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Marineford, the Recruit Training Camp Grounds.
The training grounds were bustling with people. The recruits, who should have been sweating through their drills, were instead gathered in dense circles, surrounding the entire field.
In the centre, Atlas and Zephyr stood opposite each other.
Looking at the student he held in the highest regard throughout his teaching career, Zephyr's heart was filled with complex emotions.
Although he had believed back then that Atlas's talent was even greater than that of Akainu and the others, he had never expected him to grow so quickly, reaching a level comparable to the three "Monster Vice Admirals" at the tender age of twenty-three.
One had to remember that even Akainu and his peers were called monsters in their youth, but they were still a far cry from Atlas at the same age.
This point brought Zephyr a great deal of satisfaction.
However, what made his heart heavy was something else. He, a former Admiral who upheld a "no-kill" creed, had taught students who were becoming increasingly ruthless.
Although he never interfered with his students' choices, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and self-doubt.
Perhaps, with the right trigger, Zephyr himself would one day completely change his beliefs...
"Teacher Zephyr, today is the recruits' first day. Are you sure you want to spar with me?"
Atlas looked at Zephyr, who now had a few wrinkles, and couldn't help but sigh. Time truly was the most lethal weapon.
Atlas had originally come to the training camp at Zephyr's invitation to give some pointers to the recruits and watch the opening ceremony.
He hadn't expected Zephyr to get an itch for a fight and challenge him to a spar.
"Cut the crap, you brat." Zephyr snorted.
"This is a good chance to see the results of your training over the years, and to let the recruits witness the gap between them and a top-tier powerhouse. It'll knock some of the arrogance out of them!"
"...Alright then." Atlas sighed. The stage was already set; he couldn't refuse even if he wanted to.
"Who do you think will win this spar?"
"I don't know. One is a current Admiral Candidate, the other is a former Marine Admiral. Both possess top-tier combat power in the Marines."
"I think it might be Vice Admiral White Hō. Teacher Zephyr is getting old, after all. His strength is surely not what it was in his prime."
"But even if Chief Instructor Zephyr is a bit older, the difference should only be in his stamina. His short-term explosive power is probably no weaker than Vice Admiral White Hō's, right?"
The crowd of spectators buzzed with discussion, but they couldn't reach a consensus on who was stronger.
Although most of them admired the younger Atlas more, Zephyr, as a powerhouse who had fought on the seas since the last era, had a legendary record that was too numerous to count, which made them hesitate.
"Hey, hey, hey! Spread out a bit! If you rookies get caught in the crossfire, you'll be dead or seriously injured," the other instructors had to shout, dispersing the ever-tightening crowd.
It was no joke. Even if Zephyr and Atlas were holding back, the aftershocks from a battle between top-tier combatants were enough to injure any of the recruits here seriously.
"Teacher Zephyr, then, let's begin!" Seeing the crowd gradually disperse, Atlas also grew eager.
Since returning from the New World, his greatest leap in progress had come from his battle with the Golden Lion, which had deepened his mastery of Haki.
SWISH!
The muscles in his calves tensed, and the ground sank slightly. Atlas's figure vanished in an instant, creating no disturbance, as if appearing out of thin air right above Zephyr.
His fist, shaped like a war hammer, came crashing down. This was not pure 'Shave,' but a movement technique Atlas had developed by combining the godlike speed of the Rabbit Talisman.
The current Atlas excelled in both strength and speed, with almost no weaknesses, and his control over his power was at its peak.
"This...!" Alarm bells went off in Zephyr's mind—not from Observation Haki, but from the combat intuition he had honed over many years of battle.
He dropped into a low stance, crossed his arms, and coated them in Armament Haki!
POW!
Fist met arm, and a dull thud echoed out. Waves of air radiated from the point of impact in all directions!
WHOOSH~
The recruits watching from the sidelines couldn't help but stumble backwards, the gust of wind stinging their faces. They were utterly shocked.
This is... top-tier power!
CRACK!
The two were deadlocked for a moment. The ground beneath Zephyr's feet couldn't withstand the strain and began to crack, causing his feet to sink rapidly.
The veins on his arms bulged, and his neck turned red. Atlas was sent tumbling through the air by Zephyr's sudden burst of power, while Zephyr's feet sank even deeper into the ground.
