A massive explosion erupted in the air, causing the ground beneath Sage to sink, creating a sunken area.
Zephyr watched as Sage suddenly swelled up, his eyes widening.
Qi Gong Techniques?
Life Return?
No way!
Bam!!
Sage's other fist came crashing mercilessly, Zephyr instinctively extended his prosthetic limb, coiling it with Haki, countering the fist, and in the collision, a wave of energy burst forth.
Zephyr's temple and arm bulged with veins, as his fists clashed with Sage's, their feet leaving deep imprints on the ground.
It's not these two techniques, it's something even stronger!
Even though half of his Haki was divided between his fists, reducing the power significantly, his physique instead became stronger, using his body to reach a level equal to his strength?
"Oh? Surprised, are you? Should I say terrifying? Hmm!!"
Sage sneered, his eyes suddenly widened, and he let out a muffled shout. At that instant, his fist overpowered Zephyr's, pushing it back and flinging it away, a kick striking out like a sword straight to the chest.
Bang!
Zephyr was kicked away by Sage instantly, and in that moment, Sage leaped into the air, shooting toward the airborne Zephyr like a cannonball, his fists engulfed in a burning black flame, turning into afterimages, pounding like a thunderstorm.
"Falling Hundred Split Fist!"
The combination of North Star Strike Down Finger and Hundred Split Fist!
The influence of Haki meant he didn't need to use the Falling Strike Finger to pierce the body for an explosion; Haki could substitute for the finger's impact on the Secret Hole, after that...
Just Ora is enough!
"Ora Ora Ora Ora!!"
Rapid Black Fist bombarded chaotically, as it was about to get close to Zephyr's body, his eyes gleaming with a red dot, his hands suddenly opened, also turned into afterimages, under the protection of Haki, managing to withstand Sage's chaotic barrage completely while in mid-air.
Bam bam bam bam!
Under the afterimages, the duo's fists clashed, producing blasts of energy waves, until just as Zephyr was about to fall, he kicked upward mightily, his leg slicing through the clashing fists, striking Sage's chest.
Bam!
The kick forcibly flipped Sage over.
Sage spun in the air and landed almost simultaneously with Zephyr, and upon landing, his feet raised a circle of dust, moving swiftly like the North Star Seven Stars, turning into streaks of afterimages, instantly appearing before Zephyr, surrounding him with four forms.
"North Star Seven Stars Death Point!"
It's not 'Seven Deaths Star Point', North Star Seven Stars Death Point is just hitting the opponent's entire Secret Hole with full force, without afterimages.
Nor is it the Secret Technique of Seven-Star Heart Point, capable of using afterimages to leave opponents defenseless, but the actual strike location is only the heart.
This is also a combination, making it impossible to defend while striking every Secret Hole on the body, isn't this much more effective than just attacking the heart?
Training to this level, you can hit wherever you want!
"These marks are meaningless in front of Observation!"
Seeing the afterimage appear, Zephyr's lips curled into a smile. He spun around, delivering an elbow directly to Sage's head.
And then...
"What?!"
The elbow passed through Sage's head, Zephyr was shocked, instinctively looking forward.
"Observation... I can do it too!"
The front-facing Sage afterimage gradually solidified, with a red dot also glowing in his eyes. His hands spread open, swinging to form a circular trace, converging back rapidly, forming powerful twin fists, advancing with flowing black fire formed by coiling Haki, directly toward Zephyr's chest.
"Rokuogan: Tenha Kassatsu!!"
Unlike before when dealing with Garp, this move was infused with Haki, his ultimate Haki!
Even if Zephyr used Haki to block, it wouldn't work; the power of will, though akin to an invisible armor, was ultimately willpower, impossible to remain unscathed in a direct clash.
The gap between him and Zephyr wasn't that vast, under this kind of offensive, there's no scenario where injury wouldn't occur, as long as it hits, the Secret Hole can be struck.
As long as he could break through Zephyr's defense, he was confident to cause damage to this guy!
Boom!!
A massive explosion echoed, a wave of energy burst outward, shifting the unconscious Navy and Pirate bodies on the ground due to the Supreme King, and the clothing of those Pirates rapidly loading cargo onto the ship fluttered as well.
That was the aftermath of the Rokuogan shockwave, with the blowout spreading, Sage's fist, seemingly burning, remained paused in front of Zephyr's extended left fist, even unable to approach it.
The surface of Zephyr's fist appeared to be extending something forward, like an invisible shield, blocking Sage's fist.
This is...
"External Release?!" Sage's pupils shrunk.
"Kid, let me give you a lesson!"
Zephyr revealed teeth as white as bones, sneering: "There are many ways to avoid direct contact with your fist, among them Haki... is the most convenient!"
The slick black left fist surged like a hurricane, with reinforced Haki directly breaking through Sage's twin fists, heading straight for his chest.
Bam!!
The fist hadn't even contacted the chest yet, but it erupted with a muffled bang, making Sage's body visibly shudder, even though his chest showed no evident injury, blood burst from Sage's mouth and nose instantly.
"100%!"
His body swelled up again, the muscle-formed armor becoming even more terrifying, the twin fists that had been repulsed closed again, seizing the moment Zephyr's fist advanced, they smashed into Zephyr's body with enormous force, sending him reeling back over ten meters, carving a deep trench in the ground.
