Shuzuo's Past, Decisive Battle!

"Die, you bastard!"

On the high platforms, the battles in the other venues were gradually coming to an end. The strong ones, using the groans and cries of their injured comrades below the platform as a deterrent, seized the time to catch their breath and recover. Some unwilling participants continued to ascend, trying to pry a brick from the gradually stabilizing high wall.

But on platform 29, the battle had only just begun!

At least, that's how Shuzuo saw it...

He'd been tricked!

Tricked in front of all the Marines!

Shuzuo had only one thought left...

He understood what had happened.

When Ron had shown signs of wanting to clash head-on with him, he had held back a considerable amount of his strength, wary of a trap, and waited for an opportunity. But he hadn't expected that Ron was waiting for this very outcome. The moment he held back his strength and his old power was depleted, Ron had erupted with his strongest attack in his normal state, forcing him back!

Fortunately, he had been in the center of the arena at the time, otherwise, that move might have directly blasted him off the edge of the platform!

But even without falling off, this was a huge loss of face!!!

A renowned practical combat Commodore being pushed back by a recruit in a direct confrontation was even more embarrassing than when Ron had outsmarted him a month ago. Without any external factors, purely due to the combatants themselves... an intellectual crushing!

Embarrassing, so damn embarrassing!

Shuzuo was beyond furious. He no longer wanted to consider any tricks and unleashed a barrage of attacks, wanting to defeat Ron in his strongest state. Anyway, with Armament Haki, Ron's lightning wouldn't cause him much damage. He was like a tank with incredibly thick armor, charging at the frail ranger Ron again and again.

Once he succeeded, the consequences were self-evident!

"That's a bit reckless, Brigadier General Shuzuo..."

"Yeah, but it's understandable, right?"

"Pfft... Shh, keep your voice down!"

From the stands, the audience struggled to contain their laughter. Shuzuo's furious expression was hilarious. But funny or not, Shuzuo's strength was undeniable. After the opponent's outburst, Ron was gradually being pushed into a disadvantageous position, his situation extremely dangerous. With the slightest mistake, he would be kicked off the stage by the enraged Shuzuo.

"Is it about time? Let me check the time..."

Kizaru said slowly, rolling up his sleeves. "55 minutes... Hmm, we should have won..."

Hearing this, Akainu's mouth twitched involuntarily. He snorted and said no more. This bet was indeed his loss; the time had long passed the half-hour mark. He wasn't someone who couldn't afford to lose, but Kizaru's pretense of checking the time with a black Den Den Mushi was extremely irritating in his eyes.

But at this moment, Aokiji, who had been half-asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the high platform carefully, and said calmly, "Although I'd love to be on vacation, it seems the outcome isn't settled yet."

"Hmm?"

Kizaru turned back in surprise and glanced at Aokiji. "You think he still has a chance?"

BOOM!

As they spoke, another explosion rang out!

Enraged, Shuzuo unleashed 100% of his strength. Coupled with the narrowness of the platform, even though the Rumble-Rumble Fruit granted astonishing speed and Ron himself possessed Teleportation skills, in front of Observation Haki, every time he finished moving, he was met with Shuzuo's explosive punches. He could only continue to dodge, trapped in an endless cycle of passivity!

In the long run, the biggest difference between recruits and veterans was clearly exposed. Ron's breathing grew heavier, his chest heaving, his stamina nearly depleted. In contrast, Shuzuo showed no signs of exertion at all!

Humans in this world were monsters, especially at their peak! In the original work, Aokiji and Akainu fought for ten days and ten nights without rest on Punk Hazard, which was a testament to this!

As a Marine Headquarters elite, Shuzuo could fight for three days and three nights without issue!

If the fight dragged on, Ron would eventually make a mistake due to lack of stamina, and Shuzuo would surely seize it easily, taking him down in one fell swoop!

"Yes, there is a chance..."

Gazing at the man chasing the light on the high platform, Aokiji yawned slowly and replied, "But it's not created by him, but whether Shuzuo gives it..."

"Hmm? You mean..."

Kizaru, the only one who had defeated an instructor during his time in the New Recruit Camp, was very familiar with Shuzuo's fighting style. Hearing Aokiji say that, he suddenly remembered something.

Shuzuo wasn't originally a New Recruit Camp instructor. He was a veteran from the same batch as Momonga, trained under Zephyr thirty years ago. Twenty years ago, when he fought Shuzuo, Shuzuo was acting as a special training instructor.

