"That's Admiral Zephyr!!"
"No matter how strong Romu is, he can't beat a Headquarters Admiral!!"
"We're saved! We're actually saved!"
"…!"
The Marines trapped inside the wooden cages instantly came back to life when they saw Zephyr. Hope lit their eyes as they stared at their rescuer.
Zephyr, however, looked grim.
His jaw tightened as he growled:
"Romu…!!"
He had been one step too late.
If he'd arrived just a moment earlier, the Celestial Dragon would still be alive.
Zephyr had no love for the Celestial Dragons — but protecting them was the Marines' duty. Worse still, this execution had happened in front of Marine personnel, carried out under Marine protection.
This wasn't mere failure.
Mary Geoise would erupt in fury.
There might even be pressure for a Buster Call.
That thought only fueled Zephyr's anger.
He was known as the Admiral who refused to kill — yet for the first time in a long while, genuine killing intent stirred inside him.
He stared at Romu, who stood completely at ease.
"Do you have any idea," Zephyr said slowly, "how many people will die because of your stupidity?"
Romu didn't flinch.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"And if we're being honest — that pig ordered the ship to ram me first."
He smiled.
"So being attacked and not fighting back… that's justice?"
Zephyr stalled for a fraction of a second. There was no clean rebuttal.
But this wasn't a philosophical debate.
His mission was clear.
"You're a pirate," Zephyr snapped. "You wouldn't understand justice."
"Enough talk. Surrender and come back to Marineford with me."
He tore off his Justice coat and settled into a fighting stance.
No underestimation. None.
A man who defeated Shiki was no ordinary opponent — Zephyr wasn't even certain of victory.
Romu said nothing. He simply mirrored the stance.
Perfect, he thought. Let's test my growth on an Admiral.
Then—
He moved first.
But instead of attacking, he leapt off the cruise ship and glided toward open sea atop a floating red blossom.
The reason was simple:
That ship was loot.
And the Heavenly Tribute inside was startup capital for his future crew.
Destroying it in battle would be wasteful.
"Gather."
At his command, the sea churned.
A brown wooden slab burst upward and expanded rapidly.
Within seconds, a massive wooden platform — nearly a kilometer across — spread across the water like an arena.
On the ship, Zephyr's eyes narrowed.
So this is the plant control from the intel…
Impressive — but not shocking. Admirals saw every kind of Devil Fruit.
He jumped off the ship.
The moment his feet touched the sea—
"Moonwalk — Sea Step!"
His legs blurred, kicking against the air itself, propelling him across the water until he landed on Romu's wooden battlefield.
No more words.
"Armament — Harden!"
They spoke in unison.
Both arms turned black.
Romu's carried faint crimson streaks — advanced Armament.
He stomped forward.
His body shot like a cannon.
Right hand aimed at Zephyr's throat.
Left at his navel.
Targeting weaknesses.
"Good idea," Zephyr muttered.
"But you're underestimating me."
He didn't dodge.
They collided like artillery shells.
Shockwaves rippled outward.
Romu's strikes landed — but Zephyr's Armament coating was immovable.
Unbreakable.
"…Huh?"
Romu felt it immediately.
This Armament was different.
Zephyr smirked.
He knocked Romu's arms aside and counter-kicked.
Romu answered in kind.
BOOM.
Their legs clashed.
Then came the storm—
Metallic impacts rang out as they exchanged dozens of blows in seconds.
On the ship, Marines watched in disbelief.
"No way — Romu's trading evenly with Instructor Zephyr?!"
"Zephyr's Armament is among the strongest in the officer corps!"
"And Romu's matching it?!"
"Zephyr's just testing him… right?"
Wrong.
Zephyr had entered this fight at full force.
He already knew Romu used advanced Armament — flowing Haki.
And he respected that danger.
So this is Ryūō…
Each clash sent hidden shock through Zephyr's arms.
Invisible internal force.
Without prior intel, it would've caught him off guard.
"Nice hidden force," Zephyr admitted mid-exchange.
"But no matter what fancy name you give it…"
"It's still just Armament."
"If this is all you've got…"
"Romu…"
"You lose today."
His presence dropped.
His Armament deepened.
His arms darkened — so black they swallowed sunlight.
The impact power skyrocketed.
When his blows met Romu's crimson coating—
The flowing Haki stuttered.
Black Arm Zephyr.
Terrifying beyond reason.