It was no wonder Sengoku thought that.
After a miracle that had altered the weather and reversed the climate, the Yemu who appeared before them looked completely ordinary. He might as well have not changed at all.
Of course, it was not that nothing had changed. The bloodstains on his clothes clearly proved that Yemu had indeed been badly injured just now. But this was not what anyone had expected. They had thought some miraculous transformation would appear, yet this seemed far too plain.
"This…"
Given Sengoku's position, he naturally could not ask the question on his mind, but Shiki did not care at all.
"Hey, brat, did your Devil Fruit awakening succeed?"
The moment that question came out, everyone's attention was drawn to Yemu.
The guards and prisoners around them, however, looked completely lost.
"Hey, what did Shiki the Golden Lion just say?"
"Who is that kid? Why is he here?"
"Devil Fruits can awaken?"
Yemu did not hide the answer from Shiki. He looked at the people before him, raised both hands, and felt the power within them. Satisfaction appeared plainly on his face.
"It may feel a little like taking a shortcut, but the Devil Fruit ability I possess has indeed awakened."
The moment he said this, everyone reacted differently.
Shiki's excitement was undisguised, while Sengoku's expression darkened completely.
To be honest, Sengoku did not know what a Logia awakening was truly capable of.
After all, Logia awakenings had only ever appeared in legends. He had heard much more about Paramecia and Zoan awakenings.
But one thing was certain. If Yemu had truly awakened the Mera Mera no Mi, then things had become troublesome.
As for Borsalino nearby, he was thoroughly excited.
As a high-ranking Marine Vice Admiral, Borsalino naturally knew that Devil Fruits could awaken. But a Logia Devil Fruit awakening was something he had only heard of in legends.
And now, that legend had appeared before his eyes. Did that mean he could also reach that level?
He had already made up his mind. He was going to observe Yemu closely and learn from him.
However, Yemu's next move instantly left him dumbfounded.
After confirming that his Devil Fruit had awakened, Yemu let out a long breath, touched his chest, and said, "That punch just now really hurt, Sengoku. Conqueror's Haki coating truly lives up to its reputation. But next, this becomes my battlefield."
"Hm?"
Sengoku was startled, but his expression quickly turned furious.
"You brat, do you really think awakening your Devil Fruit means you can defeat me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Sengoku activated his Devil Fruit ability once more, and the giant Buddha shining with golden light appeared again.
"Let me teach you this. In this world, Haki is the power that stands above all else."
The moment his words fell, Sengoku threw another punch wrapped in Conqueror's Haki.
Yemu showed no weakness either. Pitch-black Armament Haki wrapped around his right fist as he threw a punch of his own.
"Stop spouting nonsense, Sengoku. Someone who relies on a Devil Fruit ability has no right to say that!"
"!!!"
Boom.
Their powers turned into massive shockwaves and collided once again.
But this time, everyone looked somewhat confused.
Because Yemu's strike was far too ordinary. It seemed no different from before. If this continued, the one who lost would still be Yemu.
Realizing this during their clash, Sengoku roared, "Is this all you have, brat?"
As their powers fought against each other, a smile suddenly appeared on Yemu's face.
"Of course not, Sengoku. Now, I'll let you experience the power I just gained after awakening my Devil Fruit."
"This technique is called Zero-Degree Freeze!"
"What!"
Sengoku instinctively felt a surge of unease.
Then, under his gaze, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
And Sengoku was not the only one shocked. Borsalino, standing nearby, was just as stunned.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and he shouted in panic, "Hey, hey, you've got to be kidding me! Isn't that Kuzan's ability?"
That was right. At the center where their two shockwaves clashed, ice crystals began appearing one layer after another, spreading outward from Yemu's body.
Just like Kuzan's Hie Hie no Mi ability, the shockwave Sengoku had released was being frozen by Yemu layer by layer.
And at the very center of the clash, Sengoku sensed something even more unbelievable.
The power of his shockwave was slowly weakening, as if Yemu was absorbing it.
In the blink of an eye, the ice crystals had completely frozen his shockwave and spread onto his body.
At that moment, Sengoku felt it clearly.
The heat in his body was rapidly draining away.
Reacting with incredible speed, he did not hesitate at all. He swung his arm free from the ice crystals, then retreated at high speed.
In an instant, within Level 5, Freezing Hell, a massive iceberg appeared, formed from the frozen shockwaves of the two men.
"Hey, hey, hey… Are you kidding me? The Mera Mera no Mi has an ability like this after awakening?"
Sengoku, who had rapidly retreated to avoid the attack, stared at the scene in complete confusion.
Looking carefully toward the other side of the battlefield, Yemu's right fist was glowing with a scorching crimson light.
Sengoku froze at once.
He could be certain that it was absolutely not the power of the Mera Mera no Mi.
Just then, Yemu's voice rang out again.
"Didn't you say Haki is the power that stands above everything, Sengoku? Then try this next."
As soon as he spoke, endless flames overflowed from Yemu's right fist, which shone with scorching crimson light. They spun and coiled together, forming a fireball about a meter wide.
Looking at that fireball, Sengoku did not dare relax in the slightest.
From the flowing golden flames, which were like the sun itself, and that blazing light, he could tell this move absolutely possessed the power to destroy everything.
"This move is called Mahavairocana!"
In an instant, Yemu's figure flashed. His right fist, wrapped in the sun, struck toward Sengoku.
Seeing that Yemu had actually blocked his attack, Sengoku was furious.
"Don't get too arrogant, brat."
At that moment, Sengoku abandoned his shockwave fighting style. Both fists wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, he unleashed a strike that represented justice.
"Three Bodies of the Buddha: Heavenly Being!"
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