The instant before Xi Yan's fist struck Blueno, his eyes had been full of confidence.
For a user of the Six Powers, Iron Body was an exceptionally powerful defensive Body Technique, let alone the advanced version, Iron Body: Steel.
He could even withstand Cannonballs with this special Body Technique!!
But the moment Xi Yan's fist landed, Blueno knew he had been wrong—terribly wrong.
That fist was simply too heavy, so heavy that Blueno had the illusion that what struck him was not a fist, but a mountain crashing down onto him!!!
"Bang!!"
"Urgh..."
Blueno's nerves instantly registered the indescribable agony. The pain made his eyeballs bulge.
But he knew that if his Iron Body state was broken at this moment, he would definitely die!!
Under the tremendous force, Blueno began sliding backward. He shot out of the corridor and was dragged all the way outside the Great Gate of the building before barely coming to a stop.
Blueno panted heavily, his body trembling as he said, "Heh... it... it was nothing..."
Before he could finish, his eyes rolled back, and he dropped to his knees. Then he collapsed facedown and lost consciousness.
"The only thing tough about you is your mouth." Xi Yan said. "If I hadn't been worried about killing you in one hit, you wouldn't even have been able to take a single punch from me."
Iron Body... Forget that this was merely an imitation. Even if it had been real iron, he could have smashed it to pieces.
"You held back?" Nico Robin asked in surprise.
"Hmm. This guy's Devil Fruit ability is rather special. It will probably be useful." Xi Yan nodded.
A Space-type Devil Fruit ability could produce extraordinary results if used properly.
"You intend to use that guy's Devil Fruit ability to secure an escape route?"
"I had that idea."
"I'm afraid that won't work." Nico Robin shook her head. "A Devil Fruit User needs stamina to use their ability. I don't think he has enough stamina to support us all the way back to Water Seven."
"Besides..."
Nico Robin gave Blueno, who lay on the ground, a complicated look. "You nearly beat him to death. Even if we wake him up... how much stamina could he possibly have?"
She even doubted whether his ability could last until they got off the island. What if it failed midway and all of them fell out of the space and into the sea?
Then they really would have nowhere to go.
"Then he's pretty useless." Xi Yan said disdainfully.
Nico Robin: ...
Did Xi Yan misunderstand something about Devil Fruit Users?
At the end of the day, Devil Fruit Users were merely people with special abilities. If the person himself was weak, then their ability would only amount to so much.
"It's fine. Even if we can't use him to return to Water Seven, he still has some use."
"Such as?"
"After Zoro and the others finish their battle, you can use this guy to get outside." Xi Yan pointed toward the Gate of Justice. "Then you can see with your own eyes how I stop the Buster Call."
"At the same time... if Vice Admirals target you, you can use this guy to temporarily avoid danger."
There was one other point Xi Yan did not mention: the Marine Admirals!
If one of them appeared, Xi Yan would have to consider his companions' safety, and this Space-type Devil Fruit User would be very useful.
"Hmm, not a bad idea. But how will you make him obey?" Nico Robin asked. "Aren't you afraid he'll suddenly send us onto a warship?"
"Why do you think that idiot CP9 commander pressed the button on the Golden Den Den Mushi?"
Nico Robin froze for a moment, then said incredulously, "You did that?"
If that was the case, then it made sense. Otherwise, no matter how idiotic that man was, he would not have activated a Buster Call to destroy their own territory.
Judicial Island had stood for eight hundred years. It was the face of the World Government!
"Yes."
Xi Yan revealed his Sharinggan and pointed at his eyes. "I controlled him with Illusion. And that is what I intend to do now as well."
As for Blueno's injuries, they would be easy to handle. He could simply use some Medical Ninjutsu to treat him later. As long as the guy did not die, that was enough.
"Such beautiful eyes..."
"Beautiful?"
Nico Robin's words caught Xi Yan off guard. He then smiled and said, "You're the first person to say that."
"In many people's eyes, these eyes represent misfortune."
The Sharinggan... a bloodline that required tremendous mental stimulation to achieve Awakening and advance. Those who reached the Three-Tomoe stage generally had some issues with their mental state.
He had not been discriminated against only because no one knew he had achieved Awakening with the Sharinggan. Otherwise, who knew whether Danzo would have set his sights on him?
Of course, the main reason was that no living person knew he was mixed-blood. Even Xi Yan himself had not known before Awakening the Sharinggan.
"How could they?" Nico Robin said with a smile. "These eyes are clearly so beautiful. How could they represent misfortune?"
"It seems that everyone you met before was simply tasteless."
Nico Robin's words made the smile on Xi Yan's face grow wider.
"Looks like we're both people of taste."
"Of course."
"Hmm... Then I'll show you something even more beautiful someday."
Nico Robin paused, then smiled. "All right. Wait and see."
Though she did not know what Xi Yan wanted to show her, that did not stop her from looking forward to it.
"Let's go. First, we'll get the key from that guy." Xi Yan said. "If it happens to unlock the Sea Stone handcuffs on you, you won't have to keep suffering through this."
"Hmm."
Nico Robin followed behind Xi Yan with a radiant smile. At that moment, she was filled with a sense of security.
As they passed through the Central Hall, they found something that looked vaguely human. Xi Yan stopped and said, "What... is that thing?"
Why did this unidentified object leaning against the wall seem so familiar to him?
"It does look familiar." Nico Robin said.
"Cough... Is... is that Xi Yan and Robin?" Sanji said with difficulty.
Clearly, due to his Devil Fruit ability and his injuries, Sanji was not having an easy time.
"Why is this unidentified object making Sanji's voice?" Xi Yan asked.
Yet from the smile on his face, it was obvious that he had already recognized who it was.
"Bastard, I'm Sanji!"
Strength suddenly returned to Sanji's body. He raised his head and said, "You... you're clearly smiling, yet you claim you don't know what I am."
"Not only that, you have a beauty by your side. You bastard, you really are making me jealous!"
Xi Yan: ...
So that was the real point?
Sure enough, even after being beaten into this state, Sanji was as absurd as ever.
Xi Yan shook his head helplessly. "What happened to you?"
"Nothing. I just lost."
"Defeated..."
Xi Yan frowned. Sanji was not weak. Even if he could not win, he should not have been defeated so quickly.
Suddenly, a thought surfaced in his mind.
"Was the enemy that woman with glasses?" Xi Yan asked.
Xi Yan remembered Sanji's so-called chivalry. For example, back in Alabasta, when Mr. 2 transformed into Nami, Sanji could not bring himself to attack.
Sanji did not speak. He merely lowered his head again in silence.
"Looks like that was probably it." Xi Yan looked up toward the high ground. "You really ran into your nemesis."
But Xi Yan did not say anything more. This was Sanji's belief, after all, and it was not his place to comment on it.
"What kind of Devil Fruit ability is this?" Nico Robin curiously examined Sanji's appearance. "His entire body looks so smooth, like... it's been polished."
"Can you think of a solution?"
"To be honest, without knowing the exact Devil Fruit ability, there's no way to find its weakness." Nico Robin considered it. "But we could try throwing him into the sea."
The sea was the nemesis of Devil Fruit Users. Throwing him into it might solve the problem.
"Then let's try it."
Xi Yan did not waste words. He immediately grabbed Sanji by the leg and dragged him outside. Regardless of whether Sanji was willing, he casually threw him into the sea. Blueno lay unconscious not far from Xi Yan.
After dusting off his hands, Xi Yan looked toward the distant Gate of Justice.
The enormous Gate of Justice was slowly opening!
Before you continue