"The Old Man..."
"As expected, even after all this time, is Mr. Kong still the superior one?"
At the edge of the training grounds, seeing Rowan suppressed by Kong's heavy punch, Zephyr and Sengoku felt their hearts sink. Although Sengoku hadn't been optimistic about Rowan's chances initially, he was still Rowan's student, and deep down, he hoped for a victory. After all, if the Old Man could defeat Mr. Kong right after returning to the Navy and receiving the title of Honorary Admiral, he would earn the absolute recognition of everyone present.
Even Garp's habitual grin faded as he knit his brows. The situation was looking grim...
Around the field, those rooting for Rowan—except for Luffy, who maintained his usual giggling demeanor—saw their expressions darken. It wasn't just Garp and the others; even the field officers and junior lieutenants could see Rowan's disadvantage.
Someone lamented: "It's the Commander-in-Chief after all. Even with strength as great as Vice Admiral Rowan's, he still has to concede."
"True. After all, his opponent is Mr. Kong—the super-beast who went toe-to-toe with the 'Red Count' back in the day. Even if that fight wasn't a total victory, it proved he's a monster among monsters."
"Right. The Red Count was a man who stood equal to the likes of Roger and Shiki by himself."
"I just wonder... if Vice Admiral Rowan used his swordsmanship, who would be stronger then?"
Despite Rowan being temporarily on the back foot, not a single Marine on the grounds thought poorly of him. After yesterday's events, the high-ranking officers knew that the Old Man's true ace was his Peerless Swordsmanship. However, even judging by Taijutsu alone, everyone felt that no current Vice Admiral could match Rowan. He was truly the Marine Godfather!
Just as the crowd was sighing in resignation, a sudden change erupted in the center of the ring!
The crowd saw Rowan's demeanor shift. The smile on his face suddenly took on a different, "wrong" edge. Then, they saw his fist suddenly surge with power.
Screeeech!
An ear-grating sound of friction echoed from the point where their fists met. Then, before the disbelieving eyes of the spectators, Rowan actually managed to blast Kong's massive, robust body backward with sheer force.
This single surge of power sent Kong skidding back over ten meters! And on Rowan's face, there wasn't a single hint of strain!
The crowd, who a second ago was mourning Rowan's impending loss, froze in collective shock. The two deep grooves plowed into the ground by Kong's feet felt like a resonant slap to their faces. The sting was loud and clear!
In an instant, the quiet training grounds erupted into a deafening uproar. No one expected that the "suppressed" Rowan could pull off such a world-shaking reversal!
"Arara... the Old Man really isn't that simple!" A look of genuine shock finally surfaced on Aokiji's usually impassive face.
"What terrifying power~" Behind his orange-tinted glasses, Kizaru's eyes narrowed into thin slits.
In the fortress building, Akainu stood by the window. Though he said nothing, the shifting colors on his face proved his heart was in turmoil. Momonga, standing near Aokiji, saw a brilliant light explode in his eyes, his face full of joy.
A relieved Garp burst into a roar of laughter: "Hahahaha! Worthy of Pops!"
"Heehee! Great-Grandpa is forever the strongest!" Luffy, sitting cross-legged in front of Garp, threw both hands in the air and screamed with delight.
At this moment, the expressions of Gion, Tsuru, and even young Peacock became incredibly animated.
In the center of the arena, Kong didn't care about the reaction of the crowd. He shook his slightly numbed arm and let out a hearty, booming laugh. He looked at Rowan, who had just sent him flying ten meters, and grinned.
"Hahahaha! I knew you weren't that simple! Not only is your swordsmanship formidable, but your Taijutsu is also full of surprises."
Kong began to stretch his body, his battle intent surging. "Brat, you didn't eat some weird Devil Fruit, did you? If you've got any trump cards left, use them! I want to see exactly what level you've reached. Don't you dare hold back on me!"
Rowan laughed. "Old man, aren't you afraid I might accidentally break your old bones?"
"I'd be more than happy if you had that kind of strength!" Kong waved him off dismissively.
Seeing Kong's hyper-excited expression, Rowan finally smiled. "Since that's your wish, brother, I'll grant it."
Rowan's face turned extremely serious. "Bring it on!"
"Then I won't hold back either!"
Kong stepped back with his right foot, his left leg slightly arched, and his right fist cocked at his waist in a starting stance. He exhaled a long breath, wiped the smile from his face, and said solemnly: "Next, I'm going all out. Be careful!"
Rowan dropped into a slight crouch. "Come!"
"Hah!"
The moment the word left Rowan's mouth, a low shout erupted from Kong. He stomped the ground, the sound of the impact vibrating through the air as his massive frame shot forward like a humanoid Tyrannosaurus Rex.
"Mr. Kong is using his full strength!" Sengoku's face turned grim. Zephyr held his breath, silently cheering for Rowan. Even Garp clenched his fists, palms sweating. Gion, Tsuru, Peacock, and Ain were too tense to breathe. Even the simple-minded Luffy stopped smiling, his eyes locked onto the ring.
Come on, let me see the true level of your strength, brat! Kong thought, veins bulging on his forehead, as he threw a punch with zero reservations toward Rowan.
Faced with this direct, rampaging charge, Rowan took a deep breath. He clenched his right fist, calling upon his Maxed-Tier Armament Haki to coat his entire arm.
Armament: Hardening.
Hum!
In an instant, his right arm became as black as ink, looking like it had been cast from cold steel, radiating a sense of absolute weight.
"BRING IT!" Rowan roared.
He met the punch with his strongest form. At the instant he thrust his fist forward, Red Lightning suddenly arced through the air!
In that split second, Sengoku's eyes bulged. Garp's expression froze, Zephyr stood jaw-dropped, and even Tsuru's face finally showed a trace of astonishment. The three Admirals' expressions became truly spectacular.
"Conqueror's... Infusion?!"
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