Last time, in Alabasta.
Admiral Aokiji alone had chased them until they fled in a wretched state.
Even the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, "Fire Fist" Ace, was no match and was defeated in an instant.
If Luo Chen hadn't lured Aokiji away, they would have all been arrested by the Marines.
Today, Aokiji had appeared again.
Usopp was so scared his legs went soft. He collapsed on the deck, his teeth chattering. "Besides Aokiji, there's... there's another Admiral?!"
He had heard what Carina had just said.
Marine Admiral Kizaru.
Vivi said in a low voice, "Admiral Kizaru is the 'Glint-Glint Fruit' user, a light-man. His attacks and speed are as fast as light."
Usopp covered his eyes in terror. "I have a disease where I'll die if I see light! I can't fight at all!"
Chopper said in astonishment, "Really? Usopp, there's such a disease? I've never heard of it."
The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched slightly. Only Chopper would believe a big liar like Usopp.
In the sky, the light suddenly dimmed.
Luo Chen looked up, a look of surprise on his face.
Luffy's body had inflated like a hot air balloon, floating above Usopp and blocking the sunlight.
"Get inside, Usopp! I'll block the sun for you!"
Luffy said with difficulty, holding his breath.
Seeing this, black lines appeared on Zoro's and Sanji's foreheads.
Carina was so angry she shouted, "Usopp is lying to you! Luffy, use your brain, will you!"
"Get down here, now! There are two Marine Admirals!"
Hearing this, Luffy opened his mouth wide to say something, but his balloon-like body instantly deflated.
He flew in a bizarre curve through the air, crashing toward the Marines.
The next moment, Kizaru kicked out, his foot turning into golden light.
Luffy sucked in a large breath in terror, his body inflating again and halting his descent.
A golden ray shot out from Kizaru's foot, as fast as a laser. It grazed the sole of Luffy's shoe and shot into the distance.
The houses along the way shattered as if they were made of paper.
The golden ray finally shot out of Water 7 and landed in the distant sea.
In an instant, it was as if hundreds of bombs had detonated beneath the sea's surface.
The roar was deafening, and a huge wave was kicked up, the seawater rushing into the sky.
The terrifying power made the faces of the Straw Hat crew turn a little pale.
As expected, none of the Marine Admirals were weak.
The attacks they launched at will could easily kill them and possessed world-destroying power.
"Come back, Luffy!"
Zoro shouted, his face filled with gravity.
In mid-air, Luffy also realized the power gap between them. He quickly stretched his arms, grabbed the mast of the Going Merry, and quickly fled back to the deck.
He wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead and said with lingering fear, "A kick from that yellow uncle would definitely hurt more than Grandpa's fist."
"What do we do now?"
Carina and Nami subconsciously moved closer to Luo Chen.
They all knew that the only one they could truly rely on when facing an Admiral was Luo Chen.
Usopp and Chopper also trotted over.
Luo Chen said, "You guys go first..."
Before his voice fell, Luo Chen's eyes suddenly flickered.
He had been keeping his Observation Haki active ever since he had seen Aokiji and the other.
At this moment, through the future-sight characteristic of his top-tier Haki, he directly saw the attack that would come one second later.
At the same time, the distant Kizaru's body dissolved into golden points of light and vanished from the spot.
The next instant, on the deck of the Going Merry, countless points of light solidified.
Admiral Kizaru appeared.
Facing the astonished and terrified expressions of the group, his right leg, seemingly slow but actually fast, kicked out sideways toward Luo Chen's face.
"In front of me, don't even think about running away."
As Kizaru's voice fell, his right leg, which had turned into golden light, also kicked out.
Luo Chen tilted his head slightly and easily dodged it.
A golden laser shot past his ear and hit a house behind them, causing an explosion.
As if he had been prepared, he raised one hand and grabbed Kizaru's right leg, his palm turning pitch black at that moment.
A look of surprise appeared on Kizaru's wrinkled face, his mouth slightly agape.
