At the center of the field, smoke still lingered—
When a purple figure burst upward.
Zephyr kicked off the air, Moon Walk propelling him skyward.
His right fist gathered power—black Haki tinged with dark red light.
"Haki isn't about blocking—
it's about dominating!"
"Can't let him close in!"
Gern tried to Quake Blink—
But Zephyr's Observation locked on instantly.
BOOOOM!!
The punch shattered the sound barrier, slamming into Gern's chest.
A circular shock ring exploded in the sky.
Gern spat blood and plummeted like a meteor.
"Is it over?!" someone shouted.
Suddenly—
Gern slammed one hand into the ground.
"Quake Wave · Rebound!"
The recoil launched him back up.
White particles condensed at his fingertips.
"Quake Cry · Piercing Shot!"
WHOOSH!
A spiraling beam shot for Zephyr's throat.
Zephyr tilted his head—
The beam grazed past, drilling a bottomless hole through a cliff behind him, followed by a muffled detonation as it collapsed.
"Close one…"
Zephyr landed, smiling.
"That's more like it."
"Teacher Zephyr."
Gern gasped upright, grinning.
"Your warm-up's over, right?"
He slammed his fists together.
Shockwaves spread like tidal rings.
"Heavenly Quake · Star Ring!"
"HAHAHA!"
Zephyr laughed, forced back, then charged again—black lightning tearing through the wave.
"Final exchange!!"
"Gladly!!"
Gern roared, drawing his fists back.
Quake particles condensed wildly.
Space cracked and collapsed.
"Heavenly Quake · Star Piercer!!"
DOOOOM!!
Blinding white rupture consumed everything.
The crowd stood frozen.
Even Kuzan had straightened up, eyes burning.
When the light faded—
A hundred-meter crater remained.
Zephyr stood tall.
Gern knelt on one knee, right arm trembling.
"Heavenly Quake · Point-Blank Burst!"
Gern clasped his hands and fired at zero distance.
Zephyr crossed his arms and took it head-on.
The ground collapsed—but he didn't move.
"Good power. Poor accuracy."
Zephyr nodded.
"And your stamina's gone. That's normal."
He suddenly shifted—
Uppercut!
Gern barely tilted his head—
A left punch was already waiting in his gut.
"Ghh—!"
Gern flew again.
"Secondly—Observation Haki," Zephyr said calmly.
"Reading your moves is easier than predicting the weather."
"…Didn't know you could predict weather."
Gern wheezed on the ground.
"Stand up."
Gern pushed himself up—and laughed.
"You know my biggest strength, Teacher?"
"…Hmm?"
"I'm ridiculously tough!"
He slammed both palms down.
The entire field shook violently.
People stumbled.
"Earthquake?!"
"No—it's him!"
The ground split—but Zephyr leapt lightly.
In that instant—
Gern was already there.
A quake-formed dog-shaped strike smashed forward.
"Heavenly Quake · White Hound!"
BANG!
Zephyr caught the punch one-handed.
They froze midair.
"Interesting," Zephyr smiled.
"I see a lot of people in your techniques."
"Of course—and—"
Gern grinned.
"The interesting part's next!"
The fist vibrated violently.
Zephyr's expression changed.
Too late.
The vibration transmitted through contact.
CRACK.
Zephyr's sunglasses fractured.
The crowd exploded.
"He hit Teacher Zephyr!"
"He made Black Arm step back!"
Zephyr landed, looked at his arm, then burst out laughing.
"Good! Very good!"
Gern landed too—completely exhausted.
"That strike nearly emptied me," he thought.
"But it worked."
"I underestimated you," Zephyr said, removing the broken glasses, eyes razor-sharp.
"Now—this next one. Be ready."
An overwhelming pressure descended.
Even Garp stiffened.
"Zephyr's presence completely changed."
The ground shattered under released Haki.
Zephyr appeared instantly before Gern—black fist filling his vision.
"Wait, Teacher—I su—"
"Black Arm · Impact!"
Time stopped.
The punch halted less than an inch from Gern's nose, wind slicing his cheeks.
"…Surrender?" Zephyr raised a brow.
"I lose."
Gern swallowed, completely honest.
If that punch landed, he'd be bedridden half a year.
Zephyr withdrew his fist, patted Gern's shoulder, and pulled him up.
"Good performance. At your age, you're already better than some."
He glanced pointedly at Kuzan.
"He really is a man like a natural disaster," Kuzan said casually.
Zephyr turned to the silent crowd and roared:
"Did you all see that?!
THIS is how the New World fights!!"
Two seconds of silence—
Then thunderous cheers erupted.
Gern's ears rang.
His vision darkened.
His legs felt like lead.
Zephyr's hand on his shoulder was the only thing keeping him upright.
"…You okay, kid?" Zephyr asked.
"I'm… fine…"
Gern tried to boast—but his voice drifted.
Sunlight fractured into colors.
Kuzan's approaching figure blurred.
"…Was that… delayed damage…"
Gern's pupils dilated as he collapsed.
Zephyr caught him instantly.
"Medical team!!"
Kuzan flashed to the other side, hand on Gern's burning forehead—frost forming instantly.
"He's fine. Extreme exhaustion."
He tore open the ruined training shirt—
Revealing a chest webbed with deep bruises.
Zephyr stared at the marks he'd left, brows knotted tight.
"…Damn it."
"Already at his limit—and he still forced that last hit…"