"You really have underestimated me."
The still-young Tsuru lowered her head, a faint smile appearing on her face.
In the midst of battle, Goenitz faltered slightly, then bent backward to dodge at the last possible instant.
A long leg in a kitten heel, coated in jet-black Haki, swept over his head with a terrifying gust.
At the same time, a long blade struck like a viper, heading straight for his head.
Using the power of his weasel fruit, he forced the air to move his body and lashed out with a backhanded claw strike.
The clang of colliding metal rang out.
Goenitz blocked Cyrik's slash with one hand.
But Goenitz did not linger. He swiftly withdrew from the area occupied by the two powerful fighters, putting distance between them.
His gaze toward Tsuru was full of surprise.
At that moment, Tsuru seemed to have transformed from a frail scholar into a female general.
She cut a valiant figure, unleashing a powerful aura that made him feel somewhat threatened.
She seemed like an entirely different person from before.
How could Tsuru be weak when she could nurture Gion into a future top combatant capable of contending for the rank of Admiral?
Although Zephyr was Gion's teacher, she spent more of her time at Tsuru's side.
If Zephyr laid the foundations, then Tsuru provided the deeper instruction.
Likewise, Garp was also Kuzan's teacher.
On these seas, women were at a considerable disadvantage.
Among the powerful, men were far more numerous.
The top combatants among women could practically be counted on one's fingers.
That excluded born monsters like Charlotte Linlin.
To have reached her current level, Tsuru's mastery of body techniques had to be formidable.
Her physical disadvantage was precisely why she devoted her efforts to studying body techniques to improve her strength.