I Fight, Therefore I Am!

Linley was undoubtedly in a tough fight.

Fisher Tiger wanted to step in and help, but before he could make a move, Linley shifted his feet back and forth, attacking Zephyr again with his light, butterfly-like steps!

A jab.

A hook.

Backstep…

A straight punch.

Lean forward…

A cross.

It wasn't just the speed of his punches; Linley himself was moving with incredibly swift footwork, so fast it almost created afterimages.

If anyone familiar with the Coliseum were present, they would immediately recognize that the graceful, butterfly-like footwork was Linley's signature ultimate skill!

Punch after punch landed on Zephyr, but the latter was merely defending passively.

"Is he being suppressed?"

Fisher Tiger frowned, quickly dismissing the thought.

After all, apart from the first two heavy punches from Linley that made Zephyr take half a step back, Zephyr hadn't even moved despite Linley's rapid assault!

Linley couldn't break through Zephyr's defense!

Suddenly, Zephyr threw a heavy punch forward. Linley quickly retreated, narrowly dodging the blow.

Linley maintained his bouncing butterfly steps and sighed, "As expected of Teacher Zephyr."

However, veins bulged on Zephyr's fist, and he gritted his teeth, roaring angrily, "Brat, are you looking down on me? Why aren't you going all out!"

Not going all out?

Fisher Tiger, standing nearby, couldn't help but be startled by these words.

Facing a former Marine Admiral, Linley still had the energy to hold back?

But what Linley said next shocked Fisher Tiger even more.

"Aren't you the same, Teacher Zephyr?"

Linley suddenly clenched his fists, anger replacing the calmness on his face. He roared, "Black Arm Zephyr, do you think you can arrest my BOSS, Linley Barek, without even using Armament Haki!"

Linley unleashed the anger in his heart.

He was Linley Barek, the undefeated king of the Sabaody Arena with four thousand victories!

Over four years, with an average of three high-intensity battles per day, Linley had long since integrated his pride into his fighting.

He believed in giving his all in every battle; this was Linley's respect for his opponents!

Yet now, Zephyr was dueling Linley with an attitude of "appreciation" and "teaching," something Linley absolutely could not accept.

Upon hearing Linley's words, Zephyr's heart suddenly jolted, and he understood.

The two sides in this battle were not teacher and student, but Marines and a criminal.

In other words, any degree of holding back was an insult to the other party!

"Really, I've learned a lesson from you."

Zephyr took off the Justice Cape from his back and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his sturdy arms.

Immediately after, black Armament Haki, emitting a metallic sheen, coated Zephyr's arms.

With the appearance of Armament Haki, Zephyr's aura changed drastically.

It felt like an ordinary goldfish had transformed into a giant Sea King.

The current Zephyr was no longer the kind Rookie Instructor, but the Marine Admiral who had defeated countless pirates with his bare fists, Black Arm Zephyr!

"I'm getting serious now."

Zephyr exhaled gently and suddenly stepped forward!

Linley felt the ground tremble, and when he looked up again, Zephyr's black iron fist was already before him.

So fast!

Linley's pupils contracted, and he leaned back, narrowly dodging the punch.

However, just as Linley was about to retreat and adjust his stance, Zephyr's left hand preemptively grabbed Linley's head!

Then, Zephyr clenched his right fist, gathering power, and let out a puff of hot air.

"Don't you die on me, Hero!"

A right hook, imbued with Armament Haki, landed squarely on Linley's chest!

Black Arm Crush!

BOOM!

In that instant, Linley felt as if his chest had collided with a mountain. His insides were churned upside down, and even his heartbeat stopped for several seconds!

Linley spat out a large mouthful of blood with a "whoosh," but his face showed no fear, only extreme excitement.

"Of course I won't die, phew."

Linley exhaled.

"Thank you, Teacher Zephyr, that was a truly powerful punch!"

[Energy Value]: 350.

300.

200.

100!

Hero Skill: Wicked Blow!

