Chapter 159: Ashura Doji Wants to Become an Officer

In the Infinity Pirates, only by becoming a captain could one avoid the fate of being cannon fodder.

"Captain, I want to become an officer!!"

At that moment, something astonishing happened—Ashura Doji challenged the captain's slash to become an officer! Many had witnessed the slash that spanned kilometers, but for them, withstanding such an attack seemed utterly unattainable.

"Alright, everyone else, clear the area!!"

Li Yuan shouted.

"Run!!!"

The other pirates quickly moved away from Ashura Doji. Even those who had been lying on the ground scrambled to get up, fearing they wouldn't escape in time before Li Yuan's slash landed.

Those who couldn't stand were helped away by other pirates, or else they wouldn't know how many would die.

Soon, only Ashura Doji remained, standing alone with his Earth-Destroying Sword, in his human-crocodile form.

A look of wild determination was on his face. He had prepared for this day for an entire year.

A year ago, he didn't dare challenge Li Yuan's great sword slash, but now, after consuming a Devil Fruit, his strength had rapidly increased, giving him absolute confidence!

"Brother Karu, do you think Brother Ashura Doji can withstand the master's sword?"

Barrett asked.

"I don't know, Ashura Doji has improved very quickly; I'm not sure of his true strength."

"But if he's decided to challenge the master's slash, he must have some confidence."

Karu mused.

Previously, he often sparred with Ashura Doji, and even teamed up with Kano against him, but they weren't a match for Ashura Doji.

Even after both he and Kano reached the level of swordsmen, they couldn't defeat Ashura Doji, who had eaten a Devil Fruit.

At that time, Ashura Doji didn't even use Armament Haki to defeat them.

It could be said that Ashura Doji was far stronger than all of them, the strongest in the Infinity Pirates next to Li Yuan.

"Then Brother Ashura Doji will surely succeed!"

Barrett exclaimed excitedly.

Though he had eaten the Titan Fruit and become strong, he still couldn't defeat Karu.

Mainly because he was too young, his body hadn't fully developed, and he hadn't awakened Armament Haki.

But once Barrett awakened his Armament Haki, that would mark the beginning of his true rise.

Everyone was intently watching Li Yuan and Ashura Doji from afar, eagerly anticipating the birth of the first officer of the Infinity Pirates.

If Ashura Doji succeeded, it would mean everyone present had a chance to become an officer!!

Li Yuan placed his hand on the hilt of the Futsunomitama Sword at his waist, his profound Infinite Sword Intent fully focused on the blade.

"Infinite Void Break Sword Technique!!"

With a flash of white light, Ashura Doji couldn't even see the sword leave its scabbard.

A massive slash, spanning the earth and sky, rushed forward with great speed.

The ground was effortlessly split like tofu, the air was ruthlessly torn, and even the clouds in the sky were cleaved by the Infinite Sword Intent.

Standing before this extreme slash, the ground beneath Ashura Doji collapsed as he charged forward with incredible speed.

"One-Sword Style: Ashura Blood Crocodile Slash!!"

A giant blood-red crocodile phantom appeared behind Ashura Doji, and as the Earth-Destroying Sword slashed down, the blood-red crocodile opened its mouth to bite the gigantic slash.

"Crack!!!"

However, Ashura Doji's full-force attack only held off the slash momentarily.

In the next instant, the blood-red crocodile behind Ashura Doji was shattered, and the Ryuo on his Earth-Destroying Sword was dispersed.

His hand bones were severely impacted and fractured, and his entire body was hit by the slash, sent flying thousands of meters away.

Where the slash passed, the ground was torn apart, leaving a massive scar stretching thousands of meters.

At the end of the scar, Ashura Doji lay covered in blood, lying on the edge of the scar without falling into it.

"How is this possible, could he have failed!!!"

Everyone was shocked by the scene.

Ashura Doji's strength was well-known among the Infinity Pirates, yet even he couldn't withstand Li Yuan's formidable slash. Was this something a human could achieve?

Barrett and others close to Ashura Doji wanted to check his injuries but were stopped by Li Yuan.

