Susanoo Reappears!
Chunwu looked up at the dark red giant that stretched across the night sky, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
Countless thoughts surged in my mind. I still wanted to pretend that I could still hold on, to argue that I hadn't overdrawn myself to the limit, and even to be obsessed with the fact that I hadn't activated my Mangekyo Sharingan yet and hadn't fought with all my might.
In the end, he simply nodded slightly, silently suppressing all his resentment.
He had indeed reached the limits of both his physical body and Chakra.
To be able to hold out for so long under Jack the Drought's relentless attacks, to hold off an entire pirate crew, and to protect the team's retreat route, far exceeds the level that a boy who has just entered the New World should have, and cannot be considered a defeat in the slightest.
A thought even secretly arose in his mind—this achievement would be enough to brag about to his tribe when he returned.
At this moment, Jack had long since abandoned all pretense and arrogance, and all that remained in his heart was genuine fear.
He was very familiar with the name Uchiha Kei.
The detailed battle report of the Summit War was circulated countless times among the high-ranking Beasts Pirates.
With a bounty of 1.87 billion, a unique Mangekyō Sharingan, and most importantly—this Uchiha powerhouse once directly killed Vice Admiral Onigumo, an elite Vice Admiral Marine Headquarters Onigumo.
Although Onigumo was not at the level of the Three Disasters, he was a true veteran of the headquarters, possessing the Eight-Sword Style, which was both offensive and defensive. However, he couldn't even last a single move against Uchiha Kei.
Fear transformed into rage. Jack crouched low, assuming a full-force charge stance, his rough roar echoing throughout the port, "Uchiha Kei! This is the waters of the New World, not your playground where the Uchiha can run rampant in the West Blue!"
Before the words were even finished, the massive mammoth, with the force of a mountain, unleashed its tusks and trunk, charging Devil Fruit with all its might, pouring all its fruit into the attack. This strike was enough to shatter half a mountain's rock and tear apart a harbor's seawall; it was its most ruthless and unstoppable killing move.
Faced with this overwhelming offensive, Uchiha Kei didn't even lift an eyelid.
The towering Susanoo merely turned slightly to the side, its left arm firmly protecting the group of youths behind it, as the Chakra sword that had been formed drew an extremely clean dark red arc from bottom to top.
With a single sword strike, the wind and clouds fall silent.
The unparalleled, sharp sword light instantly tore through the brute force, and Jack's massive mammoth body was sent flying by this single strike.
The heavy beast's body, like a giant, out-of-control cannonball, smashed through several layers of warehouse walls and was buried deep in the ruins. Broken bricks and wood chips filled the air, obscuring a small patch of the night sky.
The night wind swept across the dilapidated dock, Uchiha Kei's voice was as calm as water, without the slightest ripple, yet it carried an undeniable power, steadily resounding throughout the entire port area.
"The old world and the new world have never mattered."
"Those whom the Uchiha protects are never for outsiders to touch."
"Go back and tell Kaido that these kids are under the protection of the Uchiha. If he has any complaints, he can come to Origin Island to confront me personally."
He glanced down at the trembling, torch-wielding Beasts Pirates at the edge of the dock, showing no interest in even raising a hand to strike, and simply uttered a single word:
"Roll."
The pirates, as if granted a pardon, abandoned their armor and fled in disarray toward the ruins where Jack had fallen, not daring to linger for even a moment.
A suppressed, furious roar echoed from the depths of the warehouse, mixed with the sound of tumbling pebbles, before being completely swallowed by the continuous waves.
The infamous Jack the Drought ultimately failed to step out of the ruins again.
The crimson giant shadow slowly dissipated, Susanoo retracted, Uchiha Kei landed lightly, stepping steadily on the bluestone slabs of the dock.
He turned to look at Chunwu, who had stood up straight, and then gazed at the group of eagerly waiting boys on the sailboats on the sea. His tone remained calm and composed.
"Everyone rest here for the night. Tomorrow morning, we'll continue our exploration of the New World."
After a brief pause, he looked at Chunwu and added a word of advice that was both insightful and cautionary.
"Your performance tonight deserves recognition, but you must practice your Chakra control more when you get back. Your stamina is too poor. Next time you encounter a strong opponent of the same level, you can't always rely on your senior to cover for you."
Chunwu stood tall and nodded solemnly.
He understood; this wasn't criticism, but guidance and expectation.
The elder was telling him: Today someone is protecting you, but in the future, you will have to build your own world.
The sea breeze was strong, and the Gunbai flags on the mast fluttered in the wind.
The embers of fire in Coral Port still flickered in the distance, but the oppressive atmosphere and danger of the entire battlefield had completely dissipated.
Tonight, these young men, who witnessed the Semi-Complete Susanoo defeat the enemy with a single sword strike, are filled with a burning passion.
One day, the one who stands between the giant's brows, wielding the thunderous sword, and protecting their companions will be each and every one of them.
Night had completely fallen, and the embers of the ruins of Coral Port were still emitting wisps of smoke in the distance. A few wisps of gray mist were torn into fine pieces by the sea breeze and slowly dispersed into the night sky.
The Uchiha's sailboat was safely moored in the sheltered bay, isolated from the remaining hustle and bustle of the port.
The crew members on night watch huddled together against the mast, whispering occasionally, a few hushed laughs escaping their lips, landing softly on the sea surface and instantly drowned out by the sound of the tide.
Neither Chunwu nor Rin returned to their cabin to rest.
The earth-shattering battle that had just taken down Drought Jack the Drought seemed to him to be nothing more than a trivial pastime.
"Senior Qi, I misjudged tonight."
Rin followed closely beside him, her head bowed slightly, her eyes filled with remorse.
Qi listened quietly to their self-reflection, without interrupting, her expression calm and composed.
"Your tactics do have weaknesses. Chakra sustain, Armament Haki hardness, and blind spots in Observation Haki —you need to address these shortcomings one by one when you get back. You can't skimp on any of the extra training you need."
Chunwu subconsciously looked up, his lips moving slightly, as if he still wanted to defend his shortcomings.
"I've noted down the issues you're aware of. Your Chakra control training will be doubled, and you'll need an extra hour of basic Armament Haki training daily. Elder Setsuna personally oversee and Observation Haki your Observation Haki; no one is allowed to slack off."
The cabin fell silent instantly, with only the faint crackling of the oil lamp.
"Then what is the value of the information about Carlos, whom you rescued, and the secret box he was carrying?" Qi continued to press.
Qi raised an eyebrow and asked calmly, "Since the gains are so crucial, then is tonight's battle considered a crushing defeat?"
Qi leaned back against the cabin wall, his posture becoming increasingly relaxed, and slowly began to speak of the past, "When I was fifteen, I wasn't even qualified to be a formal Jonin."
"Following Young Master Natsu's father in battle, Sharingan was clumsy and inefficient. On the battlefield, all they could do was run errands and provide support. Where did they get the confidence you have now?"
"So, it's not your place to define what constitutes a crushing defeat."
"That guy can't be judged by common sense. In the thousand-year history of the Uchiha, how many monsters have ever emerged who were nearly invincible at Four Blues age of fifteen or sixteen? If we use him as the standard, then the new generation of the entire sea won't stand a chance."