Chapter 9: Witnessing Izou's defeat

At that very moment, Lin Yan harnessed the formidable power of his Mangekyō Sharingan.

With the Mangekyō Sharingan's Kamui at his disposal, Lin Yan could defy all damage for a fleeting moment!

"What manner of ability is this that you wield?" Izou gasped, astonished.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that," Lin Yan retorted.

Izou's face twisted with awe and dread as he beheld the power before him. He realized he faced not just a formidable opponent, but a veritable monster.

Gazing upon Lin Yan, who seemed to possess an endless array of trump cards, Izou watched in disbelief as Lin Yan effortlessly deflected seastone bullets with Elementalization.

Curses. Can one continue to play such a game? In that moment, doubt crept into Izou's mind for having challenged Lin Yan. The real issue lay in the fact that numerous members of the 16th Division observed the spectacle. If he faltered, it would be a humiliation.

As the battle wore on, the dreadful power of Lin Yan's Devil Fruit ability loomed ever larger in Izou's mind.

"You possess great strength indeed!" Izou said, his voice filled with genuine conviction in Lin Yan's prowess.

In truth, before the emergence of the Nika Fruit, the Thunder Fruit had consistently ranked among the top three within the Grand Line, even surpassing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

"Your dual pistols are quite impressive!" Lin Yan chimed in with admiration.

Listening to Lin Yan's playful banter, Izou managed a rueful smile. The time for words had passed. They would clash until the end. Moreover, Izou had come here solely to satiate his thirst for battle.

"Before, I had entertained thoughts of inviting you to join my crew, yet now I have had a change of heart," Izou declared. "Let us engage in a grand contest!"

"An invite from you? Your Axe Pirates do me a great honor indeed," Lin Yan jibed with a mocking tone.

Hearing this, Izou, previously brimming with zeal, found his spirit weighed down. His comrades, too, bore expressions of disbelief. Indeed, this individual remained oblivious to their affiliation with the White Group!

Izou mustered an awkward smile, then surged with renewed vigor. Drawing his dual pistols, he danced amidst the fray, decimating his surroundings. Bullets rained down towards Lin Yan, yet Izou's pace now exceeded its prior swiftness. He had resolved to unleash his full might!

"Swish swish swish!!" "Bang bang bang!!"

If the onlookers from the White Group had previously observed the bout, now their ears were filled solely with the sounds of wind, sea, ruptured air, and ignited sparks. All sight was obscured to them. All that remained was the relentless clash of two silhouettes ensconced in the heavens.

It must be acknowledged, as squadron captain, Izou's strength was commendable. Even amidst adversity, he could hold his own against Lin Yan for a short time when unleashing his full potential. But it was only a fleeting duration. Relative to Lin Yan, his prowess still substantially lagged. Moreover, Lin Yan had yet to unleash his full power.

Gradually, Izou began to perspire profusely, his strength waning.

"Fifty million volts!!" Lin Yan conjured thunder in his hands, unleashing a thunderous might of fifty million volts.

In a heartbeat, thunder reverberated and roared. Immense power coalesced on the battleground. Stars cascaded, light dazzling. Scarlet lightning ravaged the vista with unbridled force. Gales howled, seas surged, and the air crackled with untamed arrogance. Earth was upturned, scorched remains littering the terrain. Wherever the lightning struck, darkness cloaked the heavens as lightning danced in all directions.

Ultimately, upon the beach veiled in lightning, Izou found himself defenseless against Lin Yan's Thunder Fruit powers. Like a marionette with its strings severed, he plummeted to the earth.

As Izou descended, the skirmish reached its denouement.

At this juncture, the most bewildered spectators were the other members of the 16th Division, who initially brimmed with faith in their captain's prowess. Nonetheless, with each passing moment, their confidence waned.