After a grueling round of physical training, Ace and Luffy collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat.
However, Ron still looked perfectly fine.
Garp thought for a moment, then walked over.
"Ron, how about sparring with me for a bit?"
"Huh?" Ace and Luffy were both taken aback by the suggestion.
"Grandpa wants to spar with Ron?"
"Sure!" Ron agreed without hesitation.
Right now, he desperately needed a powerful opponent—someone who could push him to fully unleash his strength.
Ace and Luffy moved aside, their eyes fixed on the arena, watching the two figures, one large and one small.
"Gramps vs. Ron..." Ace swallowed hard. To him, these two were the strongest people he knew.
"Ron, go for it! Beat up that old man!" Luffy shouted into the arena.
"Luffy! Don't call me an old man!" Garp roared back at him.
On the other side, Ron closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Sun Breathing, Total Concentration!"
With his mastery of Sun Breathing reaching 46%, Ron could now fully utilize its technique.
The immense, fiery energy within his body began to boil, his hair fluttering without wind, and an invisible pressure rose from his body.
He intended to use this test to go all out and see just how strong he had become.
"Oh?" Garp couldn't help but be surprised, his heart shaken. "This kid has such control over his energy?"
In an instant, Ron stepped forward, disappearing from Ace and Luffy's sight.
"Vanished?!" they exclaimed, eyes wide.
The next moment, Ron appeared in front of Garp, sending a powerful whip kick toward his neck.
Garp raised his arm to block the attack.
A violent shockwave spread outward, knocking the seated Luffy off his feet and sending him rolling backward.
"This speed, and the strength..." Garp was shocked as he blocked the blow.
But before he could think any further, Ron, still mid-air, twisted his body and delivered a fierce knee strike toward Garp's face.
"And this no-nonsense, ruthless fighting style..."
Garp jumped back, dodging the strike, which left a small crater in the ground where he had just stood.
The average adult's Vitality was around 30 points.
Ron's current Vitality had reached 414 points.
With such immense strength packed into a small fist, his attacks were truly terrifying.
Under the full power of his Sun Breathing technique, facing an opponent as formidable as Garp, Ron completely entered combat mode, unleashing his power without restraint.
His speed reached its peak as he launched a barrage of relentless attacks at Garp.
Ace and Luffy could only see faint afterimages around Garp as each resounding impact sent violent shockwaves sweeping through the area.
Ron had never felt so invigorated.
The overwhelming power he had accumulated within him seemed to cheer in excitement.
The permanent buff [Essence of Ten Thousand Tempering] activated, making Ron fight even more fiercely.
His speed increased, his strength grew heavier.
Finally, a punch landed on Garp's face, making him stagger.
Then, a downward axe kick smashed onto Garp's head.
Garp's feet sank deeper into the ground, cracks spreading outward.
Despite taking Ron's full-force attacks twice in a row, Garp remained standing firm.
"Good job, kid!" Garp laughed heartily, throwing a punch at Ron.
Ron met him with his own fist.
The two vastly different-sized fists collided.
A wave of force, far stronger than before, blew through the area, sending Ace and Luffy tumbling.
Ron was sent flying from the impact.
Mid-air, he adjusted his posture and landed, leaving a long skid mark on the ground as he came to rest beside his sheathed Raikiri.
He stood up, grabbing the hilt of Raikiri.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
A golden lightning bolt cut through the clearing with a crack of thunder.
"Haha, bring it on!" Garp roared with laughter, punching forward.
The entire clearing trembled.
Dust and grass flew into the air.
Ace and Luffy, watching from a distance under a tree, were utterly dumbfounded.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
"Moon Breathing, Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing!"
"Sun Breathing, Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"
As Ron wielded Raikiri, he displayed swordsmanship infused with various breathing techniques.
Each slash was powerful and unpredictable, mercilessly striking toward Garp!
Garp, using only his iron fists, blocked each strike, enduring the barrage without even using Armament Haki, relying solely on the Marine's 'Tekkai' technique.
To Ron, facing Garp was like standing before an insurmountable mountain, one he could only look up to.
After a punch from Garp landed on Raikiri, the force traveled through the blade, causing Ron's arms to tremble uncontrollably.
"His energy value... must be at least ten times mine!" Ron thought as he endured the blow.
Garp, too, was growing more astonished with each exchange.
"Such immense energy and an incredible physique!"
"Just using basic physical techniques, this kid can generate such power..."
"And his swordsmanship—it's at an astounding level! Not to mention that blade of his is something special."
"This kid... is really only 10 years old?"
"No... It seems like he's still getting stronger."
"Sun Breathing, Third Form: Raging Sun!"
Ron unleashed his strongest slash.
A deep crimson arc cut through the air, slashing toward Garp.
"Beautiful slash!" Garp praised, countering with an upward punch that deflected the attack into the sky.
He then looked at Ron, who stood with Raikiri in hand, arms trembling, face pale, and panting heavily.
"Is that your current limit?" Garp asked with a laugh.
Ron nodded, a complex expression on his face.
He was still far from being a match for this legendary naval hero.
"Alright, let's call it a day," Garp said, stepping forward.
The ground around them was a complete mess, wrecked from their battle.
Garp crouched down, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder, causing him to almost collapse from the weight of the gesture.
Garp looked at him seriously and said:
"Ron, come and join the Marines. I'll teach you everything I know. I promise you, you'll become the strongest Marine in history!"
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