Magic Circles Go Round!

Morito hadn't expected his sure-kill strike to be so easily blocked. When he fought Onigumo, that guy hadn't even reacted!

Zephyr hadn't used Armament Haki, simply gripping Morito's wrist with brute strength.

It was like the claw of a large crab clamping down on his wrist.

No matter how hard Morito struggled, he couldn't break free.

"Your speed is decent, but your strength is too weak. Speaking of which, your skin is too fair, isn't it? Smooth and tender like a woman's hand."

Zephyr thought to himself that once Morito entered the Elite Class, he'd make him undergo physical training under the scorching sun every day.

It was one thing for a grown man to be better looking than a woman, but to have fairer, more tender skin than a woman?

How were women supposed to live?

Tanned, dark skin was what a real man should have!

But when these words reached Morito's ears, they sounded entirely different. His heart skipped a beat, and a strange thought surfaced.

Women were all fickle creatures, and he could accept them being infatuated with his body.

But Zephyr, a grown man, was also infatuated with his body?

Instantly, Morito felt goosebumps rise all over his body. He could no longer stand having his wrist held by Zephyr.

Morito focused his gaze, concentrating his mind!

Hum!

The acupoints on his wrist released a surge of Chakra. Cooperating with a burst of strength from the inside out, he immediately broke free from Zephyr's grip.

Zephyr felt a sharp sting in his palm, followed by Morito's hand slipping away like an eel.

He was somewhat surprised and curious.

"How did you do that? Is it a Devil Fruit ability?"

According to Morito's personnel file at the Naval Academy's Training Camp, Morito was not a Devil Fruit user.

However, the ability Morito displayed was clearly not Armament Haki, so Zephyr, while surprised, felt a hint of curiosity.

Revealing one's abilities to an opponent during a fight wasn't showing off; it was pure stupidity.

How could Morito possibly expose the secrets of the Byakugan and Chakra?

"Just a special usage of Armament Haki."

Morito mumbled a perfunctory reply.

Then, Morito deliberately retreated, creating a distance of over ten paces.

Although that wasn't his full power, Zephyr had handled it with ease at that speed, indicating that Zephyr's Observation Haki could easily detect his Soru.

He couldn't win by relying on speed bursts, so he had to change his approach.

His five fingers closed, clenching into a fist.

Morito's Gentle Fist starting stance directly transformed into a Steel Fist starting stance.

The principle of Gentle Fist was to use Chakra to attack the opponent's internal body, directly affecting the meridians, acupoints, and internal organs, causing damage from the inside out.

Steel Fist was the complete opposite, attacking the opponent's body externally, directly damaging muscles and bones from the outside in.

"Changed his move?"

Zephyr's eyes were sharp. From Morito's subtle hand gestures, his gaze, and his demeanor, he could tell.

Although both Gentle Fist and Steel Fist were forms of Taijutsu, their combat styles were completely different.

When performing Gentle Fist, Morito needed to concentrate, using the Byakugan to see the opponent's internal body, while also precisely controlling the Chakra at his fingertips.

He didn't need to exert much force when striking the opponent; sometimes, a light touch of the fingertips was enough.

This was why Zephyr felt Morito's 'strength was too weak.'

It wasn't that Morito's strength was weak, but rather that the attack method of Gentle Fist didn't require much force, nor was there any need to waste energy.

Fighting with Steel Fist, on the other hand, emphasized power and ferocity.

The explosive force of Steel Fist could even agitate the air, creating rings of shockwaves.

"If you don't come over here soon, I'll come to you!"

Seeing Morito hesitating, Zephyr couldn't help but urge him on.

It wasn't that Morito didn't want to move; he had been observing for a long time and couldn't find any openings in Zephyr.

Even though Zephyr was just standing there casually, Morito still couldn't find a place to attack.

It seemed like his whole body was an opening, yet there wasn't a single opening at all!

The so-called openings were merely illusions created by Zephyr.

Their purpose was to lure Morito into close-quarters combat!

"Hoo..."

Morito suddenly exhaled a breath of stale air, and the tension in his cheeks eased considerably.

"Why have I become so hesitant?"

"I wasn't even this indecisive when facing Garp."

"At worst, I'd just get beaten up."

"It's not like I haven't been beaten before."

Garp didn't meet Morito often, but every time they did, it was an opportunity for Morito to personally experience the taste of 'loving fists.'

The stated reason was to test Morito's strength and train his physical combat skills.

But more often than not, Garp was just itching to throw a punch.

"Here I go!"

Morito's feet moved, his steps steady as he charged directly at Zephyr.

This time, he didn't use Soru.

Since Zephyr's Observation Haki could detect his Soru, there was no point in wasting stamina by using Chakra to burst speed with it.

He steadied his footing, closing the distance at a constant pace.

The speed was neither fast nor slow, ensuring he had enough time to react no matter how Zephyr attacked.

The distance of ten-odd steps wasn't far; a single charge could close the gap.

Morito clasped his fists at his waist, his right fist clenched tight.

BOOM!

A straightforward punch, devoid of any flourish, was thrown, aimed squarely at Zephyr's chest.

You like head-on confrontations, huh?

I'll satisfy you!

"Good!"

The unpretentious punch, carrying a wisp of fierce wind, rushed towards him. Zephyr's eyes lit up.

This is the way a man fights!

Fist to flesh!

Zephyr praised him without reservation. He slightly contracted his chest and abdomen, his blood flowing faster, his muscles moving at an incredibly high frequency.

Marine Six Styles: Tekkai!

THUD!

Morito's punch landed, producing a dull thud like metal colliding.

His knuckles vibrated intensely, feeling as if he had punched a steel plate, and not just any steel plate, but an ultra-thick, compressed one.

"Your strength is good, but can you dodge this?"

Zephyr couldn't be accused of bullying a junior, so he stood his ground and allowed Morito to launch two attacks first.

Now it was his turn!

A large palm, like a fan, suddenly shot towards Morito. The gust of wind exploded, making Morito's facial skin tremble.

The most unpretentious techniques are the strongest.

The power of this palm strike was enough to easily shatter a tree several times its circumference!

Morito had no desire to experience Zephyr's palm strike with his body.

The outcome was obvious even with his toes; even if Zephyr wasn't using full power, or even Armament Haki.

He would undoubtedly be sent flying, like swatting a fly.

"I didn't want to use that move initially."

Morito licked his lips, took a step forward, and firmly planted his stance.

His hand gestures changed once again.

From Gentle Fist to steel fist, then steel fist to Gentle Fist.

The transition was incredibly fluid.

"Oh? Is it the same fighting style as before?" Zephyr narrowed his eyes, his movements speeding up slightly.

He wanted to see how Morito would respond.

Just as Zephyr's palm was about to strike Morito, Morito's low yell sounded simultaneously.

"Revolving Heaven!"

WHIRRR!

Centered on Morito, his entire body's Chakra acupoints released a violent surge of Chakra, which, combined with his rapid spinning, formed a spherical barrier of this rampant Chakra.

Zephyr's palm strike descended, hitting the turtle shell of Revolving Heaven.

BANG!

The instant Zephyr's palm collided with the raging Chakra under high-speed rotation, a terrifying force surged from his palm.

"Good kid!"

Zephyr felt a brute force trying to send him flying. His body sank, his feet rooting into the ground like an old tree.

His body stabilized in place, then force rose from the earth.

"Hyaaah!"

Zephyr roared, exerting force a second time.

Dark Armament Haki wrapped around his palm!

With a burst of explosive force, he slammed his palm down!

Swish!