"I, Jinbe, have no reason to fear you anymore!"
Though he thought those words with conviction, the moment Jinbe locked eyes with Rowan, he still felt an inexplicable, crushing pressure radiating from the old man.
This pressure became almost suffocating when he saw the shift in Rowan's expression. However, fear was a luxury he couldn't afford. He was the Captain of the Sun Pirates, the only Fish-man among the Seven Warlords. He was... Jinbe!
Watching Jinbe drop into his Fish-Man Karate stance, Rowan finally tucked away his tobacco pipe. He met Jinbe's gaze squarely and spoke in a level voice, "In that case, make your move."
Since his system had activated, Rowan had yet to engage in a serious battle. After utilizing the Constitution Strengthening Serum and maxing out the foundational branches of his Three-Color Haki, the system's evaluation of his Physical Arts Level had reached a perfect 10.
His Swordsmanship remained at a dismal 2, but he didn't care. He was confident that in terms of pure physical combat, he was currently brushing against the ceiling of the Admiral level. He just needed a proper live test to calibrate his newfound power.
Jinbe was the perfect sparring partner to shake off the cobwebs and see exactly where he stood.
At Rowan's signal, Nojiko had already assisted the weakened Luffy and the group of Cocoyasi villagers to retreat into the distance. These civilians were at the bottom of the food chain; even a stray shockwave from a clash between Rowan and a Warlord would be enough to tear their bodies apart.
Behind Jinbe, Hatchan moved closer to the pale-faced Arlong, his long mouth twitching with worry. "Arlong-san... can Jinbe-san really beat that old man?"
Arlong shook his head, his eyes glued to Rowan. "I don't know. We have to believe in Jinbe. That old guy is a Marine, but no matter how strong he is, he can't possibly be at the level of a Navy Admiral... right?"
As Fish-men, their senses were far more acute than humans. The moment the playful ease vanished from Rowan's face, a heavy, invisible weight had settled over the entire estate. It made it difficult to even draw breath.
Unbidden, a memory from decades ago flashed through Arlong's mind: the sight of himself being pinned to the ground by Kizaru, who was a Vice Admiral at the time. The pressure felt identical. The same feeling of absolute powerlessness. The only difference was that today, he hadn't been stepped on yet.
"Mr. Rowan, watch out!"
Without further pleasantries, Jinbe let out a low roar. His massive frame launched into the air, moving at a speed that rivaled the Marine Soru.
"Fish-Man Karate: Shark Skin Palm Thrust!"
By utilizing the explosive leg power unique to his race, Jinbe achieved the same instantaneous acceleration as a Rokushiki master.
"Fish-Man Karate: 7,000-Tile Roundhouse Kick!"
Despite his bulk, Jinbe's movements were incredibly fluid. His short leg cut through the air, creating a sonic boom as it whistled toward Rowan's head with lethal intent. This strike was far more devastating than anything he had used against Luffy.
As a Grandmaster of Fish-Man Karate, Jinbe's physical arts were second only to the true "monsters" of the sea like Kaido or Whitebeard. A week ago, before his system awakened, Rowan wouldn't have been able to tank this hit even in his prime.
But now?
Rokushiki: Tekkai!
Rowan growled inwardly. He simply raised his forearm and stood his ground, unmoving.
CLANG!
A deafening sound of metal striking metal rang out. The ground beneath Rowan's feet shattered instantly, cracks spider-webbing across the courtyard. Arlong Park groaned under the tremor. The force was so immense that even the coastal waters hundreds of meters away rippled, sending waves surging outward as if pushed by a gale.
"This... how is this possible?!"
Arlong and Hatchan stood frozen. Arlong, in particular, was horrified. He knew exactly how much weight Jinbe put into his kicks. A "7,000-Tile" strike was enough to knock a hundred-million-Berri pirate unconscious or level a small hill.
Yet Rowan had just stood there. He hadn't dodged. He hadn't even used Haki. He had simply... taken it.
"Tekkai?!"
Seeing his attack fail to budge the old man, Jinbe kicked off and quickly created distance. While his face remained stoic, his heart was racing. Before becoming a Warlord, he had fought many Vice Admirals who were masters of the Six Powers. He recognized the move instantly.
But he had never seen anyone use Tekkai like this. To high-level fighters, Tekkai was usually just a supplementary defensive tool. But in Rowan's hands, it felt like "The Immovable Mountain."
"Power is decent. Speed? A bit sloppy," Rowan said calmly.
"Decades have passed, and this is all the growth you have to show? You didn't even use Haki—do you look down on this old man that much?"
Rowan's words hit Jinbe like a depth charge. Still mid-retreat, Jinbe's expression changed. He twisted his stout body in mid-air, dropping into a defensive posture while using another burst of speed to move away.
Jinbe was fast, but Rowan was faster.
With a single Soru, Rowan appeared in the air directly above Jinbe. He kept his hands behind his back, looking down at the retreating Fish-man with a light smile. "Your roundhouse kick was good. Now, it's time you experience mine."
"Rankyaku: Burst Flash!"
Rowan delivered a simple, explosive kick. A vacuum-blade of compressed air shrieked toward Jinbe. The speed was so extreme that it was preceded by a terrifying sonic crack.
Terrified, Jinbe threw his pride aside. He instantly coated both arms in jet-black Armament Haki and crossed them in front of his face.
BOOM!
With a thunderous explosion, Jinbe's round body was sent careening away like a massive blue cannonball. He traced a long arc through the sky before smashing into the luxury villa at the heart of the estate.
The impact reduced more than half of the building to a pile of rubble and sent a massive cloud of dust billowing into the air.
"Ah... I..."
Inside the park, every Fish-man stood paralyzed. They stared at Rowan, who had landed gracefully on the ground. No one could find their voice.
How could human physical arts be this powerful? That single kick had just shattered their entire worldview.
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