Luo Chen's easy and casual dodge of this kick had clearly exceeded his expectations.
The next moment, Luo Chen forcefully swung his right arm, and Kizaru, turning into a stream of light, was sent flying into the sky.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's mouths fell open.
'He dodged it so easily?'
'Just by tilting his head?'
The problem was, they hadn't even seen Kizaru's movement or attack trajectory.
Yet Luo Chen had already completed the act of dodging the attack and throwing Kizaru away.
"You guys go first."
Luo Chen leaped from the Going Merry and landed on the roof of a frozen house.
The Wood Golem, carrying the Merry on its shoulder, turned and prepared to run toward the sea.
But at this moment, the ice spread toward them.
It was fast and wide, and even Luo Chen couldn't stop it.
The Wood Golem's legs were frozen by the cold air, and it couldn't move.
Aokiji's figure walked over from the distance.
"If the Straw Hat crew can't leave, will you still run?" Aokiji looked at him and said slowly.
"Of course, with Borsalino here, you won't be able to run either."
Hearing this, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes.
Aokiji was planning to use the Straw Hat crew as "hostages" to prevent him from running away.
He had probably figured out from their time in Alabasta that he wouldn't abandon Nami and the others to escape alone.
The next moment, the dim twilight sky suddenly brightened.
Countless golden points of light rained down from the sky.
"Yasakani Sacred Jewel."
Kizaru's ethereal voice came from high in the sky.
The source of the countless golden points of light could be vaguely seen: a tall, glittering golden figure.
The points of light covered an extremely wide area, and the Going Merry on the Wood Golem's shoulder was also within it.
Luo Chen looked up slightly and extended his palm.
Shinra Tensei!
An invisible wave covered the entire sky, quickly rushing up to meet the rain of gold.
In an instant, the golden points of light were compressed and indented. After a moment's stalemate, they all bizarrely flew back.
A look of surprise flashed in Kizaru's eyes. His figure flashed and disappeared from the sky, appearing on the ground.
High in the sky, all the golden points of light exploded.
The golden light and flames merged into one, illuminating the dim sky.
On the Going Merry, Usopp cried out in surprise, "Luo Chen actually blocked an Admiral's attack!"
Nami's eyes brightened. "He seems even stronger than before."
Carina, Vivi, and Chopper nodded.
The expressions of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji also changed.
He really was stronger than he had been in Alabasta.
Both were Admirals; Kizaru couldn't possibly be much weaker than Aokiji, and might even be stronger.
But in two head-on clashes, Luo Chen had not been at a disadvantage either time.
Compared to the last time when he had fled at the first sight of him, he was stronger by more than just a little bit.
A dozen meters away, Aokiji and Kizaru stood side by side.
"Kuzan, his strength is not what you said it was," Kizaru's eyes behind his sunglasses were much wider than before as he stared at Luo Chen in considerable surprise.
Aokiji's face was heavy, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Yes. He's much stronger than last time."
Kizaru's two consecutive attacks had both been ineffective.
The Luo Chen from the Alabasta period could never have done that. Logically, Luo Chen shouldn't have been able to dodge Kizaru's first kick.
Among the Vice Admirals behind the two, were Vice Admiral Gmil and Vice Admiral Dalmatian, who had been in Alabasta.
They stared at Luo Chen, their faces full of disbelief.
How long had it been, and Luo Chen's strength had increased by another level?
Admiral Kizaru's two attacks had both been completely ineffective.
"You go and capture the Straw Hat crew," Aokiji ordered.
The five Vice Admirals and ten Rear Admirals nodded silently and spread out to surround Luffy and the others.
From the direction of the Galley-La Company, Kalifa, supporting Rob Lucci and Kaku, also came in pursuit.
When they saw the Marine lineup, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
With two Admirals, as well as multiple Vice and Rear Admirals, Luo Chen and the Straw Hat crew would absolutely not be able to escape.
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