one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-Chapter 159: Clash of Light and Replacement

Mio's slash landed in the distance, tearing a deep gully into the ground. Trees and houses were severed and collapsed under the force of the slash.

"The newcomers nowadays are really something," Kizaru said calmly, now eyeing Mio with a more serious expression, having developed an initial impression of his strength.

"Hey," Mio grinned slightly. "Should I be honored to get such praise from a Marine Admiral?"

"It's just small talk, don't take it seriously," Kizaru replied with a faint smirk. In an instant, he flashed again and appeared behind Mio. "Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"

As the words fell—

Golden light flashed from Kizaru's leg, and a fierce aura exploded outward.

The next second—

He kicked.

But the kick struck nothing but air—Mio had already moved away the moment Kizaru's leg swung.

Even so, the power from the light-speed kick blasted the ground beneath, creating a massive crater and shaking the surroundings.

"You really are a monster when it comes to destructive power, Admiral," Mio remarked calmly. He slapped his palm onto the ground, and a ring of light expanded outward, rapidly covering an area within a kilometer radius.

At that moment, Mio's physical stamina began to drop rapidly.

But at the same time, due to his Endless Life ability, his stamina regenerated just as quickly, balancing out the drain and preventing collapse.

"...What is this?" Kizaru muttered, narrowing his eyes at the circle of light. Before he could process it, dozens—no, hundreds—of small glowing circles began to appear in the sky above the illuminated field, densely packed like stars.

"It's our first meeting, Admiral. Think of this as a little gift." Mio smirked and snapped his fingers.

The small circles of light disappeared.

In their place, seawater, boulders, trees, and all manner of debris rained from the sky.

"...Troublesome ability," Kizaru muttered, his tone darkening.

He wouldn't normally fear falling debris. But seawater—that was dangerous. If contaminated, even briefly, it would disable his Logia powers.

Boom!

Massive boulders and broken trees slammed into the earth, shattering it. Kizaru launched a kick that split a large rock in two. His body disappeared instantly, just before a torrent of seawater splashed down where he stood.

As he dodged again—

Buzz!

The sound of something slicing through the air suddenly echoed behind him.

Kizaru turned instinctively and kicked without hesitation.

Bang!

His flash kick collided head-on with Mio's Raikiri, now coated in powerful Armament Haki. The impact unleashed a shockwave that rippled through the air.

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"You really are fast. Impressive reflexes," Mio praised with a grin as he used the recoil to quickly put distance between them.

"Don't underestimate your seniors," Kizaru replied, shrugging slightly. His body disintegrated into golden particles and reappeared high in the sky, well above the messy battlefield, where seawater and debris couldn't reach him.

He twisted his fingers and calmly declared, "Yasakani no Magatama."

Swish!

Golden light erupted again as countless radiant bullets of energy were launched down toward Mio like a hailstorm.

But Mio remained calm, even smiling as he locked eyes with the Admiral. "Have you ever been hit by your own attack?"

As he spoke, he looked toward the sky and raised his right hand.

Snap.

"Replace."

In an instant, the light bullets targeting Mio vanished.

In their place, a harmless, puffy cloud floated in front of him.

"...What?" Kizaru blinked, stunned. For a brief moment, even the Admiral was taken aback. His gaze quickly shifted to the clouds in the sky—where the original light bullets had been fired from.

Now, those clouds had disappeared—and in their place, golden bullets rained down.

Straight at Kizaru's position.

"...A replacement-type ability?" Kizaru muttered, watching the incoming attack. "Could he have the Replacement Fruit? But even attacks can be swapped?"

He recalled a rare ability listed in the Devil Fruit records—the Replacement Fruit, a Paramecia-type that allowed for position switching.

But Mio's version of it went far beyond the standard.

Kizaru's eyes narrowed.

Still, instead of dodging, he stood still. When the light bullets struck, they merged with his body, harmlessly turning to golden particles and vanishing within him.

"...But based on intel, this guy doesn't just have this power. There are others. Most likely, a Mythical Zoan type..." Kizaru touched his chin thoughtfully. "Is there a fruit with this combination of abilities?"

He racked his brain, but couldn't recall anything from the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia that matched Mio's power set.

Then—

Without warning, a huge slash tore through the air, headed directly for where Kizaru had just vanished.

"You're really persistent," Kizaru remarked, annoyed at being interrupted mid-thought. He retaliated instantly.

"Light-Speed Kick."

Golden light burst from his leg like a laser beam. It swept downward from the sky like a destructive ray, crushing everything in its path.

Where the beam passed, the world cracked and shattered.