Chapter 92: You Brat, How Long Are You Going to Stay There?
"..."
The coastline of Marineford fell silent.
Almost everyone watched in disbelief as the massive mushroom cloud and churning waves rose from the sea, their eyes and jaws practically dropping to the floor.
"N-No... I... That... That was..."
The commentator could barely string a sentence together, almost passing out from hyperventilation.
A nearby staff member rushed over. "Mr. Bonis, the commentator, needs a short break. We'll play a brief commercial..."
"Play nothing!"
The commentator suddenly leaped up, his face flushed crimson.
As an elite employee of the World Economic News Paper, he knew the magnitude of what had just happened.
Because if he wasn't mistaken—and he couldn't be mistaken.
The person who struck that blow was...
"The former Marine Admiral, the legend of the last era—'Black Arm' Zephyr!"
His booming voice delivered an unprecedented shock.
"The Admiral, retired for years, chose to intervene now... Undoubtedly, this is the true content of the final assessment!"
"The participants must face... him!"
A unified gasp echoed across the world.
"!!!" (xN)
The sound reverberated from all corners of the globe.
...
"I thought the original plan was different?"
On the highest platform, Vice Admiral Tsuru stood beside Sengoku, whispering.
"Yes."
Sengoku nodded. "The original plan was for me to be the final examiner, but... Zephyr requested this."
Tsuru was silent. "...He finally decided?"
As Zephyr's old comrades, they knew the thought that had been festering in Zephyr's mind since that accident years ago.
"Yes."
Sengoku confirmed.
Tsuru frowned and sighed.
"Hahahaha!"
Behind them, Garp laughed heartily. "That old geezer Zephyr finally made up his mind! I told him to do it ages ago. Twisting and turning... Crunch."
The Marine Hero munched on a cracker, joining his two old friends.
"...Garp, this is live on TV," Sengoku reminded him.
Garp: "Huh? So what?"
"...Nothing."
Seeing Garp's confused face, Sengoku gave up trying to preserve the Marines' image. It was pointless anyway.
Instead, he corrected Garp. "It wasn't twisting and turning—Zephyr just needed to be certain of his choice."
The three fell into silence.
After a moment, Tsuru spoke. "Regardless... isn't this a little too much?"
Sengoku sighed, agreeing.
According to his plan, Zephyr was supposed to enter the forest with thirty minutes left on the clock to hunt down the participants, testing their combat, evasion, defense, and stealth.
But Zephyr clearly ignored the plan.
Sengoku covered his forehead. "One after another, now even Zephyr... they're all completely disobedient."
Garp: "Hahahaha! Isn't this great? It's been a long time since I saw Zephyr throw a serious punch!"
Their gaze was fixed on the distant island.
The giant mushroom cloud had dispersed, revealing the island's devastation.
This was the source of their current conversation.
The island, once covered in a dense forest... was now treeless!
'Duel Island'—built with the best foundation materials funded by the 'King of Loan Sharks,' and assembled by the 'King of Storage's' shipwrights...
Was now utterly destroyed.
Where the forest stood was a massive crater, sinking inward from the center.
The huge depression radiated outward, crushing every tree.
Giant rocks and wood debris were everywhere, heavily concentrated at the blast's epicenter.
It looked like it had been hit by a meteor.
And currently, the 'meteor' stood at the center of the crater.
"Hahahaha... Not bad!"
The massive mechanical arm was wielded easily. Zephyr's grin was fierce.
His eyes, behind the goggles, looked into the distance.
"But—you people are quite resilient."
He was looking at the two figures before him.
"Hah... hah..."
A half-human, half-rabbit figure shrouded in smoke, holding a Meito—'Momousagi' Gion.
"Hoo... hoo..."
A man in a white suit, stained with blood, his top hat gone—CP0 Guernica.
The broadcast showed the other participants across the island had all been instantly knocked out.
Zephyr's punch had instantly reduced the final test to a final showdown.
"Brother Zephyr... it's been a long time since I've seen you like this."
Gion said softly.
Her body was heaving. But as she inhaled, she slowly straightened, her wounds visibly healing.
The monstrous vitality of an Awakened Zoan was on full display.
She wasn't fully recovered, but she was ready to fight.
"You've gotten stronger too, Gion."
Zephyr looked at the Vice Admiral like a sister.
But her answer was...
SHING!
The sharp hum of a blade, and Gion's crouched, predatory stance.
