Battle Against Kizaru

"Welcome back, Captain Lin Qi!"

Navy soldiers in crisp uniforms lined both sides of the dock.

When Lin Qi's warship docked, they all shouted energetically.

"What's going on?"

Lin Qi was baffled. The welcome ceremony for a Captain was grander than one for an Admiral.

He jumped down from the warship and was about to ask what was happening when Garp strode over from the side, laughing heartily.

"Hahaha, kid Lin Qi, I heard you ran into Dragon in the East Blue. He didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

So that was what this was about...

"No. Senior Dragon was quite easy to talk to."

"That's good, that's good. Come on, Sengoku that old fellow is still waiting for you."

Marshal's Office.

Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr sat in a circle, listening as Lin Qi recounted everything that had happened during his year-plus at sea.

"Cough, cough... Cough cough cough!"

As Sengoku listened, his pupils gradually widened. Then he suddenly choked on the Rice Cracker in his mouth and began coughing violently.

Garp gave him a sidelong glance, as if to say: When will you ever be as mature as me?

"You said you accidentally ate a Mythical Zoan while eating fruit?" Sengoku asked in shock.

That was a Mythical Zoan! The entire Navy only had one person who possessed one, and he understood exactly how valuable it was.

He had nearly died trying to obtain the Great Buddha Fruit back then, yet this kid had picked one up for free.

Sengoku could not have been more envious of that luck.

"Lin Qi, ignore Sengoku and keep going," Zephyr urged. He was thoroughly engrossed.

"After that, I happened to acquire a Supreme Grade Sword, and then..."

"Wait!" Sengoku interrupted Lin Qi again.

He accidentally tore out a handful of his beard and asked in disbelief, "You said you obtained a Supreme Grade Sword in that tiny place called the East Blue?"

Sengoku was completely numb.

A Supreme Grade Sword! The vast Navy did not even possess one.

Yet this kid had casually gotten his hands on one.

And in that rundown little place called the East Blue, no less.

"Uh, is there a problem, Marshal?"

There was a huge problem, all right!

Still, Sengoku had to maintain an outward appearance of maturity and composure. "No problem. Go on."

"Alright. Afterward, I discovered a Swordsman at the level of an elite Vice Admiral in the East Blue. I tried to recruit him into the Navy, but unfortunately, I failed."

"But it wasn't a total loss. He taught me his swordsmanship."

"So what level has your strength reached now?" Zephyr stared at Lin Qi seriously.

This disciple of his had improved far too quickly.

In just over a year at sea, he had first obtained a Mythical Zoan Fruit, then a Supreme Grade Sword, and even received personal guidance from a great swordsman.

None of them suspected that these things had come from improper sources.

After all, no one would be willing to give away such treasures of the sea to another person.

Lin Qi scratched his head and said modestly, uncertainly, "I've never tested my limits. I'd guess I can fight an Admiral?"

Both his physique and swordsmanship were at level five.

Although his Fruit Development and Haki were not as thoroughly developed as those of the older generation, he should have no problem contending with an Admiral.

Against a subpar Admiral like Ryokugyu, he might even have a chance of winning.

The three of them inhaled sharply at the same time.

If what Lin Qi said was true, then an Admiral at just twenty years old was utterly terrifying.

"How about I arrange a sparring match between you and Kizaru?" Sengoku proposed.

Lin Qi knew that they wanted to test his strength, so he readily agreed. "Sure."

Half an hour later, at Training Ground No. 7.

Kizaru yawned as he leisurely trimmed his nails with a pair of clippers.

"Ahh... You called me out from my afternoon nap just to fight this kid?" Kizaru said helplessly.

"Kizaru, don't underestimate him, or you might suffer for it," Sengoku warned kindly.

Kizaru still did not take it seriously.

He was forty-four years old. If he had to take a young man barely over twenty seriously, he might as well bash his head into a block of tofu and die.

If not for fear of losing his Year-end Bonus, he would not even have come.

Sengoku really was something, calling him here to play with a child.

"Ooh, I'm moving now."

With the thought of finishing quickly and getting off work early, Kizaru made the first move.

He transformed into a streak of light and appeared before Lin Qi in an instant, delivering a flying kick.

Bang!

"He really blocked it!"

Sengoku watched the field in surprise. Lin Qi had not moved from his spot; he had blocked Kizaru's kick with only one arm.

Kizaru had not been serious, but that was still astonishing enough.

"Oh?"

Kizaru looked at Lin Qi with interest as the force in his leg gradually increased.

Lin Qi remained unmoved.

"Senior Kizaru, as a Logia user, you shouldn't be competing with me in brute strength."

Lin Qi grinned, exerted force with both arms, and sent Kizaru flying back.

Kizaru landed steadily and shed some of his laziness.

He could see it now. This young man before him was extraordinary.

No wonder Sengoku had called him out.

"Young Navy officer, I'm going to get serious now. Don't get hurt."

As he spoke, an Ama no Murakumo glowing with golden light appeared in Kizaru's hand.

"Here I come!"

Lin Qi drew Dragon Abyss. Flames blazed along its blade as he clashed head-on with Kizaru.

The more Kizaru fought, the more alarmed he became. This young man's swordsmanship was actually no weaker than his own!

In their contest of swordsmanship, Kizaru was unable to defeat Lin Qi for a long time.

Zephyr nodded approvingly. "Kizaru may not be a professional swordsman, but his speed advantage makes him stronger than ordinary great swordsmen."

"For Lin Qi's swordsmanship to have improved this much in just one year, it seems he wasn't lying."

Every move Lin Qi made carried the bearing of a master. It was obvious that he had inherited the teachings of a renowned expert.

What they did not know was how much hardship Lin Qi had endured to attain his current swordsmanship.

Not only had he kept a threefold swordsmanship Training Scroll running for half a year,

he rose earlier than a donkey and slept later than a dog every day.

He got up before dawn and trained until deep into the night.

Unable to defeat Lin Qi with swordsmanship for so long, Kizaru decisively changed tactics.

He knew he had been called here to test Lin Qi. Since their swordsmanship was deadlocked, there was no need to keep going.

"I'm using my Fruit ability now. If you can't hold on, surrender quickly. Don't force yourself."

After offering that well-intentioned warning, Kizaru transformed into a streak of light and flew into the air, spreading his hands.

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

Hundreds upon thousands of light bullets rained down like raindrops, delivering devastating destruction.

"Rumble..."

The ground was blasted full of craters as dust billowed everywhere.

Zephyr looked anxiously toward the smoke.

"Don't worry. That kid hasn't even used his Fruit yet," Garp reassured him.

"Roar!"

A furious roar rang out, followed by a terrifying figure charging from the smoke.

It was a monster standing a full seven meters tall.

Its hands and vital parts of its body were covered in Dragon Scales. Two twisting antlers rose from its forehead.

Numerous sharp barbs jutted from its joints and other places, while a black halo wreathed in Flames floated behind it.

"Come to think of it, what Mythical Zoan did that kid eat again?"

As they looked at Lin Qi's appearance, Sengoku and the others fell into deep thought.

The traits of ordinary Mythical Zoans were usually obvious enough that one could tell what Fruit they were without being told.