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A gentle breeze swept through, stirring up wisps of dust.
Monkey D. Luffy's pupils contracted, and the smile that had once been on his face had long since disappeared, replaced by a look of shock.
Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and Chopper stood frozen as if turned to stone.
"Robin?!" Nami murmured. Her eyes shifted, landing on another figure lying motionless on the ground, their eyes blank and lifeless.
"Usopp!!" It was too fast—far too fast! Everything had happened in the blink of an eye, leaving them no time to react.
In an instant, two members of their crew had already suffered severe injuries. Until now, only their encounter with the Pacifista on Skypiea had shaken them.
But the towering figure before them radiated an even greater sense of danger and overwhelming pressure.
With a heavy thud, Robin's smoke-covered body collapsed onto the ground, kicking up dust.
The sound made the Straw Hats' hearts pound. "I'm not the kind to go easy on pirates," Arashi muttered, exhaling deeply.
"That little girl who once sat alone in a library, quietly reading…" His eyes lifted, scanning the Straw Hat crew, who expressed fear, anger, and despair. "And now, you've finally found crewmates who cherish you?"
Electric arcs flickered around his body as Arashi grinned. "I hear you've been making quite a stir lately."
He stepped forward and loomed over them, slightly bending down to meet their gazes. "In this world, acting recklessly without true strength will cost you dearly."
"You lot don't seem to understand that principle." His lighthearted chuckle broke the momentary silence, and the Straw Hats snapped out of their shock.
Luffy's eyes burned with fury as he shouted his fallen crewmates' names. Sanji's face darkened, and he launched a powerful kick without hesitation.
But compared to the overwhelming gap in power, his attack was riddled with openings—his speed and strength were utterly insufficient. Arashi raised an arm.
Boom! His arm remained motionless while Sanji's leg trembled from the impact. His eyes widened in disbelief. It was as if he had kicked a wall of solid steel—no, something even harder than steel.
"Let's play, then," Arashi chuckled. Instantly, his right hand twisted, effortlessly grabbing Sanji's ankle.
"Not good!" Sanji's expression changed drastically. But before he could react, a surge of inhuman strength coursed through his body.
With a deafening crash, his entire form was slammed into the ground.
"Ugh!" A violent tremor shook his body as he coughed up blood. He dangled limply in Arashi's grip, his strength drained.
"As fragile as a toddler," Arashi sneered. "You're all just playing at being pirates." His mocking words cut deep.
"Sanji!!!" Luffy's face twisted with rage. Unable to hold back any longer, he clenched his fists.
But before he could land a blow, Arashi casually hurled Sanji aside. A full-grown man, yet in his grasp, Sanji was nothing more than a ragdoll.
His body was flung like a projectile, hurtling straight toward Luffy, breaking his charge. Boom! The impact sent both of them flying.
"Damn it!" Zoro cursed, drawing all three of his swords in one swift motion. He leaped forward, slashing down with gleaming blades that cut through the air.
"Pirate Hunter, Zoro," Arashi mused, lifting his head with a sudden grin.
With ease, he extended a single finger, pressing against the edge of the incoming swords. "Do you know, I'm something of a Swordsman myself"
Boom! A shockwave burst outward, halting Zoro's attack completely.
"This… this is impossible!!!" Zoro's arms trembled as he tried to push forward, his face turning red with strain.
One finger—that was all it took. His attack was useless as if he had struck an immovable mountain.
In that instant, he fully grasped the overwhelming gap in their strength. A man who could block his strongest strike with a single finger… such power was unfathomable.
Robin was right—this was the strongest enemy they had ever faced.
"Is this the extent of your skill?" Arashi sighed, shaking his head. With a flick of his finger, an immense force exploded outward.
Zoro's expression twisted in shock as he was sent hurtling backward. His feet scraped across the ground, carving a deep trench as he skidded dozens of meters before finally stopping.
"Fighting with children does have its own kind of amusement," Arashi chuckled.
Though he stood there, his presence loomed over them like an insurmountable mountain. The pressure alone was suffocating.
Nearby, Kuzan remained seated, cross-legged and silent, deep in thought.
"If this is all you have to offer," Arashi said, his voice calm yet chilling, "then this little game of playing pirates will soon come to an end."
His gaze swept over Robin and Usopp, both unconscious on the ground. Slowly, his right hand lifted, extending a single finger.
