Buddha's Wrath Fire Lotus

Marineford Elite Training Ground

Under the scorching sun, the Marine Headquarters' most renowned Training Ground was bustling with activity today.

The area outside the fence was already crowded with cadets and officers from Marine Headquarters who had come to watch the battle, and even the surrounding buildings and sentry posts were filled with naval officers in uniform.

"Hey, I heard that Ace is only 12 years old? A monster kid with explosive talent!"

"Logia Devil Fruit Devil Fruit User, the grandson of Vice Admiral Garp, and the younger brother of Rear Admiral Roy —a monster family!"

"You think someone as ordinary as you can defeat Fish-Man Pirates with a 20 million bounty at the age of twelve?"

The surrounding area was noisy and the atmosphere was as intense as the eve of a volcanic eruption.

In the center of the arena, Ace's flames danced at his fingertips, a confident smile playing on his lips, "Zephyr- sensei, really? You're letting me fight freely? I've learned so many new moves!"

Zephyr crossed his arms, his gaze behind his sunglasses sharp as a knife. "Kid, being too confident will only lead to trouble!"

He beckoned with his finger, "Come on!"

"Fire Ring· Fire Pillar!"

Ace stretched out his arms, and the flames in his palms spiraled upwards, bursting into a high-temperature Fire Pillar ten meters high in the air, causing the air to vibrate and buzz!

Flames roared into the sky, and waves of heat rolled in!

"Wow--!" the onlookers couldn't help but exclaim.

Zephyr snorted coldly, and his right fist swung out like a mountain, his black Armament Haki solidifying like magma.

"Boom!!"

The fist slammed into the center of the Fire Pillar, and in an instant it was as if two extreme forces collided head-on. The flames exploded with a roar, and the heat wave swept in all directions!

"Your temperature isn't even enough to ignite a navy cooking stove!"

With a Flash, Zephyr vanished into the dust!

"Logia isn't for you to use for setting off fireworks!"

Ace's eyes narrowed slightly, he shifted his feet, and his hands moved swiftly, compressing the flames.

"Explosive Blaze!"

A fireball the size of a thumb spun rapidly in his palm, its temperature soaring to thousands of degrees, scorching the surrounding floor in advance!

The fireball shot out like a laser beam and landed instantly.

"Boom!!"

The entire Training Ground floor erupted like a volcanic eruption, sending up a hemispherical Shockwave of flames that shot up to a height of ten meters!

The onlookers were buffeted by the strong wind, and even many Headquarters Vice Admiral frowned.

"This firepower... that's not something a 12-year-old could pull off!"

"He actually has such a good grasp of the compression and explosion of flames?!"

As the flames subsided, Zephyr stepped out.

There wasn't a single burn mark on his arms, which were covered in black armor. A smile subtly appeared behind his sunglasses, "The temperature control is more precise, and the compression force has improved significantly. Quite an improvement!"

He suddenly swung his palm, the air seemed to freeze, and the Haki palm wind caused the ground gravel to fly up, his aura as sharp as a knife!

Ace instantly activated his fire defense, but was still knocked to the ground by a Shockwave!

The instant he fell, he rolled to his feet, rubbed his palms together, and the flames transformed into two rapidly spinning blades that flew close to the ground:

"Flame Fang Blade!"

Two high-speed rotating, high-temperature flame blades surged forth, igniting the ground wherever they passed!

Zephyr neither dodged nor avoided; the high-temperature, rapidly spinning wheel of fire violently Cut the area between his crossed arms, sending sparks flying everywhere!

"Using the jet propulsion of flame explosions to enhance Cut ability? Interesting."

With a soft shout, he suddenly spread his arms, shattering the two fiery blades of light.

At this moment, Ace was panting heavily, and the flames on his body no longer flickered wildly, but instead swirled and condensed around him, like the stillness before a storm.

"No, conventional moves won't break through his defense..."

Ace was panting, the image of Roy's instruction from a while back flashing through his mind—

"The essence of fire is the release of energy."

Roy pointed a finger at the flames in Ace's hand, "Try compressing your 'energy' to its limit and unleashing it at that instant..."

Ace's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly clasped his hands together!

"Compress... compress again!"

The raging flames suddenly collapsed inward! Like a black hole absorbing all energy, the ground around him was scorched red by the high temperature, and the air emitted a sharp hissing sound!

Zephyr's figure approached like a cannonball, his arms wrapped in black armor, his Iron Fist aimed straight at his face.

"Come on, kid! Don't let me down!!"

And at that very moment—

Ace roared, "Flame Emperor - Explosive Flame Lotus!!"

Boom!!

A crimson-gold fire lotus bloomed on Zephyr's chest, the intense heat instantly distorting the air, sparks bursting out in a ring, accompanied by a violent sonic boom and a blazing white Shockwave!

That was an explosive wave that erupted from an ultra-high pressure flame in an extremely short time, its shape resembling a lotus flower and its force like a raging inferno!

The entire Training Ground trembled!

The ground cracked outwards in a spiderweb pattern from the blast point, and a mushroom-shaped cloud of fire rose into the air, resembling a flower of destruction!

