Reckless Youth, Conflict Arises

The next day, as usual, Ye Chen sweated profusely, training with complete focus.

Compared to the rapid improvements he had made before, Ye Chen now felt as though he had hit a barrier. Continuing to train like this would not have much effect unless he broke through again.

However, each breakthrough became increasingly difficult. After giving it some thought, Ye Chen felt that perhaps he should go out and see the world. He had trained single-mindedly for long enough; it was time to take a break and sail out to witness this cruel world. As he was now, as long as he did not encounter a true powerhouse, he had the strength to protect himself.

Most importantly, it was time for him to take revenge.

But he was still a trainee. Going out to sea was simply impossible unless, like Sakazuki, he followed someone else out for some experience.

"Brother Ye Chen, something's wrong! Shu and Very Good are being bullied!"

While Ye Chen was training, Hina suddenly ran over from afar. Her pretty face was filled with grievance, and her eyes were slightly red. She had clearly been crying.

Ye Chen stopped training and frowned.

"What happened?" Ye Chen asked with an impassive face as he looked at the panting Hina.

"Today, while I was talking with Sister Gion, that Chaton started proposing to her again. I couldn't stand it, so I scolded him, and then... then..."

Her voice grew quieter and quieter. Like a child who had done something wrong, Hina lowered her head, completely forgetting that she was actually a year older than Ye Chen.

"Let's go take a look."

Ye Chen felt helpless. Over the past few years, the two sides had clashed several times. They were all hot-blooded youths at an age when they thought highly of themselves, so conflicts born of impulsiveness were unavoidable.

The previous times, Ye Chen had only heard about it from Shu and the others. With Smoker and Vergo around, he assumed the other side would not bully them too badly, so he had not paid much attention.

It seemed that the resentment had been building deeper and deeper, and this time, it might finally erupt.

After all, many trainees were unhappy with Ye Chen's group. Perhaps just one small matter would be magnified invisibly. That was the restlessness of their age.

The scene returned to where Shu and the others were.

Lying on the ground with swollen, bruised faces, Shu and Very Good had blood all over their mouths. Their injuries did not look light; even standing up was a problem.

Bang!

Sand and dust flew everywhere, and the ground was pitted with craters. In the air, Vergo and Smoker were fighting two opponents.

One of them was Chaton, the man who proposed to Gion every chance he got, a future candidate for Marine Admiral. The other was Momonga, a future top Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters.

White Fist!

A massive cloud of white smoke condensed into a fist. With a fierce expression, Smoker blasted it toward Chaton.

A series of dull impacts rang out. Chaton clenched his fist with disdain, a faint black layer of Armament Haki covering his hand as it collided heavily with Smoker's attack.

The two landed, their feet sinking deep into the ground and stirring up a gust of dust.

"You brat, you're meddling in things that don't concern you. Today, I'll teach you a lesson!" Chaton pulled his foot out of the ground. His slightly short body seemed to contain astonishing strength as he vanished and reappeared beside Smoker, all ten fingers pitch-black.

"You damned midget! You dared bully Hina? I'll kill you!"

Even more arrogant, Smoker charged forward with an enraged face. The same faint black Armament Haki covered him as he punched at Chaton.

With a deafening crash, both men were sent flying backward, kicking up clouds of dust as they coughed heavily.

Rising to his feet, blood dripping from his fist, Smoker charged again.

For a time, the two fought evenly. The onlookers nearby were filled with disbelief, because they had never expected a newcomer like Smoker to withstand Chaton.

They had joined the Marines far earlier than Smoker and the others. Even as a Logia user, he should not have been this strong! Not to mention that his power was only smoke, which had no offensive force to begin with.

Compared to the deadlock between Smoker and Chaton, the battle on the other side was truly blood-boiling.

Using pure physical combat, Vergo and Hōshō appeared in midair, their fists coated black as they collided like an explosion.

With a sweeping kick, Vergo wore a cold expression as his right leg lashed toward Hōshō's waist, only to be blocked.

As if he had expected it, Vergo straightened his left arm. His ten fingers turned pitch-black and became an afterimage as they flashed toward Hōshō's chest.

Hōshō's scalp went numb. He felt a deadly threat from the man before him. This man actually intended to kill him.

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Making the same move, Hōshō also used Shigan.

Like metal striking metal, sparks flashed between them. Hōshō cried out as his fingers bent at an unnatural angle. He had actually lost the exchange.

Pfft!

Seizing the opportunity, Vergo kicked Hōshō in the chest. Rocks scattered as the ground burst apart. Hōshō vomited blood and fell to the ground, clutching his hand and rolling back and forth.

At the same time, a three-meter-long, brilliant white crescent gleamed with cutting force as it rapidly descended. Vergo actually intended to keep attacking. It seemed that Hōshō and the others had truly angered him this time; otherwise, he would not have been so ruthless.

Just then, a figure from the crowd of spectators appeared in front of Hōshō. The long sword at his waist was drawn in an instant, directly cutting apart Vergo's Rankyaku.

"Sir, you've gone too far."

Vergo landed and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. There were several wounds across his body, all inflicted by Hōshō. Vergo had not had an easy time during their fight either.

With a cold face, Vergo looked at the sword-wielding man before him without saying a word. He merely removed the four weighted bands and other training weights from his body.

Bang!

The ground trembled slightly. Seeing the accessories Vergo had removed smash a pit into the ground, Onigumo and the spectators froze before their faces twitched.

These guys had been carrying such heavy weights even while fighting?

When they usually watched these people train, they had assumed it was ordinary training. Though they worked hard, it had not seemed particularly surprising. After all, they had trained that way in the past too, though they had become somewhat lax over the last year or two.

"Vergo's serious now."

Not far away, Shu and Very Good, who were being tended to by Gion, swallowed hard.

The spectators no longer looked indifferent. Their expressions turned solemn, because they could sense a chilling, dangerous aura from Vergo.

Only now did they seem to truly recognize these people who did nothing but train.

After removing the weights, Vergo felt his entire body relax. He moved around slightly, and cracking sounds rang out from his body, carrying a powerful sense of oppression.

Whoosh!

The ground exploded as Vergo vanished instantly. Onigumo's expression changed drastically, but his rudimentary Observation Haki could only catch a faint shadow.

Wind rushed past his ear. Without even thinking, Onigumo crouched and thrust the sword in his hand directly at Vergo.

A piercing screech rang out. Bold and highly skilled, Vergo covered his hand in Armament Haki and actually reached out to grab Onigumo's sword.

He gripped it tightly. Even with Armament Haki covering his hand, Vergo felt pain, as well as something sticky. He had clearly been injured.

Vergo's bare-handed blade catch, his seemingly desperate stance, made Onigumo's eyes widen. He actually lost focus for a moment.

And in that instant of distraction, Vergo kicked out without holding back. His foot struck Onigumo squarely in the chest. Accompanied by a crack, Onigumo spat blood and flew away.

Standing where he was, Vergo clenched his blood-covered hand, his gaze calm.

Vergo appeared formidable, defeating Hōshō so quickly and severely injuring Onigumo, but that was not truly the case. There could not have been such a vast gap in strength between them. Hōshō and Onigumo had simply underestimated him. If they truly fought to the death, no one could say for certain who would win.

After all, Onigumo was a Devil Fruit user.