Fighting Yamato

The afternoon lessons were also King's responsibility.

However, the location was different from the morning.

On a flat open area outside the giant skull of Onigashima, various training equipment and weapons were placed around the spacious grounds.

Sirius vaguely remembered Yamato and the others mentioning before that the afternoon lessons were primarily combat instruction, considered the most important part of the day's curriculum.

So what did King mean by "test"?

"A test? Didn't we already test once before?" Before Sirius could speak, Black Maria asked in surprise, "The fight with Jack?"

Sirius had already fought Jack the morning after arriving at Onigashima.

"That was just to see the kid's fundamentals so I could reasonably create a physical training plan afterward," King said calmly.

He's totally lying. Making me run five laps around Onigashima right off the bat wasn't a reasonable plan at all! If I didn't have special abilities, I would have been unable to get up a long time ago!

Sirius's eyelids twitched.

"This time is the same," King looked at Sirius. "This is your first time receiving this kind of training. If I don't figure out your current level, I can't proceed with the subsequent training."

"Oh, oh, oh, I see!" Black Maria nodded in agreement. "Uncle King is very thorough."

Jack also chimed in, "Indeed. We've already been training for a long time. We do need to see if Sirius can keep up." He suddenly got excited, stepped forward, and said enthusiastically, "So, Brother King! Is it me and Sirius fighting again this time? Coincidentally, they weren't here these past few days, and I've already made further progress!"

"Stand down, Jack. You're still far from ready," King glanced at him and directly rejected Jack's proposal.

That's right. In just a few days, how could Jack's strength have undergone a qualitative change?

"Then who will it be?" Black Maria tapped her lips lightly with her finger, then asked in surprise, "Uncle King, you're not going to fight him yourself, are you?"

"Hey, Maria, don't say such terrifying things!" Sirius couldn't help but exclaim. Is King really thinking that? There's no way I'd have a chance of winning! Even though King doesn't have the strength he'll have twenty years from now, he's undoubtedly monstrously strong. Fighting him would only satisfy his masochistic tendencies and yield no other result!

"Fighting me? That's indeed a good idea," King sized Sirius up from head to toe, making Sirius's spine tingle. Fortunately, King continued, "But it's still too early for that." He turned his head, raised his hand, and pointed, "Yamato, you."

"Me?" Yamato, who was called out by King, was first stunned, then happily stepped forward. "Yeah! Leave it to me!"

Before Sirius could say anything, she had already pulled her mace from behind her back and pointed it at Sirius. "Let's have a decisive battle, Sirius!"

Yamato? For some reason, I suddenly feel like I can accept this. Is it because the possibility of fighting King was too overwhelming? Is this what they call a compromise effect?

Sirius nodded. "Alright."

For me right now, Yamato is a good opponent. Although she hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet, inheriting Kaido's bloodline, her strength is absolutely not to be underestimated! At least, that's how it is for me. Let's give it a try and see who's stronger, her or me right now!

"Very good," King nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand. "Clear the training ground."

Jack and Black Maria immediately jogged to the edge of the field, both looking expectant.

"Who will be stronger? Sirius or Yamato!" Black Maria said with a little excitement.

"We'll know soon!" Jack was equally excited.

King retreated to the side, leaving the field to Sirius and Yamato.

Yamato stretched her limbs, swinging her mace as if getting a feel for it. At the same time, she turned her head and said with a grin, "Sirius, don't hold back!"

"I won't!"

Sirius grinned, his body swelling in an instant as he transformed into a giant black wolf. A faint black mist swirled around him, exuding an ominous aura.

Yamato was quite tall among children her age, a head taller than Sirius, who was two years younger than her. But compared to Sirius now, she appeared incredibly petite.

Yet, facing the colossal Sirius, Yamato's face was full of smiles. "Alright, Yamato, charge!"

Shouting her battle cry, Yamato's small body darted forward in an instant.

Who knew how such power could erupt from such a slender frame? Yamato's speed was so great that she even left afterimages.

Sirius wouldn't go easy if he said he wouldn't, and he certainly didn't. He opened his massive jaws and a torrent of flames condensed into a pillar, blasting directly towards Yamato.

"Too slow, Sirius!"

Hearing Yamato's cheerful shout, Sirius watched as she suddenly changed direction at a ninety-degree angle from her straight charge. Regardless of whether her joints could handle it, she launched herself to the side, evading Sirius's fiery blast.

Landing lightly, Yamato sprang forward again, closing the distance to Sirius in a flash. "Thunder Bagua!"

If it was a contest of strength, Sirius wasn't afraid. He raised a claw and swiped at it!

Thump!

A dull, heavy thud.

The air exploded, turning into a gust of wind that rushed towards them.

"Ouch!"

Sirius yelped in pain, retracting his claw as if shocked.

Without Haki, using his claws to directly clash with that sturdy iron club, forged from some unknown metal, was a terrible idea!

Sirius felt like the bones in his paw were about to break.

However, in his Giant Wolf form, Sirius's strength was indeed superior to Yamato's. As Sirius cried out in pain, Yamato was also sent flying by his swipe. After flying a short distance, she landed, her short legs stumbling several steps before she managed to regain her balance.

"Such immense strength, Sirius!" she exclaimed.

"I was just about to say, that hurt like hell!"

Sirius spat repeatedly, sending a barrage of fireballs towards Yamato like raindrops.

"I already said you're too slow!"

Yamato once again displayed her monkey-like agility. The little girl weaved effortlessly through the rain of fireballs, Sirius's devastating flames unable to touch her.

Sirius simply stopped breathing fire. As expected, fire abilities were useless. The Flame-Flame Fruit was trash.

To deal with an agile opponent like Yamato, his beast form wasn't ideal. Sirius wasn't Kaido, who enjoyed turning into an Azure Dragon to get beaten up.

Sirius's body visibly shrank as he transformed into his Werewolf form.

"Finally getting serious, are we, Sirius!"

Yamato laughed heartily. She knew that for Zoan Devil Fruit users, their Human-Beast Form was when they were at their strongest.

The little girl grew even more excited, gripping her Mace tightly. The wind lifted her bangs, revealing her smooth forehead, her excited gaze unmistakable.

But it was at this moment that Sirius raised his right hand.

"Um, Uncle King, can I request a weapon?"