Consumes a large amount of Energy Value, stacks the damage received, and then unleashes a punch in one direction.

The more damage received in a short period, the greater the power of this punch!

Linley roared, his blood mixing with the sound and reaching Zephyr's ears. The latter's pupils constricted sharply, and a sense of danger surged through him.

Not good!

Zephyr quickly released Linley and tried to retreat, but Linley's Wicked Blow had already struck Zephyr's abdomen first!

Boom!

A muffled sound like a drumbeat!

The force of the punch pierced Zephyr's body, tearing his shirt.

Zephyr gritted his teeth, but a few drops of blood still seeped out from between them.

"Huff… huff, I'm really getting old."

Zephyr looked at Linley, regulating his breathing. "Is this a Devil Fruit ability?"

Linley gasped for air, nodding.

Zephyr said seriously, "Turning the damage you receive into a counterattack, this move is truly too dangerous. Kid, don't rely too much on Devil Fruit abilities."

"You're really strict, Teacher Zephyr."

Linley gave a wry smile and assumed his stance again.

"Are you going to continue?" Zephyr asked, somewhat surprised.

Although the previous exchange seemed to be back and forth, Zephyr knew very well that it was due to his absolute advantage, and he believed Linley understood this as well.

"Don't fight anymore, you'll die." Zephyr looked at the heavily injured Linley and said slowly, "The match is decided."

"This has nothing to do with winning or losing, Zephyr!"

Linley's right arm was already bloody from the previous attack, and several of his ribs were broken.

He gasped for air, his arms hanging limply, but his body stood as straight as he could manage.

"There's only one reason I'm continuing this fight—"

"It's because I'm still standing here!"

Linley forcibly raised his arms, then clenched his fists and assumed a fighting stance.

"I fight, therefore I am!"

Linley roared, glaring at Zephyr, his gaze unwavering.

He clenched his fist, then furiously swung it!

Zephyr looked at Linley, then watched as he raised his fist and struck Zephyr's Armament Haki.

With a bang, it was like hitting a shield.

"That's enough, kid!"

Zephyr said slowly, "Give up. I'll try my best to ensure you receive a fair trial."

As he said this, Zephyr felt a little guilty, because he understood the identity of the kid before him.

A slave of the Celestial Dragons.

Those who bore the Hoof of the Flying Dragon could not receive a fair trial in front of the World Government.

To the World Government, slaves were not "people."

But Linley merely wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly adjusted his breathing.

He still had one last move.

Hero Form—Ultimate Skill: Showstopper!

Consumes a large amount of Energy Value, based on his monstrous strength, carries the enemy forward a certain distance, and then slams them hard onto the ground!

However, the enemy Linley was facing now was the former Marine Admiral, Zephyr, the "Black Arm."

Linley had no confidence at all whether Showstopper could shake Zephyr's Armament Haki.

To be more precise, Linley felt from the bottom of his heart that he couldn't shake him.

But he still had to try.

Getting into position, Linley prepared to expend all the Energy Value within his body to unleash that final move, the "Showstopper."

This was his last hope.

He didn't need to defeat Zephyr, just to stop him briefly, giving himself and Fisher Tiger time to board that warship. Then they would still have a chance to escape the port!

Zephyr also saw Linley's intention. He sighed softly, preparing to carry out his duty as a former Admiral.

However, the moment Linley prepared to attack, Fisher Tiger suddenly lunged at him!

To be honest, Linley was startled. After all, a bright red Fish-Man face lunging at him was quite terrifying.

"Careful!"

Fisher Tiger's lunge pulled Linley away, and then a sound was heard—

BOOM!

A cannonball landed where Linley had just been, exploding with a roar.

Immersed in his duel with the Admiral, Linley finally realized they still had a major problem to deal with.

The Celestial Dragons' indiscriminate shelling of various ports was still ongoing!

I made a slight modification to the original text. It seems the comment for that sentence in this chapter was deleted. My apologies, my apologies