"No, I'm not strong enough."
Gion said calmly. There was no softness in her expression, only the sharp focus of a swordsman.
She knew she wasn't strong enough.
Not against him—she had seen him at his prime.
But that was all the better.
"I came to this Demonstration to sharpen my sword!"
"Brother Zephyr—allow me to challenge you!"
Haki coated her body.
Momousagi vanished instantly—the terrifying speed creating a sonic boom.
CRASH!
A speed far exceeding the limit of normal Soru.
But that was just the beginning.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
A rapid succession of sonic booms.
Where Gion moved, the already shattered ground was cut cleanly again. Dust swirled but was instantly carved up by the air itself.
The pink and white blurs, the sword flashes, were the comet trail of the swordswoman 'Momousagi.'
Everything in her path was severed!
"Snow Country Flash: Jade Rabbit Hunt!"
The audience gasped, forgetting to breathe.
"D-Did you see that!? Everyone—that is the true power of Admiral Candidate 'Momousagi' Gion!"
The commentator's voice was deafening.
Even those unfamiliar with combat could feel the terror of Gion's attack!
Haki, swordsmanship, strength, and the extreme speed granted by her Awakened Snow Hare Fruit.
Even heavily injured by Zephyr's previous blow, her power was terrifying.
Many Vice Admirals knew—just a stray sliver of her blade could heavily wound them.
But...
Facing Gion's terrifying, annihilating attack, the fierce grin on Zephyr's face didn't waver. It widened.
"Not bad."
The word fell, and Gion's slash arrived.
A blade of light pierced toward Zephyr from a tricky angle.
Speed, power, timing, angle—Momousagi was certain this strike was perfect!
Yet—"Gion. Today... I have something I must do."
Zephyr didn't even turn his head.
His left fist shot out.
Haki-coated, it wasn't fast, but it was precisely, perfectly aimed.
CLANG!
Time seemed to freeze.
The slash stopped.
Gion's figure was perfectly visible beside Zephyr. The battle intent on her face was instantly replaced by shock.
Her Konpira, the unbreakable Great Grade Sword.
Its tip... was gripped by Zephyr.
Zephyr's hand, tensed with muscle and flowing Haki, looked inhuman.
"The Black Body Style... running at this level..."
Gion's eyes narrowed. She instinctively tried to retreat.
But it was too late.
The massive mechanical arm smashed into her waist.
The colossal force instantly shattered her grip.
She felt like she'd been hit by a warship, groaning once before being uncontrollably blasted away!
CRASH!
She slammed into the ground, trying to force herself up.
But...
THUD!
Her vision swam. She couldn't stand. Her rabbit ears drooped, and the fiery aura around her dissipated.
"It's... it's over!"
The commentator's cracking voice made the audience feel like they were on a roller coaster.
"Vice Admiral Gion, even after that ultimate move, was defeated by Admiral Zephyr with a single blow! No! Don't remind me, I know she was injured, but still...!"
"This... this is the legend of the last generation? This is a true former Admiral!?"
In the silence, the three Admirals on the spectator stands changed expressions.
"Teacher Zephyr..."
Aokiji frowned deeply.
"Oh~ So serious~ In that state... Teacher Zephyr is terrifying, isn't he?"
Kizaru's voice held genuine surprise.
"Given his age and the SSG's reports on his body, maintaining that intensity is abnormal."
Akainu's face was grim.
They knew. Zephyr was old and past his prime. The power he displayed now was not his normal state.
The intensity he was fighting with was near his prime, surpassing his physical limits.
He was serious—dangerously serious.
...
"..."
Guernica's arms remained crossed, but cold sweat dripped down his face.
Too strong. I am no match.
He judged he was heavily injured by the initial blast and lacked Gion's recovery. His condition was worse than hers.
"If I fight, I'll be defeated in one hit..."
He knew this.
But Guernica didn't care.
Gion was down. The test wasn't over, but he was effectively in first place. His mission was complete.
So, he didn't care if he was defeated now...
"Hey!"
But then, Guernica heard Zephyr's voice.
"You brat—how long are you going to stay there?"
Zephyr roared.
But Guernica was certain Zephyr wasn't talking to him.
Zephyr's gaze was fixed on... the center of the crater, where the debris of rock and wood was piled high.
Guernica: "..."
The next moment...
"Old man, you really went all out, didn't you?"
From the pile of rock and wood debris, a voice clearly...
Replied.
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