RUMBLE!!!
Two fists collided. A massive roar, capable of shaking the heavens and the earth, erupted from the center of the training grounds. Accompanied by a wave of pressure terrifying to the extreme, the entire island of Marineford began to vibrate violently, as if struck by a massive earthquake!
As the deafening boom echoed, the expressions of the Marines watching—excluding the three Admirals and legendary figures like Sengoku and Garp—froze instantly on their faces. Under this peerless shockwave, even Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals could not maintain their balance, stumbling backward several steps.
Some weaker Rear Admirals were even forced to cross their arms in a defensive posture just to barely steady their footing.
"What staggering power!"
At the edge of the grounds, elite Vice Admiral Momonga had jammed his scabbard into a crack in the floor, leaning his body at a forty-five-degree angle to resist the gale-force wind blowing directly at him. Even so, his face showed immense strain!
In the wake of a pressure wave of this caliber, the only ones capable of standing their ground besides the Giant-class Vice Admirals were the Admirals, Sengoku, and Garp. Those with enough strength could see that even the Fleet Admiral and his peers were utilizing Haki to repel the impact and remain rooted to the spot.
No one else could withstand it! And this was merely the aftershock of the collision!
This... is the power of the Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Kong?!This... is Vice Admiral Rowan's Taijutsu?!
Momonga was struck with horror. Straining every muscle to stay upright, he struggled to lift his head and look toward the center. The intense airflow forced his eyes into mere slits. In this state, he could only vaguely make out two blurred figures still locked in a stalemate in the middle of the arena.
At this moment, any lingering skepticism in Momonga's heart vanished completely. It was true—if Rowan's physical technique only had the strength he'd shown previously, how could he have raised a monster like Garp? Only a man of this caliber was worthy of the title "Marine Godfather" and the reputation of a legendary soldier!
How could a man who was the sworn brother of Commander-in-Chief Kong be as simple as the rumors suggested?!
Momonga's spirit surged with excitement. Had the situation been different, he would have roared with laughter. Worthy indeed of the man who commanded my reverence when I first joined the Navy! Worthy indeed of being my teacher Zephyr's mentor!
About half a minute passed before the gale finally began to dissipate. Simultaneously, the black and red lightning crackling between their fists faded away. As the air cleared, Momonga stood panting, refocusing his vision. He realized the two robust figures in the center had already separated at some unknown point.
Who won?
The question popped into his mind, but Momonga immediately felt a wave of lightheadedness.
"Was that collision too intense?" Shaking his head, Momonga looked around and saw that the surrounding crowd had been thinned out significantly. Only Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru, the two Admirals Aokiji and Kizaru, and a few Vice Admirals like himself remained steady.
However, Momonga was puzzled—why did the expressions of the Fleet Admiral and the Admirals look so... strange?
He looked back, and his gaze hardened at the scene behind him.
"This is..." Momonga's eyes widened, his throat bobbing involuntarily.
Behind him, the once-packed crowd had vanished. Only a few field officers remained, struggling to stand. Most of the soldiers, including many lower-ranking officers, had been blown away. But more shockingly, those Marines were now completely unconscious, eyes rolled back, slumped haphazardly on the ground. Though some higher-ranked officers remained awake, they were trembling so violently they couldn't stand up.
A single term flashed through Momonga's mind: Conqueror's Haki!
In that collision, someone had unleashed the Haki of Kings! Momonga's heart hammered. No wonder he felt dizzy! For an elite like him to feel that way, the intensity of that Haki had to be astronomical!
But... whose Haki was it? Was it Kong's? Rowan's? Or both?! Because the shockwave had been too strong, Momonga hadn't seen the details, but he knew both men were capable of possessing it.
"Hey, Garp. Did you see that clearly?" Sengoku whispered, his eyes fixed on the two men in the center.
"Yeah. Saw it perfectly. No mistake," Garp replied, his voice solemn, though a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
While the shockwave was terrifying, it hadn't required much effort for them to resist. From the moment the fists were thrown, they knew this would be a clash of Conquerors.
"Conqueror's Infusion... I never imagined Master's Haki had reached such a level," Zephyr muttered with a bitter smile. He thought he knew Rowan well enough, but it seemed he was still far off.
"Conqueror's Infusion? Grandma, Sister Gion, what kind of move is that?" Behind Tsuru, the young girl Peacock—who had been shielded by Tsuru and Momousagi—asked curiously.
Tsuru turned back, noting the girl's wonder. "It is an advanced application of Conqueror's Haki. Compared to Armament Haki, Infusion has far greater destructive power and is exponentially harder to master. Anyone capable of using it is among the absolute peak powerhouses of the sea!"
Sengoku added, "And judging by how Master used it, he has clearly mastered it to an extremely refined degree."
"Conqueror's Infusion... truly terrifying," Kizaru said, his usual air of lazy indifference replaced by genuine gravity.
"Arara... is this Vice Admiral Rowan's true strength? Since the outcome is decided, I suppose I can find a place for a nap," Aokiji remarked, his expression returning to lethargy. He yawned, bid the others farewell, and left the grounds.
"The outcome is decided? Grandpa, who won? Was it Great-Grandpa?" Luffy jumped up and asked eagerly.
Seeing the Straw Hat boy stand up with no change in his complexion, Peacock's eyes flashed with surprise. Even with Tsuru and Momousagi protecting her, she had felt an unspeakable pressure from the aftershocks. This boy had no protection from Garp—how was he acting as if nothing had happened? He was even younger than she was.
Luffy didn't notice Peacock's odd look; he just stared excitedly at the two motionless elders.
"Your Great-Grandpa won, of course," Garp grinned, patting Luffy's messy hair with a look of immense pride.
As Garp's words fell, a massive uproar swept across the training grounds.
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