Fist Bone

Time slipped quietly by.

Ever since they had made their mental pact in the Admiral's office that day, Kuzan had been fired up. He had practically become Rock's shadow.

The training ground, the corridors, the cafeteria, the harbor—

Wherever Rock appeared, a tall figure was usually close behind him.

"Vice Admiral Rock!"

"How did you pull off that close-quarters fighting last time?"

"Can a Logia really go toe-to-toe with a Mythical Zoan without using his powers?!"

His enthusiasm bordered on annoying, but Rock never showed a hint of impatience.

One morning, before the mist had cleared, Kuzan caught up with him again.

Rock glanced at him, then burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha!"

"Sure. If you want to learn that badly—"

He pointed ahead, his tone casual. "We'll do it the old-fashioned way."

Behind Marine Headquarters.

In a secluded area where almost no one ever set foot.

Several decommissioned warships sat there in silence. Their hulls were weathered and worn, but their core structures remained intact—

Seastone-reinforced frames.

Standing beneath one of the ships, Kuzan looked up at its massive, darkly gleaming frame. For a moment, he couldn't quite process what he was seeing.

"Wait..."

"You mean..."

Rock had already rolled up his sleeves and flexed his wrists.

"Yeah."

"No Haki."

"No Devil Fruit powers."

He raised a fist, his gaze steady.

"Just your fists."

Kuzan's expression froze.

The next second—

Bang!!

A dull impact loud enough to set teeth on edge exploded through the morning harbor.

Rock's fist slammed squarely into the Seastone frame.

No lightning. No Haki.

Only the purest, most brutal force of his body.

His skin split on impact. Blood ran down his knuckles and dripped onto the cold steel and stone.

Kuzan's pupils contracted sharply.

"A Devil Fruit User punching Seastone with his bare fists??? That's... that's