Meteor Falling from the Sky

Two Marine warships headed in different directions, taking a full half-day to reach their destinations.

An unnamed island.

Sakazuki looked at Fujitora across from him and said in a deep voice, "I'll be in charge of your evaluation. I hope you'll fight me with everything you have. Only then can I believe you possess the strength to join the Marines and uphold justice."

"The Marines' justice? No. I'll use my strength to show you that I have the power to uphold the justice in my heart," Fujitora said calmly, his eyes shut tight.

"Hm?" Sakazuki's expression darkened at those words, and a powerful aura erupted from him.

As soon as he finished speaking, his right hand was gradually engulfed in dark red magma, forming a fist of molten rock.

Sizzle~

The searing dark red magma flowed across the ground, making a sound as it eroded the surface.

Sakazuki fixed Fujitora with a gloomy stare, then suddenly lunged forward, swinging his magma-covered fist.

"Then let me see what you're capable of!"

Fujitora used the sword hidden within his cane to block Sakazuki's fist.

Boom!

A heaven-shaking sound echoed across the entire island, startling the birds and beasts.

An incomparably powerful shockwave rippled through the air, as though the entire space itself had begun to tremble.

"If that is the case, then this old man shall fight you without restraint!" Fujitora's aura abruptly changed.

He drew the blade from his cane, then sheathed it again in an instant. A purple ring of light shot straight into the sky.

Rumble!

Sakazuki had not paid much attention at first, but then he suddenly heard the rolling thunder.

Something seemed to be falling from the sky, and an immense pressure suddenly bore down upon the entire island.

It drew closer and closer. The gale stirred up by that pressure grew fiercer, and the commotion became greater.

At last, Sakazuki saw the shape of the falling object, and shock flashed across his previously grim face.

An even more powerful aura burst from him as though he were facing a formidable enemy!

"Is that... a meteor?!" The sea outside the island churned violently, and the Marines aboard the warship were all struck dumb with horror.

"What kind of power is this? He can actually pull down meteors?!" Momonga, who wore a light purple striped suit over a dark blue shirt and had a Mohawk, was usually stern-faced, but even he could not help opening his mouth in shock.

"Mr. Fujitora is so strong!" Bastille, a tall man wearing a horned mask covered in holes, lowered the long-handled sawblade he had been carrying on his shoulder and muttered.

What shocked them even more was that Fujitora released another purple gravitational wave ring, causing meteor after meteor to fall.

Sakazuki's gaze turned grave as he shouted in a low voice, "Great Eruption!"

A gigantic fist of lava surged toward the rapidly descending meteor.

Rumble!

Its tremendous power instantly shattered the meteor. After the lava fist exploded, it transformed into countless volcanic bombs.

They shattered the other meteors falling from the sky as well, scattering countless meteor fragments and magma through the air.

The island's great trees crashed down one after another, kicking up clouds of dust. The beasts trembled and lay flat on the ground, not daring to move at all.

While Sakazuki and Fujitora fought here, Marine Headquarters had already begun its recruitment evaluation elsewhere.

Two people walked up to Wuli. He raised his head and looked at them.

One had long golden hair, wore something resembling an eyepatch, and carried two swords.

The other had pink hair, a ribbon tied around his forehead, and goggles over his eyes.

Smiling, he said, "Hello, I'm Koby, and he's Helmeppo." He pointed at Helmeppo beside him. "The two of us will be responsible for your recruitment evaluation."

Wuli smiled faintly. "Hello. My name is Wuli."