Xiano's smile made Saint Shamrock's eyelids twitch.
Hmm?
Something's off.
Where does this unshakable confidence come from?
Even with their reinforcements arriving—disregarding the lower ranks—how could the Curtain Closer's three top executives possibly handle Zephyr's sudden appearance? What countermeasures could they possibly have?
And how could they even stand a chance?
This is absolutely impossible!
"You're far too arrogant, brat!"
Saint Shamrock roared, slashing forward with his Western Sword. "Empty boasts mean nothing! If you truly have a way to turn the tables, show it to me now!"
Snap!
Xiano caught the blade firmly in his right hand, locking them in a stalemate.
"A way to turn the tables?"
Meeting Shamrock's gaze, Xiano chuckled leisurely. "Why don't you just look up at the sky...? Isn't it already here?"
The sky?
Saint Shamrock's head jerked upward.
His pupils constricted violently.
The once-clear sky had been swallowed by thick, roiling storm clouds. Deep within them, streaks of violet light surged like dragons, shooting toward the heavens.
And then—
Hummm!
Five colossal meteors, trailing blazing fire, tore through the clouds and plummeted toward the naval fleet led by Zephyr with apocalyptic force.
Meteors?
Actual meteors?!
Saint Shamrock froze momentarily before his expression twisted in horror.
What kind of monstrous ability is this? Who could possibly drag celestial bodies from outer space into the atmosphere?!
...
In the distance.
The naval fleet, advancing at full speed toward Sabaody's shores, noticed the disturbance in the sky and erupted into chaos.
On the deck, marines trembled as they looked up in terror.
"W-what the hell are those things?!"
"This can't be real... It's like the end of the world!"
"Turn the ship! Evade the impact zone—now!"
The fleet descended into pandemonium. Helmsmen desperately spun their wheels, but the massive warships were far too sluggish to escape the meteors' trajectory in time.
"Tch!"
Standing at the flagship's bow, Zephyr adjusted his frameless glasses and spat out the toothpick between his teeth. "Idiots! What are you panicking for? I'm right here!"
Thud!
With a vicious grin, he stomped forward.
His left arm bulged with muscle as pitch-black Armament Haki—so dense it shimmered with dark violet—engulfed his entire limb.
This was the pinnacle of Haki mastery.
The legendary "Black Arm" Zephyr had earned his title through the world's most formidable Armament Haki!
"Momonga! Strawberry! Follow my lead—intercept at full power!"
Zephyr bellowed, leaping toward the first descending meteor with a devastating punch.
"Get lost!"
BOOM!!!
The moment his fist collided with the meteor, a shockwave erupted. Countless fissures spiderwebbed across the meteor's surface before its core detonated, reducing the massive rock to harmless debris.
Success!
Against something this enormous, Internal Destruction was the key!
Zephyr grinned and, without hesitation, spun mid-air, delivering two more punches in quick succession, shattering the meteorites on either side with the same method.
As for the last two meteorites, the ones farthest on the edges, Zephyr was momentarily out of reach. But he had faith in his disciples—
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Momonga and Strawberry, two veteran vice admirals of the Marine Headquarters, had already leaped into the sky using Moon Walk, one drawing his sword, the other swinging his leg, charging toward the meteorites!
"Slash: Sever Mountain!"
"Storm Leg: Great Spin!"
Boom! Boom!
Two slashes erupted almost simultaneously.
The meteorite on the far left was vertically split into four pieces by the sword aura, the fragments losing momentum and plunging into the sea, sending towering waves crashing.
Meanwhile, the meteorite on the right was cleaved in half by Storm Leg, its residual force diverting it off course and sending it crashing into a nearby dock.
Coincidentally, it smashed a pirate ship—freshly coated and flying a Jolly Roger with a red-nosed clown—into splinters.
Thud.
Momonga and Strawberry landed back on the deck, panting heavily, sweat beading on their foreheads.
These meteorites… plummeting from tens of thousands of meters above, their impact was far more terrifying than they had anticipated.
Teacher Zephyr could shatter three at once, while they could barely manage one each, even with their full strength.
"Hah! Well done, you two!"
Zephyr landed back on the deck, laughing heartily. "Perfectly protecting your subordinates—that's what my disciples should be like!"
With that, he raised his head, baring his teeth at the sky. "Manipulating meteorites at will? There's only one person I know who can do that… Hey! It's you, isn't it, Issho?"
"It is."
A deep voice echoed from within the dark clouds in response to Zephyr's call:
"It's been many years, Elder Zephyr."
Whoosh!
