down, this made him reconsider the value of Lethal Strike. If it could break through Barrett's monstrous physique, it was worth taking seriously.
The rest of the crew stared at Fang Yi differently now.
They hadn't expected Fang Yi to have such a deadly technique—even Barrett had gone down in a single moment.
Even Yamon, who had supported the match, had assumed the best outcome would be a draw. In a fight where Fang Yi couldn't keep his distance, the odds were stacked against him. She had already mentally prepared to console him after his loss.
Now, she was stunned.
"Xiao Yi… does that mean you could beat Rayleigh too?" Yamon asked, sneaking a glance at Rayleigh.
Fang Yi shook his head. "That's impossible, Teacher Yamon. Mr. Rayleigh's style is completely different from Barrett's. He fights like a swordsman—more versatile, more mobile. My bow has much less of an advantage, and he can close the distance much faster."
Yamon understood, but seeing Fang Yi's increasingly strange and deadly techniques, it was hard not to imagine the possibilities.
Nearby, Crocus checked on Barrett and bandaged his wounds.
"Rest. No training or sparring for a few days."
Though the external wounds seemed minor, Precision's passive effects meant they couldn't be ignored, especially once Barrett was already weakened. Those small hits, stacked together, became significant.
Even though Roger and Rayleigh didn't ask questions, Fang Yi could tell they were curious—neither of them had understood how he'd brought Barrett down.
But Fang Yi didn't explain. He couldn't.
So he said nothing—and let them keep guessing.