At the bow of the ship where Newgate and Zephyr were fighting, no Marine dared to approach.
With them being just a group of new recruits, the mere shockwave from one of Newgate’s punches could easily send them flying into the sea.
“gurararara, Zephyr, have you gotten old?
Your punches have gone soft.” Newgate laughed as he wielded Murakumogiri, its blade coated in jet-black Armament Haki.
He parried Zephyr’s fist with ease, then seized the opening to unleash a counterattack.
His left fist, wrapped with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, struck heavily against Zephyr’s ribs.
It had to be said Zephyr was incredibly powerful even among top Marines.
His Armament Haki was refined and formidable.
Even after taking such a blow head-on, he only grunted in pain, still having enough strength to retaliate.
“Whitebeard… once I send you to Impel Down, let’s see if you can still laugh like that.” Zephyr endured the pain, swallowing the metallic taste rising in his throat, refusing to show weakness.
“gurararara, you’re dreaming if you think you can capture me!
I am Whitebeard!” Black and red lightning crackled faintly along Murakumogiri’s blade clear signs of Haoshoku Haki being infused into his attacks.
Newgate had begun to get serious.
Zephyr’s expression darkened.
His Armament Haki surged to its peak, flowing outward in a refined state the advanced application of Haki known as internal destruction.
The two unleashed their attacks simultaneously.
Boom!
The clash tore through the air.
Large portions of the deck shattered instantly, splintering apart under the overwhelming force.
Even nearby structures crumbled from the aftershocks.
Only the sturdiness of a Marine warship prevented total destruction.
A thin line of blood slid down from the corner of Zephyr’s mouth.
In this exchange, he had fallen slightly behind.
Meanwhile, at the stern of the ship
Shaq moved like a phantom through the Marine recruits, cutting them down one by one with swift precision.
However, he showed restraint.
There was no deep hatred between them only opposing sides.
Though the fallen Marines appeared severely injured, none were in mortal danger.
Just as he prepared to move again, the remaining soldiers suddenly collapsed unconscious overwhelmed by a faint wave of Conqueror’s Haki leaking from Newgate’s clash.
Seeing no more enemies standing, Shaq relaxed slightly and moved to sheath his blade but suddenly a figure burst from the shattered remains of the cabin, lunging toward Shaq’s back with a clawed hand aimed straight for his head.
In that instant, a chilling sense of danger surged through Shaq’s body.
Death.
It felt as though death itself had wrapped around him.
Just as the attack was about to land
Something inside his mind snapped.
A barrier shattered.
His perception exploded outward.
He could “see” everything the air, the intent, the movement behind him with absolute clarity.
At that moment of life and death
His Observation Haki awakened.
Shaq reacted instinctively, rolling forward in an awkward but effective dodge.
He sprang up, gripping his sword with both hands, eyes locked on his attacker.
It was Monkey D.
Dragon.
The young Marine had barely avoided the aftermath of the earlier clash and seized this opportunity to strike.
“Dragon?” Shaq blurted out instinctively.
Dragon paused, clearly surprised.
“You… know me?”
Shaq grinned.
“No.
Just a guess.”
Without hesitation, he charged forward.
Flower Fish cut downward in a powerful diagonal slash.
Dragon, still young and lacking Armament Haki, dared not take the attack head-on.
He dodged quickly to the side.
But for Shaq, whose Observation Haki had just awakened
Dragon’s movements were completely visible.
The descending slash instantly shifted into a horizontal cut.
Slash!
Dragon failed to evade in time.
A long wound tore across his chest, blood spraying outward.
Clutching his injury, Dragon retreated, his expression turning grave.
This opponent who looked even younger than him was far more dangerous than expected.
Shaq pressed his advantage immediately.
With stamina and life force constantly replenished through his Devil Fruit ability, he maintained peak condition.
His attacks came one after another, relentless.
Dragon could only defend.
Cuts of varying depth spread across his body.
Blood soaked his clothes.
His breathing became ragged.
Worse still, his stamina was being steadily drained.
Finally
Bang!
After taking a direct hit, Dragon was sent flying backward.
Shaq stood firm, almost untouched, his strength undiminished.
He raised Flower Fish, determined to end the fight.
If not for the awakening of Observation Haki, the battle would have been evenly matched.
Dragon might even have held the advantage.
But now everything had reversed.
This was the power of Haki.
“Only Haki transcends all” was no empty statement.
“One Sword Style: Whale Flowing Flower!”
The blade descended.
Dragon, exhausted and unable to move, closed his eyes.
“So this is it…”
A flash of cold light passed.
But no pain came.
Dragon opened his eyes
Only to see a fist rapidly enlarging in his vision.
“My name is Shaq.
I look forward to our next fight.”
Bang!
Darkness swallowed him as he was knocked unconscious.
Shaq had no intention of killing Dragon.
This was the son of Garp and in the future, a man who would stand against the World Government.
Whether ally or not, such a figure deserved respect.
Lifting the unconscious Dragon, Shaq walked toward Newgate and Zephyr, who were still locked in battle.
Placing his blade lightly at Dragon’s neck, he shouted:
“Stop, Zephyr!
I think I’ve caught someone important.”
Both fighters immediately disengaged and stepped back.
Zephyr’s eyes darkened as he saw Dragon.
Though anger surged within him, his expression remained calm.
“Kid… you think capturing a mere Marine is enough to threaten me?”
Newgate glanced at Shaq, puzzled but silent.
Shaq laughed.
“A Marine’s rank might not matter… but what about the son of Garp?”
Zephyr’s fists tightened.
Then slowly he exhaled.
“…Let him go.
You leave.
Sengoku is already on his way.
If you don’t go now, you won’t escape.”
“gurararara!
Well done, Shaq!” Newgate roared with laughter.
Shaq grinned, then tossed Dragon toward Zephyr without hesitation.
He trusted Zephyr’s character.
Unlike certain extremists in the Marines, Zephyr would not break his word.
Catching Dragon, Zephyr said nothing further.
He did not move to stop them.
Newgate and Shaq regrouped
Then turned and left the battlefield without looking back.