Zephyr and Tsuru’s Evaluation

Chapter 128: Zephyr and Tsuru's Evaluation

"Lightning—!"

Zzzz!

Chakra infused with lightning nature flowed through Rodney's blade, creating a dazzling display of electrical sparks.

"Body Flicker Technique!"

In almost an instant, Rodney appeared right in front of Gion. Her swing was straightforward, lacking flashy sword techniques but brimming with immense power. It felt as though she was swinging a massive club down upon Gion.

Gion's longsword horizontally blocked the strike. She was sent retreating, her hands trembling as her blade, Konpira, buzzed incessantly.

"What incredible strength!" 

Gion muttered to herself. Despite her extensive training, she felt her arm numbing from the impact. She knew part of the reason was her own carelessness, but had the opponent held back at all?

"The way he uses 'Soru' seems to incorporate his own insights, different from the standard 'Soru.' It's even faster," Zephyr observed. 

With years of experience in the Rokushiki techniques, he could discern that Rodney had modified 'Soru,' adding his own understanding and agility to make it more suitable for himself.

"Young man sure packs a punch. No wonder he could go toe-to-toe with Garp." 

Tsuru pondered for a moment and asked, "Zephyr, what's your take on this?"

"Of course, I'm just here to watch, haha. But in terms of swordsmanship, Gion clearly has the upper hand. However, in terms of strength, I can only say this young man is a monster, a very powerful one." 

Zephyr's eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, remained locked onto Rodney's movements as he continued, "His swordsmanship is all over the place, relying on strength, that peculiar energy, or his own power and speed. Despite that, he's still holding his ground against Gion, and his talent is truly extraordinary. Plus, he's adapting to Gion's attacks as we speak, look."

He gestured for Tsuru to observe. Rodney's eyes were constantly moving in their sockets, tracking Gion's attack patterns, and the trajectory of Rodney's strikes became more fluid, aligning with Gion's attack patterns.

Tsuru was surprised, "Is he learning Gion's swordsmanship?"

"It seems so. Rodney's eyes are different from regular ones. His powerful dynamic vision and memory probably allowed him to learn many techniques related to body movement. Otherwise, it's hard to explain how he learned all of Rokushiki from Garp after just a few lessons, and Fish-Man Karate, which is usually exclusive to Fish-Men. They rarely teach it to humans." 

Tsuru realized the slyness of Rodney, who seemed to be stealing Gion's swordsmanship.

As the battle raged on, Gion grew more anxious. At first, she could dominate Rodney, but his strength was steadily increasing. The attack patterns she exposed seemed to have been figured out by him.

What a formidable man. He truly deserved to be one of the Shichibukai!

"Well, Vice Admiral Gion, this is my final move, my signature technique, 'Secret Sword: Swallow's Return!'" 

With these words, Gion immediately went on high alert, preparing to counter this move.

Rodney burst into a radiant display of lightning, and with a mighty swing, Rodney smashed it against Konpira, sending her flying.

Gion, using Geppo to land gracefully, steadied her trembling arm and asked, "Is this your secret sword? It looks no different from a regular slashing attack."

"Of course, it's not. I'm not like the legendary Musashi Miyamoto, who reached 'Emptiness' with his sword. I'm just someone who wields named swords as weapons."

"Musashi Miyamoto? Emptiness?" 

Gion was bewildered. She had no idea what Rodney was talking about.

"Yes, that guy is extraordinary. Musashi Miyamoto was a splendid master of the martial way, reaching the realm of 'Emptiness' with his sword. But alas, he has passed away." 

Rodney shrugged and continued, "You know, Vice Admiral Gion, I've heard that my eyes are different from others'. They say my dynamic vision and memory are so powerful that I can learn various martial arts. That's probably why Garp only taught me 'Soru' and 'Geppo,' but I managed to learn all the Rokushiki techniques, even Fish-Man Karate, which is usually exclusive to Fish-Men. Humans don't usually get taught that."

With that realization, Tsuru understood. Rodney was indeed slyly learning Gion's swordsmanship, benefiting from his unique eyesight due to his Sharingan.

While Gion struggled to keep up, Rodney's combat style remained versatile. He didn't have a consistent fighting style, relying on a mix of different techniques from others.

This incredible learning ability and adaptability, along with his exceptional plasticity, could make him a top-tier fighter if trained properly.

"I know that, but how did he manage it?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it's his innate talent." 

Zephyr shook his head. They had no idea that Rodney's Sharingan granted him rapid reaction time and analytical skills, which, when combined with his chakra-enhanced physical abilities, made him excel in combat.

"He's heading to Punk Hazard again. I wonder what kind of storm he'll stir up this time. Zephyr, Rodney is not one for a peaceful life. The Marines have had their hands full because of him." Tsuru sighed.

"Haha, why worry? Just leave him be. After all, a few pirates less thanks to this guy is good news for me." 

Zephyr laughed heartily and added, "Garp has a lot to think about in his position. Otherwise, with his temperament when he was younger, he'd probably tag along with Cap to watch the commotion."

"Yeah, time has flown by. We've all grown older." 

Tsuru reminisced about the old days in the Marine Base when Sengoku and Garp were always causing trouble. Zephyr and she often had to clean up after them.

In all these years, everyone had changed in some way, except for Garp, who remained the same old goofball.

Garp wasn't getting older; he was just getting goofier with age!

"Hahaha, don't dwell on it. Let's go have a drink with them when we return. And don't think too much, Tsuru. It's a young man's world now. We old folks should settle into retirement. Cough, cough!" 

He coughed a few times and retrieved a vial from his pouch, spraying it into his throat. He then continued, "You should retire too. In a few years, I might consider it!"

Tsuru stubbornly laughed and added, "I'm not giving up until I bring down Doflamingo. Besides, I'm still young, much younger than Garp."