Kizaru's gaze flickered with surprise as he looked at Yuuki, who now floated midair just like him—his entire body radiating golden light, wielding the very same power.
He can even use light?
This Devil Fruit… is getting ridiculous.
Based on Aokiji's intelligence, Marine Headquarters had already analyzed Yuuki's abilities.
The conclusions were limited to two possibilities—
Either a rare Paramecia-type similar to a Copy Fruit…
Or a Mythical Zoan.
And between the two, they had leaned heavily toward the latter.
But now—
The range of abilities on display…
Was simply too much.
This was no ordinary Mythical Zoan.
Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, possessed the Mythical Zoan: Azure Dragon.
His power alone allowed him to command flames, storms, lightning, ice, and clouds—
A walking natural disaster.
And yet—
Even compared to that—
Yuuki's versatility felt excessive.
"How terrifying…"
Kizaru muttered, his usual lazy expression gaining a hint of seriousness as he rubbed his chin, carefully observing Yuuki.
"It's truly light… and a very pure form at that."
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were the Glint-Glint Fruit user."
But—
Purity alone isn't enough.
"I'm curious."
Yuuki's body surged with increasingly dense light mana, his aura rising steadily.
"Is your Glint-Glint Fruit stronger… or is my Light Magic superior?"
"Don't disappoint me, Admiral."
"Heh…"
Kizaru let out a low chuckle, his gaze turning cold.
For a brief moment—
The air froze.
Then—
Whoosh!
A laser beam, faster and sharper than the one fired inside the auction hall, shot from Kizaru's fingertip.
Light Magic — Severing Flash!
Almost simultaneously—
Yuuki unleashed a beam of equal intensity.
BOOM!!
The two forces collided midair—
Erupting into a thunderous explosion.
In that instant—
Kizaru appeared right in front of Yuuki.
His leg gleamed with golden light—
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
SWISH!
A devastating kick tore through the air—
A streak of gold—
But—
It missed.
Yuuki vanished.
And in the next moment—
He appeared behind Kizaru.
A mirror-image kick—
Infused with light—
Crashed forward.
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Yuuki's calm voice echoed behind him.
Kizaru's eyes narrowed.
His body instantly dispersed into countless particles of light—
Yuuki's attack passed through empty space.
In a blink—
Kizaru reformed hundreds of meters away.
The first exchange ended—
Neither side gaining the advantage.
But both had learned enough.
Kizaru's greatest surprise—
Was Yuuki's speed.
It wasn't imitation.
It wasn't approximation.
It was—
On par with his own.
"Elementalization… really is troublesome."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow slightly, recalling how Kizaru had dissolved into light.
Logia intangibility—
One of the most troublesome abilities in the world.
And with light—
It was even worse.
If that's the case—
Light Creation Magic — Judgment Whip!
Golden light gathered in Yuuki's hand—
Forming a long, radiant whip.
He flicked his wrist—
CRACK!
The whip lashed out.
The air split with sharp sonic booms—
So fast that only flashes of gold could be seen.
Kizaru's body flickered constantly.
Boom! Boom!
In mere seconds—
The two streaks of light had already crossed from Area 1 to Area 2.
Shockwaves and compressed air bursts exploded in their wake—
Turning the sky into a battlefield of thunderous impacts.
Buildings below—
Collapsed without even being directly struck.
People on the ground—
Were sent flying by the aftermath alone.
Kizaru darted forward—
Constantly dissolving and reforming—
His expression growing more serious.
You can use light like this too?
As the Glint-Glint Fruit user—
He prided himself on mastering its potential.
Yet—
This method of shaping light into a whip—
Had never crossed his mind.
His Observation Haki flared—
The whip came again.
He twisted midair—
Barely evading.
BOOM!
The aftershock tore through his shoulder—
Shredding part of his uniform.
In just moments—
Kizaru had been pushed onto the defensive.
A whip—
Even in ordinary hands—
Could generate explosive force.
Now imagine—
A whip made of light.
Unpredictable trajectories.
Massive range.
Overwhelming speed.
And more importantly—
Yuuki understood something crucial.
While the Glint-Glint Fruit excelled in straight-line speed—
Its lateral movement had limitations.
And against irregular attacks—
It faltered.
The whip—
Was a perfect counter.
"Hey… you're a Marine Admiral."
Yuuki flicked his wrist again, the whip vibrating violently as energy surged to its tip.
"Just dodging like this is a bit disappointing."
Kizaru's eyelid twitched.
He retreated again—
Barely avoiding another strike.
The air where he had been—
Exploded instantly.
Yuuki stopped.
The whip hovered midair—
Nearly seventy meters long—
Like a golden serpent writhing in the sky.
"Troublesome ability…"
Kizaru exhaled slowly, staring at the glowing weapon.
For the first time—
He understood how others felt when facing his power.
"You're underestimating me."
His tone turned cold.
"That'll cost you."
He had already realized—
This wouldn't be easy.
And time—
Was not on their side.
The longer this dragged on—
The greater the impact of that broadcast would become.
And worse—
The Four Emperors might intervene.
So—
He had to end this quickly.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Kizaru crossed his arms—
Golden light erupted from his body.
Countless light bullets formed—
Filling the sky—
Then—
They rained down.
A storm of destruction—
Each one like a high-speed cannon.
Blotting out the heavens.
"Now this is more like it."
Yuuki smiled.
He drew the whip inward—
Then spun it rapidly.
WHOOOSH!
The seventy-meter whip rotated—
Forming a massive shield of light.
Every incoming projectile—
Intercepted.
BOOM!!!
The collision shook the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
From afar—
The sky looked like a blazing sun—
Exploding with golden light.
People stared in terror.
No one had expected—
That Yuuki could fight a Marine Admiral on equal footing.
Nearby—
Brave—or foolish—journalists from the World Economy News scrambled to record everything.
Area 13—
Rayleigh stood atop a massive mangrove branch, shielding his eyes.
Though his vision couldn't pierce the light—
His Observation Haki could.
He saw everything.
"No wonder he dared cause such a commotion…"
Rayleigh murmured, eyes filled with surprise.
"I underestimated the kid."
Meanwhile—
Kizaru showed no reaction as his attacks were blocked.
Instead—
He surged forward.
Closing in—
At the moment of impact—
Ama no Murakumo Sword!
A blade of golden light formed in his hands—
And he slashed.
RIP!
The light shield was torn apart—
Fragments scattering and dissolving.
In the next instant—
Kizaru appeared before Yuuki—
His blade thrusting straight for his chest.
To anyone else—
This shift was instantaneous.
But to Yuuki—
"Too slow."
Light Magic — Avior's Lamp!
A cross-shaped beam of light erupted before him—
At the same time—
Four smaller crosses appeared around it—
Above, below, left, and right.
In an instant—
Energy surged—
The four smaller crosses feeding into the central one.
The power—
Exploded.
The sky—
Gained a second sun.
Damn—!
Kizaru's expression changed.
Even as the user of the Glint-Glint Fruit—
The blinding light overwhelmed him.
He was swallowed—
By an endless radiance.
The battle—
Had escalated.
Next Bonus Chapter at 5500 powerstones.