Guessing the Time of Defeat?

Shuzuo, who had been putting on a solo performance, sensed an attack coming from behind through his shadow displacement. He turned around in confusion—and immediately blurted, "What the hell!!!"

A torrential storm of lightning poured down from above, nearly engulfing half the Test Field!

Shuzuo had no intention of bearing the shame of an instructor being struck by a recruit—not even by the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!

His Observation Haki instantly spread to its limit. His feet tapped rapidly as he danced beneath the thunderous downpour like a butterfly. Though he was built like a bull, broad and burly, his movements were ethereal and nimble, as if he had become a different person.

Boom, boom, boom!

Lightning struck the ground, exploding like a frantic drumbeat!

The seemingly wide-ranging barrage failed to harm Shuzuo in the slightest. That was the terror of Observation Haki! Once all the lightning had dissipated, Shuzuo stood amid a sandy field riddled with scorched craters. He took a breath, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.

"You little brat!!"

He had thought this would be a one-sided beating, yet after Ron evaded his attack, he had actually caused him no small amount of trouble. How could an instructor not be furious?

Even if he admired him, that could wait until after the battle!

Right now, only the battle mattered!

"Don't think you're safe just because you're hiding underground! I know this terrain better than you do!"

Shuzuo snorted angrily, looked around, and immediately found an entrance leading into the Underground Tunnel. He rushed over and raised his fist.

Bang!

The fragile layer of soil was easily smashed apart with one punch. Shuzuo leaped down into the Steel Tunnel. Then he caught a flash of light around the corner ahead and sneered. "Found you... Stop right there!"

With that, he kicked off the ground, used the Marine Six Powers, and gave chase.

The Underground Tunnel was built entirely of metal, sealed off on all sides, with only upward openings in different sections for people to enter and exit. Together with the soil outside used as camouflage, it had excellent insulation. Aside from Ron, whose lightning-based body allowed him to sense the rough situation through electrical waves, ordinary Observation Haki could not penetrate it.

In the stands, Kizaru and Traine withdrew their gazes after losing sight of their target.

Ron's performance had been utterly unexpected—spectacular beyond belief! For a recruit to make Brigadier General Shuzuo suffer such a setback was practically unprecedented!

But just as Traine had said, the gap in their raw strength was like a chasm. Ron's defeat was inevitable; it was only a matter of time... So Kizaru asked,

"How long do you think... Ron can keep resisting?"

"Uh, well! At most one or two minutes..."

Traine thought for a moment before speculating, "Ron's lightning can't effectively harm Brigadier General Shuzuo, and it consumes a tremendous amount of stamina. If he tries to attack, Brigadier General Shuzuo can easily seize the opening."

That was a fact. Even though he had been hailed as the "strongest odd-job recruit" and had left behind legends aboard Garp's ship, the power of Ron's lightning was what it was.

Shuzuo was no weaker than an ordinary vice admiral, and was only a step behind a Division Vice Admiral. He had merely remained at the rank of brigadier general because he had spent the past several years in charge of the New Recruit Camp and lacked sufficient Military Merit. Momonga had already become a leading figure among Division Vice Admirals. Shuzuo, who had been his contemporary and was regarded by Zephyr as one of his right-hand men, could not possibly be much worse.

As long as he covered himself in Armament Haki and took the attacks head-on, Ron simply could not hurt Shuzuo.

"But if Ron uses lightning speed to play hide-and-seek with Shuzuo in those narrow Underground Tunnels, Shuzuo won't be able to catch him either... will he?"

Kizaru spoke at an unhurried pace, then looked toward the quiet Test Field.

"Five minutes... If there's still no outcome by then, there's no need to continue."

"Indeed!"

Traine nodded, agreeing with that time limit.

Yet as he looked hesitantly toward the Test Field, he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong... Playing hide-and-seek in the Underground Tunnel at lightning speed?

Ron?

What kind of joke was that?!

Based on what he knew of Ron, this situation was far too abnormal.

That madman Ron never knew how to back down. Back on the ship, he had even dared to throw a punch at Garp! Even if he realized his lightning could do nothing to Shuzuo, he would still attack without regard for his own safety, until he was finally defeated and knocked down.

