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“Smoker, you’re such a slowpoke!”
Bang finished off the last Sea Beast just as Smoker materialized on the island in a cloud of smoke.
Roy greeted his friend with his usual taunt.
This time, however, Smoker didn’t seem irritated.
Click.
He flicked open his lighter, lit two cigars, and jammed them into his mouth. “I wasn’t that slow,” he said calmly. His expression was lighter than usual, as if a weight had been lifted.
“Don’t worry, I’ll still treat you to a meal.”
Roy blinked in surprise, then clicked his tongue. “It’s rare to see you, the notorious chain smoker, admit defeat so readily.”
With that, Roy stopped teasing Smoker and glanced around the island.
Several others had already landed on Artificial Island Number Seven, including quite a few familiar faces.
Besides Smoker, Roy spotted two Marine officers. One of them wielded a massive, shark-cleaving blade and wore a mask. He had recently been promoted to Headquarters Commodore, “Shark Cutter,” Bastille.
The other was a burly man who was also a Headquarters Commodore and was known for his Tsucha-Ken martial arts style, Commodore “Tsucha.”
In addition to them, Rob Lucci and Kaku had landed on Island Seven as well. However, as Roy had observed earlier, CP0’s strongest agent, Guernica, appeared to have gone to another island.
Including Smoker and Roy, that made six of them.
Roy glanced at the giant clock on the distant coastline. According to the clock, the allotted hour had already passed.
“The other islands probably aren’t much different either. Looking closely at this island’s shape…”
Roy scanned his surroundings.
The artificial island was smaller than he had anticipated. Its entire structure was perfectly square, resembling a dueling arena more than an actual island.
Based on this, Roy had a good idea of what the next stage of the exam would entail.
Just as he’d predicted,
“Attention, participants.”
Sengoku’s voice boomed from an unseen source on the island.
“A total of 58 examinees have successfully landed on the island.
The second stage of the exam will now commence.
“The objective is simple: eliminate everyone else.”
As the Marine Fleet Admiral spoke, Smoker’s expression darkened.
“The sole survivor on each island will be declared the victor and advance to the final stage of the exam in three days.”
Just as Sengoku’s words finished echoing…
Whoosh!
With the crisp sound of Soru, a figure materialized above Roy’s head.
“My apologies, Lieutenant Commander Roy, your journey ends here!”
Bastille’s massive Shark Cutter was already enveloped in pitch-black Armament Haki. Without hesitation, he swung the blade down toward Roy’s shoulder.
“Shark Cutter: Bone Cleaver!”
A thunderous, wind-tearing roar followed, undoubtedly a strike capable of splitting mountains and shattering stone.
Yet Bastille wasn’t the only assailant.
Appearing beside Roy was Marine Commodore “Tsucha.”
“You must be eliminated first! Ten Shigan: Tsucha’s Bite!”
His fingers were coated in pitch-black Busoshoku Haki, or Armament Haki. His ten fingers snapped open and shut like the fangs of a wild beast, lunging to tear at Roy.
But that wasn’t all.
“Four-Sword Style: Reverse Scale!”
“Rokushiki Esoterics: Biggest Wheel , Rokuōgan!”
Two figures, Kaku and Rob Lucci transformed into a cheetah, flashed past and appeared behind Roy.
Without hesitation, they unleashed their strongest techniques.
“Apologies, Strongest, your Hasshoken is too dangerous. This old man can’t afford to take that kind of hit.”
“We’re representing the government in this Martial Exercise, and we can’t afford to lose so disgracefully.”
Kaku’s low chuckle spoke volumes about their shared intent.
From the moment Sengoku announced the competition rules, they understood one thing:
Regardless of their previous opinions of Roy, whether or not they believed he had fought the Warlord to a draw, the devastating blow he unleashed across the sea forced them to acknowledge the truth: Roy was the strongest.
On this island, Roy was the strongest.
Weak prey instinctively unite against the strongest predator, a primal instinct essential for survival.
“Eliminate him first, then deal with the others.”
Driven by this strategy, they launched their coordinated attack.
They were now certain their assault had locked down every possible escape route for Roy.
But in reality…
Roy had never intended to evade.
Slash!
The Shark Cutter sliced into his shoulder.
Bang!
Ten-Fingers’s tearing bite tore into his abdomen.
Crack!
The katana and the Tempest Kick slashed across his leg.
Boom!
The Six Kings Gun struck him in the back, piercing his heart.
Yet at that moment, everyone abruptly heard a soft chuckle.
Then, they saw streaks of pitch black appearing at the points of their attacks.
Immediately afterward…
BOOM!
An immense force erupted from the points of impact.
The four of them were sent flying backward simultaneously and crashed heavily to the ground.
They barely noticed the pain, though, as their eyes were fixed on the figure they had surrounded.
“Haki?”