Crackle! Blue lightning arced around it, crackling with a dangerous hum.
"Ahhhh!!" Chopper screamed in terror as the finger aimed directly at him.
"Only by falling into the depths of despair and understand true pain can one ever hope to stand at the true peak," Arashi murmured.
Kuzan's eyes flickered with interest as he looked up, a small smirk forming on his lips, and then—Arashi shifted his aim. His finger now pointed at Nami.
Crackle!
A lightning bolt burst forth, streaking through the air at an incredible speed.
"Nami!!!" Luffy's scream tore through the silence, his entire body trembling in horror. Sanji and Zoro's faces turned pale, their bodies stiff with dread. Every hair on their skin stood on end.
Thud!
Nami's body collapsed onto the ground, sending dust into the air. The battlefield fell into eerie silence. Only ragged breathing and quiet groans of pain echoed in the stillness.
"No, don't!" Luffy trembled. Zoro's eyes flashed coldly as he slowly lifted his head. Then, he saw the look on Sanji's face—grim and resolute, as if he were prepared for death.
"Tch!" A cigarette slipped between his lips and was lit. Sanji took a deep drag, blood still staining his face. "Hah! Mosshead, this might be our last fight together."
"Ha! Maybe so," Zoro replied, his body leaning forward slightly, his sharp gaze locked onto the towering man before them. His strength was unfathomable.
Even the small glimpse of his power had already proven to be an insurmountable mountain for them. This battle held no certainty—the odds of death were absolute. There was no chance of escape.
To make matters worse, an Admiral was sitting nearby. How many pirate crews had ever faced such a desperate situation with not one but two Admirals present?
"What a hopeless scenario," Zoro murmured. His body tensed as he gripped his swords tightly, clenching them between his teeth.
The next moment, two figures shot forward at full speed, one from the left and one from the right, charging toward the towering man before them.
"You young ones really are full of energy," Arashi chuckled softly.
In the blink of an eye, they had already reached him, attacking from both sides. Yet, he effortlessly dodged, evading every strike with ease.
He neutralized every attack without moving from his spot as if it were nothing. The sheer impossibility of it sent a shudder through them both. A cold sweat broke out as they gasped.
"We can't even land a hit on him! It's like he can predict our every move! How is he doing this?!"
The absurdity of it—something that went beyond their understanding—left them both in utter disbelief.
"If you want to survive on this sea, you still have a lot to learn." Arashi grinned before his body suddenly flickered.
"He's gone!" Sanji's pupils contracted. The figure before him had vanished as if he had never been there.
"Sanji!" Zoro shouted in warning.
Sanji reacted instinctively, feeling the wind shift above him. He quickly turned around.
"Let me show you how to kick properly, curly-browed brat." Arashi smirked. He stood before Sanji, their height difference stark. Then, his right leg suddenly lifted to its peak.
"Tempest Kick!"
A devastating slash tore through the air. Sanji's pupils shrank, his scalp tingling with alarm. This kick's sharpness was as lethal as Zoro's blades. Relying purely on instinct, he leaped backward.
BOOM!
The next moment, Arashi's kick struck the ground. The entire island trembled, the earth splitting with a deafening crack.
A massive fissure raced into the distance, cutting straight through the land and into the ocean, cleaving the sea in two before finally stopping.
"You've got to be kidding me?!" Sanji's eyes shook with disbelief.
Even Zoro trembled at the sight. That single kick shattered everything he had ever known about the limits of physical strength.
To think that a mere human could unleash such a terrifying slash with their flesh alone… "You bastard!"
Arashi turned slowly, still smiling. "Surprised? But this is just one of the Marine's Rokushiki."
"It's called Tempest Kick."
The name was etched into their minds as they burned the image of that slash carving through the earth and sea into their memories.
The next second, they launched another attack. But this time, to their shock, Arashi didn't dodge. Instead, their attacks landed directly on him.
"My swords can't cut through?!"
"My kicks are useless?!"
A sinking feeling spread through both Zoro and Sanji. Arashi raised his head, grinning once more.
"This is Iron Body."
Kuzan slowly rubbed his forehead, sighing as he watched. He couldn't understand his old friend at all. "What are you trying to do? Are you seriously giving them a lesson now?"
"If there are Six Styles, what are the rest?" Sanji suddenly blurted out, his eyes shifting.
Zoro immediately caught on to his plan, remaining on guard as he watched Arashi closely.