A figure wreathed in purple lightning descended from the clouds, landing on the dock in front of the warship.
As the dust settled, Fujitora emerged—dressed in a purple yukata, wearing wooden sandals, gripping his cane sword, his eyes closed. He lifted his head and spoke with a faint smile:
"Currently, I hold the position of highest-ranking officer in the Curtain Closers. I must ask you all to turn back. With me here, this path is closed."
This path is closed?
What arrogance!
Momonga and Strawberry, the two vice admirals, along with the other disciples Zephyr had trained, all wore cold expressions.
"So it really is you, Issho!"
Zephyr narrowed his eyes, his tone laced with displeasure.
"Five years ago, when we first met, I admired your strength and urged you to join the Marines, only for you to refuse on the spot. I've always regretted that."
"And now? Hey! Now when we meet again, you've sunk so low as to side with pirates?!"
"Pirates?"
Fujitora frowned, giving him a puzzled "look."
Then, as if recalling something, his expression cleared slightly.
"No wonder Elder Zephyr would say such a thing. I've heard you've grown increasingly detached from worldly affairs in recent years, pouring all your energy into training Marines?"
"And what of it?"
Zephyr crossed his arms with a cold snort.
"The Curtain Closers are no pirates, and Lord Xiano has never stooped to acts of plunder or slaughter."
Fujitora slowly shook his head, lightly tapping his cane sword on the ground as he took a few steps forward. "All the deeds witnessed along the way cannot be obscured, no matter how hard the World Government tries to tarnish them. A simple private investigation would reveal the truth of my words."
Zephyr was momentarily taken aback.
Fragments of memories flashed through his mind—moments when Garp had praised Xiano several times over drinks.
Moreover... based on his understanding of this blind swordsman before him, the man was hardly the type to commit heinous acts.
But...
People change.
The Issho he once knew had indeed been a righteous warrior, even more admirable than many of his fellow Marines.
But today, that might no longer hold true.
Just like himself—once known as the "Non-Killing Admiral," he had now become merciless toward pirates.
As for Garp's praise...
Hmph! That old fool had a skewed sense of judgment. Hadn't he repeatedly praised even a scourge like Roger?
Unreliable!
"Enough of your sophistry! No matter what, actions that disrupt the order of these seas are unforgivable. To oppose the government and the Marines is to embrace evil!" Zephyr clenched his fists and roared, "Issho! Don't delude yourself! The justice I uphold will never waver because of your empty words!"
"Justice?"
Fujitora sighed softly. "Is the justice you speak of the kind that rushes across the seas at all costs to save Celestial Dragons? Has this so-called righteous path ever illuminated the cages of the Sabaody auction house? Or listened to the lamentations of those trampled by the Celestial Dragons?"
He suddenly raised his head, his sightless eyes seeming to pierce straight into Zephyr's soul:
"What Lord Xiano has done today is merely to shatter the golden idols of these so-called gods in the eyes of the world. If such an act is evil in your eyes, then today..."
"I shall wield this blade to pave the way for this 'evil'!"
His cane sword was half-drawn in an instant!
Hummm!
A terrifying purple gravity wave erupted in all directions, churning the sea into towering waves and rocking the warships violently, nearly capsizing them.
Supreme Grade Sword of the Twelve Craftsmen—Gambler's Firewire!
"You bastard!"
After a brief silence, Zephyr erupted in fury, his left arm once again cloaked in Armament Haki. "You have no right to lecture me about justice, Issho! Since you insist on standing in the Navy's way, I'll personally beat some sense into you!"
He stomped hard on the deck, launching himself like a cannonball toward Fujitora, his left fist carrying enough force to shatter mountains.
Fujitora remained utterly composed. His cane sword was fully unsheathed, its blade wreathed in a purple glow as he swung upward.
BOOM!!!
Fist met blade, and a devastating shockwave exploded outward.
"Grh!"
Zephyr grunted as a strange gravitational force surged through his fist, dragging his body downward uncontrollably.
He hastily channeled Armament Haki to resist while gathering strength in his mechanical right arm, throwing a straight punch at Fujitora's face.
Fujitora tilted his head slightly, evading the strike, and pressed his cane sword downward. The blade's purple light intensified, and Zephyr felt the pull from the ground multiply—forcing him several dozen centimeters into the deck!
"Gravity Blade: Fierce Tiger!"
With Fujitora's low shout, a purple-black sword aura erupted forth. The latter was held in place, unable to break free in time, and could only roar as he met it with his fist.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rang out as Zephyr was blasted back dozens of meters, his feet carving two deep trenches into the dock's stone pavement. He barely managed to stabilize himself before nearly falling into the sea.
