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“Oh! It’s Marine Supernova Roy Amos… the highly anticipated contestant who was observing earlier, has finally decided to break through the Sea Beast Barrier!”
As the camera zoomed in, the commentator’s voice rose in pitch as he tried to hype the action for better ratings and a potential raise.
His voice boomed across the globe, broadcasting live from every location, streaming the Three-Forces Military Exercise.
To be fair, Roy had indeed risen to prominence before the Three-Forces Military Exercise began, largely due to reports labeling him as the ‘former Admiral’s disciple’ and claiming he had ‘fought a Warlord to a draw.’
But at the end of the day, Roy was still young and had previously been virtually unknown.
There had always been a persistent theory circulating on the Sea that Roy had never truly fought the Warlord to a draw and that the World Government had used the Warlord’s reputation to enhance Roy’s.
Even the commentators from the World Economy Newspaper couldn’t completely shake their doubts.
But then…
“It’s said that Lieutenant Commander Roy personally created his Shockwave Fist… a Hasshoken technique that even former Admiral Black Arm Zephyr greatly admired. It has three distinct types! Gah!”
The commentator yelped, having bitten his tongue in shock.
Clatter!
In the mess hall of a Marine base on a certain island, a chef accidentally spilled hot soup on a Marine standing in line.
Yet, the Marine didn’t register the pain at first. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at the live Den Den Mushi broadcast.
Clang!
In countless taverns, patrons’ tankards crashed to the floor, ending their bets on who would reach the island first.
Similar scenes unfolded in homes and public squares around the globe as viewers watched the broadcast.
Everyone was now witnessing the same shocking sight.
The overhead view from the live-streaming Den Den Mushi on the screen revealed that a colossal “high-speed passage” had appeared across the Sea Beast–infested waters.
At the island end of the passageway, the sea was ablaze, scorched crimson by raging flames.
Gurgle. Gurgle.
The searing heat warped the air, and the corpses of countless sea beasts emitted the savory aroma of roasting meat.
At the coastal end of the passage, the sea was frozen into a sheet of ice.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Bitterly cold winds howled across the frozen expanse, freezing the remaining sea beasts solid in their tracks.
A tremendous shockwave swept across the entire sea.
At the end of the massive channel, now devoid of sea beasts, a young figure stood with Justice slung across his back, slowly withdrawing his fist.
This scene would undoubtedly be etched in the memories of everyone who witnessed the Three-Forces Military Exercise for the rest of their lives.
“Oh~!”
Even Admiral Kizaru, seated far away on the Marine Podium, couldn’t help but exclaim.
“I’d heard rumors, but to actually see him pull off something like this… These young people nowadays are truly terrifying.”
He adjusted his yellow sunglasses and clicked his tongue with an oily sound.
“This power… This form almost resembles Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s ‘Impact of the Buddha.'”
The genuine surprise in his voice was undeniable.
“Shockwave Fist,” Akainu said grimly. “I’ve heard he used this technique to defeat Hanafuda, but the power I knew of was nowhere near this level.”
His tone carried a hint of doubt and yet, surprisingly, also a trace of admiration.
For a man who upheld absolute justice and believed that “pirates are inherently wicked,” Roy’s decisive attack on Hanafuda and the overwhelming power he had just displayed were undoubtedly worthy of recognition.
“Well…” Aokiji scratched his cheek. “I’ve indeed heard that his Hasshoken incorporates the Black Body Style of the Zephyr Sensei, the Fish-Man tribe’s Fish-Man Karate, and the Foxfire Stream of Wano Country. Even so, this level of power is astonishing.”
As he said this, he seemed to recall something. “Come to think of it, I think I saw him at the Marine Detention Unit before. He didn’t seem this strong back then.”
He turned to the three veteran officers behind him. “Sirs, are you sure he’s not a Devil Fruit User?”
At that moment, Garp ignored Aokiji’s words, laughing heartily as he slapped Zephyr’s shoulder. “Hahahaha! What a remarkable young man! You’ve struck gold! Hey, how about letting the old man have him? I’ll let you train my grandson, and you can drill him however you want!”
Zephyr: “You old geezer. Did your wounds start itching again? Do you want another beating?”
Only Tsuru answered Aokiji’s question. “All participants were confirmed to be Devil Fruit-free using Seastone before the competition.”
Hearing Tsuru’s reply, Aokiji nodded and didn’t press further.
Deep down, he already knew that Roy was unlikely to be a Devil Fruit user.
In order to deliver that punch, one would need a Devil Fruit ability capable of generating shockwaves, flames, and frost simultaneously, as well as a body forged to its absolute limits.
Such a Devil Fruit couldn’t possibly exist. Even if it did exist, using it would inevitably cause physical transformations.
Yet everyone present saw clearly: Roy exhibited no signs of elementalization, beast form, or any of the Paramecia-specific bodily alterations.
He showed no signs of using a Devil Fruit power.
Therefore, rather than a Devil Fruit ability, “innate special talent” seemed a far more plausible explanation.
“Zephyr-sensei, could you help me in arranging a trial fight with him later?” Aokiji said uncharacteristically, taking the initiative. “I’m quite intrigued by his Hasshoken technique.”
He wasn’t destined to learn Zephyr’s Black Body Style. However, if he could master Shockwave Fist and combine it with his Hie Hie no Mi (Ice Ice Fruit) and Garp’s Iron Fist, it was a possibility worth exploring, even for someone whose strength had already reached the top tier of the sea.
