"Ugh—"
Colonel Phil's Iron Body shattered under the blow, sending him stumbling backward. He clutched his stomach, cold sweat pouring down his face, mouth opening and closing as if to speak—only no words came out.
A wave of astonished gasps rippled through the crowd. Even Zephyr glanced over, quickly reading the situation.
"Phil, step down for now."
"Yes... cough... cough!"
Zephyr nodded approvingly at Sakazuki. "Not bad. For a Logia user, your close combat's impressive."
"Next, I'll personally—"
But Garp—who'd been watching with growing interest—cut in before Zephyr could finish.
"Ahahahaha! Now this is getting fun!"
"Zephyr, let me take this one!"
Zephyr hesitated, then relented. "...All right. Sakazuki, any objections?"
Sakazuki was eager to gauge the gap between himself and one of the world's legends. "No problem."
He dropped into a ready stance, eyes locking onto Garp.
Garp folded his arms, flashing a toothy grin. "Come at me, kid."
With a surge of heat, Sakazuki erupted into Red Lotus Mode. He stomped the ground—BOOM!—a volcanic shockwave blasting beneath his feet, propelling him forward even faster than before.
"Magma Burst!"
He closed the distance in a blink, magma-forged fist rocketing toward Garp.
But Garp seemed to have seen it coming. He raised his left arm and punched straight back.
Their fists collided.
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded outward, magma splattering toward Garp—but the sheer force of their clash whipped up a hurricane, scattering the molten rock. The wind was so fierce that nearby soldiers had to shield their faces.
Garp didn't budge, still grinning like a madman. "Again!"
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM BOOM!
The two figures blurred across the field, trading blow after blow. Afterimages flickered, magma bursts erupted, and the students watching were forced to retreat again and again, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire.
But only Sakazuki knew how much he was burning through his reserves. Red Lotus Mode pushed his power to the limit, channeling magma's explosive force through every fiber of his being. It made him a monster—briefly. But it drained him fast.
He was nearly spent. Any longer and he'd collapse right here.
As their bodies crossed once more, Sakazuki dropped out of Red Lotus Mode. His right arm morphed into pure magma, and he slammed a fist into the ground.
Garp paused, unfazed. "Relying on your Devil Fruit, huh?"
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.
Shave!
BANG!
A jet of magma burst from underground, erupting exactly where Garp had just been standing.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Eighteen magma pillars shot up in rapid succession.
Is that all? Garp, having dodged aside, wondered.
"Dark Hound!"
Before Garp could react, Sakazuki's form emerged from the scattered magma nearby, right hand compressing molten rock into a savage, seething fist.
He drove it straight into Garp's chest.
BOOM!
Magma exploded, engulfing Garp in a blazing inferno.
"Hiss—!"
"He's that strong?!"
"Incredible!"
"Whoa..."
Shock rippled through the recruits. The officers watching looked equally stunned, while Zephyr broke into a rare, approving smile.
"Meticulous, relentless—excellent."
As the attack ended, Sakazuki let his magma form fade, standing tall, awaiting Zephyr's verdict.
On the ground, the magma cocoon suddenly burst apart—
BANG!
—and Garp stood there, completely unscathed, roaring with laughter.
"Not bad at all, kid! When you graduate, you're coming aboard my ship! Ahahahaha!"
"Enough, Garp! Stop trying to corrupt my recruits!" Zephyr groaned, dark lines etching his brow. He quickly stepped in, not about to let Garp drag such a promising Marine astray.
"All right, Sakazuki. Back in line."
"Yes, sir."
And so, the testing continued...
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
Weekly Stable Updates with 30+ Chapters Always Available. High-Quality and Consistent Translations Are the Channel's Top Priority.
Current Books:
Naruto: Deidara's Struggle
God-Tier Kazekage: Building the Ultimate Hidden Sand Village
Naruto: The Ōtsutsuki Bloodline Development Manual
One Piece:The True Codex
One Piece: Rising to Fleet Admiral Through a Coup
One Piece: Magma of Absolute Justice
👉patreon.com/GoldenLong