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Chapter 202: Disheartened Sengoku, Remnant of the Era
Boom! Buzz!!
The moment the air shockwave roared, invisible ripples erupted instantly. Ring after ring of compressed air swept across the plaza. The ground cracked, fissures spreading outward like a spiderweb. This terrifying roar overwhelmed all other sounds in Enies Lobby. The shockwave was powerful enough to lift surrounding Marine soldiers off their feet and send them flying.
However!
Despite the strength of the explosion, there was no sign that Yuichi had taken even half a step back. The motionless figure stood shrouded in dust and smoke. No one knew if Yuichi was injured; everyone stared intensely at the gray cloud.
Sengoku saw that Yuichi hadn't been repulsed and already knew the answer, though he struggled to believe it. Could it be that an attack using my Fruit ability at full power... still couldn't hurt Yuichi at all?
As the Fleet Admiral, if he unleashed three consecutive attacks and failed to injure the enemy—an enemy who stood still and let him attack—Sengoku felt he could no longer maintain his dignity.
Garp looked worried. "Kong! Do you think that kid could catch this blow intact?"
When asked, Kong frowned. Although he was surprised by Yuichi's strength, he didn't think the boy could block an all-out attack from Sengoku without consequences. He shook his head. "Impossible... No matter how talented this kid is..."
Before he could finish, the smoke was blown away by a surge of momentum.
Yuichi stood revealed. He held his right hand open, facing Sengoku's direction. There were a few scratches on his palm, but nothing more.
Watching his actions, it became clear he had used just one hand to block Sengoku's attack. There was not even a tear in his clothes.
Blocked!
"He really blocked it?"
The Marine soldiers were amazed. The Vice Admirals couldn't keep calm. "Mr. Sengoku's attack... he actually stood still and easily caught it!"
"That blow was powerful enough to level a building! How could he block it without moving?"
Even if Yuichi's Haki was powerful, physics should dictate he be moved. Haki could make Yuichi invulnerable, but it shouldn't make him root himself like an ancient tree against such kinetic force. Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Shanks all looked at Yuichi with weird expressions. They could understand blocking the damage, but negating the impact force entirely? That was a mystery.
However, as they pondered this, Sengoku's laughter suddenly rang out.
"Hahaha..."
"Old! I am old... This era does not belong to us anymore!"
There was no fighting spirit left in Sengoku's eyes. The moment he struck the final blow, it was as if he had destroyed the Marines' hope with his own hands. Seeing Yuichi catch his attack so easily dealt a fatal blow to his confidence. He was no longer "The Resourceful General" Sengoku. He was just an old man ready to retire.
Sighing softly, Sengoku turned and walked away without looking back.
Garp wanted to stop him, but froze when he saw Sengoku's gaze. That look said it was useless. He wouldn't fight anymore—not just now, but likely never again on the front lines. A single, informal duel had not only cost the Marines their hope but also deprived them of a cornerstone.
Garp felt more and more that the Five Elders' original order was a catastrophic mistake. They had pushed a peerless monster out of the Marines. Now, not only had he become the enemy, but he had also completely shattered the confidence of an extremely capable Fleet Admiral. The loss was immeasurable.
Kong wore a complex expression. Although he didn't want to criticize the Five Elders, he had to admit the error. But it was too late. Since Yuichi wouldn't return, he had to be dealt with. A man with such terrifying talent and strength... if left unchecked, the era would truly belong to the pirates.
Kong stepped forward.
His movement suddenly awakened the dazed Marines. They looked at the menacing Commander-in-Chief. If Sengoku was a legend, Kong was a remnant of the true old era.
Is he going to do it himself? The Marines looked on with anticipation. As the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's forces, Lord Kong's strength was surely terrifying.
Garp hesitated for a second, then stepped forward alongside him to face Yuichi. The aura around his body exploded instantly. Garp was furious at the loss of his friend Sengoku's spirit. Perhaps he could help Sengoku regain his confidence by crushing the source of his despair.
Yuichi sighed softly.
The blow just now had been genuinely dangerous. But it proved his conjecture correct.
Force.
It wasn't just Haki that Furyoku could suppress; any power could be dampened by it. Even Devil Fruit abilities.
The air cannon compressed by Sengoku was powerful, but in that split second, Yuichi's Furyoku vortex suppressed the energy, preventing it from erupting immediately. Then, after the triple-layered defense of Haki, Reiatsu, and Chakra weakened it, the final burst was manageable. That was why Yuichi could stand still.
But now was not the time to celebrate. He had two opponents to deal with.
Kong and Garp.
While Sengoku was in their tier, differences existed even among the top powerhouses. At this level, a small gap could be as vast as a natural moat. This next battle required extreme caution.
Garp, whose physical condition had regressed fifteen years, was close to his prime. And Kong... if this man lacked strength, he wouldn't be the Commander-in-Chief. Although older than Garp, his physical condition must have recovered significantly due to the system's rewards from the previous world wars.
These two old monsters were not to be trifled with. Yuichi couldn't simply tank their hits like before.
Schwing!
He pulled the Zanpakutō, Senbonzakura, straight from his waist. The glint of the blade flashed across the faces of the two veterans. As he drew the sword, the Furyoku in Yuichi's body exploded, instantly transforming his Chakra and Reiatsu into Haki. When the blade was unsheathed, Reiatsu swept across the plaza, and the air seemed to become heavy.
The weird pressure caused Kong to frown slightly.
"His aura has changed... This kid suddenly seems to have turned into a sharp blade, showing his edge without any cover!"
Garp nodded. "The previous introverted and steady feeling has disappeared. Is this a total break with the Marines? Has he let go of the restraint in his heart?"
Speaking of this, Garp's expression was strange. Yuichi's change indicated that he had still held some affection for the Marines before. If Sengoku hadn't forced the issue, there might have been a chance. But now, that bridge was burned.
Understanding Garp's implication, Kong felt helpless. "It seems this is the arrangement of fate!"
With that, Kong raised his fist, Haki sweeping out in a dark tide. "Then, there's only fighting!"
Boom!!!