One Piece:Becoming the King of the World from the Rocks Era

"Kid, your Haki is too weak!!!" 

With just one clash, John quickly assessed the level of Li Yuan's strength. As John pointed out, Li Yuan's Haki had only been awakened for a little over a month. Despite rapid progress, it was still in its early stages and couldn't compare to John's advanced level Haki.

After pushing Li Yuan back, John covered his sword with advanced Armament Haki and slashed at Li Yuan. John's swordsmanship wasn't particularly refined, even inferior to Li Yuan's, but his attacks relied heavily on the power of his Haki.

"Infinite Sword: Army-Breaking Slash!!!"

Instead of dodging, Li Yuan charged forward, meeting John's rapier head-on with his own forceful strike.

"Boom!!!"

At the moment of collision, Li Yuan felt an overwhelming Haki force strike him. His Army-Breaking Sword move was instantly shattered, sending him flying back over a hundred meters. The impact caused pain throughout his body, making his hand tremble as he struggled to hold his sword.

"So strong!" 

Stabilizing himself, Li Yuan looked at John with a serious expression. If Li Yuan's current attack power was at the pinnacle of a Navy vice admiral, John's strike surpassed that, reaching an admiral candidate level, a completely different league.

This realization made Li Yuan aware that the combat cadres of the Rocks Pirates were at least at the level of admiral candidates.

"Kid, in the New World, Haki reigns supreme. No matter how flashy your sword moves are, they can't hide the weakness of your Haki!" John, seeing Li Yuan's struggle, didn't rush to attack. Instead, he offered advice like a seasoned veteran.

John realized that this young man, despite his current lack of prowess, was only sixteen or seventeen years old and could already withstand his strike. In a few years, Li Yuan could reach his level and become a true cadre of the Rocks Pirates. Thus, John decided to build rapport with Li Yuan, as the Rocks Pirates were factionalized.

"That may not be true. If my swordsmanship is strong enough, it can compensate for weak Haki!" Li Yuan acknowledged his Haki's weakness but not his swordsmanship. His sword could cut through anything, his strongest attack!

"Infinite Sword: Sky-Cleaving Draw!"

In an instant, Li Yuan's sword aura grew sharper and more powerful. With his sword sheathed, he drew it swiftly. The powerful sword energy merged with his slash, breaking through the air, even cleaving the sky.

Seeing Li Yuan unleash such a formidable slash, John grew serious. A careless mistake against this level of attack could injure him.

"Clang!!!!"

However, even Li Yuan's powerful slash was shattered by John's advanced Armament Haki, dispersing into the air.

"Kill!!!"

At this point, John ceased holding back, charging at Li Yuan with his sword aimed at his head. Li Yuan, knowing he couldn't clash head-on with John, used his Observation Haki to anticipate John's attack trajectory and dodged using Moonwalk.

"Kid, you're fast, but can you outrun me?" John, seeing Li Yuan evade, stepped on air with full force, his speed soaring as he swung his sword at Li Yuan again.

"Not necessarily!"

"Life Return: Leg Reinforcement!!"

Instantly, Li Yuan's legs bulked up, their strength increasing by fifty percent under the enhancement of Life Return.

"Chasing the Moon!!!"

With reinforced legs, Li Yuan employed a more advanced air step technique, derived from Moonwalk, tailored to him. In flight, Li Yuan's speed surged, allowing him to evade John's attack.

"Infinite Sword: Fierce Dragon Army-Breaking!"

Combining the speed of Chasing the Moon, Li Yuan launched a rapid assault based on the Army-Breaking technique. The extreme speed coupled with intense impact turned his attack into an upgraded version of the Army-Breaking move.

"Clang!!!!"

However, as his sword neared John, it was once again blocked by John's rapier.

"Kid, how long can you maintain this burst state?" John was surprised by Li Yuan's aerial speed, faster than his own. That a mere boy could surpass his air speed was inconceivable. Though John had similar burst techniques, he refrained from using them due to their significant drawbacks and short duration.

"Don't worry about it!" Li Yuan retreated rapidly after his attack was blocked, avoiding giving John a chance to counterattack.

A month ago, enhancing his legs with Life Return wasn't sustainable. However, after a month of rigorous training, he was prepared for this moment. The duration he could maintain this state exceeded John's expectations.

The reinforcement did exert pressure and cause damage to his legs, but the Sword God Body Refinement Technique constantly healed them, reducing the backlash and allowing prolonged use.

Li Yuan's aerial battle with John continued, using speed and formidable swordsmanship to engage John. During the fight, Li Yuan felt his sword skills advancing, and his Haki, despite being repeatedly shattered, became purer. The Sword God Body Refinement Technique's efficiency increased, surpassing even when aided by his junior brothers.

Combat, indeed, was the fastest way to enhance strength!

While Li Yuan grew stronger and more satisfied, John felt frustrated. Unskilled in aerial combat, he couldn't fully utilize his abilities in the air. Combined with Li Yuan's evasive tactics, John found himself at a disadvantage.

"How is this possible? That guy is holding his own against Cadre John."

The pirates who had fainted earlier awoke, witnessing Li Yuan's battle with John in the sky, shocked by the sight. Wasn't Li Yuan a new recruit to the Rocks Pirates? How was he already fighting a cadre?

"Jiehahaha, this kid's swordsmanship is impressive," Golden Lion Shiki praised, observing Li Yuan's elegant sword technique.

Shiki's swordsmanship differed greatly, focusing on simplicity and ferocity. Li Yuan's varied styles and intricate moves were practical and strong.

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