Atlas hadn't used the power of the Chicken Talisman, simply smashing down from the air without any leverage, yet they had fought to a standstill!
"Your strength has grown, brat." Zephyr pulled himself free and shook his slightly numb fists.
He had experienced Atlas's monstrous strength back in the training camp, and back then, he could still suppress him.
But now... looking at Atlas's relaxed expression, Zephyr couldn't help but smile bitterly.
I really have gotten old.
"However, this is just a little warm-up. Don't get careless, brat!" Zephyr's gaze hardened.
His clenched fists were instantly coated in Armament Haki, the pitch-black colour flowing slowly, perfectly controlled.
This showed that Zephyr's mastery of Armament Haki was at the world's peak, its extreme piercing and destructive power making it difficult for anyone to face him head-on!
"What a thrilling battle..." Atlas was a man who wouldn't allow himself to have any weaknesses. Swordsmanship, martial arts—he wanted it all. Only children make choices!
Following Zephyr's lead, he circulated his Armament Haki, hardening his arms. A black colour, flowing with a red glint, slowly covered them, its quality in no way inferior to Zephyr's.
POW!
At almost the same moment, the two of them charged forward, their fists colliding. One was demonic, the other was heavy.
The two different colours of Armament Haki clashed, both employing the advanced technique of internal destruction!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
As if two arms cast from steel were intertwining and clashing, the sound of metal on metal was incessant, making the eardrums of the surrounding recruits ache.
Amidst the flurry of punches and dodges that defied the laws of physics, the two had already clashed no less than a hundred times. The surrounding area was a mess of flying sand and rocks.
"Hahaha! Your Armament Haki has improved significantly! It seems you learned a lot from that old geezer, the Golden Lion!" Zephyr felt an exhilarating rush and was greatly surprised by Atlas's progress in Armament Haki.
Once this power was awakened, the rest was just a matter of patient, persistent effort. Of course, fighting against a strong opponent would undoubtedly speed up that process.
It was as they say: the strong only draw their blades against those who are stronger!
"Teacher Zephyr, I'm about to get a little serious!" Atlas also felt a sense of exhilaration. He took a deep breath, shot up from his legs, and hovered in mid-air.
His body began to spin at high speed, and flames erupted from its surface. Looking up, it was as if there were two suns in the sky, blindingly bright!
"What is... Vice Admiral Byakko doing?" a recruit couldn't help but ask, watching the wind-and-fire-wreathed Atlas.
"I don't know, but I do know that if we don't get out of here, things will end very badly for us!" The other recruits didn't have time to think and quickly retreated.
The rolling heat wave and the indescribable pressure made them feel suffocated. Even the sky began to darken with clouds, making Atlas's figure seem even brighter!
The individual moves of the Six Powers are no longer bound to Atlas's martial arts.
Fists, palms, elbows, knees—they were all lethal weapons to him. And the secret arts born from the Six Powers pushed his physical advantages to the extreme, allowing him to achieve a level of power capable of nearly destroying an island with pure physical skill!
"Rokushiki Secret Art: Tenbu Horin!!!"
Like a meteor falling to earth, it descended with unparalleled power. For a moment, the wind and clouds ran wild, and bricks and rubble flew. It was a scene of apocalypse.
The recruits had already fled far away. They had finally witnessed what a true powerhouse was.
Although they were all prodigies from various Marine bases around the world, at this moment, they had no choice but to swallow their pride.
Zephyr was not to be outdone. The Haki around his body grew even deeper, flowing without losing its sharpness. His muscles bulged, and his expression was one of extreme excitement. His entire body was like a fully drawn bow, his fascia trembling, the air itself whining! As a Marine who had been immersed in the Six Powers for a long time, he could naturally see the subtlety of Atlas's secret art. All of his power was focused on a single point, and combined with his proficient Armament Haki, its power was astonishing.
—BOOM!!!
The two immense forces collided violently. A shockwave even more intense than before swept out in all directions. The ground quickly cracked, and the entire island of Marineford seemed to shake violently!
Sengoku's Office.
With a document in one hand and a hot cup of tea in the other, Sengoku was busy, but he also felt a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. At least he was busy in the pursuit of his own justice.
