"Ittōryū: Kasō."
Roya stood holding his sword within the flames. As the surrounding fire gradually died down, he grasped Engetsu in one hand. Wrapped in fire, the blade traced an arc through the air.
Boom!!
Terrifying crimson flames erupted once again. Under countless shocked gazes, they formed a towering wave of fire that surged toward Lucci, as if intent on burning everything to ashes.
Seeing this, Lucci's expression turned grave. He dared not confront it head-on and retreated to the side without hesitation.
However—
Almost in the very next instant, another torrent of flames swept in!
Boom! Boom! Boom!!
With each casual swing of Roya's sword, flames continuously exploded forth, like successive crimson waves crashing in all directions. Vast areas of the battlefield were completely engulfed, eventually merging into one continuous inferno.
Heat waves rippled outward without pause, driving the temperature ever higher, as if turning the second level of the Marine Headquarters fortress into a massive steam furnace.
No matter how fast Lucci was, he could not avoid the flames. Even without being directly struck, merely fighting Roya within the fire was enough to suppress him completely.
It was a totally one-sided battle!
As the temperature continued to rise, Marine Admirals such as Aokiji and Kizaru remained unaffected. However, many elite camp recruits and CP trainees began to sweat, their eyes filled with fear and shock.
Jabra and the other CP trainees looked as if they had seen a ghost. Who could have imagined that a Marine recruit could be this powerful?!
Even Lucci was absolutely suppressed, with no chance of victory whatsoever. How unbelievable was that?!
Was Roya really just a Marine recruit?!
"That's enough."
Watching the overwhelming sea of flames, the expressions of the World Government officials grew increasingly grim. Finally, one of them could not help but bark an order, calling Lucci back as he was being badly scorched.
"So… does this count as my win?"
Roya did not pursue. He spoke casually while smoothly sheathing Engetsu.
At the same time, the flames that had blanketed the surroundings gradually extinguished as the sword entered its scabbard.
The question did not need answering. Anyone with eyes could see that if the fight continued, the loser would inevitably be Lucci. Lucci himself knew this very well.
After retreating from the field, Lucci said nothing. He simply stared at Roya, who stood like a Flame King amid the fading fire, deep wariness filling his eyes.
Among Marine recruits… there was actually someone this strong…
The elite camp recruits had all desperately hoped that Roya would defeat Lucci and restore their pride. Many had believed he could win, yet when he truly did, they felt dazed, as if it were unreal.
When they had faced Lucci earlier, it had felt like confronting an insurmountable mountain. But when Lucci faced Roya, it was as though he too was facing an equally insurmountable peak.
"As expected… no one can beat Roya."
"Roya's strength is already on a completely different level from ours."
In this conflicted state of mind, many in the elite camp murmured softly as they stared at Roya's back.
Drake and the others who had entered the elite camp alongside Roya wore complex expressions, especially Drake, who sighed inwardly.
The gap… really is being pulled farther and farther apart.
At first, he could still see Roya's back. Now, however, he was being left further behind, to the point where he could no longer even see it.
The CP officers' expressions were now extremely unpleasant.
CP was, after all, merely an intelligence organization. In terms of overall strength, it was far inferior to the Marines. After many years, they had finally produced a rare genius like Lucci, and coincidentally, the Five Elders had ordered an inspection of the Marine training camp.
They had thought this would be a chance to boost CP's prestige and momentum.
Who could have expected that the Marines would produce an even more monstrous existence—Roya—who had already mastered Haki and possessed the ability to control flames, completely overwhelming Lucci?!
"You… are you really a Marine recruit?!"
One CP officer asked darkly, staring at Roya. Though he knew Roya's youth made deception unlikely, he still could not accept it.
Roya looked calmly at the CP officer from the World Government's intelligence agency, his gaze as tranquil as Lucci's had been when looking at Sengoku, Aokiji, and the others.
"I am now. But soon, I won't be."
"What do you mean?"
Roya's words made the CP officer frown in confusion.
Roya did not answer. Instead, he turned to Zephyr, standing nearby, and spoke solemnly:
"Instructor Zephyr, thank you for your guidance during this time…"
These words caused Zephyr to pause in surprise before suddenly realizing something. His gaze flickered sharply.
Could it be—
Sure enough, in the next moment, Roya's calm voice rang out, utterly devoid of humor.
"I hereby apply for the graduation assessment."
The elite camp erupted into stunned silence.
If they remembered correctly, Roya had joined the elite camp less than five months ago?!
One could remain in the elite camp for three years, receiving instruction from Zephyr, access to Marine Headquarters' training facilities, high-energy meat rations, and supervised combat missions with no risk of death.
Previously, even the fastest graduates had stayed for over a year.
Yet Roya had not even completed half a year and was already applying to graduate.
And yet, upon reflection, his application made perfect sense. His strength had long surpassed theirs. If even Roya were not qualified to apply for graduation, then they might as well pack up and leave.
"Have you made your decision, Roya?"
After taking a deep breath, Zephyr looked at him solemnly.
Roya's strength unquestionably qualified him for graduation. But once he graduated, he would become a full-fledged Marine. Missions would no longer be protected exercises; they would be real operations, with real danger and the constant presence of death.
One could never become a dominant, independent powerhouse of the seas while sheltered. Zephyr understood this well, so he would not stop Roya.
"I've decided."
Roya nodded firmly.
Everything he needed to learn, he had already learned. Staying in the elite camp any longer served no purpose. Even its combat missions no longer held meaning for him.
He wanted to conquer the sea, to stand at its very highest point. Having come to this world, if he did not see the scenery at the summit with his own eyes—wouldn't that be a terrible waste?