"Cough cough!!!"

Ashura Doji suddenly coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood, clutching the massive sword wound on his chest, struggling to stand.

This struggle lasted a full three minutes.

All 30,000 people present anxiously waited for Ashura Doji to stand, knowing that if he could, he would become the first officer of the Infinity Pirates!

Conversely, if Ashura Doji couldn't stand, it would mean he had failed the challenge!

Under everyone's gaze, Ashura Doji clenched his fists, his face twisted in pain, eyes bloodshot, and struggled to rise from the ground.

"I want to be an officer!!!!"

Using his last ounce of strength, Ashura Doji shouted, his voice faint but heard by all!

"Hahahahaha, Ashura Doji, congratulations on becoming the first officer of the Infinity Pirates!"

Li Yuan said happily, looking at Ashura Doji standing.

In just one year, Ashura Doji had grown so much, all under Li Yuan's watchful eye.

Though his strength hadn't reached the level Oden had when Li Yuan killed him, he wasn't far off.

That slash, although it didn't use Armament Haki or Conqueror's Haki, was truly at the level of a normal admiral's strike.

Surviving it, Ashura Doji's overall strength was about at the level of an admiral candidate.

"Wow!!!"

"Wonderful, long live Officer Ashura Doji!!"

"Long live the Captain!!"

The crowd of over 30,000 pirates cheered.

Becoming an officer in the Infinity Pirates meant having strength, fame, status, and wealth.

Ashura Doji had become an officer before their eyes, exciting the pirates. If Ashura Doji could do it, they believed they could too!

Medical staff quickly began treating Ashura Doji's wounds.

"Does anyone else want to become an officer? Step forward; if you can withstand a slash like the one just now, you can become an officer!"

Li Yuan shouted, glancing at the main captains.

"We need more time to prepare!!"

Faced with Li Yuan's question, Karu and the other main captains couldn't help but twitch their mouths and quickly declined.

Even someone as strong as Ashura Doji nearly died from that slash.

If not for the Ancient Zoan Emperor Crocodile Devil Fruit's tenacious life force, they might have believed Ashura Doji would have died from it.

Together, the main captains couldn't defeat Ashura Doji; if they dared to face Li Yuan's slash, their bodies would surely be split in two.

Seeing the main captains back down, Li Yuan shook his head slightly, having thought they had grown, but realizing he was mistaken.

"Captain, what are the requirements to become a core officer?"

Ashura Doji, after his wounds were bandaged, asked eagerly.

In the Infinity Pirates, captains were divided into main and minor captains, and officers into regular and core officers.

He had just become a regular officer, and Li Yuan hadn't previously mentioned the conditions to become a core officer, as there hadn't even been a regular officer then.

Ashura Doji's question made the cheering crowd of over 30,000 pirates pause.

As members of the Infinity Pirates, they naturally wanted to know the criteria for becoming a core officer.

Core officers held the highest rank under the captain.

Moreover, they received 8 million Berries monthly, nearly 100 million annually, even without doing anything!

For many pirates, such a sum was a fortune they couldn't accumulate in a lifetime!

"Hahahaha, want to become a core officer?"

"Follow me, and I'll show you the conditions for becoming a core officer!"

Li Yuan shouted, leaping to the coast with Moonwalk.

The pirates quickly followed him to the shore.

"To become a regular officer in the Infinity Pirates, you must withstand a slash like Ashura Doji did and stand afterward!"

"That slash was not my full strength."

"To become a core officer, you must withstand my full-strength slash and still be able to stand!"

"Now, let me show you what my full-strength slash looks like!"

With that, Li Yuan sheathed the Futsunomitama and took up the Seven Stars Sword.

Blood Slaughter Sword Intent and Infinite Sword Intent erupted and entwined around the blade.

Simultaneously, Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki were compressed onto the blade, merging with the Sword Intent.

At this moment, all 30,000 pirates held their breath, watching Li Yuan.

But after just a glance, many had to close their eyes or look away, unable to continue watching.

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