Zephyr barked, "On this cruel sea, having the heart to protect your comrades isn't enough! You must have sufficient strength! Can you truly protect everything you want to protect in front of the strong?"
"Then let's find out!"
Luffy didn't retreat. Instead, he provoked him with his words. "Old man, from the look of your age, you should be retired, drinking tea and basking in the sun at home just like my grandpa. With those old bones of yours, don't strain your back by using too much force!"
He had directly confronted an active Admiral, Aokiji, head-on. Was he afraid of a former Admiral who was about to retire?
No way!
If he couldn't even win this fight, how could he talk about rescuing Ace, let about becoming the Pirate King?
He was just a retired former Admiral.
"Retired? Hmph! This old man is still an active Marine fighting on the front lines against pirates! I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Marine Ranger Corps!"
Zephyr's anger was ignited by Luffy's words. His other good left hand suddenly clenched into a fist. Pitch-black Busoshoku Haki wrapped around it instantly like a tide. With a crushing aura that could shatter anything, he threw a heavy punch straight at Luffy's face. "Show some respect, you ignorant brat!"
CRACK!
Another fist, also covered in pitch-black Busoshoku Haki, collided fiercely with Zephyr's weather-beaten yet still ferociously powerful iron fist!
The two fists were vastly different in size, but at the moment of impact, they produced a roar like that of a steel behemoth. A violent shockwave spread outward from the point of impact, shaking the deck beneath their feet and creating more spiderweb-like cracks.
"Hm? Such strong Haki?!"
Zephyr was visibly stunned for a moment.
The hardness and concentration of the Busoshoku Haki on Luffy's fist were completely beyond his expectations for a pirate of this age.
It was as if it had been forged through decades of hard work.
How did Garp raise this kid?
Taking advantage of Zephyr's momentary surprise, Luffy let out a low growl:
"Gear Second·PLUS!"
HUM!
The skin all over his body instantly changed. Unlike ordinary Gear Second, red skin quickly became marked with circuit-board-like blue-black Haki patterns. His entire aura soared again. His speed became so fast that he left afterimages in place. One leg, like a red lightning bolt, kicked directly at Zephyr's temple!
"You're fast too, brat!"
Though surprised, Zephyr did not panic. His combat experience was extremely rich.
He suddenly exerted force with his arm, relying on greater absolute strength to forcibly push back the fist that had collided with his. The violent momentum sent Luffy stumbling backward, naturally removing his foot from the mechanical arm as well.
"Fun Sa Gatling!"(Crushing Gatling)
The moment Luffy retreated, Zephyr raised his mechanical arm. Multiple gun barrels hidden in the arm instantly deployed, aimed at Luffy, and sprayed out a storm of dense rain of bullets.
DADADADADA!
A large number of rapid bullets covered Luffy's entire body. Against this kind of area attack, ordinary people would have nowhere to hide.
However, facing this metal storm, Luffy just grinned and did not dodge or avoid.
"Old man, your intelligence work is too shallow. I'm a rubber man!"
THUD THUD!
The bullets hit his rubberized body like raindrops, but they couldn't penetrate. Instead, they were bounced off as if hitting highly elastic rubber, even reflecting back in all directions!
"Hmph!"
Zephyr let out a cold snort. He swung his huge mechanical arm like a shield, blocking and deflecting the ricocheting stray bullet, producing a crisp clink clink sound.
He had indeed momentarily forgotten that this brat's Devil Fruit ability was rubber.
However, to have developed the rubber fruit to this extent—to be able to so easily deflect the kinetic energy of bullets—this kid's use of his fruit ability was also at a monster level.
And what was this so-called Gear Second state? Was it really just a Paramecia?
It looked more like some kind of Zoan-like awakening transformation.
Just as Zephyr was blocking the stray bullet, Luffy found an opportunity. He pushed off the deck with his foot and launched himself like a cannonball, his arms instantly turning into countless afterimages:
"Gomu Gomu Plus: Gatling Gun!"
Countless fists covered in Busoshoku Haki, like a raging storm, like simultaneous cannon fire, poured down on Zephyr.
Each punch contained enough terrifying power to crush giant boulders!
"Tekkai: Hagane!"
Facing this unavoidable rain of fists, Zephyr did not retreat but instead advanced. He crossed his arms in front of his body, planted his feet firmly on the deck as if rooted, and tensed every muscle in his body, using the ultimate defense technique of the Six Styles: Tekkai.
THUD THUD THUD!
Heavy fists like pile drivers rained down on Zephyr's crossed arms and chest, producing dull thuds.
His formidable defense actually managed to block Luffy's furious punches completely!
However, Zephyr's expression changed slightly as he endured the attack.
In terms of the practice and understanding of Tekkai, he was confident that
no one in the Navy could surpass him.
But even so, the heavy force of each of Luffy's punches made his arms feel numb and his blood and energy slightly surge.
He was certain that if it had been another Vice Admiral—or even some Admirals who relied on their fruit abilities—and they had tried to take Luffy's attack head-on with their bodies, they would probably have been knocked unconscious by the terrifying power in an instant!
That was why Zephyr had reinforced his Tekkai with Busoshoku Haki on top of it!
"Fun Sa Funsha!"(Crushing Blast)
After enduring dozens of punches, Zephyr caught a tiny gap in Luffy's offensive transition. He suddenly adjusted the angle of his mechanical arm. At its front muzzle, a dazzling energy condensed instantly.
BOOM!
This time, it was no longer bullets, but a more powerful energy cannon blast.
A thick beam of light shot straight at Luffy, who was still in mid-air.
"Old man, you've got quite a variety of attacks."
Though Luffy was in mid-air, he used the flexibility of his rubber body and his strong core strength to twist his form, as if he had no bones, and dodged along the edge of the energy blast. At the same time, using the momentum of the twist, he instantly flashed to Zephyr's blind spot on the side.
"Gomu Gomu Plus: Pistol!"
His arm suddenly contracted, then shot out like a sniper rifle bullet, aiming straight for Zephyr's ribs.
"Likewise. Your abilities are troublesome enough!"
Zephyr reacted extremely quickly. Almost the moment Luffy disappeared, he responded based on his combat instincts.
He twisted his waist, and the heavy mechanical arm, with a whoosh of wind like a giant battering ram, swung horizontally toward Luffy with agility that belied its size.
CRACK!!
Luffy's bullet punch and Zephyr's mechanical arm swing landed on their targets almost simultaneously!
Luffy was struck in the side by the tremendous force of the robotic arm. He let out a grunt and flew backward, flipping in the air before barely landing.
***
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