At the center of the training grounds, as dust and smoke still hung thick in the air, a purple figure suddenly burst skyward.
Zephyr launched himself upward using Moonwalk, his right fist drawing power to its absolute limit. Black Haki surged violently around it, streaked with dark crimson light.
"Haki isn't about enduring," he roared."It's about domination!"
"I can't let him control the distance—!"Gern's pupils shrank as he immediately triggered a vibration shift, attempting to phase and evade.
But Zephyr's Observation Haki had already locked onto him.
His fist shifted mid-trajectory—
BOOM!!
The punch shattered the sound barrier and slammed straight into Gern's chest. A circular shockwave exploded through the sky.
Blood sprayed from Gern's mouth as he was hurled downward like a meteor.
"Is it over?!" someone cried out.
But the instant Gern struck the ground, his palm slammed down hard.
"Shockwave—Rebound!"
The recoil launched him back into the air. At the same time, pale vibration particles gathered at his fingertips.
"Resonance—Piercing Shot!"
SHHHK!
A spiraling beam tore forward, aimed straight at Zephyr's throat.
Zephyr tilted his head just in time. The beam grazed past his ear and drilled straight through the rock wall behind him, detonating deep within it before the entire section collapsed.
"So close…" Zephyr muttered, landing lightly. A grin slowly formed."Now that's more like it."
Gern staggered upright, panting hard, then grinned back.
"Your warm-up should be over by now, Instructor Zephyr."
He slammed his fists together. Shockwaves rippled outward like ocean swells.
"Heavenquake: Star Ring!"
A circular wave tore across the battlefield.
"Hahaha!" Zephyr laughed as he was forced back a step, then surged forward, his right fist wrapped in Haki crackling like black lightning as it tore through the vibrations.
"Final exchange!!"
"Wouldn't have it any other way!" Gern roared, pulling his fists to his waist as vibration energy condensed wildly. Space itself began to warp and collapse.
"Heavenquake: Star-Piercer!!"
Their fists collided.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Blinding white light swallowed everything.
For a moment, the watching Marines stood frozen in disbelief. Even Kuzan had straightened without realizing it, eyes locked onto the battlefield.
When the light finally faded—
A massive crater over a hundred meters wide scarred the earth.
Zephyr stood at its center, unshaken.
Gern knelt on one knee before him, his right arm trembling violently.
Gritting his teeth, Gern clasped his hands together.
"Heavenquake—Airburst!"
At point-blank range, a shockwave detonated.
Zephyr didn't dodge. He crossed his arms and took it head-on. The ground beneath him collapsed, yet his body didn't move an inch.
"Good power," Zephyr said calmly."But your precision's lacking."
"And with output like that," he continued,"your stamina just can't keep up anymore. That's normal."
Before Gern could respond, Zephyr shifted.
An uppercut shot toward his jaw.
Gern barely tilted his head—only to feel another crushing impact slam into his abdomen.
"Ugh—!"
He vomited acid and was sent flying again.
"Next—Observation Haki," Zephyr said, straightening."Reading your movements is easier than predicting the weather."
"Didn't know you could predict weather too…" Gern muttered weakly, face down on the ground.
He'd thought he could at least keep pace.
But against pure Haki mastery, a Logia alone meant nothing.
"Get up," Zephyr ordered.
Gern pushed himself up shakily, then suddenly laughed.
"Y'know, Instructor Zephyr…"
"Hm?"
"My best trait…"His eyes gleamed mischievously."…is that I'm ridiculously hard to kill."
Before the words faded, Gern slammed both palms into the ground.
The entire training field trembled violently.
Cries erupted from the crowd as Marines lost their footing.
"An earthquake?!"
"No—it's his power!"
The ground beneath Zephyr split apart—but he simply leapt lightly into the air.
In that instant, Gern appeared before him, his fist shaped like a snarling hound formed from vibrating energy.
"Heavenquake: White Hound!"
BANG!
Zephyr caught the punch with one hand, both of them suspended midair.
"Interesting," Zephyr said with a grin."I see a lot of people in your techniques."
"Of course," Gern grinned back."And the best part—there's more!"
The vibration frequency spiked violently.
Zephyr's expression shifted as he released his grip and retreated—but it was too late.
The shockwave traveled through his arm.
Crack.
A fracture spread across the lens of his sunglasses.
The field erupted.
"He hit Instructor Zephyr!"
"He made Black Arm Zephyr retreat!"
Zephyr landed, glanced at his arm, then looked up and burst out laughing.
"Good. Very good!"
Gern dropped back to the ground, gasping. That strike had nearly drained him dry—but the result exceeded his expectations.
"Seems I underestimated you," Zephyr said as he removed his cracked sunglasses, his gaze sharpening dangerously."Now, you'd better be ready for this next one."
A crushing pressure washed over the field.
Even Garp stiffened."…His presence just changed."
Before anyone could react, Zephyr released his full Haki. The ground split apart.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Gern—his blackened fist filling his vision.
"W-Wait, Instructor, I—!"
"BLACK ARM—IMPACT!"
Time seemed to freeze.
Zephyr's fist stopped less than an inch from Gern's nose, the wind slicing his face raw.
"Surrender?" Zephyr raised a brow.
"…I surrender," Gern swallowed.
If that punch had landed, he'd be bedridden for half a year at minimum.
Zephyr withdrew his fist, placed a hand on Gern's shoulder, and pulled him upright. His voice softened.
"You did well. For your age, you're already better than some people I know."
His gaze flicked briefly toward Kuzan.
"Man, you really are a walking natural disaster," Kuzan muttered, pretending not to notice the look.
Zephyr turned to the stunned crowd and roared:
"Did you all see that?!This is what battles in the New World look like!"
The silence lasted two seconds—
Then the entire field erupted in thunderous cheers.
The noise rang in Gern's ears until his vision blurred.
His legs buckled.
Zephyr's hand remained on his shoulder—his only support.
Noticing the change, Zephyr frowned."You alright, kid?"
"I'm… fine…" Gern tried to answer, but his voice came out hollow.
The sunlight twisted into fractured colors. The cheers dulled, as if submerged underwater.
He saw Kuzan rushing over, his lips moving—but the world was fading.
"Damn it… guess that punch had some delayed damage…"
Gern's pupils dilated as his body pitched forward.
Zephyr caught him instantly."Medical team!"
Kuzan appeared beside them, pressing a frost-covered hand to Gern's burning forehead.
"He's fine, Instructor," Kuzan said calmly."Just severe exhaustion. Using that level of Devil Fruit power… and then taking your hits…"
He pulled open Gern's torn training uniform, revealing a chest webbed with dark bruises—evidence of Zephyr's full-force blows.
Zephyr stared at the marks, brows furrowing deeply.
"…Idiot," he muttered."You were already at your limit… and still pushed yourself that far."