Chapter 28:
The surrounding Navy soldiers were also extremely shocked at this moment, and Sengoku's vice officer had the same expression.
"This is Sengoku we're talking about! Where did this kid come from?"
"He's really a monster. Even though Sengoku has the upper hand, the kid's like an unkillable cockroach."
"And this freak isn't even using a Devil Fruit ability. Terrifying."
The people around were stunned by Victor's performance. Sengoku was the Navy Headquarters' Admiral candidate—with Admiral-level strength, a top-tier powerhouse.
"Really gives me a headache. Looks like another unbelievable monster has appeared."
The vice officer looked at the relentless Victor and couldn't help but exclaim.
At this moment, Sengoku had not only used his fruit ability but also both colors of Haki—yet he was only suppressing Victor.
This left Sengoku, who originally thought he could take down this boy, feeling incredibly shocked.
Since that was the case, he couldn't hold back anymore.
"Kid, you're still too young."
Sengoku shouted loudly.
Immediately afterward, a soul-shaking aura suddenly burst from Sengoku's body.
Everyone present instantly felt an overwhelming pressure on their souls—cold sweat uncontrollably soaking their clothes.
This was still Sengoku controlling it. Otherwise, the ordinary soldiers on the scene would have fainted long ago.
"Conqueror's Haki? So this is what it feels like."
Facing Sengoku's Conqueror's Haki head-on, Victor felt immense pressure and was momentarily stunned.
So this was the feeling of being intimidated.
In that instant, Sengoku struck again, sending Victor flying.
The flying Victor felt a sweetness in his throat and couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.
But Victor didn't care at all—he ignored it completely.
Not only that—in the midst of this violent Conqueror's Haki, Victor's eyes rapidly turned blood-red.
"Ahahahaha, refreshing! Too refreshing! This is the kind of battle I wanted!"
Victor instantly leaped up, laughing wildly as he charged toward Sengoku again.
Sengoku saw the boy suddenly seem like a different person and felt somewhat surprised.
"Hey kid—you're not going crazy, are you?"
Even though Sengoku noticed Victor's abnormality, his attacks became even faster.
Although it looked like Sengoku was going all out, seeing his relaxed demeanor showed he still had strength in reserve.
Victor naturally knew this and found it only natural. Otherwise, he wouldn't be Sengoku.
But at this moment, Victor had entered a frenzied state—his attacks more ferocious, more violent.
Everyone present noticed the change in Victor.
"Hey, how did this monster change?"
"His attacks have become even more savage, but the rhythm isn't chaotic at all. Too strange."
The vice officer watched the battlefield and couldn't help but comment.
"Is that so? I just feel like the monster across from us got even stronger. Why doesn't Admiral-candidate Sengoku just take him down?"
"Yeah, hasn't Sengoku always had the upper hand?"
The surrounding soldiers saw the increasingly brutal battlefield and started asking questions one after another.
"Battle isn't about who has the upper hand. To take down that monster across from us, he needs to lose fighting ability or show a fatal opening."
The vice officer shook his head and explained.
"From the looks of it, that boy across from us is just too terrifying. He's been fighting Admiral-candidate Sengoku for this long."
"Yeah, why isn't he one of our Navy powerhouses?"
For a moment, the soldiers started discussing fervently again.
In truth, they couldn't participate in this battle at all.
Anyone caught in the fight would either die or be severely injured.
"Look—the monster just got stronger again!"
Someone suddenly shouted loudly.
Just as Victor was about to be hit by Sengoku again, at this critical moment, Victor broke through to advanced-level Armament Haki.
Not only that—his Observation Haki also broke through to advanced level. Now he could finally see more of Sengoku's attack movements and directions clearly.
But at this moment, Victor hadn't noticed this at all. In his frenzied state, he instinctively felt himself growing stronger.
"Hahahahaha—this is the feeling! Sengoku—take my punch!"
Victor's blood-red eyes flashed. He instantly unleashed advanced Armament Haki.
His fist turned red-black, clashing directly against Sengoku's similarly red-black golden Buddha fist.
Bang! A massive sound.
Victor was knocked back several steps this time.
This time, Victor didn't fly away—this was clear progress.
"Kid, your potential is truly terrifying."
"Since that's the case, I can only keep you here."
Sengoku also saw Victor's change and felt somewhat shocked.
A real monster—then he should be sent to Impel Down.
In an instant, Sengoku underwent a massive change. Red-black lightning-like Haki suddenly appeared around him.
Immediately after, the Haki on Sengoku's fist became even denser.
Seeing this, Victor felt no fear. Instead, he imitated Sengoku's Haki technique.
He charged forward without hesitation, ready for another head-on clash.
Bang! Victor was once again sent flying.
Not only that—the destructive Haki was wreaking havoc on Victor's body.
At this moment, Victor was heavily injured by Sengoku, spitting out a large mouthful of blood.
But fortunately, under Sengoku's massive impact, Victor was knocked into the sea.
The moment he hit the water, Victor instantly regained clarity.
"Sengoku—I will come back."
He glanced at Sengoku on shore, then quickly dove deep into the sea and disappeared without a trace.
On shore, Sengoku only looked slightly disheveled—his body had no injuries.
"Damn it—he got away."
Sengoku cursed fiercely after seeing Victor escape.
Then he deactivated his fruit ability and returned to normal form.
The vice officer had already ordered his men to fire the moment Victor hit the water.
Seeing Victor escape, the vice officer hurriedly led his team to pursue.
But Sengoku stopped him.
"No need to chase. You're no match for him. And you probably won't find him anyway."
"Let's go. We have to clean up the mess those Celestial Dragons left behind."
Sengoku, draped in his coat, spoke calmly.
Meanwhile, on Heracles' side, all crew members had already assembled.
They were anxiously waiting for Victor's return—especially Beli.
Though Beli appeared very calm on the surface, his heart was constantly worried about Victor's safety.
After all, legends said that anyone who challenged the authority of Celestial Dragons never had a good ending.
Though he believed in Captain Victor's strength, this was facing the Navy's top combat power.