Seventh Gate

Chapter 251: Seventh Gate

Facing Solo's physical skills, Marco found himself unable to withstand them. Despite his attempts to predict Solo's attacks in advance, Solo launched indiscriminate attacks on his surroundings, making it difficult for Marco to maintain his defense. 

The interval between each of Marco's attacks became his biggest flaw, one that Solo, in his Eight Inner Gates state, could clearly exploit.

Solo relentlessly punched Marco, repeatedly knocking him to the ground. Seeing Marco, who was covered in injuries but still determined to get up, Solo was moved by his resilience. 

However, Marco's injuries began to heal rapidly under the blue flames, thanks to the advantages of his Devil Fruit ability. Though Marco couldn't defend or evade effectively, he used his fruit ability to mitigate the damage caused by Solo.

To some extent, Marco's strategy managed to delay Solo. Solo focused all his attention and energy on dealing with Marco, giving Ace and Luffy an opportunity to escape Marineford. 

"Hehe, Marine, you are really strong, but it's not that easy to beat me," Marco said, a smile forming on his lips. 

He took a deep breath, assumed a fighting posture, and prepared to face Solo once again. The two opponents faced each other, with Marco's unwavering momentum.

Solo couldn't help but admire Marco's courage. As someone who had traversed different worlds, Solo knew Marco quite well. Marco had sailed with Whitebeard from a young age and even clashed with the Roger Pirates. 

Whether it was courage, physical prowess, Haki, or the development of Devil Fruit abilities, Marco was among the top powerhouses in the sea. Solo recognized Marco's abilities and strength, which is why he believed that a pirate like Marco should not be allowed to return to the sea.

In light of this, Solo calmly stated, "I will only use the Sixth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates to deal with you. It seems I've underestimated you."

"Huh?" 

Marco frowned upon hearing these words, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. He realized that Solo's physical technique, known as the Eight Inner Gates, allowed him to lift the physical restrictions eight times. 

Yet, Solo had only unlocked the Sixth Gate, implying that his physical skills could continue to improve.

Marco nervously swallowed as he contemplated whether Solo's already impressive speed and power could be elevated further. 

He had assumed that Solo reaching the Sixth Gate was near his limit, but now he faced the realization that Solo had yet to unleash his full strength. Marco couldn't help but feel underestimated by this revelation, but he had no choice.

"The Seventh Gate," Solo declared, standing in place and channeling chakra in his body to break through the limits of the seventh gate, known as the Gate of Shock.

"Shock!" Solo shouted, and a burst of air transformed into an invisible shockwave, sweeping out in all directions. 

Even Marco, who was aggressively approaching, was suspended in mid-air by this force. He couldn't continue his attack on Solo. Furthermore, the green energy enveloping Solo's body rapidly turned into blue steam, creating the appearance of blazing blue flames.

Marco's eyes widened as he witnessed this incredible transformation, questioning whether he was hallucinating. 

If he hadn't witnessed Solo eating Whitebeard's Shock Fruit, he might have assumed that Solo also possessed a Devil Fruit ability. In an instant, Solo vanished from his original position, using his Observation Haki to move at an incomprehensible speed.

When Solo reappeared, he had leaped high and positioned himself

 above Marco. However, Marco, still fixated on Solo's initial position, remained unaware of the impending danger. He couldn't defend against Solo's physical skills, leaving himself vulnerable.

With a thunderous impact, Solo's leg whip struck Marco's waist with immense force, sending him crashing into the Marineford square. The impact created a massive pit, and a powerful shockwave radiated outward. 

Pirates who attempted to assist Marco were sent flying, some losing consciousness immediately.

Marco felt his resolve shattering as Solo's physical skills overwhelmed him. He felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered by Solo's attack. The other Marines were equally astonished, struggling to comprehend the extent of Solo's physical prowess. The spectators erupted in chaos, and even Sengoku, watching from a distance, couldn't help but be amazed. 

He wondered if Solo's physical skills surpassed even Garp's and if the Eight Inner Gates were superior to the Marine Six Styles.