Chapter 5: Battle Against Garp"Ugh !"
Phil's defense shattered.
His use of Tekkai collapsed under the overwhelming force, sending him staggering backward.
Clutching his abdomen, drenched in cold sweat, his face twisted in pain as he opened his mouth
But no sound came out.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Even Zephyr turned his head slightly.
Seeing Phil's condition, he spoke calmly:
"Phil, step down."
"Y-Yes… cough…!"
Zephyr's gaze returned to Sakazuki.
A faint approval appeared in his eyes.
"Sakazuki… not bad."
"As a Logia user, your physical ability hasn't fallen behind."
He paused slightly.
"Next, I'll personally "
"Hahahahaha!"
Before he could finish
A loud laugh interrupted him.
Monkey D. Garp stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.
"This is interesting!"
"Zephyr let me handle this one!"
Zephyr glanced at him.
Silent for a moment.
Then
"…Fine."
He turned to Sakazuki.
"Sakazuki. Any objections?"
Sakazuki's eyes sharpened.
Facing a top-tier Marine
A man who stood at the pinnacle of the world
There was no reason to refuse.
"No problem."
He adjusted his stance.
Across from him
Garp stood relaxed.
Arms crossed.
Grinning broadly.
"Come on, brat!"
Clash BeginsSakazuki moved first.
His body ignited.
Crimson heat surged outward as magma circulated violently beneath his skin
A state refined from his mastery of the Magu Magu no Mi.
His foot slammed down.
Boom!!!
The ground cracked.
His speed exploded forward
Far faster than before.
"Dai Funka!"
He appeared before Garp instantly.
His fist
Condensed magma hardened into a devastating strike
Crashed down.
Garp's eyes flashed.
Without hesitation
He raised his arm.
And punched.
Boom!!!
The collision shook the entire plaza.
A violent shockwave burst outward
Magma erupted in all directions
Trying to swallow Garp whole.
But
A powerful pressure surged from his fist.
Invisible.
Yet overwhelming
The magma was forced back.
The air itself roared.
Nearby soldiers were pushed back, shielding themselves from the impact
But at the center
Garp stood unmoved.
Still grinning.
"Again!"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!!!
The two figures vanished into motion.
Afterimages filled the air.
Fists collided again and again
Each impact releasing bursts of magma and shockwaves.
The battlefield trembled.
The surrounding recruits retreated rapidly.
Even a single splash of that magma
Would be fatal.
But only Sakazuki himself understood
The cost.
His "Crimson Mode"
A state where magma circulated through his body like a volcanic core
Greatly amplified his strength.
But
It consumed stamina at an alarming rate.
After such intense exchanges
His breathing grew heavier.
His body
Reaching its limit.
"If this continues…"
"I'll collapse first."
His movements shifted.
He disengaged.
Crimson Mode faded.
His right arm transformed fully into magma.
Then
He slammed his fist into the ground.
Boom!!!
Garp tilted his head slightly.
"A Devil Fruit trick, huh?"
Suddenly
He sensed it.
Using raw instinct refined through countless battles
He moved.
Soru-like speed
Bang!!!
A jet of magma erupted violently from beneath the ground
Right where Garp had been standing.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!!!
Multiple eruptions followed in rapid succession
One.
Two.
Five
Eighteen pillars of magma burst upward.
Covering the entire battlefield.
Garp appeared at the edge
Unharmed.
"That's it?"
He muttered.
Then
"Meteor !"
Before he could react
Sakazuki emerged
From within the magma itself.
His body reforming instantly.
His right fist
Compressed.
Condensed.
Magma hardened into a devastating core.
He struck.
Boom!!!
The punch connected.
A massive eruption followed
Completely engulfing Garp.
"Hiss !"
"So strong!"
"Sakazuki !"
The recruits stared in disbelief.
Even the surrounding officers showed visible surprise.
Only Zephyr
Smiled.
"Good."
"Step by step."
"Layered attacks."
"Well executed."
AftermathSakazuki stepped out of the magma.
His breathing steady
But his body clearly taxed.
He stood still.
Waiting.
On the ground
A figure lay encased in hardened magma.
Silence fell.
Then
Crack.
Bang!!!
The magma shattered.
And from within
Garp stood.
Completely unharmed.
Laughing.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
"That was great!"
"Kid join my ship after you graduate!"
"Garp!"
Zephyr snapped immediately.
"Stop misleading recruits!"
He stepped forward slightly, clearly annoyed.
Such a promising soldier
Could not be allowed to fall under Garp's… influence.
"Alright."
Zephyr looked at Sakazuki.
"Return to your position."
"Yes, sir."
Sakazuki nodded.
He turned
And walked back.
Behind him
The test continued.
But in that moment
Everyone understood something clearly.
The gap
Between monsters
And themselves.