“I wouldn’t dare promise such a thing on his behalf.” Zephyr stood up and spoke with a smile on his face. “Ask him yourself.”
“Oh, where are you off to?” Kizaru asked with his usual grin. “Not going to witness your disciple’s arrival on the island?”
“There’s no need. That trial won’t hold him back,” Zephyr replied calmly.
But almost no one knew about the astonishment and pride hidden beneath his composed demeanor. His pride naturally stemmed from his disciple’s exceptional performance.
His astonishment, however, lay in…
“How has this kid’s Shockwave Fist grown so much stronger?”
Zephyr was certain that, while Roy’s previous Shockwave Fist had been terrifying, its maximum output had never reached such absurd levels of range and power.
In such a short time, he had grown even stronger.
Adding to this was Roy’s earlier display of Ryuo (Flowing Sakura) and his relentless daily physical training.
“Could his Black Body Style training really be this effective?”
Zephyr could only attribute it to that. In his mind, Roy had begun to grow at an absurd pace after starting his Black Body Style training.
Naturally, none of this truly mattered.
More importantly, after witnessing the power Roy had just displayed, Zephyr made a firm resolution.
“I’m going to consult with Sengoku about something,” Zephyr announced as he rose from his seat.
“… ”
After Zephyr left, Kizaru and Aokiji, though curious, didn’t ask for details. Instead, they turned their attention back to Garp.
“Speaking of which, Vice Admiral Garp…” Kizaru asked softly. “Those injuries of yours are truly terrifying. Was it really the ‘Twelve Zodiac’ who did that?”
Honestly, Garp’s injuries had mostly healed by that point and weren’t at all terrifying. However, Kizaru wasn’t referring to the injuries themselves but rather to the person who could inflict them on Garp.
“Hahaha! That guy, huh? The Information Department suspects his name is ‘Inoshi,'” Garp replied with a hearty laugh.
He remained utterly unfazed by his injuries, laughing heartily. “He’s a decent kid, all right. His abilities are quite troublesome.”
“It’s not just him,” Tsuru interjected.
A grave expression flickered in the Chief of Staff’s eyes. “The members of the Twelve Zodiac all seem to be formidable opponents.
“That’s precisely why this Three-Forces Military Exercise is so crucial.”
Her gaze shifted first to Zephyr, who was ascending the stairs to the top floor; then to Vice Admiral Biros, who was nearby; and finally to the distant figure on the horizon.
“The Sea’s Justice needs new strength and pillars!”
Meanwhile, at the same moment…
“Whew! That feels good!”
Roy exhaled deeply after clearing a Sea Beast from the water’s surface with a single punch.
He turned to Smoker. “How’s it going?”
Smoker: “…”
“How’s it going?”
What else could it be?
Smoker was one of Roy’s closest friends, having sparred with him countless times and heard many rumors about his recent exploits.
Yet, no matter how he looked at it, this punch was utterly beyond his comprehension.
Smoker realized for the first time that Roy hadn’t been joking when he said, “Get ready.” Roy had truly become terrifyingly strong.
“You…” Smoker began, his voice hoarse as he tried to find the words.
But…
“Save it for later… don’t forget our bet!” Roy cut him off with a raised hand.
Bet?
Smoker froze, glancing instinctively at Seventh Island behind him.
He noticed that, though Roy’s punch had cleared the sea beasts from their path, more were swimming toward them from the surrounding waters.
Though they appeared hesitant and unwilling, the channel Roy had created was closing rapidly.
Only then did Smoker grasp the meaning of Roy’s words.
“Bet? What are you planning?”
But before he could finish…
Whoosh!
As a Smoke Man, Smoker could clearly sense the sudden change in the environment around him.
“That’s…
“Wind?!”
Smoker looked out over the distant sea. How could there be such a strong wind?
He immediately realized the cause, though. His gaze snapped to the path Roy had blasted open.
At the beginning of the path, icy air emanated from frost.
At the path’s end, scorching heat radiated from flames.
The cold and heat created a temperature difference. That temperature difference generates wind!
While muttering to himself, Roy silently switched his Devil Fruit.
[Magu-Magu Fruit → Dragon-Dragon Devil Fruit. Wind God Wing Dragon Form LV4:]
[Wind God Wing Dragon Form LV4: Allows the user to generate gale-force winds from their wings to create slicing attacks, and enables super-high-speed movement by riding the powerful winds.]
The next moment…
“Geppo: Wind Step!”
Bang!
Before Smoker’s eyes, Roy’s figure shot forward with lightning speed, reaching an absurd level of velocity.
The wind tearing past him produced a piercing, ear-splitting roar.
When Smoker turned his head in disbelief, Roy had already crossed the constantly reforming Sea Beast and traversed the “channel” in an instant.
Thud!
He landed on the artificial island marked with the number seven.
The crowd, which had barely had time to react, fell into another stunned silence.
Then…
“The first contestant to reach the island has appeared! That was too fast… unbelievably fast!”
While Vice-Admiral Gion had only reached the halfway point, Marine’s Supernova, Lieutenant Commander Roy Amos, had already successfully landed on the island. Hiss! I bit my tongue again!”
It wasn’t until the commentator’s trembling voice announced it that the roaring cheers finally erupted.
(End Of This Chapter)
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