After countless days of planning and patient maneuvering, the blueprint for Pluton—the ancient weapon of devastating power—finally fell into Bai Yu's hands.
"This place isn't suitable for a prolonged stay,"
Bai Yu muttered to himself, warily scanning his surroundings.
He quickly grabbed a cloth-wrapped bundle nearby, carefully concealed the blueprints inside, and tied it securely around his waist beneath his coat.
Without wasting another moment, he turned and departed from the derelict shipbreaking facility, vanishing into the shadows beyond the Water 7 shipyards.
As he neared the central sector of the city, his Kenbunshoku Haki—which had remained active throughout—suddenly detected a subtle disturbance in the surrounding space.
"…Huh?"
His instincts flared. Something—or someone—was watching him.
His hand moved instinctively to the package at his waist, eyes narrowing.
Without hesitation, Bai Yu diverted his path. Instead of continuing north, he veered southwest, blending into the alleyways with practiced ease.
He moved rapidly, crossing thousands of meters in mere minutes.
But the presence remained. Not closing the gap, yet keeping pace like a predator.
Bai Yu's brows furrowed.
He quickened his pace again, then finally halted in an isolated area on the western outskirts of Water 7—an elevated, rocky plateau facing the ocean, far from civilian traffic.
Zzmmm!
No sooner had he stopped than a golden flash streaked from behind.
FLASH!
In the blink of an eye, glittering points of light converged before him, forming a tall figure in a Marine admiral's coat.
Bai Yu's muscles tensed as the dots of light merged into a man.
The shimmering golden boots. The mirrored shades. That lazy, nonchalant air.
Admiral Borsalino—"Kizaru," wielder of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
One of the Three Admirals. A living weapon of the Navy Headquarters.
Bai Yu immediately understood the threat. Anyone who could tail him unnoticed at this speed… would have to be on this level.
He just didn't expect it to be Kizaru himself.
"Yo-ho-ho~"
Kizaru's drawling voice echoed lazily. "Colonel Bai Yu, it's quite late. What could possibly have you moving around in such a hurry~?"
Though he spoke with disinterest, Bai Yu knew better. This man had crushed the Eleven Supernovas with this very act—feigning passivity while overwhelming his opponents in a blink.
"Admiral Kizaru," Bai Yu responded evenly, maintaining a smile despite the churn of nerves. "Couldn't sleep. Just taking a walk, enjoying the sea breeze."
"Oh? That so~?"
Kizaru scratched his head in mock confusion. Then, his eyes slid down to the bundle at Bai Yu's waist.
"Say… what's in that package you're carrying?" he asked, still smiling. "Mind opening it up for a quick look?"
The tone was gentle—but the intent behind it brooked no refusal.
Bai Yu's mind raced.
As expected, the Navy wasn't sitting idle. They knew the blueprints had resurfaced.
Kizaru was here to stop Pluton from falling into rogue hands.
"There's nothing of interest in there," Bai Yu replied coolly. "No need for an admiral to trouble himself."
"Ehh~ that won't do."
Kizaru's expression remained unchanged, but in the next instant—
Zzmmm!
His body fragmented into particles of light, streaking toward Bai Yu at blinding speed.
FLASH!
In less than a breath, he reformed right beside him, arm outstretched toward the package.
A speed only light itself could match.
But Bai Yu wasn't caught off guard.
His Kenbunshoku Haki had been primed for danger. The moment Kizaru moved, Bai Yu's senses screamed.
Whoosh!
He leapt sideways, his feet gliding across the gravel, narrowly evading Kizaru's grasp.
"…Oh?" Kizaru blinked in mild surprise, watching his hand swipe nothing but air.
"Even an admiral has no authority to search a Marine officer's private effects without cause," Bai Yu said sharply.
"But what if I just really, really want to~?" Kizaru asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Then don't blame me… for drawing my blade."
With that, Bai Yu drew his Ryūen Taidō (Dragon Flame Great Sword) and lowered into a combat stance.
This wasn't a battle he wanted. But he would not hand over the blueprints.
"My, my~ rookies these days are so scary…"
Kizaru raised his right hand lazily, index finger extended.
Zzzzzmmmm!
A golden radiance gathered at his fingertip—the focused energy of the Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit).
Bzzzt—WHOOSH!
A golden laser beam tore through the air, aimed directly at Bai Yu's chest.
"Soru!"
Bai Yu exploded into motion, dashing forward instead of retreating.
His Kenbunshoku Haki surged to its limit.
In his heightened perception, the trajectory of each ray was laid bare.
With precise footwork and Rokushiki-level body control, Bai Yu wove between the light beams, his form vanishing and reappearing like a phantom.
Zzmmm—BOOM!
The missed lasers crashed into the rocky terrain, triggering violent shockwaves and bursts of light.
But Bai Yu had already closed the distance.
"Qinglong Sword Intent!"
As his blade arced through the air, spiritual energy blazed to life.
Turquoise flames ignited along the blade—a visible manifestation of the Azure Dragon Sword Will.
Busoshoku Haki—Armament!
Hummmmm!
Black, metallic sheen spread over the blade, clashing with the turquoise energy, fusing the two powers together.
In a single smooth motion, Bai Yu brought the blade down, aiming straight for Kizaru's waist.
The force behind the strike was enough to split a battleship.
Kizaru's brows twitched.
Beep!
In a flash, he kicked back, barely avoiding the full brunt of the slash.
As he retreated, golden light burst from his palms. With a swift flourish, Kizaru conjured a sword-shaped construct of solid light—his Photon Blade.
The real battle… was about to begin.