Fists as black as night collided, and the raw force and shockwave instantly ravaged the air around them.
The chaotic impact exploded outward like cyclones, tearing in all directions!
The shockwave from Kong's punch crushed Klein's power head-on, sending him flying in an instant.
Klein's body spun 360 degrees mid-air, flew back over a hundred meters, and yet landed smoothly on his feet.
A mere shockwave? That's it?
Klein wore a calm, breezy expression, casually acting cool.
Well, not everyone has the innate talents of Diamond Skeleton and Adamant Body, right?
Normal attacks? Hurting him?
He was a hexagonal warrior, after all!
He was a man who had spent nearly a billion Berries on microtransactions!
A longer HP bar? A thicker one? How is that a problem!?
This sight made Kong's expression tighten. "This guy… wasn't affected by the shockwave at all?"
"And he's still perfectly in control of his body… Klein, just what else are you hiding in that physique of yours?"
The more they fought, the more uneasy Kong felt. This underclassman, just one year into enrollment, was far stronger than most pirates he'd fought at sea.
He might not have that honed killing aura that came from true bloodshed, but this guy's combat experience—
Seeing Klein get launched, a bunch of cadets and spectators suddenly roared in excitement:
"Don't give him a chance, Kong! Finish him off now!!"
Kong of course knew this was a great opportunity. Just as he was about to move—
Klein shouted:"Blade—come!!"
Zephyr, who had been holding the sword, immediately hurled the blade hard toward Klein.
The long blade spun in mid-air, glinting coldly. Klein reached out with his right hand, snatching the handle cleanly from the air.
"Kong," he grinned, "I dabble in swordsmanship."
"TUI!" Instructor Carter spat, and quickly shouted to Kong:"Don't fall for it! Klein's a swordsman who can cut steel!"
Kong leapt, body parallel to the ground like a hawk skimming the earth, charging in at lightning speed.
He raised a black fist the size of a sandbag.
"Steel Rampage Fist!"
A steel-cutting swordsman?
He'd fought plenty on the seas. None had ever been a match for his steel fists.
As Kong closed the gap, Klein's entire aura suddenly shifted—like a sheathed blade being drawn, unleashing a chilling sharpness that made the air tremble!
From the day I pay-to-win'd this game, I knew I'd stand atop the way of the sword—number one among pirates!
The world's strongest swordsman—me, and no one else!
Who else could it be!?
He swung the sword forward in a clean slash.
The sound of the sword rang clear and sharp.
The air before Klein rippled—distorting under the might of that one strike.
In the blink of an eye—
A flying slash of aqua-blue erupted from his blade, spanning dozens of meters like a massive energy cannon, roaring straight toward Kong!
"???" Kong's expression contorted, pupils shrank violently—like a broken compass spinning out of control.
"Are you kidding me!? You call this just 'dabbling in swordsmanship'??"
"You bastard, you've got no shame at all!!"
In the next instant, his black steel fist collided with the flying slash. The terrifying sharpness radiating from it felt like it could slice through anything!
Hovering in midair, Kong had nowhere to brace himself. The slash forced him backward by sheer brute force.
"A casual swing… with power ? His swordsmanship—"
"A Great Swordsman??"
"Just how deeply has this guy been hiding his strength?!"
Shock rippled through Kong's heart like a tsunami. The blue gleam of the slash reflected off his twisted expression.
Gritting his teeth, he poured every ounce of strength he had into resisting the flying slash before him.
Everyone watching dropped their jaws.
One by one, the spectators' eyes bulged from their sockets like rubber bands being yanked, stretched to the limit with wild elasticity.
"No way!? A flying slash that huge!?"
"That was just a casual swing, and the attack was that crazy? If Klein gets serious, I don't even want to imagine…"
"Dude, Klein's a total monster—he's not even human!!"
"That slash… that was just a basic swing!? That kind of power and range is insane!!"
"Klein's swordsmanship—has he already reached the level of a Great Swordsman?? He's not even graduated yet!!"
"Are there any Marines with better swordsmanship than Klein??"
"We're cadets too! Why is he built , a literal goddamn prodigy!?"
One slash.And the entire arena exploded.
Shouts, gasps, and sheer disbelief burst from all corners. If this were his past life—
"Holy shit! Holy shit! HOLY SHIT!"
The whole audience would've been on their feet!!
"Wait… is this really how far my brother's swordsmanship has come?" Garp's entire worldview was being shattered in real time.
Are you even my brother!?
You feel like a total stranger!!
Sengoku felt his molars grinding together. "The gap… it's just too damn big. It's… soul-crushing!!"
"How the hell did he get this strong? What is this monster!?"
He had once dreamed of redeeming himself in front of Klein…
Now it just looked like he'd get destroyed and toyed with.
Swordsmanship. Hand-to-hand. He was too damn well-rounded.Was there even any point in living anymore!?
Zephyr's face was flushed with excitement, trembling all over."Bro! You're insane! He promised me… he promised he'd make me part of his unit one day!!"
"He said… he said I'd become a hero!"
He's that strong, and I'm this weak… and yet he still looks after me, still cares about me…
From now on, anyone who dares talk trash about Bro—Zephyr won't let them off easy!!
Sure, he used to grumble about Klein making him sell tickets, snacks, and rake in money...
"It was all on purpose! He was training me! I won't let Bro's kindness go to waste. I'll become a hero, no matter what!"
Zephyr's eyes burned with purpose. In that moment, he felt Klein glowing with a mysterious golden light, shining like a guiding star.
"The hell!? Is this even the same Klein I know!?" Instructor Carter nearly bit off his own tongue from shock.
This was clearly his own student—Klein. And yet…
That basic vertical swing? Even he could do that.
But to unleash such a devastating flying slash with that motion?
Even he couldn't ignore that kind of power.
Carter's eyes bulged, blood vessels popping.
"You bastard—Klein, you damn bastard! You were hiding this from me! You scammed me out of so much money!!"
"A simple downward slash with that much destructive force? And you told us you only 'dabble in swordsmanship'!? You think we're blind!?"
Regret flooded his heart. Both fists clenched, palms sweaty. His entire face tense.
His heart practically leapt into his throat.
"Kong, dammit—you're a Vice Admiral in the Marine Headquarters! You better not lose!!"
Rampaging Bear's face darkened (though his skin was already dark to begin with)."Crap! I bet two hundred million Berries on Kong! But now he's getting pushed back, and that kind of slash—"
"If that was just a casual swing, then if Klein gets serious, wouldn't that mean… Kong has no hope of winning!?" Follow current novels on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
Marshal Oharden glanced at the panicking Rampaging Bear and Carter—both squirming like ants on a hot plate.
He shook his head and muttered inwardly:
"Gambling addicts never end well."
"I'm just a plain ol' pervert."