The scorching heat made it difficult for the onlookers to open their eyes!

"Hiss--!"

"What level of explosive power was that?!"

"Is that an attack method a 12-year-old could use?!"

The instructors in the front row quickly used Armament Haki to defend themselves, shielding the trainees behind them from the Impact of the firestorm!

Smoke and dust filled the air, and the flames had not yet dissipated.

Ace knelt on one knee at the edge of the Battlefield where flames were being healed, half of his body emitting faint flames, his face pale.

He struggled to stay upright, his eyes still holding a hint of resentment and hope. "Ha... ha... did I succeed...?"

A figure slowly emerged from the smoke.

Zephyr's upper body, which was a naval uniform, had long since turned to ashes. His muscular upper body was covered in Armament Haki, but faint red marks could still be seen on his chest, as if he had been scorched by flames.

The shattered sunglasses slipped off his face, revealing a pair of sharp eyes as sharp as iron blades.

He stopped in front of Ace, looked at him for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing, "Well done, kid!"

The crowd was stunned for a moment, then burst into cheers!

"Wow!!"

"Instructor Zephyr was actually swayed by a 12-year-old kid!!"

"What kind of move is that?! Flames can be used like that?!"

The entire stadium erupted in a thunderous roar of cheers!

Ace finally grinned, his eyes rolling back, "Great..."

The next second, he collapsed to the ground with a thud, his muscles twitching. "It hurts... I'm exhausted..."

Zephyr walked up to him, grabbed Ace who looked like a burnt octopus, and said, "Creativity is acceptable, execution is 70 points, control is 50 points, physical fitness... negative points!"

"Starting today, the weight training will be doubled!"

Ace hurriedly shouted, "Wait, wait, teacher! I... I did improve today!!"

Zephyr grinned. "That's why you need to train even harder, otherwise you'll think you're 'good enough again'."

The onlookers' lips twitched, and they all broke out in a cold sweat as they watched Ace being dragged away.

Just then, Roy's figure quietly appeared on the sidelines, and he happened to see Zephyr carrying the exhausted Ace toward the physical Training Ground.

Sunlight streamed through the glass dome onto the scorched earth of the Training Ground, the air still thick with the lingering heat from the "Buddha’s Wrath Fire Lotus," and cracks in the ground spread like radiating flames to the edge of the stands.

Roy's gaze fell on the center of the scorch mark, "Buddha’s Wrath Fire Lotus..."

He murmured softly, a relieved smile unconsciously appearing on his lips, "I never thought that the compression burst technique I casually mentioned back then would actually be put into practice by this kid."

Just as I was about to Teleportation and follow, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark red color out of the corner of my eye—

In the shadows of the corner, a tall figure turned and walked away, the "Justice" coat on his back fluttering slightly in the wind.

Roy's eyes narrowed, and the next second—

"Whoosh!"

Sakazuki, who had just returned to headquarters to handle some business, paused in his steps. The space in front of him slightly distorted, and Roy's figure appeared out of thin air.

"Uncle Sakazuki."

Roy greeted him with a hint of teasing, his tone light yet respectful, "Someone of your stature would come to watch a 'kid's test battle'?"

Sakazuki paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over, as if magma were about to burst from his eyes.

However, upon recognizing Roy, his tense expression eased slightly. "Roy..."

He then spoke calmly, his voice low but firm. "That brat you taught isn't bad."

Roy paused slightly, then narrowed his eyes and stared at him. "Akainu Sakazuki, he's actually praising someone? And Ace?"

Various thoughts flashed through his mind. "Was it because Ace defeated the Arlong Pirates? Did it finally make him waver in his belief in the 'bloodline of the Pirate King '?"

Sakazuki seemed to see through his thoughts, and scoffed, "Don't worry, as long as he doesn't become Pirate and continues to uphold naval Justice by eliminating Pirates..."

His sculpted, cold face softened slightly, and his tone was unusually calm. "I have no problem with him."

Having said that, he strode forward, the heat of the magma beneath his feet leaving molten marks on the bluestone slabs, each step seemingly pressing down on raging flames.

Roy stood there, watching his retreating figure, and muttered to himself, "So, it really is 'Absolute Justice' against Pirates."

In the distance, just as Akainu was about to disappear around the corner, a golden light suddenly flashed.

"Whoosh~"

A voice with a languid ending rang out from the light:

"Yo~ Sakazuki ~"

"This is one of the rare times you're not wearing a long face!"

Kizaru Borsalino, hands in his pockets, emerged from the particles of light, a lazy smile playing on his lips, "Want to grab a drink later? I heard even the Fleet Admiral sneaked in to that new tavern~"

Sakazuki didn't even turn his head, leaving only a cold, low snort, "Suit yourself."

"Wow, that's so cold!"

A golden light and a splash of crimson light disappeared side by side into the distance, like fire and mirror merging, gradually vanishing at the end of the street.

Roy withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the Training Ground, which was still slowly cooling down.

The charred cracks still run across the center of the arena, like the marks of Ace's growth etched on this Battlefield.