Carl loosened his collar and glanced at Kizaru and Akainu. The two responded with their eyes.
Then, darkness, magma, and light—three natural abilities—burst out simultaneously.
The surface of Carl's body was cloaked in darkness, Kizaru's whole body radiated dazzling golden light, and hot magma dripped from Akainu, leaving black marks on the ground.
Zephyr smiled slightly, bending his arms as his Armament Haki instantly enveloped them. Compared to the overwhelming presence of Carl and the others, he seemed calm and unassuming.
After a brief silence, Carl's eyes focused, and he exerted force on his feet. He appeared in front of Zephyr in a flash, moving at a speed that surpassed the previous students.
Carl kicked in the air, and Zephyr immediately blocked it with his forearm. With a loud bang, the ground beneath them exploded, stunning everyone present.
"Hmm?"
Zephyr frowned slightly. He felt an invisible force twisting his forearm. If it weren't for the strength of his Armament Haki, someone else might have had their arm torn off.
The muscles on his arm bulged, and Zephyr was about to counterattack when a golden flash appeared. Kizaru, with his signature smile, kicked at the speed of light.
However, what seemed like an impossibly fast kick to others was caught by Zephyr in an instant, who then remarked,
"Borsalino, with the speed boost from the Fruit, is this the limit of your kick?"
The smile on Kizaru's face vanished. Without a word, he drew the light sword, intending to test Zephyr's again. At that moment, Akainu rushed over like a heavy chariot, dragging a massive arm made of magma.
Carl and Kizaru exchanged glances before their figures vanished from both sides of Zephyr simultaneously. Zephyr faced the giant magma fist calmly, and with a low shout, he struck the hot magma with his iron fist.
The two fists, of completely unequal size, collided, and the result was the huge magma fist exploding into scattered fragments, flying towards the sidelines.
Fortunately, the students present weren't weaklings. Lucia and the others attacked together, destroying the approaching magma.
Zephyr shook his hands, crouched slightly, and then shot forward like a cannonball. The first person he targeted was Kizaru, who had just reformed his body. Kizaru, startled, swung down sword. However, Zephyr's Observation Haki was top-notch, and despite Kizaru's efforts, he couldn't land a blow on Zephyr. Eventually, Carl intervened with Kamui, aiding him.
Carl summoned the demon sword Muramasa and engaged Zephyr directly. The two figures flashed in and out of sight, and the ground cracked wherever they moved.
Zephyr grew more and more pleased as the battle progressed. The fact that Carl could fight him to this extent meant that Carl's current strength was formidable.
Having lost his family to pirates, Zephyr, as a teacher, found nothing more gratifying than seeing his students succeed.
All the spectators were utterly stunned, as Carl's combat prowess exceeded their wildest imaginations. He was only eighteen years old!
An eighteen-year-old young Marine fighting on par with the renowned Admiral Zephyr was astounding, rendering the outcome of the battle almost irrelevant.
On the high platform, Sengoku was equally shocked and said,
"Unbelievable, Carl's growth rate is truly astonishing!"
He watched Carl and Zephyr battling in the arena and said in a deep voice,
"Fleet Adniral Kong, we need to reconsider Carl's post-graduation assignment."
Kong, seated in the middle, nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.
In the arena, Kizaru had already flown high into the sky, crossing his arms as two shining orbs of light formed in his hands. He locked onto Zephyr,
In a dazzling halo, countless light bullets rained down, all aimed at Zephyr below.
Carl, who was fighting Zephyr, immediately activated his power. Zephyr punched the air and was then engulfed by the rain of light.
The power of each light bullet was more destructive than warship shells. Explosions rang out one after another, raising a massive cloud of smoke and dust, obscuring the arena for a time.
Swish!
Kizaru dispersed the light and rolled to the ground. Akainu stepped forward, raised his arms after becoming a magma elemental, and unleashed a barrage of magma fists into the sky. After the light rain, a terrifying wave of magma fists followed, crashing down where Carl and Zephyr had been.
Those unfamiliar with Carl's abilities saw this cataclysmic attack and worried for Carl, who was still inside.
However, as the dust and smoke cleared, they were stunned by what they saw. Zephyr's upper body was exposed, revealing his muscular build, though burns and glowing marks were visible on his skin.
Carl, on the other hand, looked the same as before, and the reporters were horrified, wondering what kind of defense this was!
Zephyr shook his body, turned to Carl, and noticed that Carl's body had begun to emit a white light. His pupils contracted as he immediately crossed his arms over his chest and quickly retreated.
The next second, Carl's voice rang out,
"Shinra Tensei!"
Buzz!
A terrifying repulsive force swept out, instantly forming a transparent hemispherical repulsive field that cleared the arena.
Zephyr himself was pushed to the edge of the arena, maintaining his defensive stance as his body trembled slightly. To everyone's shock, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zephyr smiled and said,
"Good, that move of yours is truly powerful!"
Not far away, countless points of light coalesced into Kizaru's body, and the ground beside him suddenly split open as a thick pillar of magma erupted, from which Akainu emerged.
This showcased the benefits of elementalization. No matter how strong your physical fitness or speed, a move like Shinra Tensei, with its immense destructive power and wide range, could still be overwhelming.
Invisible elements like light were more advantageous, Kizaru only needed to stand his ground, and at most, he would be temporarily dispersed, requiring time for his body to reform. Akainu had a bit more trouble, to avoid being blown out of the arena by the repulsive force, he had to sink into the ground and temporarily avoid the impact.
Zephyr moved his body, his breathing, slightly disrupted by the repulsive force, returning to normal. He then locked his eyes on Kizaru.
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+70 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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