"The rest? That depends on whether you're worthy enough for me to use them against you."
Arashi chuckled. He had already seen through their little trick—dragging out the conversation to stall for time, either to find an opening or to escape.
Not far away, Luffy suddenly lifted his head, looking toward them. He had been checking on his fallen crewmates and was relieved to see they were only unconscious.
But even so, the man before them was an undeniable threat.
"However," Arashi mused, flashing a grin, "I suppose I can demonstrate one more."
The next instant, Zoro saw him lightly tapping his foot against the ground. Ripples spread outward, and then...
He vanished.
"So fast!" Zoro's pupils contracted.
At the same time, Sanji turned his head sharply. And then, he saw it—Arashi's towering figure had already appeared before Luffy.
"Monkey D. Luffy. I hear you're a Rubber Human?" Arashi's right hand opened wide with a smirk, reaching toward Luffy's head.
"My natural enemy, huh?" When his words fell, lightning crackled between his fingers, coalescing into a massive bolt.
BOOM!
A blinding column of lightning illuminated the entire island, engulfing Luffy's body instantly. Zoro and Sanji's faces twisted in horror.
"Luffy!!!" As the radiance of the thunder dissipated, the ground still crackled with residual electricity, revealing Luffy—standing there in a daze.
"He's unharmed?!" Zoro and Sanji exchanged glances, letting out a breath of relief.
"I'm an insulator! Your attacks don't work on me!" Luffy shouted defiantly.
Arashi, still smiling, clenched his right fist. Then, without hesitation, he slammed it straight into Luffy's face.
BANG!
Luffy's face caved in from the impact, and his entire body was sent flying. "Not entirely useless, though."
Arashi took a step forward to pursue, but at that moment—
Zoro and Sanji attacked once more.
"I almost forgot about you two." Arashi turned his head, smiling.
"You still haven't told us what that technique was!" Sanji shouted.
"Shave!"
"By rapidly stepping on the ground, one can generate recoil force to achieve incredible speed—almost like teleportation." Arashi explained it patiently, even breaking down the mechanics.
"He's explaining it in such detail? What is this guy thinking?"
Both Zoro and Sanji were momentarily stunned. But in the next second, a towering shadow loomed over them.
Before they could react, searing pain erupted from their shoulders.
"Puh!" Arashi withdrew his fingers from both hands, and droplets of blood dripped down. "This is Shigan!"
The two hadn't even reacted yet. Slowly, they lowered their heads to look at their shoulders, where two gaping, bloody holes were visible.
"This should be the end!"
"Your reactions are far too slow." Arashi shook his head. As he spread his hands, arcs of electricity flickered out, instantly crawling across their bodies.
"Boom!" Thunder roared, brilliant electric light erupted from their bodies, and thick smoke billowed.
"Thud!" The sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed. Even at this moment, the two remained dazed, their eyes slowly turning white as consciousness faded.
"Zoro!!" "Sanji!!" Chopper screamed, his face filled with horror. Summoning his courage, he transformed into his human form and charged forward, shouting.
However, Arashi kicked him again, sending him rolling over fifty times.
Luffy shook his dizzy head, feeling waves of pain coursing through him, groaning in agony.
When he raised his head and saw his two fallen crewmates, his eyes immediately widened in shock, frozen in place.
The next second, his face darkened, his eyes burned with fury, and he charged at Arashi.
But what greeted him was another punch from Arashi, striking him squarely in the face and sending him flying again.
"Aaaahhh!!" Luffy roared towards the sky. Clearing his head from dizziness, he charged forward once more.
"Bang!" Then, he was sent flying again, rolling across the ground.
"Quite the persistence! Straw Hat Luffy." Arashi smiled faintly.
He could see that Luffy had lost himself in rage, with only one goal in mind—to defeat him. But that was a delusion.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" The heavy sound of collisions rang out as Luffy was repeatedly sent flying, only to get up and charge again.
Kuzan lifted his head, watching the scene unfold. He swept his gaze over the others lying motionless on the ground and let out a long sigh.
"You are boring!" As his words fell, his exhaled breath turned into a chilling white mist, freezing the air in front of him.
Just as Luffy reached Arashi and swung his fist, his body suddenly froze. His entire form was enveloped in ice, turning him into an ice sculpture.
"Boring?" Arashi turned to look at his old friend. Then, he glanced back at the frozen Luffy in front of him. "Maybe a little!" He shrugged.
