With the power of the Mythical Zoan Zhu Jiuyin Fruit, Lin Yuan possessed an incredibly powerful physique. Though his age meant he could not yet match a giant's strength, he surpassed most powerful fighters.
Although Borsalino relied too heavily on the Glint-Glint Fruit and had often been reprimanded by Zephyr in the past, his physical combat skills and physical strength were not to be underestimated.
Their legs collided, and the tremendous force sent cracks spreading across the ground around them.
"Ooh, how scary. I didn't expect you to be so strong, but I can't let you leave so easily!"
During their close-range clash, Borsalino had tried to get a clear look at his opponent's face. To his frustration, although the aftermath of their exchange had lifted Lin Yuan's cloak,
a black cloth concealed the face beneath it. Borsalino instantly felt as if he had met someone like himself.
A trace of shock appeared in Lin Yuan's eyes. Though he had blocked the attack, he had not expected Borsalino to be so strong.
A single ordinary flying kick had left his right foot numb from the impact. Fortunately, his powerful physique had kept him from being injured.
"As expected of a Marine Admiral. Just one kick almost injured me."
Borsalino was just as unsettled. Although he had not seen his opponent's face, both his voice and his clear complexion suggested that he was not very old.
He even had a thought that shocked him: his opponent might only be a youth.
But when he heard what his opponent said, his lips curled.
"Don't lie. I didn't expect you to be so strong. How terrifying, to have such strength at such a young age."
After exchanging a remark each, the two attacked again at the same time.
This time, however, Lin Yuan was not fighting barehanded. He used his Famous Sword.
At such close range, the speed at which he drew his sword to attack was extraordinarily fast. Already at the peak of the swordsman realm, he drew and slashed so quickly that ordinary people could not even see how he did it.
But Borsalino was no ordinary man. He was a Marine Admiral, one of the strongest fighters in the world.
Although his fruit ability made him unafraid of ordinary physical attacks, he was still startled the moment Lin Yuan drew his sword.
It was not just the speed of the draw, but also the trace of black on the blade: it was coated in Armament Haki.
Without a second thought, Borsalino turned into a beam of light and retreated, putting distance between himself and Lin Yuan.
"How terrifying. You even used Armament Haki. You nearly wounded me badly."
Borsalino looked at the corner of his clothes that had been cut, his expression growing serious.
"Don't lie. The person who can seriously injure you probably hasn't been born yet."
Lin Yuan curled his lips as well, but his wariness of Borsalino had reached its peak.
He knew how fast he could draw his sword. At such close range, he was confident he could hit anyone, including an Admiral.
Yet Borsalino had dodged his attack from that close. It was easy to imagine just how fast he was.
Lin Yuan did not know whether other powerful fighters would be drawn here later, so he stopped waiting and sent a Flying Slash at Borsalino.
Another powerful fighter might have chosen to take the attack head-on, but Borsalino had no such pride to uphold. His body turned into light, and he dodged it instantly.
Borsalino had no interest whatsoever in whether it would hit the CP guards behind him.
"Boom..."
A slash mark dozens of meters long appeared in the ground. Several unlucky people in its path died in their sleep.
To Borsalino's frustration, however, he had barely dodged the attack when Lin Yuan vanished from sight.
"Hey, young man, you're making things difficult for me!"
The corner of Borsalino's mouth twitched. His feeling that he had met someone like himself grew even stronger.
Seeing Lin Yuan continue to rush toward the cliff, he flashed forward in pursuit.
Lin Yuan had no intention of fighting Borsalino to the death. He had only been buying time for Fisher Tiger and the others in the first place.
Besides, after just those two exchanges with Borsalino, he knew he was no match for him. Even so, he was confident he could escape.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he abruptly stopped. A flash of golden light had appeared in front of him.
"This is a real problem. Kizaru is just too fast. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit is probably the only thing that can compare, and his straight-line acceleration might even be the best."
Lin Yuan grumbled, but his hands did not stop moving. He slashed at Borsalino with the Famous Sword in his hand.
By now, Borsalino no longer dared underestimate Lin Yuan, especially after a corner of his clothes had been cut. He clapped his hands together and pulled them apart, and a sword of light instantly appeared in his grasp.
"Clang..."
