Compared to the spiked club hurtling toward him, Ian's attention was actually more focused on Yamato's face.
Over the past five years, this girl had really grown up a lot.
The round-faced, gap-toothed, white-haired little girl of the past had become a graceful young maiden. The baby fat had faded from her face, her chin had gradually sharpened, and the childishness between her brows had vanished. No one could deny that she had truly become a beautiful girl.
My little girl has grown up.
But the young girl's iron club showed no mercy.
Yamato seemed to shrink the distance beneath her feet, instantly appearing before Ian as her club, wrapped in invisible ripples, crashed down toward his head.
Six Powers too?
Umit, watching the fight, noticed something unusual about Yamato's speed.
Even with Shave from the Six Powers, ordinary people could never move that fast.
What shocked him even more was the invisible ripples wrapped around that pitch-black club.
"Haki!!"
Umit could not help crying out.
No way. Such a young girl had actually mastered Haki!
Haki was a power hidden within every person, but unless one's body and spirit reached a certain level of strength, it was impossible to draw out Armament Haki and Observation Haki!
What kind of monster was this girl?
And what came next shocked him even more.
Facing Yamato's club, Ian merely took a slight step back and spun, whipping his right leg out like a steel lash.
Clang!
The thick sole of his leather shoe collided with the iron club, and a violent shockwave instantly spread outward.
Umit's eyes widened. Ian's shoe was also wrapped in Haki.
Had both of them already mastered Haki?
"Urgh!"
Yamato groaned as Ian's kick sent her sliding backward, her little feet dragging two distinct trails across the ground.
"Rankyaku: Disorder!"
Ian leaped into the air, his legs lashing out in rapid succession.
In the next instant, azure slashes flew out like a storm, blanketing Yamato from all directions.
"..."
Umit was left utterly dumbfounded.
Was this really strength a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy could possess?
"Kunitari Ryuseigun!"
Yamato showed no fear. Gripping her club tightly with both hands, she swung the Haki-coated weapon so quickly that it created countless afterimages in the air, accurately and swiftly smashing apart every incoming slash.
But amid the slashes, a dark figure flashed toward her.
It was Ian. In an instant, he closed in on Yamato, his body twisting like a sheet of paper as he effortlessly evaded every one of her strikes.
Paper Art!
"Finger Pistol—"
Ian raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. "Siege Cannon!"
The Siege Cannon slammed into the incomparably sturdy iron club.
"Ah!"
Yamato was blasted away once more by Ian's punch.
"It was about time you brought out your real strength, wasn't it, Yamato?"
Ian's tie fluttered in the wind as he landed lightly where he stood and spoke leisurely.
That was not even her real strength?
Umit hurriedly turned his head toward Yamato, who had landed as well.
"Then take this, Ian!"
Thick white fur grew from Yamato's body. In the blink of an eye, she transformed into a beautiful white werewolf!
A Zoan too?
Another Ancient Zoan?
Umit guessed.
But his guess was shattered in the very next moment.
Yamato breathed out white freezing air at Ian.
It was clearly a mist-like breath, yet it shot forth like a laser beam.
Ian chuckled. This girl had gotten quite good at Return to Life too.
She had changed the shape of the freezing air through sheer willpower.
Ian pushed off with both legs and shot into the sky.
The Armament Haki he had only recently learned could merely coat his body. It was still not enough to contend with Yamato's freezing air.
His feet kicked through the air with booming impacts as Ian raced through the sky, then plunged toward Yamato like lightning.
"Phantom Blade!"
White frost and invisible Armament Haki wrapped around the iron club at once. Yamato leaped up to meet Ian's attack.
With a clang, the two collided and were driven apart again.
"M-Mythical Zoan!!"
Umit's pupils trembled.
There was no mistake. Beyond transforming forms, she could use a unique special ability. This was indeed a Mythical Zoan!
This little girl was actually a Mythical Zoan user?
Ian landed and looked at his right hand.
The hand that had collided with Yamato's club was now covered in a layer of solid ice.
His newly learned Haki was indeed still far from sufficient.
