Lost Control

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Dense smoke slowly spread. Gradually, a faint silhouette began to emerge clearly, making many people suck in a cold breath.

Ye Chen stepped out of the thick smoke, gunpowder smoke and flames drifting across his body. The broken half of his body gradually regenerated, creating a striking visual.

Across from him, Borsalino's face darkened as he stared at Ye Chen in disbelief.

Ye Chen crouched slightly, then vanished in an instant—so fast that Borsalino nearly failed to react. A boom immediately rang out beside his ear.

With a glance from the corner of his eye, Borsalino's pupils twitched. That man's feet were already gone, replaced by smoke and fire as they regenerated at high speed.

Golden light flashed as Borsalino pulled away, but Ye Chen was at his side again the very next second.

Borsalino froze briefly. Then his scalp tingled, and the roar by his ear made his pupils contract.

"Whoosh."

A streak of golden light crashed down, blasting apart the ground. Countless rocks flew up as Borsalino lay in the crater, blood spraying from his mouth.

In a flash, a battered, smoke-wreathed giant foot crashed down. Without a second thought, Borsalino turned elemental, becoming particles of light and vanishing from the crater.

Another huge explosion spread outward, enlarging the crater once more. Cracks spread like a spiderweb across the ground.

Borsalino reformed in midair, but before he could look around, a piercing wind came from behind him.

Golden light scattered, and Borsalino reformed on the ground. Yet like a lingering ghost, Ye Chen was always right beside him whenever he reconstituted himself.

For a time, golden flashes streaked across the field amid unceasing booms. The two moved at high speed, leaving behind afterimages that flickered above and below the ground.

Many people wore blank expressions. They could only see the golden light and hear the roars around them; beyond that, they knew nothing.

But Sengoku and the others on the platform were different. Borsalino and Ye Chen's high-speed movements were completely visible to them.

"That kid is really ruthless!" Garp's smile vanished. His gaze moved up and down, then swung from side to side, his expression grave.

"If every explosion from the Bomb-Bomb Fruit brings pain, then I admire that kid."

Tsuru's cheek twitched, and even her eyes trembled.

"Combining Soru with his ability—this kid certainly has some ideas. But the price is rather brutal." In Sengoku's eyes, Ye Chen's feet exploded again and again, healed again and again, then exploded once more in an endless cycle. The force of the explosions gave Ye Chen's Soru tremendous speed, allowing him to keep up with Borsalino for a short time.

"Keeping this up will wear his body down over time. If he can't defeat Borsalino during that window, then he can only lose. It seems he's making a desperate gamble."

Kong saw through the advantages and disadvantages of Ye Chen's current speed at a glance. Its advantage was the increased speed; its disadvantage was that Ye Chen had to endure the pain of his feet tearing apart each time, along with twice the stamina expenditure.

"He can do it!" From beginning to end, Zephyr said little. His eyes never left that stubborn figure, his gaze constantly shifting with him.

"Pfft."

After a succession of flashes, Ye Chen suddenly seemed to find a weakness in Borsalino's speed and landed a successful blow.

Golden light plummeted to the ground, tearing up the surface once again. Borsalino's mouth was full of blood, and before he even had time to breathe, he flashed away. Ye Chen attacked just as he left.

"That kid found the weakness in Borsalino's movement."

Watching Borsalino constantly retreat, even being forced into awkward exchanges with Ye Chen, Sengoku leaned forward in excitement.

"I've said more than once that the body is the foundation of everything. But Borsalino never listened. He focuses too much on his ability. In close combat, he can't possibly be Ye Chen's match."

Zephyr revealed a faint smile. Ye Chen could temporarily keep up in speed and had found Borsalino's weakness—he could only move in straight lines. As long as Ye Chen held on, he could win this battle.

"Who wins and who loses is still uncertain. But if that kid maintains this momentum, Borsalino really may be defeated."

"Let's wait and see."

In the arena, Ye Chen's face was deathly pale, blood continuously spilling from his mouth. Borsalino was equally disheveled, coughing up blood as well.

"Damn it."

His straight-line movement was blocked again. It was as though the other side knew where he would pass and had been waiting there in advance to attack him.

Most importantly, his opponent's speed could actually keep up with his.

With a sweep of one hand, Borsalino formed a sword of light and slashed directly at Ye Chen before him.

Close-quarters combat?

Ye Chen's eyes brightened slightly. No one knew how much pressure he was under right now. If Borsalino continued moving at such high speed, Ye Chen would not last much longer and would inevitably collapse.

But now, Borsalino had lost his composure. His pride—the speed he relied on—had been restrained, leaving him somewhat flustered. If he had been a little calmer, he would have realized that Ye Chen was already at the end of his rope, nearly spent.

He only needed to hold on a little longer, and Ye Chen would certainly lose. After all, no one else could treat this speed as normal the way Borsalino did. His normal speed was excessive speed to everyone else. Without paying a price, no one could hope to match it.

Even if they managed to match it, it would only be an explosive burst. It could never last long.

But Borsalino could not calm down now. Ye Chen was pressing him too hard.

Ye Chen twisted aside as shattered stones pierced the air. Borsalino's light sword plunged deep into the ground, while Ye Chen coated both hands in Armament Haki and drove his right fist straight into Borsalino's chest.

However, it was not that Borsalino did not know martial arts. He simply was not as proficient as Ye Chen.

Thus, his other hand directly blocked Ye Chen's attack.

Yet in that very counterattack, Ye Chen's other hand seized Borsalino.

"Finally got you."

Armament Haki erupted with unprecedented force. Ye Chen tightly gripped Borsalino's left wrist, and his right foot tore through the air as he kicked directly at Borsalino.

"Urgh!"

Borsalino bent over and vomited blood. His entire leering face twisted in pain, while the light sword in his hand dispersed at once.

Then Ye Chen grabbed Borsalino by the head and drove his knee into him again and again, causing explosive booms to ring throughout the entire arena.

With every strike, Ye Chen used Armament Haki without holding anything back, each blow more vicious than the last.

In an instant, the entire venue fell silent. Everyone stared dumbfounded as Ye Chen held Borsalino by the shoulder and pummeled him relentlessly. Just watching made their teeth ache.

"Crack."

The sound of bone breaking made Borsalino scream. He forced out a counterattack, his finger glowing red as he fired a laser.

Blood burst forth as Ye Chen's shoulder was pierced through. Even so, his brow did not so much as twitch. He continued gripping Borsalino tightly and beating him without mercy.

Because if he let go, he would never have another chance to catch that man. Then defeat would be his only outcome.

So Ye Chen gritted his teeth, avoided the vital areas, and endured three of Borsalino's counterattacks, leaving three bloody holes in his body. As for why there were only three—Borsalino was no longer able to fight back.

But at some point, a change began to come over Ye Chen's eyes.