Their attacks collided in an instant. To Lin Yuan's bewilderment, Borsalino's sword of light rang like clashing metal when it struck his Famous Sword.
"That's ridiculous. Isn't that a sword of light?"
Lin Yuan could no longer be bothered to complain about the absurdities of the pirate world. He put strength into both arms, and the terrifying force drove Borsalino back.
"Ooh, how scary. I didn't expect you to be so frighteningly strong too, young man."
Borsalino began to take the man before him seriously. Although he felt his opponent was not very old and had not reached the level of an Admiral,
his strength and reactions were exceptionally formidable, and his combat instincts were top-notch.
What a monster. Although he hasn't reached the level of an Admiral, he's definitely as strong as an Admiral candidate. When did someone this monstrous appear on the seas?
Borsalino pondered, but when he saw Lin Yuan charge at him again, he stopped hiding his strength.
"Yasakani no Magatama..."
He crossed his arms, joining his thumbs and forefingers, and countless bullets of light came raining down on Lin Yuan.
"Fuck, this guy's getting serious. That aim!"
Lin Yuan hurriedly stopped. Through his Observation Haki, he sensed that the bullets of light had sealed off the space he had to dodge, while countless more came blasting toward him.
Lin Yuan dodged rapidly, his body flashing about on the spot like a swimming dragon. Countless bullets of light seemed to pass through his body before striking the ground behind him.
"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom..."
Terrifying explosions erupted across the Red Line. The bombardment of Yasakani no Magatama left countless craters ten meters wide.
Borsalino's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and his mouth hung wide open. He could not believe what he was seeing.
He no longer knew what to say. The way Lin Yuan dodged had completely overturned his understanding.
Meanwhile, Fisher Tiger and the others, who had already escaped into the sea, looked up at the top of the Red Line, concern flashing across their faces.
"What on earth is happening up there? There's so much noise. His lordship should be all right, shouldn't he?"
Everyone had escaped by now. Although some had been injured during the escape, they had all survived.
Many ability users had lost their strength in the sea, but many Fish-Men had escaped this time, and they were more than ten times stronger in the water, so they pulled everyone as they swam into the distance.
They stopped at an uninhabited island below, and everyone was full of excitement. They had finally escaped.
"Rest for a while. Pain, take some people and find more trees to tie together. They only need to float, so the ability users can stand on them."
"Yes, Brother Tiger."
After giving Pain his instructions, Fisher Tiger looked back at the distant Red Line, where explosions continued to sound.
"Your lordship, please stay safe!"
Atop the Red Line, Borsalino stared hard at Lin Yuan, trying to see through him. He had not held back this time, yet he had failed to seriously injure Lin Yuan.
Fine beads of cold sweat had appeared on Lin Yuan's forehead, and he felt faint pangs of pain across his body.
He had not dodged everything just now. A few bullets of light had still hit him, but his powerful body had endured them head-on.
"Ow, that hurts. Why isn't this guy putting on an act for me? He's so ruthless!"
Looking at the swollen red spots on his arm where he had been hit, Lin Yuan grimaced.
Although he had not suffered much damage, it hurt. Since coming to this world, he had not been injured except that time with Kuzan.
"Seriously, it's only been two years, and I've already run into Kuzan and Borsalino one after another. Am I naturally at odds with Marine Admirals?"
Lin Yuan could not help thinking.
"Impressive. It looks like your Observation Haki has already reached the highest level, where you can see the future, young man. How terrifying!"
Hearing Borsalino's words, Lin Yuan's body stiffened. Future Sight, his ass. He had used the Swimming Dragon Movement Technique he had developed himself, and had only managed it thanks to Observation Haki and the Dragon Ancestor's innate perception.
Lin Yuan did not explain the beautiful misunderstanding, however. Since that was what Borsalino thought, he certainly was not going to reveal his trump card.
Even though he had dodged Borsalino's attack, Lin Yuan still understood the gap between them.
Although Borsalino had used Yasakani no Magatama to strike with precision, Lin Yuan knew that was not his true strength.
After estimating how much time had passed, Lin Yuan stopped waiting and prepared to leave.
The Famous Sword in his hand trembled as Lin Yuan vanished from the spot and slashed fiercely at Borsalino.