Yamato's freezing ability had improved far too much over the past five years.
"Ian!"
Yamato pointed her club straight at him. "It was time for you to use your power too, wasn't it?"
"Seems that way."
Ian did not object.
He could not defeat Yamato while relying only on his normal state.
Then—
Umit looked toward Ian.
No way! Could it be—
Brilliant golden light began to bloom.
Golden flames instantly spread outward, and the scorching heat made sweat pour from Umit's body.
Th-This was!
He stared at the figure emerging from within the flames.
A Golden Armored Winged Man wreathed in fire!
Simply standing there, he was melting the ground beneath his feet.
Another Mythical Zoan?
Was this a joke?
Mythical Zoans were even rarer than Logias, yet he had seen two at once?
Ian spread his hands. "Come on. You could attack however you liked."
"You're looking down on me too much, Ian!"
Yamato flew into a rage and dashed before Ian with a Shave. "Ice General Slash!"
Her club, wrapped in Haki and freezing air, struck Ian's chest like wind and thunder.
The tremendous force sent Ian flying. After flipping once in midair, he landed lightly.
"Mouth-Tearing Ice Fang!"
Before he could even steady himself, freezing breath engulfed his entire body.
But the extreme cold could not freeze him.
Or rather, Yamato's freezing breath was dispersing, because flames had begun blazing across Ian's body.
"I can't freeze you at all!"
Yamato puffed up her cheeks like a pufferfish.
Embarrassed and furious, she charged forward and wildly bombarded Ian with her club.
But it was meaningless.
The cold could not overcome Ian's flames, and the club could not break through his defense.
"She is completely outmatched."
Black Maria sighed. "No, more accurately, she doesn't even have any way to hurt Ian."
"Sister Yamato is already terrifyingly strong! But—"
Jack spoke with almost fanatical fervor, "Her opponent is Brother Ian!"
That was right. That girl was already terrifyingly strong.
At thirteen or fourteen, with such powerful physical abilities, mastery of the Six Powers, Armament Haki already under her control, and the power of a Mythical Zoan fruit, there were probably only a few people her age in the entire world who could rival her.
Yet her opponent, that boy named Ian, happened to be one of them.
And the gap in strength between the two of them was enormous.
"Pant... pant..."
After that relentless barrage, Ian was not hurt in the slightest, while Yamato was exhausted, leaning on her spiked club and gasping for breath.
"Then it was my turn, Yamato."
Ian chuckled.
"Bring it on!"
Yamato grinned excitedly and tightened her grip on the spiked club.
She would lose, but she was not afraid in the slightest.
Ian extended his right hand. Flames gathered in his palm, stretched outward, and then formed into a long spiked club.
Haki, still without even a color for the moment, wrapped around the flaming spiked club.
Here I go.
Ian shot forward.
Yamato charged as well.
The two shared extraordinary mutual understanding.
"Thunder Bagua!" X2
Above the plaza, atop the main building.
"These two brats are really outrageous. What kind of brats were supposed to have this kind of strength at their age?"
Queen peered down below. "Especially that kid Ian. Even I don't dare say I could beat him easily now!"
"Beat him easily?"
Behind him, King replied coldly, "Feel free to try. Ian might just give you a surprise."
"Huh? King, you bastard!"
Queen immediately turned back in anger. "Are you saying that brat Ian can already beat me?"
Ignoring the argument between the two entirely, Kaido, who was leisurely drinking behind them on a cushion, suddenly heard a "buru buru buru" sound.
A Den Den Mushi?
Frowning, he pulled a Den Den Mushi from his clothes.
There were only a few people across the entire sea who knew his number.
Who was it?
Click.
The call connected.
"Kaido... good. After all these years, your number hasn't changed."
"Hmm?"
Kaido raised a brow, then laughed heartily. "Wororororo! It's you, brat! You're still alive?"
"Not yet, but I'm about to die."
The person on the other end said, "Actually, Kaido, I'm calling to ask for your help. For the sake of our old friendship, I want to entrust my children to you."
"Oh?"
Only a few hours remained. Did anyone still have monthly tickets left?
Before you continue