Kizaru

Rayleigh lifted Sandersonia with one hand, glanced toward the horizon, and said with a grave expression, "Hurry and go! The commotion here has gotten far too big. I'm afraid even the Marine Fleet Admiral is already on the way."

Lu Ge nodded silently, picked up Marigold, and casually opened a door before them. Just as they were about to leave, a yellow flash suddenly appeared on the horizon and shot toward Lu Ge in an instant. As it condensed into shape, a young man had already appeared before them. "Oh my~ Leaving after causing such a huge mess is a little rude, isn't it?"

The moment Lu Ge saw him, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Kizaru, Borsalino. I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. As expected of a Light-Light Fruit user. But judging by the current timeline, this guy isn't an Admiral yet—he should only be a Vice Admiral. Still, his strength is probably already infinitely close to that of an Admiral. Combined with his Devil Fruit ability, he's a troublesome opponent."

Kizaru, meanwhile, regarded Lu Ge with great interest, his tone and expression as irritating as ever. "I heard you even killed three Celestial Dragons. Young people really do fear nothing! Do you know that what you've done has poked a hole in the sky? Those old fellows above have been angered senseless by you."

Lu Ge remained silent and handed Marigold to Rayleigh. "You all leave first. I'll stay behind and cover your retreat."

It was not because he was particularly noble. He simply coveted the Kizaru before him—no, what he coveted was his ability. He wanted to see whether he could seize Kizaru's Devil Fruit power before Kizaru had fully matured.

Rayleigh's expression immediately turned serious. "How about I stay instead? I'm already an old man. From now on, this world belongs to you young people."

Lu Ge asked, "Are you confident you can get away?"

Rayleigh replied, "If the Marine Fleet Admiral and Admirals all arrive as well, I doubt it."

Lu Ge said, "Then stop talking and get them out of here. I'm one hundred percent certain I can retreat safely."

Hearing that, Rayleigh stopped arguing. There was no time for pointless talk anyway. "Then be careful." As he spoke, he looked toward Hancock. "Girl, let's go!"

"You..." Hancock looked at Lu Ge hesitantly. She wanted to persuade him to leave with them; she felt there was no need for him to stay behind.

Lu Ge casually waved a hand. "Go. With the Marines' methods, if no one stays behind to cover the retreat, they'll keep chasing us endlessly. Especially this guy in front of us—it'll be difficult to shake him off. So dealing with him here is the best option. Don't worry, I'll be fine. The person capable of catching me hasn't been born yet."

Kizaru still wore that irritating expression. "Oh dear~ Discussing your escape right in front of me is really too much. It seems you haven't taken me seriously at all."

As he spoke, his entire body turned into a streak of yellow light and shot toward Lu Ge's group at blinding speed, so fast that there was barely any time to react.

Yet just as he reached Lu Ge, the yellow light suddenly vanished, and Kizaru reappeared where he had started. The bizarre sight made him pause in surprise. "Eh? What kind of ability is this?"

Refusing to believe it, he transformed into a streak of light once more and shot at Lu Ge. The same thing happened again. The moment Kizaru reached Lu Ge, his body vanished and reappeared back where he had been.

Kizaru frowned slightly. "Is this some kind of spatial distortion ability? I can't even get close?"

As he spoke, he threw a flying kick. A yellow beam shot out in an instant, heading straight for Lu Ge. But when it reached Lu Ge, the beam suddenly vanished. At the same time, to Kizaru's 'great shock,' it burst out from behind him with a puff and pierced through his chest in an instant.

However, though his chest had been shattered, no blood flowed out. He was a Logia-type Light-Light Fruit user. Lu Ge's probing attack had not been imbued with Haki, so it could not inflict even the slightest harm on someone who could turn into an element.

"Oh dear~ That was dangerous. Good thing I can turn into light, or I might have nearly killed myself." Kizaru looked relieved, but beneath that irritating expression, Lu Ge could clearly sense that this man had anticipated it during the attack. He could have dodged, yet he deliberately had not, confident that he would not be hurt.

Seeing that Rayleigh and Hancock still had not left, Lu Ge was nearly speechless. "I say, how long are you two planning to stand there and watch?"

Rayleigh immediately scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "Ah~ Sorry! Girl, let's go. We'd only be a burden if we stayed. Don't worry, this guy is the world's greatest swordsman. He'll be fine."

"The world's greatest swordsman?" Kizaru looked at Lu Ge in surprise. "So it's you—the one who defeated Hawkeye Mihawk!"

Lu Ge was utterly speechless. That old man still had to set him up before leaving.

"Please be careful. I'll wait for you to return safely." Hancock gave Lu Ge a solemn bow before entering the door with Rayleigh and vanishing from sight.

"Hm?" Seeing this, Kizaru's thoughts stirred. "A door? Is that the Door-Door Fruit? Is it that old man's ability, or this guy's? Is the reason I can't attack him related to the Door-Door Fruit?"

Only then did Lu Ge turn to Kizaru. "Now that no one is disturbing us, let me see what a future Admiral like you is really worth!"

As he spoke, Lu Ge slowly drew the katana at his waist. The instant it left its sheath, a sharp sword intent surged skyward, so solid it seemed almost tangible. It struck Kizaru with a pain that felt as though his skin were being sliced apart.

At that moment, Kizaru's expression instantly became serious. Yet his slightly mocking, irritating tone was as strong as ever. "As expected of the world's greatest swordsman. That sword intent really is terrifying."

Lu Ge said nothing, nor was he angered by Kizaru's demeanor. His heart was as calm as a still lake, without the slightest ripple.

His eyes narrowed, and he slashed through the air. In an instant, a terrifying sword gleam flashed forth and cleaved through the sky, startling Kizaru into turning into a streak of light to dodge.

Yet at the instant Kizaru dodged, a strange curve appeared at the corner of Lu Ge's lips.

The next second, Kizaru, who had just evaded the attack, suddenly vanished from where he stood and appeared before Lu Ge in the blink of an eye. Looking at the black blade suddenly chopping straight down at his face, Kizaru was completely dumbfounded. He had only wanted to dodge that sword light—how had he suddenly flashed right in front of this guy???