Kaku exclaimed in disbelief. “Impossible! According to the information the senior official from Guernica provided, he shouldn’t have mastered Haki!”
“No, that’s not right,” Rob Lucci murmured.
His gaze, hidden behind his mask, remained fixed on the figure. “It’s not just whether he can use Haki. What was that just now?”
Though he hadn’t yet mastered Haki, as the strongest CP-9 agent in a century, he had been authorized to learn a great deal about it.
That was why he recognized the power emanating from the figure.
At that very moment…
Snap! Snap!
With two crisp clicks, Roy adjusted the boxing gloves he had just put on.
“Your intel is outdated,” he said calmly, standing in the center of the group. His usual nonchalant demeanor was gone.
He glanced at the assembled figures around him, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Your assessment was correct. I am indeed the strongest among us.”
“But…”
As he spoke, pitch-black Haki surged and crackled around him. The Haki overflowed, shattering the ground and sending rock fragments and debris spiraling upward like coiling vines.
Slowly, he raised his fist.
Buzz!
The surging Haki flared around his blackened wrist like a lion’s mane.
And so…
“Black Mane? Is that Ryuo (Flowing Sakura)?”
On the distant coastal podium, Sengoku watched the scene unfold through a live-streaming Den Den Mushi and let out an incredulous gasp. He whirled around to face his old friend. “Zephyr, this isn’t what you told me!
Didn’t you say he hadn’t mastered Haki yet and that it would take him a few more years?” Sengoku asked, his voice deep and serious.
“That’s precisely why I’m standing here, Sengoku.”
Zephyr stood beside Sengoku, his tone calm.
“Throughout my life, I’ve trained countless disciples, and many possessed exceptional talent.
He glanced down at the crowd, which was now stirring, and at the three Admirals, whose faces were grave.
“But Roy… he’s unlike any other.”
Zephyr murmured softly, “His rate of progress defies my understanding.”
He vividly remembered when Roy approached him and demonstrated Ryuo (Flowing Sakura) before his eyes.
Honestly, Zephyr had seriously questioned his decades of accumulated knowledge at that moment. Ryuo (Flowing Sakura) is the pinnacle of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) and is a technique reserved for true top-tier powerhouses.
“I see now…”
Sengoku’s expression grew even more solemn.
“He’s not a Devil Fruit user, yet he can unleash a ‘Shockwave Fist,’ has an abnormally powerful physique, and has mastered Ryuo (Flowing Sakura).”
He naturally understood what this meant.
Within the Marines, true geniuses are selected for special training to become future admirals, the highest possible rank.
The current three admirals, for example, were all once prodigies known as “monsters” in Zephyr’s training camp.
However, Roy’s talent and potential had already surpassed that level.
His abilities defied Sengoku’s comprehension, he was a “monster among monsters.”
Since the Marines’ founding, only a handful of individuals like him had ever emerged.
“So…you were serious about your request just now?”
Sengoku turned a serious gaze toward Zephyr.
“Yes.”
Zephyr nodded, his gaze fixed on the figure on the distant island. “This is my choice.”
With that, he fell silent.
After a moment of contemplation, Sengoku nodded slowly and said, “Very well. “I will report this matter to Chief Commander Kong tonight.”
Throughout their entire conversation, neither man mentioned the outcome of the battle on Seventh Island again.
There was no need for discussion.
The only path to survival for the weak was to unite and overcome the strong.
However, even if a flock of sheep were to unite, they could never hope to overcome a Grand Dragon.
And reality proved this to be true.
At that very moment, Roy on Seventh Island clenched his fist.
“Ryuo (Flowing Sakura) Entwine , Super Shockwave Fist!”
He raised his fist and…
Smashed it down!
However, the target of his strike wasn’t any individual in front of him, but rather the entire island itself!
Bang!
In the next instant, the massive artificial island crumbled into fragments.
A violent shockwave and roaring Haki instantly split the clouds in the sky.
Snap!
Bastille’s Shark Cutter shattered into pieces.
Crack!
Tsucha’s fingers snapped instantly, and blood sprayed from his mouth as he flew backward.
Bang!
Lucci’s leopard tail and beastly body crackled violently before he, too, was hurled backward. Kaku fared even worse; his nose, the only part of his face visible beneath the Tengu mask, bent at a sharp angle.
A massive cloud of dust billowed into the air.
As the dust settled, the Live-Stream Den Den Mushi faithfully recorded the unbelievable scene.
The entirety of Seventh Island, centered around the spot where Roy stood, had been completely and cleanly pierced through.
The island’s foundation, painstakingly forged from steel by craftsmen, vanished, replaced by a cavern that occupied two-thirds of the island.
In the center of the cavern, only two precarious platforms remained, each barely large enough to support one person.
Roy and Smoker stood on these platforms facing each other.
“You really should have attacked me with the others. Though it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, it was your only chance at victory,” Roy said, slowly retracting his fist. He glanced approvingly at the Haki swirling around Black Mane, then smiled at Smoker.
