"Don't let those pirate words beat you down! You're Bogard's comrade — you're Bogard!"
Dragon hadn't expected Bogard to be locked in such a fight with Sharn. In swordsmanship and Haki, Bogard now handled Kaido-level exchanges with ease. Sharn also had a Zoan (Mythical) fruit, but his Haki and raw martial skill weren't on Kaido's level — how could he possibly take advantage against Bogard?
And yet, at the end of that duel Sharn broke through to a higher level of Haki. Even wounded, still seeking greater strength, Sharn pressed on while Bogard hesitated. Dragon could not stand it — he had to act.
Marines surged forward. Dragon hardened both arms with Armament Haki; an invisible mantle of Haki wrapped his body. In this state his hands were primary attackers while his body remained superbly defended. Bullets and lead flew — Dragon was fearless. As a martial artist trained under Zephyr, his Rokushiki and physical control were near-flawless.
"Kaido!" "Zephyr!" Kaido and Zephyr's names hang in the background — both titans. But Dragon's discipline and lineage marked him: his body now became a weapon. Where sword art relies on the willingness to die, close-combat masters must max out speed, strength, and bodily coordination. Rokushiki refines those points; Dragon, taught by Zephyr and Garp, had mastered them.
Dragon's attacks blurred; a gust of heat rose around him. He used Soru/"Tess" (剃) to disappear and reappear, delivering flying kicks augmented by Lankoku (岚脚) and Armament. Boom — Sharn, newly hardened but raw, blocked with both forearms. "Lucky — my upgrade came with an upgrade pack," Sharn joked — nothing better than a fight to grow stronger. As Rayleigh said: awakening and mastering Haki is possible for anyone, but true advancement to higher Haki comes only through repeated, deadly clashes.
Dragon kept attacking; his eyes were blood-bright. Each kick carried both Lankoku and Iron Body (铁块) technique, with Moon-walking steps (月步) and Soru to strike from sudden angles — sometimes appearing at Sharn's flank or rear. That's the difference between body-tech masters and swordmasters: swordmasters refine the death-willing heart and focused cut; body-tech masters must make their whole body a weapon.
Dragon's final sweeping kick connected. Sharn used Soru and other Rokushiki to counter; his style was lightning, Dragon's was a gale. White vapor continued to rise from Sharn — Buckin's stimulant was fading. "Facing a high-mobility foe you need Observation Haki," Sharn said: his perception still leaned on sight and hearing, but Dragon's speed outpaced him. If he stayed reactive, he'd be outplayed.
They slammed fists. Kicks alone wouldn't fell Sharn's hide; Dragon switched to his signature move: "Dragon-Claw Fist!" Both hands formed claw shapes; Haki glowed dark green. This was the fair-justice Dragon believed in — different from Garp's feral justice, Dragon's was measured, rule-driven.
Sharn, a dragon-formed beastman himself, hardened both hands with Armament. White vapor surged; once Buckin's drug expires, pain and accumulated damage would flood back. "I'm the real Dragon-Claw Fist!" Sharn laughed despite pain. Dragon didn't debate truth — only outcome. The wind would be witness.
"I prefer lightning!" Sharn hissed, dashing in; claws struck with electric fury. Wind and thunder answered; Marines watched two youths tear at each other, every blow a test for a future era.
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