How absurd is the power of the strong in this pirate world?
Sea Kings measure hundreds of meters, yet swim and surface at will, their flesh so tough they never collapse under their own weight—terrifying durability!
Yet in front of the world's top-tiers…
they're just bigger toys.
Kuzan is famous for his Devil Fruit—Logia Ice-Ice.
But his raw strength is nothing to scoff at!
As a youth he trained under Garp every day, pounding warships like sandbags—how could that leave him weak?
Aokiji innocently withdrew his fist in front of the dented punch-tester.
Only used a little extra strength.
How did it break?
How does Bang stay so effortless?
He wondered, oblivious to the crowd whose jaws were about to dislocate.
"Ehhhhh—?!"
A chorus of identical shrieks.
"He—he wrecked the tester?!"
"Looks like he barely tried…"
"Incomprehensible! Are these guys even human?!"
Anyone confident enough to enter the Hero Exam has trained for years and trusts their strength.
Among them stand rising stars of martial arts, cage champions, special-forces scouts who've fought Monsters… yet their confidence is crushed by the Monsters appearing one after another!
Bang's pupils dilated.
He never imagined he'd so drastically underestimated Aokiji!
A flick like swatting a fly—yet it produced this force!
Aokiji returned with a form stamped [Unmeasurable].
The onlookers looked at him with more fear than respect.
Walk, fine—just quit swinging your arms!
If you hit me, let's see how you piece me together!!
"I was going to hold back—lost control," Aokiji scratched his head. "Good thing the Association says no compensation or I'd be in debt."
"Young people slip sometimes," Bang consoled woodenly.
Losing control is perfect!
Leaves room to learn!
The two walked to the next test zone.
The rest stared at the ruined machine, then at staff on the phone explaining to headquarters.
A moment of silence.
"Follow and watch?"
"Let's go!"
——
After weight-lifting, high-jump, shot-put, whack-a-mole and more…
they reached the final item—the 1,500 m sprint!
Aokiji tugged the association-issue shorts—cut small and clinging too snugly.
Bang loosened up. "Why does the audience keep growing?"
Aokiji: "Most of the candidates came. After all, these guys are running too."
On the left Superalloy Darkshine struck a body-builder pose, flashing sparkling teeth: "All eyes on my perfect muscles!"
On the right Watchdog Man squatted dog-style behind the start line.
Only his face showed—simple lines, the very picture of a powerhouse.
Outermost, fourteen-year-old Metal Bat looked green, eyes blazing with fight!
He'd watched the others' tests.
He knew he was the weakest on this line.
So what!
Bring the spirit!!!
The crowd buzzed like kids seeing an excavator for the first time.
They no longer cared about the gulf in strength.
After trailing all day they'd given up comparing—
they only wanted the coming clash of Monsters!
"Ready—"
The starter raised the gun trembling, purely thrilled.
To start a race of this level—what an honor!
"On your marks—"
Bang!!
A hurricane erupted!
A body like high-grade alloy compressed and poured—dark skin—shattered the track as it surged!
An aged martial-arts grandmaster burst forth with perfectly channeled power!
The white costume-dog bounded on all fours, hitting 250 km/h and still accelerating!
Metal Bat roared… yeah, pretty fast.
"They joked at the line, now they're dead serious."
Aokiji remembered classmates who begged "slow down" yet sprinted like mad on test day.
Right now he led.
Each foot touched down dozens of times in an instant!
The next moment stored power exploded!!
Aokiji vanished, reappearing far away—
a technique that crushed distance with raw burst: Rokushiki – Shave!
Paired with an admiral's physique the result was absurd.
——
"Good work, good work."
Aokiji clapped at the finish as Bang and Watchdog Man arrived almost together.
"You kid…" Bang laughed in exasperation.
Who waits at the tape just to applaud second and third?
And the move Aokiji had shown… quite unique.
Watchdog Man tilted his head, black eyes revealing nothing.
"You're strong… and you smell… cool."
Weird descriptor.
Soon Superalloy Darkshine thudded in.
"Oh! Nice muscles—felt the will inside them!"
He grinned, thumbs-up sparkling, no trace of discouragement.
Aokiji flashed to a certain youth-shouting man.
Last came Metal Bat.
At fourteen he was still growing, far from his peak.
"Hah… you guys've got guts…" he panted, grinning fierce. "I'll surpass every last one of you!"
"Good luck." Aokiji raised a hand, formed popsicles and passed them around. "All done? Cool off with something cold."
They'd been inside when he showed his power earlier,
so none knew he could do this.
Watchdog Man sniffed, leapt and snatched a pop. "No wonder…"
Superalloy Darkshine took one curiously. "Great for post-workout recovery!"
"…thanks," Metal Bat muttered; he alone needed cooling.
A girl from registration approached.
A faint blush tinted her cheeks as she stole glances at Aokiji's perfectly balanced frame.
"Mr. Aokiji… y-your ability test site is ready; another Esper will be tested with you."