But what was happening now?

He had fled underground, and there had not been a single clap of thunder since. That meant Ron truly was doing as Kizaru said—using the Steel Tunnel as cover to play hide-and-seek with Shuzuo.

Such cowardly evasion was not the Ron he knew!

Unless...

Thinking of a certain possibility, Traine fell silent in stunned disbelief, then shook his head.

How could that be possible?

No matter how talented Ron was, he was still only a recruit. Shuzuo was a veteran who had served for decades. How could he possibly stumble in the gutter?

Ron had no hidden trump cards. His entire process of growing stronger had taken place right before their eyes. After comparing what both sides knew and possessed, Traine could not think of any possible way.

That was right!

This behavior, so contrary to Ron's usual nature, made Traine feel that Ron was laying out a huge plan! Because he...

Wanted to win!!

A recruit wanted to defeat Shuzuo, a battle-hardened Division brigadier general?!

That was utterly absurd!

While Traine was laughing speechlessly at his own thought, Ron had already finished making all the necessary preparations underground. If he knew what Traine was thinking, he would definitely give him a thumbs-up and flash eight gleaming teeth. "Not bad!"

If Traine knew what Ron was thinking, he would surely clutch his stomach and laugh, pointing at Ron's nose. "Did you not wake up today?!"

Indeed, judging from the attack just now, Ron knew that his chances of defeating Shuzuo were close to zero. The other man had displayed only ordinary close-combat methods, yet had already forced him into a desperate retreat. Their strengths were simply not on the same level!

But "defeating" and "winning" were not the same thing.

Ron was confident he could win against Shuzuo, not beat him.

Well, provided he could lure the beast behind him into the cage. That would take a little acting...

As he ran wildly, Shuzuo roared and pointed forward. "Finger Pistol: Consecutive Stars!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang!

A dense barrage of Finger Pistol air bullets shot from Shuzuo's fingers. Their terrifying power was enough to leave dents in steel. Within the cramped confines of the Underground Tunnel, Ron had nowhere to dodge such a sweeping attack. Though Shuzuo could not infuse them with Haki, every strike pierced through Ron, forcing him to waste stamina healing his body.

Clearly, Shuzuo had seen through Ron's weakness. As the person in charge of the Test Field, his eye for such things was razor-sharp!

The common weakness of recruits was their physical strength and endurance, which were worlds apart from veteran soldiers. Ron, who had only obtained the Rumble-Rumble Fruit a month ago, was especially vulnerable in this regard! Even the smallest amount of healing continuously drained his stamina, not to mention that he still could not perfectly control lightning. Whenever his body was scattered, the loss of stamina was enormous!

Drops of water formed an abyss, and grains of soil piled into mountains. If this continued, defeat was Ron's only possible outcome.

After being scattered by another Finger Pistol air bullet, Ron reformed his body with a speechless expression, his mouth twitching. "What a monster! Doesn't he ever get tired?"

How many waves of Finger Pistol barrages had that been already?

I'm getting tired just watching!

"Finger Pistol: Consecutive Stars!!"

Seeing Ron reform, Shuzuo once again erupted with countless air bullets like a madman, hammering the steel plates with loud bangs. Ron did his best to evade them, but he was still hit, his stamina draining at a rapid pace.

Suddenly, Ron noticed a crack in the corner of the wall.

"Finally, am I there?!"

He immediately perked up. Lightning burst forth, and his speed surged once again. Seeing this, Shuzuo assumed Ron was trying to widen the distance and escape, so he promptly accelerated after him!

"Don't even think about running!"

The Underground Tunnel had many bends. No matter how fast lightning was, it still had to turn corners. As long as he did not fall behind, Shuzuo was confident he could keep on Ron's tail. The two moved at high speed, soon arriving in a passage that appeared perfectly ordinary.

Lightning flashed around the corner as Shuzuo charged out with an angry roar... then immediately slammed on the brakes. He stared uncertainly at Ron, who had stopped ahead to rest.

His instincts told him that danger was near!