After graduating, Shuzuo had fought in numerous battles, earning countless merits, and quickly became an outstanding Marine who could handle things on his own... However, due to certain personality issues, his rank never advanced.

Later, the incident where Edward Weevil, the self-proclaimed "Whitebeard Jr.," attacked the training ship occurred. His beloved disciples were slaughtered, and he himself lost an arm. Zephyr was devastated.

At that time, Zephyr, tormented by guilt and pain day after day, rarely interfered with the New Recruit Camp, even beginning to doubt his own value as the head instructor. Sengoku had no choice but to find a way to maintain the daily management of the New Recruit Camp until Zephyr recovered.

Coincidentally, Shuzuo, who had committed an offense, was under house arrest at Marine Headquarters. Considering his relationship with Zephyr, Sengoku arranged for him to come to the New Recruit Camp.

And so, he stayed there for many years!

If you were to ask what personality issue prevented Shuzuo's rank from advancing... it was that he was extremely easily provoked! And once angered, he would disregard all minor details, except for the overall direction of right and wrong!

The pirates who were pursued that time had exploited this point. They deliberately provoked him, and while he led his team in a fierce attack, they retreated while fighting, sending a portion of their men to flank and ambush. This resulted in heavy casualties for the Marines. Although the pirates were eventually annihilated, their merits could not outweigh their demerits. Sengoku certainly wanted to avoid allowing such a person to hold a high command position.

The World Government could be corrupt, and Marine branches could have scoundrels, but at Marine Headquarters, even allowing incompetent people to hold high positions was absolutely unacceptable! Looking back at the original work, the high-ranking officials of Marine Headquarters were all righteous individuals with no stains on their records!

Kizaru rubbed his chin whiskers, his gaze sharp behind his brown sunglasses, fixed on the high platform.

"I see, as expected... it's no longer fun..."

"Huh?!"

Akainu was stunned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"It means... Shuzuo is doomed to lose, and we all lost..."

Aokiji yawned lazily, waved his hand, and stood up. "Forget it, I'll go back and write my report. Otherwise, I won't get any rest tonight... Bye!"

After Aokiji left, Akainu looked at Kizaru and frowned. "What exactly is going on?"

He couldn't see how Ron could win at all. Why were these two so sure Ron would win? The current situation was extremely unfavorable for Ron!

"Hmm... How should I put it?"

Kizaru pondered with his chin in his hand, his face tilted to the side in a lewd manner. Then, he uttered four words: "Outcome determination!"

The Three Admirals were evenly matched, all being outstanding individuals of their time. However, Aokiji's thinking was a bit more flexible than the other two. At Kizaru's prompting, Akainu suddenly turned his head, his gaze locking onto the high platform... instead of the two figures fighting!

"Hiss... Shuzuo was careless!"

Rankyaku!

Bzzzz!!

The imposing Shuzuo, like a moving fortress, leaped into the air. He then raised his leg, compressed the air with his toes, and swept it out fiercely.

Instantly, accompanied by the vibration of the air, dark green sword energy erupted!

Below, a thunder dragon roared incessantly, directly meeting the Rankyaku sword energy.

Chii----!!!

With a crisp sound, the sky-blue thunder dragon was instantly sliced in two. At the same time, Shuzuo stomped on the void with his right foot, creating a sonic boom, and dived towards Ron.

Geppo!

Seeing this, Ron took a deep breath.

"This is the only and last chance. So..."

At this moment, he had already been pushed into Overload Form. The exhaustion from the continuous battles was a price he couldn't afford to pay! But he didn't surrender. Instead, for this chance, he forcefully endured the pain of his limbs going numb from exhaustion and waited patiently.

Finally, the chance arrived!

Watching Shuzuo dive downwards at a forty-five-degree angle to the ground, Ron's entire body transformed into lightning. Mustering his last ounce of strength, he teleported upwards to evade.

Bang!

Shuzuo landed, smashing the already charred wooden board into pieces. Since he was defending the platform, he had always controlled his strength and wouldn't directly collapse the platform.

However, this attack brought an unexpected result.

Because the spot where his fist landed, the wooden planks instantly shattered into ash, giving him no recoil force. At the same time, Ron appeared high in the air, his hands crossed.

Final Shot · Overload · Lightning Fist!

Bang!!!

"Nani?!"

Shuzuo was greatly astonished.