"Boom——"
Hawke's punch landed squarely on Smoker's crossed forearms.
"Ugh..."
Smoker groaned heavily, feeling a tremendous force surge through his arms and violently crash into his internal organs.
Damn it!
He'd been completely seen through by Hawke!
The timing of that punch was precise—striking exactly at the moment when he was unable to form a proper defense.
That kind of precision... was it Observation Haki?!
Maybe...
He really was relying too much on his Devil Fruit!
The thought flashed through Smoker's mind in an instant.
Then, his body was flung uncontrollably backwards, crashing into the crowd.
"Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!"
Like an out-of-control cannonball, Smoker's body bowled over several of his own soldiers before finally coming to a halt.
...
The training grounds fell silent.
Whether it was the veterans of G-3, or the subordinates of Smoker and Hina, everyone stared wide-eyed at the scene, their minds blank.
One punch!
With just one punch...
Captain Smoker was sent flying?!
"Cough... pff!"
Struggling up from the pile of bodies, Smoker spat out blood-flecked saliva.
A searing pain ran through both his arms, as if the bones were splitting apart.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the raging storm inside his heart.
...
He looked at the figure in the distance, calm and composed, withdrawing his fist. Hawke.
That one punch told Smoker everything.
Hawke hadn't been appointed Commodore because his strength was only at that level.
No, it was because his time in the Navy had been too short, his military merit too shallow.
Commodore was already the highest rank they could justify giving him right now!!!
"Wow——"
"You're so cool!"
Hibari's eyes sparkled like stars, her little face flushed red with excitement.
To her, that punch was simply... the coolest thing ever!
"Hina is very shocked..."
Lighting a slim cigarette, Hina's sunglasses slipped slightly down her nose.
As Smoker's peer, she knew better than anyone the true extent of his power.
To blow him away with a single punch...
It wasn't just Armament Haki.
It required Observation, martial arts, raw strength, and mastery of timing—all honed to a terrifying degree.
If she remembered correctly, Commodore Hawke was only in his early twenties, wasn't he?!
Among the Navy's new generation, he was a genuine... super-monster!
"Hmm..."
Hawke was satisfied with everyone's reaction.
The purpose of making a statement—accomplished.
But...
He'd only thrown one punch so far. It wasn't enough.
His fists itched for more... he craved a fight.
That domineering urge was boiling inside him.
So...
His gaze swept across the crowd, and he shouted,
"Come!"
"All of you, attack me together!"
"Let me see... the measure of your strength!"
...
"Eh???"
The entire training ground fell into stunned silence.
Thousands of soldiers looked at each other in disbelief.
All together?
What kind of order was that?!
Commodore Hawke wanted to fight everyone at once?!
"Shing——"
A clear blade-song broke the silence.
Dane's "Akubi-no-Kiba" slid from its sheath, dark Armament instantly coating the blade.
He was the first to respond—and the only one to do so without a moment's hesitation.
Dane's figure blurred into an afterimage.
A slash filled with both respect and fighting spirit cleaved straight for Hawke's chest.
Hawke calmly raised his Armament-coated right fist, blocking the strike with absolute precision.
"Clang!"
Fist and blade collided, ringing out with a piercing metallic crack.
Dane felt an overwhelming force rush through his sword, numbing his hand.
He was driven back over ten steps before managing to steady himself.
"Hmm. Your Armament has improved."
Hawke commented flatly.
"!!!"
That sight completely ignited Zoro's fighting spirit.
The man who had once defeated him—Dane—had just been repelled by Commodore Hawke with a single punch.
Zoro realized this was his chance—an unparalleled opportunity to measure the gap between himself and a true powerhouse!
"Shhk——!"
The green bandana was tied around his left arm, his right hand gripping Wado Ichimonji.
"One-Sword Style!"
Swift as lightning, fierce as thunder!
The flash of the blade was too fast for the eye to follow.
But...
That powerful slash was effortlessly caught between two fingers.
Two Armament-coated fingertips, like the world's strongest pair of iron pincers.
Hawke tilted his head slightly, amused.
"Not bad!"
"You... bastard...!"
Zoro gritted his teeth, every muscle in his arm bulging, yet the blade wouldn't move another inch.
"Oi——!"
"You damn moss-head, stop hogging the spotlight!"
Sanji's furious shout rang out as he leapt high, his right leg slicing a deadly arc through the air.
Kick after relentless kick rained down like a violent storm.
One hand pinched Zoro's blade, while Hawke casually batted aside Sanji's barrage with the other.
Hawke smirked.
"Pathetic."
"What?!"
"Moss-head gets 'not bad,' but I get pathetic?!"
Sanji's fury exploded, his kicks growing even more savage.
But then—
Hawke suddenly released the blade between his fingers and flickered forward in a flash.
With no resistance, Zoro stumbled forward awkwardly.
Sanji's kicks too whiffed through the air, leaving him off balance.
"Shhhk——"
In an instant, Hawke appeared between them.
Both hands moved like shadows.
One hand clawed into Zoro's green hair.
The other clamped onto Sanji's skull like a steel vise.
"The Strong One—Skull Splitter!"
Hawke's arms flexed with explosive force, smashing their heads brutally together.
"Thud——!"
A deep, sickening crack echoed, like two coconuts colliding.
Zoro and Sanji's world spun, stars bursting before their eyes.
The crushing dizziness robbed them of control, both collapsing limply to the ground.
"Whoooa——"
The elite troops surged.
Over a thousand men from the former 16th Branch charged in formation, squads moving with perfect discipline, closing in from all sides.
"Former G-3, forward!"
"Show Commodore Hawke our strength!"
The veterans of G-3 joined in too!
"Hina thinks we must not be underestimated!"
With a wave of her hand, Hina led her soldiers into the fray.
"Go!"
Smoker's arms turned to smoke once again, his body engulfed in a billowing haze as he launched forward with ferocity.
In moments, the entire training ground became a storm.
Thousands against one!
Blades flashing, bullets flying, smoke swirling, steel clashing!
"Ha——"
At the very center of the tempest stood Hawke, smiling faintly.
He watched calmly as soldiers rushed at him from every direction.
He raised both arms high—then slammed them down.
"Boom——"
His cloak of justice flared without wind.
Every inch of his skin darkened with the deep black of Armament.
"Come then. Let's fight to our hearts' content!"
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