"Hey, raccoon, come over here! We don't attack a pet." Kuzan called out lazily.
Chopper, however, stood on guard, his face filled with anger as he glared at them, seemingly ready to charge at any moment.
"I'm not a raccoon!!" Chopper roared furiously. Arashi chuckled but had no intention of making a move against him.
"Without experiencing utter despair, how can they truly understand the beauty and value of life?"
"Sometimes you must hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, lose in order to gain."
"How else can they extinguish their arrogance and pride, then move forward step by step with their feet on solid ground?"
"The young need more trials and tribulations." His words made Kuzan roll his eyes, his expression is full of scepticism.
He had long seen through it—Arashi wasn't truly planning to capture the Straw Hats and send them to Impel Down.
Suddenly— "Buru Buru Buru!" The Den Den Mushi in Arashi's coat rang.
He was slightly taken aback, as this was his personal Den Den Mushi, rarely contacted by anyone other than familiar faces like Sengoku.
He pulled it out and answered. "Hey! Arashi, where the hell are you?" A bold voice rang out, carrying the same familiar tone as always.
"Garp-sensei?" Arashi raised an eyebrow. Then, he glanced at the frozen Luffy before him.
"Where are you? I heard you left Impel Down and didn't stay at Marine Headquarters?" Garp's voice was loud.
"That's right. Right now, I should be somewhere near Long Ring Long Land and Water 7, on an uninhabited island." Arashi replied with a smile.
"Alright, wait for me there! I'll be going to Marineford with you!" Garp declared.
"This...?" Arashi hesitated for a moment. "What, got a problem?" Garp asked loudly.
"Not really, just that I'm currently dealing with some small-time pirates," Arashi muttered.
"Small-time pirates? That should be easy for you." Garp replied.
"But what if that small-time pirate is your grandson—Straw Hat Luffy?" Arashi sighed.
"What?! That little bastard actually fell into your hands?! Beat the hell out of him! Don't hold back!!" Garp immediately roared.
But Kuzan could hear the trace of worry hidden in his tone.
Even if Arashi was his disciple, his overwhelming strength made even Garp uncertain about his intentions.
"That, of course, isn't a problem. I believe he's already learned something." Arashi smirked.
"Hmph!" Garp snorted before hanging up. Arashi chuckled, then looked at Kuzan. "So, the old man wants me to capture Luffy? Or let him go?"
"Think whatever you want." Kuzan rolled his eyes. Arashi shook his head and turned away.
"I'll leave this place to you. I need to wait for Garp-sensei." With those words, his body vanished instantly into a lightning bolt.
Kuzan stood there, gazing at the chaotic battlefield, and sighed. "Should I say you guys are lucky or unlucky?"
—Time passed. Ten days later—
In the New World, on a nameless island. Cold flames flickered, burning quietly. A man sat with his legs crossed, his back carrying the world's strongest black blade, Yoru.
His sharp eyes stared at the island ahead. The bandages wrapped around his chest were visible, and even after more than ten days, the wound still faintly ached.
The coffin boat docked. Mihawk leaped off and walked toward the island's interior. Moments later, he heard the sound of loud laughter.
Smoke curled into the sky, and people drank heartily around a bonfire.
Suddenly, the crowd fell silent. They turned their gazes toward Mihawk, locking him one by one.
Sitting in the center, a red-haired, one-armed man gave him a cold look and spoke calmly. "I don't have time to deal with you right now, Mihawk."
Mihawk's expression remained unchanged as he responded just as calmly. "I have no interest in crossing swords with a man who has lost an arm."
Shanks was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. "Not here for a fight? Then come on, we're having a banquet!"
With that, Mihawk was immediately pulled over and seated beside Shanks. The lively atmosphere returned.
"I didn't come to join your ridiculous banquet!" Mihawk took the offered drink, speaking in a heavy tone, his eyes filled with seriousness.
"Then, why are you here?" Shanks was puzzled, but his pupils shrank as he noticed the white bandages wrapped around Mihawk.
"You're injured? Who in this world could wound you so severely?"
Mihawk did not deny it. He nodded. "Yes. I was wounded! And even now, the wound still aches! I came here for that very reason."
As he spoke, his sharp eyes locked onto Shanks. "That man... I believe you will be very interested in him!"
(T/N: There is a new novel called Naruto: The Strongest. Come check out and continue to support me)
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