RUMBLE!
Suddenly, the entire office building began to shake as if the earth were shifting beneath it. The hot tea in his hand nearly spilt. Sengoku's expression changed, a red glint flashing in his eyes.
"Those two..." Sengoku gritted his teeth. Atlas was one thing, but when did Zephyr become so willful? What a pain!
The sea breeze blew past, and the dust and sand settled. The centre of the training grounds was now a scene of utter devastation.
Even though the two had held back most of their power, the several deep, bottomless cracks were a painful sight for Shuzo, who had long since fled a thousand miles away.
As Zephyr's second-in-command, he was in charge of most of the training camp's finances. The repair costs for such huge cracks alone were enough to make him feel the pain.
"That was refreshing. It's been a long time since I've fought so seriously..." Zephyr walked out slowly from the centre of the cracks, his clothes in tatters.
He casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression more relaxed than it had been in years. Even the perpetual frown on his brow had completely smoothed out.
Battles between top-tier powerhouses like this were typically reserved for the New World, and even then, the Admirals and Emperors rarely engaged in large-scale conflicts.
After all, at their level, every move they made had a ripple effect. Moreover, Zephyr had long since retired to the sidelines.
Apart from his clashes with the three legendary pirates in his early years, he had spent most of his time using his strength to guide recruits in the training camp.
However... the fighting spirit in Zephyr's eyes burned even brighter, as if he had returned to his youth, his will to fight soaring once more.
SWISH!
Zephyr's figure suddenly vanished. A rain of punches flew toward Atlas, a storm-like offensive that was dazzling to behold. But Atlas's Observation Haki was no joke.
He had already secretly taken a stance, and his black-and-red fists also met the attack.
The wind and clouds churned, and Haki clashed, unleashing a force that could easily shatter gold and crack stone.
"Hahaha! Exhilarating! Exhilarating!" Even though his arms were already numb, Zephyr's offensive didn't stop; instead, it became even more fierce and domineering.
"We can't keep fighting like this. We can't go all out at all. Why don't we stop here, Teacher Zephyr?" Atlas said with a bitter smile while dealing with Zephyr's dense barrage of punches.
That last secret art had nearly sunk the entire recruit camp. If he hadn't used the power of the Chicken Talisman to hold the ground together forcibly, Sengoku would have probably charged out of his office to settle the score with him.
Even the Golden Lion back then had only destroyed half of Marineford. If the entire training camp were killed by one of their own today, it would be a huge embarrassment.
"—Huh?"
Zephyr was slightly taken aback. He subconsciously looked around and quickly snapped out of his battle frenzy, his movements gradually coming to a halt.
"You brat... hahaha!" He hadn't expected the intense battle to make him feel young again, to the point where he had forgotten where he was.
If they had kept fighting like that, the entire recruit camp would have had to be rebuilt.
"Are you alright, Teacher Zephyr?" Seeing that Zephyr had stopped fighting, Atlas quickly walked over. He had clearly seen the blood at the corner of Zephyr's mouth.
His 'Tenbu Horin' was an attack that focused on breaking through a single point, and combined with the internal destruction technique of advanced Armament Haki, even Kaido would probably not be able to withstand it, let alone the ailing Zephyr.
"Hahaha! I'm fine, I'm fine. I have nothing more to teach you about your martial arts, you brat."
"Cough, cough, cough..." Zephyr patted Atlas's thick shoulder heavily, his face filled with gratification.
"However, today's plan to guide the new recruits is probably ruined. Come back here again tomorrow."
Atlas smiled sheepishly, then took Zephyr's arm. The power of the Horse Talisman surged in, and a cool, restorative energy began to circulate, in a moment, dispelling all of Zephyr's hidden injuries and old ailments!
"...This is!!?"
Zephyr was shocked. He suddenly felt a sense of ease and relaxation he had never felt before. Even his asthma, which had been on the verge of acting up, had vanished without a trace.
"Just think of it as my innate ability. I've cured your asthma. You won't have to be troubled by it anymore, Teacher Zephyr."
Atlas didn't explain further. He had actually wanted to treat Zephyr's asthma when he returned from the East Blue, but as luck would have it, Zephyr had been out with his students for practical training those few days.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
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