Steel bones clashed with diamond bones. An incomplete version of Demonic Flame Kick collided with the complete one…
It was all destiny's perfect arrangement.
If you don't get kicked flying, who will?
Although Klein was keeping a straight face, his heart was already bursting with joy:"I'm rich! I'm so freaking rich!"
"This is a jackpot!"
"Even after deducting the 200 million Beli I skimmed off, I'll still make a huge profit—with the ticket sales too…"
"Massive profit!"
Once again, Kong was blasted into the air, and the audience collectively had their minds blown.
They could hardly believe their eyes.
That was Steel-Bone Kong, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral—how… how could he be flying through the air like some roadside stray?
"Holy crap!! Is Klein a Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit user or something!?"
"That firepower's insane—how's he pulling this off?"
"Hey hey—Kong, pull it together! How could you lose to a mere cadet!?"
"Wait, aren't their techniques kind of… similar?"
"They are the same move, but Klein's is way stronger. Kong…"
"Klein isn't even human. He's only eighteen! His strength… he's bound to become the Marine's top combat power!!"
"Hiss—Top combat power? It has to be this monster!"
"·······"
Instructor Carter broke into a cold sweat.This was not the scene he had pictured in his head.
How… how did it come to this?
What he imagined was Klein standing there, confused—then getting taken out by Kong using Demonic Flame Kick...
But instead it was flipped.
His heart sank."Crap… Kong won't think I set him up, will he?"
"Oh no, how am I even going to explain this to him!?"
He was burning with anxiety—it felt like he'd jumped into the Yellow River and couldn't wash the blame off no matter what.
And the worst part?
Klein outright said it was me who sold him the move.
F** my life.*
"Carter, what's going on with that move Klein and Kong both used?"
Marshal Oharden suddenly spoke up.
As expected, he could tell they were using the same technique—and Kong's shocked expression had made it obvious he didn't know Klein could do that move.
In an instant, Carter was drenched in sweat. He stammered out an explanation:
"…Uhh, well… what happened is… Klein developed Demonic Flame Kick while learning Rankyaku, then sold it to me…"
"…And I resold it… to Kong."
"Pfft—WAHAHAHA!!"
Admiral Rampaging Bear burst into laughter, clutching his stomach."So you are the old crook who set Kong up to get wrecked in battle!"
"....."Carter had no words.This is not what I signed up for.
I never thought it would turn out like this either!
If he had known, would he have dared bet 200 million Beli with Klein!?
Hell no!
And speaking of that 200 million Beli—it felt like his heart was bleeding.
Worse yet… he still had to explain everything to Kong.
What sin have I committed!?
He wanted nothing more than to slap himself across the face just to vent.
Oharden twitched at the corner of his mouth.Up until now, the match between the two had been relatively close.
But this one move?
It seriously injured Kong—putting him at a major disadvantage.
Meanwhile…
"Bro! My bro!! The Mighty King!!"Garp was cheering like crazy, shocked and awed."Bro, I'm cheering you off! You gotta teach me for free later, okay!?"
Cool!
Flashy!
Stylish!
That kick?It completely eclipsed even the move he used when sparring with Klein before—Fistbone: Impact!
Where's your pride?
Do you even have any shame left?
Sengoku was tempted to cover Garp's mouth, but he was afraid the guy might bite if pressed.
"Klein… Klein knows way too much, doesn't he?"
"Knowing it is one thing—but why is every move he uses so ridiculously overpowered!?"
He gave up.He completely gave up.
Swordsmanship, Rokushiki, iron fists, kicks—and let's not forget that terrifying warm-up punch at the start.
How does he know everything, and master all of it!?
Is there no justice in the world anymore!?
The dust began to settle.
Kong stood up again—but his right leg was limping.
That last kick had definitely messed up the muscles and bones.
Seeing him rise again, Klein's mouth twitched as he cursed internally:
'How is this guy still standing!? Are you made of steel!?'
'Are you Jaegerlite or something!?'
'You're practically one of Cheng Xiaoyu's shadow monsters at this point!'
He raised his longsword again.Under the sunlight, its blade shimmered with a terrifying gleam.
Klein's voice turned cold and cutting:
"Kong, surrender."
"Your future… holds no chance of victory."
If Kong refused, he was ready to go full auto-attack to overwhelm him.
"Surrendering's not in my blood!!"
Kong bared his bloody teeth in a grimace.
His face was steely, and his gaze blazed like a torch.
The moment he got kicked away, he had felt a bit of a breakdown.But his iron will—his inner strength, as unyielding as steel—snapped him back to clarity.
He continued:
"If I surrender now… my heart…"
"…will become the heart of a man who once gave in to fear!!"
"I am…"
"Steel-Bone… Kong!!"
BOOM—
The stone tiles beneath him cracked open.He shot forward like a rocket.
"Steel Secret Art: Steel Core Fist!"
His blackened, metal-like arm shot forward like a legendary spear, cloaked in a storm-like shockwave!
In Klein's eyes, it looked like Kong was literally on fire, covered in blazing flames.
Bro, why are you suddenly on fire!?
You're giving me some serious…
psychological trauma!!
But there was no time to process that—just as Kong struck out, Klein slashed down with his blade.
Screee—
The sword sang.A blinding slash of green light burst forth, outshining even the sun.
BOOM—
The fist struck the green light slash.Kong's eyes gleamed, and he let out a raspy roar:
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
"AHHH—!!"
With a savage roar, the veins on his neck and face popped out like taut ropes.
From his massive frame erupted a force like a miniature cosmos—slamming the green slash aside.
It missed him by a hair, carving a deep trench across the ground and slicing a huge V-shaped gash into the training field's outer wall.
Kong dropped to the ground, landing on one foot—then exploded forward again like a tiger pouncing.
He rapidly closed the distance with Klein.
Seeing this, Klein's black pupils narrowed in surprise.
"He diverted my slash using pure punching force—completely avoided direct contact with it!!"
He tried to swing several more auto-attacks, but all were neutralized by the same tactic.
One after another, deep scars were carved into the earth.
In a flurry of movement, Kong had almost closed the gap between them.
Klein quickly switched strategies, changing his "vertical slash auto-attack" into a horizontal slash.
A crescent-shaped green wave sliced through the air as if cutting the world in two.
Kong leapt to dodge, roaring:
"Steel Secret Art: Flame Demon Fist!"
It looked like an inferno was riding atop Kong's fist, reflected in Klein's wide eyes.
He immediately raised his blade to block.
CLANG—
The moment his blade, coated in Conqueror's Haki, clashed with Kong's fist—An earth-shattering pressure surged forth like a falling mountain.
"Armament: Tekkai!"
Klein's eyes widened in shock and he immediately bolstered his defense.He hadn't planned to use his strongest illusion—Tekkai—but he had no choice!
A wild, overwhelming force smashed into him.
Under its crushing weight, Klein's body flew uncontrollably backward.
BOOM—
He crashed into the training field's outer wall, embedding a spiderweb of cracks into the stone.