Zhang Tian was stunned. The difficulty of the seventh level was too high. Even at her peak, she couldn't possibly pass it, yet Ye Yu was now planning to take it on alone.
However, she didn't continue to push herself. Instead, she looked at Ye Yu's back at that moment, feeling an inexplicable sense of security. It was as if this figure was invincible in this space.
But it was also somewhat unbelievable—was it an illusion? After all, there were seven hundred ferocious wolves, each as large as an elephant.
As for the strength of each wolf, Ye Yu felt they were comparable to Axe-Hand Morgan from the Pirate King series. But for him, it wasn't a challenge.
Holding the Black Blade Night, a pack of wolves pounced toward him. Ye Yu's expression remained calm as he raised the Black Blade Night with his right hand and slashed down.
Clang!!
With a sharp metallic sound, an emerald-green slash erupted, directly splitting the wolf in front of him in half. The slash continued, cleaving through the wolves behind it. Even those on either side of the slash were injured and sent flying, howling in agony.
In an instant, a swarm of wolves were sent flying into the air, their bodies torn apart.
This scene left Zhang Tian dumbfounded. Her eyes widened as she stared in disbelief.
"So… so strong…"
This moment shattered Zhang Tian's understanding. Could someone be this strong without relying on a Devil Fruit? With just one slash, he unleashed such power, even emitting an emerald-green light.
Facing the wolves, Ye Yu casually swung the Black Blade Night, and waves of wolves fell one after another. While Zhang Tian was horrified, she also sensed that Ye Yu wasn't even fighting at full strength!
Zhang Tian hadn't expected Ye Yu to be this powerful.
Originally, she thought she was stronger than Ye Yu and planned to lead him to more rewards. But now, she realized it was Ye Yu who was leading her.
Soon, all seven hundred wolves were dealt with. Ye Yu was unscathed, and his clothes remained spotless.
Without resting, Ye Yu prepared to enter the eighth level.
"Zhang Tian, I'm going to the next level. You should exit. Leave the rest to me."
Zhang Tian was shaken. Before she could fully process it, she nodded in astonishment at Ye Yu's words.
"I'll exit now. But, Ye Yu, how are you so strong?"
Ye Yu replied, "Who said this world belongs to the era of Devil Fruits? The strongest among Non-Ability Users can also be formidable. Besides, I've contracted seven."
Zhang Tian began to understand. It seemed everyone had been mistaken.
However, Zhang Tian still felt that Ye Yu couldn't compare to those top-tier Devil Fruit users. She reminded him, "Ye Yu, if you reach your limit, stop and exit. Dying here means real death. There's still a long road ahead, and many opportunities to gain rewards. So if you can't hold on, just withdraw."
Ye Yu felt a warmth in his heart, deeply moved by Zhang Tian's concern and worry. He nodded and assured her, "Don't worry, I won't let myself die. Wait for me outside."
"Alright."
Zhang Tian had also reached her limit. Even if she rested, she felt it would be a waste of time because her teammate would also have to stay in the resting space. So she exited.
By now, many had already withdrawn, leaving only a few prodigies still continuing.
Ye Yu entered the eighth level, where the gravity reached eight hundred pounds. Even he felt his body grow heavy, but he could still move without much trouble, though his speed was reduced by about twenty percent.
The number of wolves had increased to eight hundred, and each one was stronger than those in the seventh level.
The temperature here had reached a scorching eighty degrees Celsius.
Ye Yu, gripping the Black Blade Night, charged towards the pack of vicious wolves.
An hour later, the battle concluded. Even Ye Yu was panting heavily, drenched in sweat.
But he hadn't reached his limit yet and had no intention of resting. He immediately entered the ninth level.
Nine hundred pounds of gravity, nine hundred vicious wolves—each with the strength equivalent to a Navy Lieutenant, comparable to Koby's close friend, Helmeppo's combat power.
Individually, in the world of One Piece, they were weak. But with a count of nine hundred, it posed a significant challenge for Ye Yu, especially in such a harsh environment.
The wolves were larger, stronger, and their speed was not to be underestimated. Each one seemed to move as fast as the Navy Six Style's Shave, charging at him with incredible speed.
While swinging his blade, Ye Yu dodged swiftly, pushing his Observation Haki to its limits. His entire body was covered in Armament Haki, and the Black Blade Night was also wrapped in Armament Haki.
The battle continued.
At this point, the top prodigies were still far from reaching the ninth level. Even with their combined strength, none had progressed as quickly as Ye Yu.
When there were six hours left before the Mystic Realm ended, Ye Yu passed the eighth level. He was gasping for breath, his face slightly pale. Although he hadn't reached his limit, his stamina and energy were significantly drained. Instead of immediately entering the final tenth level, he decided to rest for an hour.
Without resting, Ye Yu had no confidence in clearing the highest tenth level. He couldn't help but marvel, "The difficulty of this Mystic Realm is much higher than I imagined. But that's fine—difficulty, risk, and reward are proportional. Since my level-up difficulty is high, I must push through and complete it."
After resting for an hour, Ye Yu stood up and entered the tenth level.
One thousand pounds of gravity, one thousand vicious wolves—each exuding an aura no weaker than a Navy Commander's strength, comparable to the Pirate Krieg's combat power.
And the temperature had risen to a blistering one hundred degrees Celsius.
Ye Yu was grateful for being a Contract Non-Ability User, which had strengthened his body. Combined with his recent training and the coverage of Armament Haki, he could endure the extreme heat. Otherwise, staying here for an hour would have been nearly impossible.
With five hours left before the Mystic Realm ended, Ye Yu knew he had to hurry. This battle was bound to be a prolonged one.
For others, fighting for such a long time would be impossible. The completely white, featureless space offered no terrain for guerrilla tactics.
But in the world of One Piece, battles between top-tier fighters lasting seven days and nights were common—like the clash between Akainu and Aokiji.
So, persisting for five hours was something Ye Yu could manage. This battle was the most challenging one yet and a true test of his abilities.
The battle raged on, and Ye Yu fought with all his might, feeling just how strong he had become.
He had never fought at full strength before, so he hadn't known his true capabilities. But now, through this battle, he gained a clearer understanding of his level twelve self. He was stronger than most Vice Admirals in the One Piece world, reaching the level of an elite Vice Admiral.
And he was only at level twelve. Each contracted powerhouse could only exert up to two percent of their strength. So, one could imagine how powerful Ye Yu would be once he fully inherited the strength of all seven powerhouses.
With one hour left before the Mystic Realm ended, the top prodigies finally entered the tenth level. They were already at their limits, exhausted, their clothes torn, and their bodies battered and bruised, some even injured.
However, upon reaching the tenth level, they gave up, realizing it was impossible to pass.
Lin Muxue had been determined to succeed before entering, but
once inside, faced with the increased gravity, temperature, numbers, and strength, she felt utterly hopeless.
"This is just too difficult."
(End of Chapter)