Roldy chose to greet his teacher with the technique Zephyr knew best—
And the one he was most proud of.
He moved at extreme speed. His overwhelming strength made it seem as though he were skimming across the surface of the sea itself. A white trench carved through the water beneath him, and in the blink of an eye, he had closed to within less than a hundred meters of Zephyr.
As the distance shrank, their faces became clear.
But the power gathered in Roldy's fist did not diminish in the slightest.
He understood the old man's temperament far too well.
Sure enough—
Zephyr's eyes were complex for only an instant. Then a fierce aura surged from his body.
"Long time no see, you brat! Let me see how much your fist has improved!"
No more words were needed.
Zephyr stomped down on the deck of the warship and shot forward like a cannon.
Behind him, the Marines reacted exactly like the pirates aboard Roldy's ship had earlier. The warship tilted from the explosive force of his launch—uncannily mirroring Roldy's earlier leap.
One old, one young.
Both surged forward at terrifying speed.
Their fists, each coated in exceptionally dense Armament Haki, closed in on collision.
Neither side dared blink.
Then—
They struck.
For a heartbeat, the world fell silent.
The next instant, a deafening roar exploded outward from the clash point.
The sea beneath them rippled violently. The clouds above were torn apart. Two overwhelming auras collided, stirring a nameless gale that swept across the battlefield.
Their fists locked.
Their eyes met.
"It seems you didn't waste my teachings. Your fist has improved."
Zephyr smiled.
At this moment, he thought of nothing else. Looking at his former disciple—his student who had long since graduated—he felt only pride.
"Yes… but Teacher Zephyr, your fist has grown weaker. You're old now."
Zephyr's punch was no longer what it once was.
By all logic, at his age he should have been at the peak of his life. But Roldy's departure had taken too much from him. The iron-willed man had nearly collapsed under that blow.
The "intent" behind his fists had weakened.
"Brat! If you think you can beat me, you're a hundred years too early!"
As if trying to drown out his own doubts, Zephyr roared and poured more power into his strike.
But in a contest of pure strength, how could he overpower Roldy?
No matter how Zephyr pressed forward, Roldy stood immovable as a mountain.
Recognizing the disadvantage, Zephyr changed tactics instantly.
Roldy's strength was top-tier. His speed was top-tier.
The Moa Moa no Mi allowed him to amplify his physical abilities to absurd levels. In many aspects, Zephyr indeed fell short.
But Zephyr was a veteran Admiral-level powerhouse.
He was Roldy's teacher.
In many ways, his foster father.
He knew Roldy's weaknesses better than anyone.
Zephyr's figure vanished.
Only a faint distortion lingered in the air.
Roldy's body control was already exceptional—but Zephyr's mastery surpassed it. In the middle of their clash, he forcibly redirected the force of impact and disengaged.
With extreme proficiency, Shave (Six Powers) activated within 0.01 seconds, and Zephyr appeared behind Roldy.
Roldy had only just recovered from the recoil of his missed strike—he couldn't possibly react in time.
Zephyr showed no mercy.
His fist smashed into Roldy's back.
Dense Armament Haki Coating pierced through Roldy's physical defenses and struck directly at his organs.
The moment the impact entered his body, Roldy felt sweetness rise in his throat. Blood surged into his mouth—
But he forced it back down.
"You've grown stronger. But your Observation Haki is still just as weak."
Observation Haki was Roldy's greatest weakness.
Objectively, it was improving at a steady rate. For someone his age, it was exceptional.
But the opponents he faced were legendary veterans of the seas. Compared to them, his Observation Haki was like that of a child.
His enormous physique granted tremendous power—
But in close-range agility, he was inferior to Zephyr's more compact frame.
Zephyr's physical techniques were monstrous. Even the standard Six Powers techniques became divine in his hands.
"Old man—don't underestimate me!"
Where there was pressure, there was response.
Roldy grit his teeth and coated his entire body in Armament Haki.
For ordinary fighters, such consumption would be fatal.
For him?
Barely worth mentioning.
His body turned jet-black—like a towering iron guardian.
His Armament Haki was on par with Zephyr's.
The two erupted into a fierce exchange.
Roldy emphasized power.
Zephyr emphasized technique.
That did not mean Roldy lacked technique—nor that Zephyr lacked strength.
Roldy's physical prowess had already reached the highest tier in the world.
Zephyr, as a former Admiral-level fighter, possessed tremendous power as well.
But when compared directly, the gap in their specialties was clear.
Every punch and kick from Roldy carried traces of Zephyr—and even Garp.
That was to his disadvantage.
Zephyr could often predict Roldy's trajectory with a single glance. His combat experience was terrifyingly sharp.
The battle reached a stalemate.
Below them, Marines and pirates had begun exchanging fire.
Zephyr's expression remained calm, but the monstrous force traveling through his arms weighed heavily on him.
Roldy, meanwhile, found every attack neutralized. Not a single clean blow landed.
This can't continue.
Roldy retreated abruptly.
Perhaps there was even a hint of pride in his intent.
He reached to his waist—
And drew both swords.
"If I can't gain the advantage in hand-to-hand combat… then Teacher Zephyr—"
"Allow me to show you my new way of fighting."
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