2 chapters will be uploaded on daily basis i.e. 14 Chapters will be uploaded every week apart from the bonus chapters.
1 Bonus Chapter will be uploaded for every 50 Power Stones or 1000 Collections.
All interested readers can read advanced chapters on:
[email protected]/Heroicverse
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Whoosh!
The four of them simultaneously executed Shunpo (Flash Step), effortlessly breaking free from the smoke's encirclement. Even the bags in Yamada Hanatarou's arms remained held securely.
"So fast! Is that Soru (Shave)? It feels... a little different!" Smoker's heart jumped in surprise.
Such a high-speed movement technique was something only the elite of Marine Headquarters could master. He never expected to run into four people who could use it right here in the East Blue! This only strengthened Smoker's resolve not to let them enter the Grand Line!
"Don't think you can escape!"
Smoker heavily stamped the ground and shot out like an arrow from a bow—Soru! At the same time, his upper body transformed into a cloud of smoke, pushing his speed up another notch.
"You'll come with me to the Branch for questioning!"
In a flash, Smoker closed the distance to Auguro, his right hand shooting out to grab his shoulder.
"Insolence!"
In an instant, Kuchiki Rukia and Matsumoto Rangiku were enraged. This scoundrel dares to lay a hand on the Soul King! It is an unforgivable offense!
They both drew their Zanpakutō, aiming incredibly sharp slashes at Smoker's wrist.
However, Smoker neither dodged nor flinched, as if he hadn't even registered the blades. He continued his movement, focusing entirely on grabbing Auguro.
Hoo!
Both of their Zanpakutō passed straight through Smoker's wrist, cutting only air.
"Is this what the Soul King referred to as Element Transformation (Logia)? It's indeed somewhat tricky!" a thought simultaneously flashed through both their minds.
"Hadō #1: Shō (Thrust)!"
A concussive blast suddenly shot from Auguro's fingertip, scattering Smoker's elementalized body. Seizing the moment while he re-solidified, Auguro used Shunpo to widen the distance between them.
"Is that a martial art? Or a Devil Fruit ability?"
Smoker didn't immediately pursue, instead analyzing Auguro's Kidō technique with a look of calm assessment. As a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, he was virtually invincible in the East Blue. He simply hadn't taken Auguro's group seriously. Thanks to his Element Transformation ability, he hadn't encountered anyone who could even injure him, let alone defeat him.
Though the intelligence reports mentioned the woman named Kuchiki Rukia could manipulate ice and snow, Smoker was not worried. That was because the Logia Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit) had already been eaten by someone else, who just happened to be his direct superior!
Since this wasn't the Logia Fruit, he saw no need for alarm!
"Give up! In the face of my Element Transformation, all your attacks are meaningless!" Smoker's tone was filled with confidence and arrogance.
"I'm afraid you spoke too soon!"
Kuchiki Rukia's eyes flashed with coldness. She held her Zanpakutō horizontally and murmured the release command:
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
The shimmering, beautiful Sode no Shirayuki appeared before Smoker, causing him to momentarily freeze.
"So, the Devil Fruit user isn't the woman herself, but this sword?"
A flicker of contempt crossed Smoker's mind at the thought. The strength of a Devil Fruit depends most on how the user develops it. Feeding it to a sword, while seemingly avoiding the weakness to seawater, sacrificed the possibility of developing the fruit's powers in-depth. In that case, this woman's strength can't be all that great!
Kuchiki Rukia had no idea Smoker had already dismissed her as weak. She gently swung Sode no Shirayuki and whispered, "Some no Mai: Tsukishiro (First Dance: Tsukishiro)!"
Instantly, a flash of white light spread across the ground beneath Smoker's feet, and a layer of solid ice began to quickly climb upward from the ground. Smoker immediately elementalized and flew into the air, avoiding the frozen surface.
"Haha! The reports say you can freeze a large mountain, which is impressive! But up in the air, your ability is useless!" Smoker shook his head with a look of feigned pity.
If she had eaten the Devil Fruit herself, she might have been able to develop a way to compensate for this flaw. But giving it to a sword limits her to this level.
However, Kuchiki Rukia revealed a cold sneer.
"Who told you I can only freeze things on the ground?"
No sooner had Rukia spoken than a bone-chilling cold erupted from the spot. Within the range of the Tsukishiro's effect, both the ground and the air instantly froze, forming a pillar of ice that shot straight toward the sky!
Smoker, who was airborne, had not anticipated that Rukia's technique could attack vertically. In his haste, he completely elementalized his body and exerted all his strength to fly out of the ring's boundary.
"Phew!"
Smoker let out a long sigh of relief, his heart still pounding. Half of his body was slowly re-solidifying from smoke. If he had been any slower, he would have been completely frozen solid!
"Wait a minute! There's something wrong with this attack!"
Suddenly, Smoker looked down. The half of his body that had just re-solidified was covered in frost, and a chilling cold seeped deep into his bones!
Seeing this, a smile spread across Auguro's face. He had suspected that the power of a Shinigami (Soul Reaper) might be effective against Logia-type Devil Fruit users.
"The strongest power in this world is Conqueror's Haki coating, and Conqueror's Haki is a power of the soul. In a way, it's fundamentally linked to Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure). It's not surprising that it has this effect!"
Auguro was extremely pleased with this result. It meant that in the future, when he summoned Captain-level Shinigami, he wouldn't have to worry about them being completely countered by the Admirals!
At this moment, a look of extreme seriousness flashed in Smoker's eyes. This opponent's abilities far surpassed his imagination. If they were allowed to enter the Grand Line, they would become a major headache for the Marines in a few short years!
"All hands! Capture the fugitives!" Smoker barked the order, and a large group of Marine soldiers immediately swarmed the street. They had completely surrounded the area.
"What a hassle!"
All he wanted was to buy a Log Pose and look at the chaos it had caused!
Auguro used a Flash Step to appear beside Nami, sweeping her up into his arms, and then commanded, "Rangiku, you clear the path! Hanatarou, follow closely! Rukia, you cover the rear!"
"Yes!"
Matsumoto Rangiku immediately drew her Zanpakutō and let out a soft cry, "Growl, Haineko (Ash Cat)!"
The slender blade instantly dissolved into grey ash and dust, whipping up a massive whirlwind that violently charged toward the Marines blocking the intersection.
"Damn it, is she a Devil Fruit user too?!"
Smoker was stunned. Those ordinary Marine soldiers can't stop a power user! He instinctively wanted to rush over.
But then, a cold voice sounded in his ear.
"Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren (Next Dance: White Ripple)!"
A blast of pure white chilling energy broke through the air, seemingly intent on freezing the very space itself!
Danger!
A strong sense of crisis felt like steel needles pricking Smoker's head. He didn't dare to force his way through and hurriedly dodged sideways.
In that slight moment of delay, Matsumoto Rangiku's attack had already hit the crowd.
"Agh!"
"Watch out!"
With a chorus of screams, dozens of Marines were ruthlessly tossed out by the gale like fallen leaves, crashing onto rooftops and the streets. The blockade was instantly ripped open!
"Stop right there!"
At that moment, a slender figure blocked their path. She had short hair, wore a pair of plain square glasses, and firmly gripped a cutlass in her hand.
It was Smoker's second-in-command, Tashigi. Despite knowing the vast difference in their power, she stood her ground with unwavering determination!