I'm Out of Here

"I'm a Steam-Steam Fruit user. Out on this vast sea, let's see how a mere ability user like you plans to escape!"

Kuja radiated fierce killing intent as he roared, "Pay for my big brother's life!"

With that, he threw a punch!

Boom!

The punch came with crushing pressure, making Xia Zhiqing feel as though every pore on his body had become unbearably heavy!

How could he dare face it head-on? Using Moonwalk, he shot straight toward the sea!

Ability user? Heh, sorry, but he wasn't one!

"So you know there's no hope left and plan to kill yourself? Hmph, do you think I'll let you off that easily?"

In Kuja's eyes, Xia Zhiqing, an ability user, charging straight into the sea was no different from suicide!

"That kid Xia Zhiqing is exploiting a loophole again. Really, that's completely his style!"

"Kuja, I wonder whether you'll be furious when you learn the truth later!"

In the deep sea, Blamenco watched the activity on the surface through a periscope and spoke!

"Send a few men to retrieve their corpses!"

"Don't think I'll spare him just because he killed himself!"

"He dared kill my big brother and profit from selling his head. If I don't take his head to honor my big brother's spirit in heaven, if I don't tear him to pieces, how can I ease the hatred in my heart!"

After landing on the deck, Kuja spoke to his subordinates with a face full of hatred!

"Yes, Captain!"

Several pirates immediately answered and jumped into the sea!

He thought his men would soon return with Xia Zhiqing's corpse!

But!

Sizzle, sizzle!

A patch of lightning suddenly erupted on the distant sea surface. The moment Kuja saw it, his heart skipped a beat!

The next moment, several charred corpses floated up!

Yet not one of them was Xia Zhiqing's!

Splash!

At that moment, a phantom wrapped in lightning suddenly burst out of the sea!

"Iron Arm Kuja, I'm terribly sorry. There may be no path of escape for me in the sky, but I still have the sea! The ocean is vast enough for me to roam freely!"

"Wash your neck and wait for me to come collect it! Hahaha, this young master is off!"

After saying that, Xia Zhiqing plunged headfirst back into the sea!

"Bastard, you've gone too far! Don't think you can escape like this. No prey targeted by me, Iron Arm Kuja, has ever gotten away!"

Kuja was so furious that smoke seemed to pour from his seven orifices as he gave the order in a rage!

"Yes, Captain!"

The pirates immediately obeyed, steering the pirate ship, activating the detector, and giving chase!

But could they catch Xia Zhiqing?

Of course not!

Like a thunder god, Xia Zhiqing moved at incredible speed, constantly widening the distance between himself and Kuja like an arrow loosed from a bow!

Until the detector could no longer detect any trace of Xia Zhiqing!

"Damn it! Don't think you can get away. Even at the ends of the earth, there'll be no place for you to stand!"

Kuja roared, utterly unwilling to accept it!

"Whew, I finally got away. Good thing neither Anna nor I are Devil Fruit users!"

On a stretch of sea, Xia Zhiqing stood atop the water, panting heavily. His face was somewhat pale as he spoke with the relief of a survivor!

"Lord Xia Zhiqing, did we escape?"

Anna, held in Xia Zhiqing's arms, asked weakly, her face utterly pale!

"Mm, we escaped. But it'll be difficult to use this trick against him again next time!"

Xia Zhiqing nodded, his expression grave!

Being targeted by someone as dangerous as Kuja was no good thing!