Panel Changes, Power Increase! Showdown

[Lin Ye]

[Eleven Years and One Month Old]

[Abilities: Trait Pickup, Trait Shattering]

[Conqueror's Haki: Level 9]

[Armament Haki: Level 9]

[Observation Haki: Level 7]

[Divine Departure: Level 10]

[Strong Physique: Level 9]

[Calm: Level 6]

[Mighty Arms: Level 7]

[Cat-Cat Leap: Level 7]

[Blank Trait: 2]

...

...

Power was confidence.

Looking at the updated panel and feeling the immense power contained within his body, Lin Ye turned to Kozuki Oden, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Kozuki Oden, who was holding a large bowl and draining the ramen broth in one gulp, noticed Lin Ye's gaze.

He felt rather strange now.

The person sitting nearby seemed to have grown stronger in an instant.

And much stronger at that.

But how was that possible?

Even a genius needed time to become stronger.

Unless he found an exceptionally skilled teacher who could give him some affectionate instruction with a big stick, rapid improvement might be possible.

Or was he an ability user?

As Kozuki Oden pondered, he set down the large bowl, then grabbed the two swords beside him and sheathed them at his waist.

"I'm full!"

Kozuki Oden turned toward Lin Ye and spoke, baring his teeth in a foolish grin.

Lin Ye did not answer. After standing up, he pulled out a stack of Beli from his clothes and placed it on the table before turning to leave.

The tavern owner watched Lin Ye take out a stack of paper and seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he did not dare open his mouth.

After taking just two steps, Lin Ye suddenly turned back.

"Oh, right. You people are so isolated that you don't use this money."

As Lin Ye spoke, he pulled out a piece of gold and tossed it onto the table.

"That's all I have. If it isn't enough, then I don't have any more."

With that, Lin Ye turned and walked outside.

Seeing the gold ingot, the tavern owner breathed a sigh of relief.

Kozuki Oden was clearly somewhat surprised by this scene.

He was even more surprised when Lin Ye stepped over the corpses sprawled outside the door and walked through the spilled blood, leaving a string of bloody footprints.

Where had this brat come from?

Though his height made him look like an adult, he was clearly just a child.

But then Kozuki Oden recalled the many races he had seen at sea after setting sail, and he felt somewhat relieved.

"By Lord Orochi's order, your duel will take place in the square at the center of the capital."

Seeing the two emerge, a samurai in the distance shouted before several samurai turned and ran.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Several slashes flew out, and the men who had turned to flee collapsed to the ground, their heads separated from their bodies.

"Those people were only here to deliver a message."

Seeing Lin Ye kill again, Kozuki Oden could not help speaking up.

"Are you telling me what to do?"

Hearing that, Lin Ye turned to look at Kozuki Oden. A faint smile rested on his face, but Kozuki Oden saw the mockery behind it.

"Where's the square?"

Lin Ye asked again. Kozuki Oden froze for a moment, then raised a hand and pointed in one direction.

Lin Ye nodded. His figure flashed, and he leaped over a hundred meters into the air, heading in the direction Kozuki Oden had indicated.

Seeing this, Kozuki Oden broke into a run toward the square.

Why was Lin Ye heading to the square?

Naturally, he had figured that Kurozumi Orochi would most likely be waiting there.

People in this world were like that. Before death was staring them in the face, they were not only arrogant, but also inexplicably confident.

Kurozumi Orochi was that kind of person too.

That saved Lin Ye the trouble of looking for him himself.

If he could really obtain an ability that gave him several extra lives from Kurozumi Orochi, then he could even go test himself against Kaido.

Before he arrived, his fully spread Observation Haki had already detected the situation at the square.

The square was surrounded by a large number of ambushers.

There were not only samurai among them, but pirates as well.

His Observation Haki clearly sensed those lying in ambush. He could even feel their current emotions.

Of course, what Lin Ye cared about most was the tallest building among the row of towering structures facing the square.

A short, stout fellow wearing a golden crown.

Kurozumi Orochi.

Several fairly powerful presences were beside Kurozumi Orochi as well.

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes in midair. A sudden explosive boom erupted beneath his feet as a black slash shot toward Kurozumi Orochi's location.

Following that slash, Lin Ye hurtled toward Kurozumi Orochi.

Atop the pavilion.

"Damn it, damn it! He still dares to kill people! What the hell is Kozuki Oden doing?"

Kurozumi Orochi was furious beyond measure.

He had just received word that his subordinates had been killed again.

This made it impossible for Kurozumi Orochi to suppress his rage any longer.

He had fallen into a frenzy of fury.

"Lord Orochi, please calm..."

The ugly old woman, Kurozumi Higurashi, had just begun to speak when her expression abruptly changed.

Several ninjas immediately leaped out and pounced toward the descending slash overhead.

Boom!

Several figures were instantly turned into clouds of blood beneath the slash.

The slash did not weaken in the slightest.

Fukurokuju appeared. The moment he rushed forward, he grabbed Kurozumi Orochi by the collar and directly threw him away.

Boom!

The slash came down, cutting the entire pavilion apart.

Kurozumi Orochi, who had been thrown away, was buried beneath the collapsed building.

As for Fukurokuju, who had thrown Kurozumi Orochi out, he was split in two by the slash.

The Armament Haki covering his entire body had failed to block that slash.

Lin Ye landed, and his Observation Haki had already sensed the little dwarf buried beneath the rubble.

Just as he raised his sword, he heard a shrill voice ring out beside him.

"Kill this bastard for me!"

Lin Ye turned his head and saw Kurozumi Orochi standing in the distance, stomping his feet in rage.

What was this?

For a moment, even Lin Ye was dazed.

But he quickly understood what was happening.

The Imitation Fruit.

Lin Ye then sent out another slash toward the Kurozumi Orochi who was stomping his feet.

The stomping Kurozumi Orochi dropped to the ground and rolled aside, dodging Lin Ye's casual strike.

Then the hidden samurai, ninjas, and pirates emerged from all around.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound was like gigantic beasts trampling the earth.

Even the ground trembled faintly.

"Hahaha!"

Kozuki Oden's figure leaped high into the air before landing in the square. His laughter abruptly stopped as he stared blankly at the scene before him.

What had happened?

"You bastard, Kozuki Oden! Do you still want to save those people or not? Kill this guy for me, or all those people will die."

Upon seeing Kozuki Oden, the Kurozumi Orochi transformed by Kurozumi Higurashi cursed loudly.

Kozuki Oden instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, but the words reaching his ears made him hesitate.

Lin Ye watched the scene with interest.

Kozuki Oden's strength was among the very best on the seas.

Yet he had been cowed by such a threat.

What an idiot!

After turning around, Lin Ye heard groans coming from the rubble behind him. He casually drew Yingxue, the Fine Grade sword at his waist, and thrust it backward into the ruins.

A scream rang out from within the rubble.

The distant Kurozumi Orochi showed a panicked expression. He then pointed at Kozuki Oden and cursed, urging him to make his move.