Zephyr's body wobbled slightly, a trickle of blood eventually seeping from his lips.
"So this is the kind of force, somewhat like Internal Destruction..."
He took a couple of deep breaths, finally stabilizing his body, looking at Sage's even more exaggerated figure wrapped in Steel Armor-like muscles, he sighed: "Truly a monstrous young person, the era, like the waves of the great sea, will eventually stir up great waves..."
Sage clutched his chest, his face ashen, "Really? Then you should go back and enjoy your retirement before the next generation leaves you behind on the beach!"
The organs inside his chest were clearly shattered.
It wasn't just releasing the power; he even used the 'Internal Destruction' technique!
Even if his will was weakening, for Sage, this was ridiculously strong.
But not as exaggerated as Garp, and yet...
Hiss!
White air shot out from his nostrils like arrows. Sage clenched his fists, staring at Zephyr intensely.
That punch had an effect in the end, making his chest heave irregularly, changing his breathing rhythm.
"Hahahaha, I still want to capture more Pirates, retiring now is too early!"
Zephyr raised his fists, Haki once again surging up his arms, "Sage, I can see you're a decent guy, why choose to be a Pirate?"
Among the strong, battles often speak louder than words, just understanding each other's character... that's nonsense.
Of course, it's the power of Observation.
Zephyr's Observation skills were quite profound. During battle, he sensed that this kid wasn't one of those truly chaotic and evil Pirates.
"Why does every old timer ask that question? If I don't become a Pirate, should I just starve?"
Sage scoffed, yet a scene inexplicably flashed through his mind.
The destroyed refugee ship and islands bombarded to sinking...
"Being part of the Navy isn't an option here!" he snarled.
A sea breeze blew across the surface, fluttering the slightly translucent Justice cloak behind Zephyr, and stirring Sage's white hair.
Thud!
Both moved at the same time, shooting out like arrows from a bow, Zephyr's left fist coiled as he swung it, like a storm emerging, striking toward Sage's face.
Bang!!
Sage's hands formed a strange cross shape, as Haki flowed like black fire, blocking Zephyr's fist from closing in with the released Haki.
Simultaneously, he nimbly shifted sideways, slamming a heavy kick into Zephyr's abdomen.
Bang!
Another muffled sound echoed, Zephyr's abdomen, though protected by Haki, was pushed back by Sage's sheer force. As Zephyr retreated, Sage lowered his stance, threading his arms past Zephyr's fist, where Haki clashed like sparks, sliding beneath Zephyr's arm, aiming straight for his chest.
Zephyr's eyes focused, his punch struck down fiercely, crashing onto Sage's head, but his fist passed right through.
Afterimage?!
Several afterimages quickly appeared around Zephyr. A red dot flashed in his pupils, and through his Observation, he instinctively swung his arm sideways, enveloping Haki to his elbow. Just as he was about to land an elbow strike, his pupils suddenly froze, and his breathing became even more rapid, causing his attack to stall momentarily.
In that pause, Sage's true self flashed to the side, his fists swinging swiftly.
Too late!
Zephyr's entire body was covered in a purple-black hue, enduring the barrage of punches on his body.
"Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
In an instant, a dozen punches landed upon him, the fierce Haki penetrating the covering Haki, making Zephyr's body tremble.
"Kid!"
Zephyr gritted his teeth, enduring the punches, driving his elbow fiercely forward.
Bang!
His elbow, wrapped in dense Haki, shot towards Sage's face. Sage, rapidly changing tactics from his swinging punches, crossed his hands to block the distant elbow, yet the intense Haki drove him back, his feet sinking into the ground, scattering debris.
"Flaw!"
Unlike Sage, who concentrated Haki in his hands, Zephyr had enough Haki to utilize elsewhere. He swung a leg, kicking fiercely toward Sage's ribs.
"Kami-e!"
Sage's pupils flashed red, his body twisting to dodge Zephyr's leg...
The leg bypassed Sage's body, but Zephyr grinned, the released Haki striking Sage's ribs, forcing his fierce body to curl sideways, making Sage grimace as blood spilled from his mouth.
Bang!!
In this stumble, Zephyr's elbow broke through Sage's defense, pounding into his face, sending him flying.
Delivering a hard blow with his elbow, Zephyr swiftly advanced, his body flashing toward Sage, opening his left fist and then clenching it powerfully, the coiling Haki even more intense than before, punching straight down.
"You're going to lose!!"
Boom!!
The punch descended, triggering a roar, scattering debris across the port, creating another huge crater in the ground. From it, a figure emerged close to the ground, carving a deep trench, crashing into another building, bursting a large hole, raising dust.
"Cough cough cough!"
Zephyr's body landed on the ground, instinctively coughing a few times, the Haki on his fists dissipating, yet he showed no sign of relaxation, his gaze fixed on the dust cloud.
The previous strike...
He didn't feel like it struck solidly!
The dust cleared, revealing Sage's figure, his arms crossed, feet deeply embedded in the ground, standing firm. Beneath those arms was a bloodied face, though his face now looked fierce.
Haki coiled like black fire, showing no signs of weakening, and even...
Zephyr frowned, "Release?"
The feeling just now, was Haki blocking his Haki at a distance.
This guy learned the release technique?!