Klein launched forward like a bullet, his fist raised.
Buzz—!
In a flash, Conqueror's Haki coated his forearm, his punch wrapped in violent force and shockwaves!
Boom—!
A large and small fist collided in midair with raw passion!
Sparks burst like fireworks.
The sheer force behind their fists stirred the air into chaotic vortexes, shooting off like wild flying slashes in every direction.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
Stone fragments scattered, dust exploded into the sky!
"Hahaha—!"Kong's eyes gleamed, burning with unprecedented excitement."Hell yeah, this is amazing!"
"You're ridiculously strong, and yet you've been hiding this whole time!!"
His blazing gaze locked with Klein's sharp and unruly eyes midair—
Sparks flew as they clashed!
"I don't owe anyone an explanation for my strength," Klein retracted his fist. "If it wasn't for the money, I wouldn't be trying this hard!"
If he had mastered Ryuo, the power of Fistbone: Impact would be a hundred, no, a thousand times stronger!
Both fighters landed simultaneously, fists and kicks flying—
Afterimages streaked through the air.
Bam bam bam—!
Every impact between them was like steel slamming against steel.
Each blow burst into dazzling sparks and stirred up gales like raging ocean waves—
The sheer spectacle left onlookers dizzy and awestruck.
The instant they hit the ground—
The earth beneath shattered and split apart.
BOOM—!
"I can't see a thing—their movements are way too fast!!"
"No way—Klein's using Haki!?"
"Shit!! I bet on Kong, I put everything on him! He can't lose!!"
"Klein's power… Is he really just a cadet!?"
"We're all from the same class, so how the hell is he this good?!"
"He's a monster! Klein is a total freak!!"
"There's no doubt—he has to be the strongest genius in Marine school history!"
"He's not even human!!"
"·····"
Sengoku and Garp were fully focused, drenched in sweat.Their eyes darted all over the place, trying to track the two—but even then, they struggled to follow their movements.
Numbed.
The only thing they could tell—
Was that the fight was evenly matched.
And—
Klein's strength was beyond anything they'd imagined!!!
Gulp— Garp swallowed hard."I can't keep up. Their speed is beyond the limits of human… They're not even on the same level…"
Sengoku wiped the sweat off his brow. Seeing Klein's display of power, he couldn't help but mutter:
"That guy Klein… was he messing with us this whole time?"
"If he wasn't doing this for a big payday, he probably would've kept hiding it. Guy's getting sneakier by the day!"
He's this strong, and yet in daily life…
Not a shred of a strongman's aura, seriously??
A hidden monster was right beside me?
What kind of twisted humor is that!?
Zephyr, sword in hand, couldn't make sense of the battlefield at all. He had to ask Garp and Sengoku:
"Does Klein have a chance at winning?"
"....."
"....."
Sengoku and Garp locked eyes.
No clue how to answer that.
A stunning figure stood not far away.Even dressed plainly, her world-class body was impossible to ignore.
Tsuru's beautiful eyes shimmered."Now it all makes sense. His confidence… his willingness to open this kind of betting pool—it all comes from his strength."
"But…"
"Why has his power grown this absurdly fast… to such a terrifying level?"
Every time she thought back to one year ago, and compared it to the current Klein—
It just felt unreal.
Like a dream.
Everyone was stunned by Klein's display, because no one had ever seen…
A Marine cadet who, in just one year—
Had reached a level of strength most people would never touch in a lifetime.
"Devious!"
"This guy's too damn devious!" Instructor Carter stomped furiously."The brat even hid this from me—his own instructor! That's not human!"
"Kong! You can't lose! If you do, my retirement fund is screwed…"
Two hundred million!!
That was two hundred million Berries!He'd finally earned a little from milking the Klein cash cow, and now…
Now he might have to pay it all back, with interest!?
If that happens—I'm done for!
Admiral Rampaging Bear clenched his fists, visibly nervous."I really didn't expect it… Klein's small frame actually isn't any weaker than Kong's when it comes to strength!"
"Does 'Chibi king strength' actually exist!?"
That can't be right!
Isn't more muscle supposed to mean more power!?
"Klein's body is strong, sure—but his Haki's not weak either!" Oharden's wrinkled face practically bloomed into a grin."Carter, you taught him Haki?"
"Eh!? Y-yeah…" Instructor Carter snapped back to his senses."About four or five months ago, I…"
"I gave him three demonstrations!"
He suddenly remembered that day—Klein had him repeat the demonstration several times.Then Klein said he'd "got it," but didn't show anything.
Carter wasn't sure if he really learned it or not.
But now…
Not only did the brat learn it, his Haki is as strong as someone who's trained for over a decade!
Monster.
Freaking monster.
"Damn—he really learned it that day?" Carter stood dumbfounded."His learning ability is scary beyond belief!?"
Hearing that, Fleet Admiral Oharden shuddered."So you're saying… in just four to five months, Klein's Haki got this strong?"
"......" Instructor Carter shrugged helplessly."I don't know either."
That guy just clocked in for training like a timecard, then sprinted back to his 'Make Money Handbook' every day.
Who knows how he trained!?
Mutant!!
He only shows interest in one thing—money!
Rampaging Bear shook his head in disbelief.Back when he hit this level, it took him years of training.
"Maybe Klein really is the greatest genius in 800 years of Marine history!!"
At that moment—
His four daughters, the Marine Four Flowers, were cheering like mad for Klein, hyped up as if injected with pure caffeine.
On the battlefield—
Klein and Kong's figures clashed again and again, their collisions thundering like lightning strikes.
"Armament: Shigan—Rain of Thorn Needles!"
Zzzt zzzt zzzt—!
Fingers jabbed out like lightning, dozens of afterimages piercing through the air with deadly precision.
"Iron Rampage Fists!"
Kong's forearms were covered in Haki as he unleashed a flurry of punches from both hands like a raging semi-truck.
Blocking Klein's Shigan—
The heavy blows slammed into Klein's fingers, sending numbing shockwaves through his hands.Good thing he had the Diamond Bone talent—otherwise his fingers might've snapped.
'Kong's Haki is a level or two stronger than mine… but my physical talent completely outclasses him!'
'Damn it!'
'Why is winning so hard!?'
'Of course… Nothing about making big money is ever easy!'
Klein retracted his fingers.If this kept up, he'd lose all feeling in them.
"Iron Rampaging Strike!!!"
As Klein backed off, Kong seized the chance and unleashed an even stronger attack—his veiny arms bursting with raw power.
Like a wild ancient beast, Kong's punch roared through the air.
Even the air howled beneath the pressure, like the sky itself might collapse—
"Fistbone: Impact!!"
Klein's eyes flashed."Who the hell wants to taste defeat!?"
"There's only one winner!" Kong roared, his aura exploding."Klein, you lack real battle experience!!"
"Now fall!"