"What a formidable Gravity Fruit!"
Zephyr shook his numb right arm, his expression finally turning serious. "A casual strike with such power—it seems your strength has grown considerably over the years, Issho!"
On the distant warship.
Momonga and Strawberry exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Having followed Zephyr for many years, they knew full well how terrifying their teacher's strength was. Even after that incident, though his power seemed to have waned somewhat...
But to force their teacher back and gain the upper hand in a single move—there were only a handful of people in the world capable of that!
In other words...
This blind swordsman's strength had likely reached Admiral level!
It sounded absurd, but it was an undeniable fact.
The Curtain Closer, without them even realizing it, had somehow gained two of the world's most powerful fighters?
"Teacher Zephyr's prowess remains undiminished from his prime."
Fujitora's expression remained calm. "I truly have no desire to oppose you, Senior, but you are far too stubborn. As I said before—with me here, this path is closed."
"All hands!"
Strawberry suddenly shouted from afar. "Prepare for landing operations! One group supports Teacher Zephyr, the other flanks from both sides to surround the Sabaody Paradise area!"
"Don't!"
Zephyr didn't even turn his head, sharply cutting them off. "The Gravity Fruit's terror is beyond your imagination! Leave this to me alone—all of you, fall back!!"
Before his words faded, Fujitora had already struck again.
Grasping his sword with both hands, he plunged it into the ground:
"Gravity Blade: Hell Journey!"
HUM!
Eerie purple ripples spread rapidly outward from the cane sword's point.
In an instant, the gravity across the entire dock area increased more than tenfold. Marines preparing to leap from the warship were caught off guard, forced to their knees one after another, struggling to breathe, unable to even lift their heads.
Momonga and Strawberry, both Vice Admirals, barely managed to stay upright but were similarly immobilized as if trapped in quicksand.
Exchanging glances, their expressions darkened to the extreme.
Now they understood why Zephyr had stopped them. In this terrifying gravity field, ordinary soldiers could barely stand, let alone fight!
This was something even the current three Admirals would struggle to achieve.
What a troublesome ability!
"..."
Zephyr's face was flushed red, but he remained silent.
The closer one got to Fujitora, the more oppressive the gravity became.
What his students and the marines endured were merely the aftershocks—the overwhelming majority of this technique's power was focused squarely on him!
"You think mere gravity can subdue me? Don't dream!"
With a furious roar, Zephyr clenched both fists and smashed them into the ground, using the recoil to suddenly straighten his posture.
At present, he had yet to interface with the Navy's Science Unit and encounter that Sea Stone Crusher. This prosthetic limb was far less effective than his original flesh and blood.
But it didn't matter.
None of it mattered!
Haki was enough!!!
He had emphasized to his students time and again that relying solely on Devil Fruit abilities would never amount to much. Only those with sufficiently powerful Haki had the right to challenge the pinnacle of this world!
No matter how bizarre or troublesome a Devil Fruit ability was, it could always be broken through with Haki!
Just like now!
Snap!
The gravitational restraints around him were finally shattered. Zephyr, his fury igniting, unleashed his Armament Haki at full force, pressing forward under the crushing weight of gravity multiplied dozens of times:
"Is this all you've got? If you've got more, bring it all on me! What's the point of bullying the younger generation?!"
"I merely wish to avoid unnecessary casualties," Fujitora replied calmly. "The Curtain Closer has always been lenient toward the lower ranks of the Navy. If Senior Zephyr is willing to withdraw now, I will not stand in your way."
"Bullshit!"
Zephyr roared, suddenly accelerating. His right fist, cloaked in pitch-black Haki, shot straight for Fujitora's chest. "Retreat? I am a Marine! The word 'retreat' has never existed in my dictionary!"
Facing this thunderous strike, Fujitora remained unruffled, raising his cane sword horizontally to block.
Clang!
The deafening clash of metal rang out. Zephyr's punch, capable of shattering mountains, was firmly halted by the seemingly frail blade, unable to advance even an inch further.
Zephyr's expression darkened once more.
But he wasn't the only one whose face grew grimmer. There was also—
"Shamrock!"
Thud! A single kick sent Saint Shamrock spitting blood as he was sent flying like a broken kite, tumbling dozens of times across the ground before crashing into the walls of Sabaody's amusement park.
Xiano's cold laughter echoed through the air. "My reinforcements have arrived. What about you? What are you still waiting for?!"
(End of Chapter)