“I know,” Smoker replied, still puffing on his cigar with a calm expression.
He wasn’t stupid.
As soon as Sengoku announced the straightforward rules for the second examination, Smoker realized what might happen next.
He also knew that a coordinated attack on Roy was the wisest path to victory.
But…
“The ‘wisest choice’?”
He spat. “What do I care about such boring crap?”
“I figured as much,” Roy replied with a nod.
“Exactly. If Smoker were to make the so-called ‘wise choice’ and act on it, he wouldn’t be Smoker.”
Just then, however, he heard Smoker speak again.
“Still, you really are full of surprises.”
“Is that so?”
Roy naturally assumed Smoker was referring to his strength. “I told you. I’m terrifyingly strong now.”
But, to his surprise, Smoker shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant.”
A genuine smile stretched across Smoker’s face.
“What surprises me is that you’re finally willing to show your true colors.”
“…Huh?”
Roy was understandably puzzled by this remark.
Seeing this, Smoker’s grin widened even further.
Ah, his true colors.
As everyone knew, Smoker was renowned as the Marines’ mad dog, an unruly rebel who respected no one.
His terrible people skills made him deeply unpopular at Marine Headquarters and within his own unit.
How could someone like him become friends with Roy?
Was it because Roy had taken the initiative to greet him when they first enlisted?
Or because Roy had asked to spar with him during training one day?
Smoker wasn’t the type to form friendships over trivial matters.
In fact, he couldn’t even stomach the Marines themselves.
He had joined solely to pursue his own brand of justice, not out of loyalty to the World Government.
In fact, he was well aware of the corruption within the Marines. He harbored deep skepticism toward their proclaimed “Absolute Justice” and kept his distance from most of his fellow Marines.
The Marines’ rules? He couldn’t care less.
His superiors’ orders? He treated them like mere hot air.
As long as he could achieve justice, he would gladly face punishment for breaking the rules.
That was why he and Roy had become friends in the first place.
“You and I are the same kind, Roy!” Smoker murmured as he drew the “Jitte” from his back.
Like recognizes like.
Smoker could see it clearly. Roy was one of his kind.
Roy shared his disdain for corruption and defied his instructor’s orders during recruitment to retrieve a girl’s stolen money. Roy possessed a moral compass and values that set him apart from others, qualities impossible to conceal in everyday life.
This was precisely what had disappointed Smoker about Roy in the past.
Despite his immense power and talent, Roy had always kept them hidden.
In Smoker’s eyes, Roy was like a different version of himself, someone who had evaded assimilation and chosen to retreat.
So, in his own way, Smoker hoped to get Roy out of the Marine Detention Unit.
Ever since learning that Roy would participate in the Three-Forces Military Exercise as well, Smoker had been training tirelessly.
He couldn’t afford to lose to this person.
But now, he realized he had been wrong all along.
“You haven’t changed at all, have you?” he said, glaring at Roy.
“You’ve just been enduring it all this time, right?”
“And now…”
He finally tossed away his cigar. “You’re strong enough now, and you’re tired of enduring it anymore, aren’t you?!”
Roy froze, stunned by Smoker’s words. He suddenly realized that Smoker was right.
Roy had joined the Three-Forces Military Exercise to secure the position of Dictate Officer in the Marine Detention Unit. He only needed to finish in the top five.
He didn’t need to draw so much attention to himself, whether by obliterating the Sea Beast with a single punch or annihilating all the surrounding enemies in an instant.
Logically, he would have been far more inconspicuous if he had slowly made his way through the Sea Beast swarm like an ordinary person and gradually dispatched each enemy one by one.
That’s how he had always done things in the past.
So why hadn’t he chosen that approach this time?
The answer was simple: he didn’t want to, instinctively.
Perhaps Smoker was right, this was his true nature.
Over the past eight years, he had witnessed countless things that made his wicked heart seethe with frustration.
He had endured numerous rules that chafed his spirit.
Before, he lacked the power to challenge them, so he had no choice but to restrain himself.
He had to keep a low profile and accumulate strength patiently.
That’s why he joined the Marine Detention Unit, remaining quiet and restrained until now.
But now…
He wasn’t naturally invincible at sea, and he still lacked absolute power.
Yet, after recent events, he felt he could afford to shed some of his restraints, at the very least.
So…
“I won’t deny it.”
Roy smiled. “I do want to make this quick.”
The two locked eyes.
“After my promotion this time, how about you transfer back and become my subordinate?”
In Roy’s hand, Ryuo (Flowing Sakura) coiled and flowed.
“Over my dead body.”
Smoker gripped his Jitte tightly.
In the next instant, they charged at each other.
The outcome of the battle had already been determined.
But no one could say for sure whether this exchange marked the beginning of a shift in the gears of destiny.
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.p*treon.com/darkshadow6395