The sea was littered with floating Marine corpses.
Romu didn't look away.
These men had lived their lives kneeling — humiliated by Celestial Dragons, families trampled, dignity stripped — yet when handed a chance to live and take revenge, they froze.
Cowards to the end.
And even if they had survived…
the Celestial Dragons would have killed them anyway.
That was simply how that world worked.
Romu exhaled and cleared his thoughts.
He drew the remaining life essence back from the wooden giant into his own body.
His condition surged upward instantly.
Humm—
Advanced Armament flowed across his limbs.
He fired a heavy punch like a cannon.
Zephyr — still burning with rage — reacted a fraction too slow. He twisted his head just in time.
The punch missed clean impact…
…but the cutting air tore open his cheek, leaving a long, thin gash.
That was enough.
Zephyr's fury detonated.
Kill him.
The man known as the "Unkilling Admiral" now radiated pure killing intent.
Armament Haki flooded his body.
His right leg whipped out.
The kick burned so hot it scorched the air — flames trailing the strike.
Romu snorted.
A wooden barrier erupted along his shin.
He kicked back.
BOOM!
Their legs collided with mountain-breaking force — then separated.
No pause.
Both blurred into streaks of light.
And the sky exploded.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
For what felt like half a day, black and brown shockwaves carved the horizon. Air ruptured. The ocean detonated into towering walls of water.
This was not a duel.
It was catastrophe.
Inside the storm of impacts, Zephyr's breathing grew heavier.
His thoughts sharpened with alarm.
Where does this monster's stamina end?
Powerhouses in this world could fight for days — yes.
But not at full output.
Not like this.
Zephyr was burning everything:
Life Return control.
Six Powers secrets.
Maximum Armament hardening.
Every second was peak expenditure.
And Romu?
Steady.
Only once — during the wooden giant's manifestation — had his aura dipped.
Since then…
unchanged.
Relentless.
Even recovering.
Zephyr's eyes tightened.
He's still climbing…
After a brutal exchange, Zephyr kicked away and landed at distance. Sweat fell. Old wounds reopened.
Blood trickled down his torso.
…Is he already stronger than me?
The thought landed heavy.
Romu looked absurdly young.
Zephyr felt something rare:
fatigue mixed with doubt.
"…Then I gamble everything," he muttered.
He was ready to burn himself out — even die — if it meant stopping this pirate.
But suddenly—
his body stiffened.
Observation Haki screamed.
Ships.
Many ships.
Several kilometers out.
Coming fast.
Zephyr exhaled a humorless laugh.
"Of course…"
Hachinosu reinforcements.
The Rocks Pirates.
His chance was gone.
Romu sensed it too.
And clicked his tongue internally.
If it were just the two of them…
Zephyr would fight to the end.
And stamina favored Romu.
Two… three days…
Zephyr would fall.
But now?
An admiral wouldn't die needlessly.
And Zephyr was no fool.
"Paper Art — War Form!"
His frame tightened, senses sharpened.
He locked eyes with Romu one final time.
Then—
BOOM
He kicked the air.
A streak of light.
Gone.
Romu exhaled slowly.
A wooden toothpick formed between his fingers. He bit it casually.
"…Shame."
"I still wanted to see what absorbing an admiral feels like."
But regret passed quickly.
The battle had already paid dividends.
He now knew:
He stood at admiral level.
And he had brushed against the ceiling of Armament mastery.
"If my advanced Haki reaches that peak…"
"I'll have no weaknesses."
His thoughts filed the lesson away for later.
Then the pain arrived.
"…Ah— hell."
He winced.
"Definitely broke something…"
Against Zephyr, injuries were inevitable.
Only monstrous vitality — and the life essence within him — kept him standing.
He relaxed into the crimson flower, letting it carry him back to the cruise ship.
Anticipation flickered.
This vessel carried tribute from nations across the world.
Money, yes…
…but surely more treasures besides.
Worth cataloging.
In the distance—
black sails appeared.
One after another.
The flag of the Rocks Pirates snapped in the wind.
Reinforcements had arrived.