Zephyr threw a punch

Randall and Zephyr had fought several times already, and almost every time, Zephyr liked to sneak around behind him for an ambush.

Sharp as Randall was, he had long since figured out Zephyr's routine.

He nimbly dodged Zephyr's fist and even had time to taunt him:

"Heh, you always do this, Instructor Zephyr!

I've got you all figured out!"

The spectators: oh!

Damn, he had even figured out Admiral Zephyr!

Zephyr sneered.

Got me figured out? You're eight hundred years too early, brat!

He twisted at the waist, swinging his outstretched fist back around. His arm lashed into Randall's ribs like a steel whip.

With a bang, Randall went flying.

The spectators: um...

Sure enough, Admiral Zephyr was still Admiral Zephyr!

Randall flipped once in midair before landing.

He rubbed his side, grimacing in pain.

He suspected Zephyr had used the highest-level application of Armament Haki, Internal Destruction. Otherwise, it wouldn't have hurt so much.

"Heh! You've still got a long way to go!"

Zephyr flashed a smile worthy of a ruthless bandit.

Randall's eyes darted as he said:

"Then do you dare stand there and take one of my attacks, Instructor Zephyr?"

Zephyr's eyes widened at that.

"Ha! Trying to goad me, are you, brat?

Well, I happen to fall for that sort of thing!

You're planning to use that move, aren't you?

I could take it before, and I can still take it now!

Come on!"

With that, Zephyr folded his arms across his chest and stood there.

He looked perfectly relaxed, but his Armament Haki was already poised to activate.

Randall's eyes lit up when Zephyr agreed.

"That's a promise, then! No backing out!"

"Get on with it, brat! Enough blabbering!"

Randall chuckled and settled into his stance.

He brought the heels of his hands together at his waist, his palms spread open.

The qi throughout his body began flowing toward that point.

Soon, a white ball of light the size of a human head appeared between his hands.

The sight immediately set the spectators buzzing.

"Is he a Devil Fruit User? What kind of ability is that?"

"You don't know? This might be an advanced application of Armament Haki: emission!"

"Oh! So that's what it is! You know so much!"

"Just a little, just a little. My father is a Rear Admiral, so I've seen a bit more, that's all."

By now, the energy had reached the same concentration as when he had pressed it into Texas's face.

But Randall didn't stop charging.

The ball stayed the same size, but it grew brighter and brighter.

As he charged it, the air around Randall began to tremble.

Within a ten-meter radius, pebbles on the ground actually floated into the air.

Fierce winds radiated outward from Randall.

The spectators took the blast of wind full in the face, inwardly marveling at how terrifying this guy was.

Zephyr frowned, realizing this might not be so simple.

The energy had long since surpassed the strength of the attack he had witnessed before.

And it was still rising!

Three seconds passed~

Five seconds~

Seven seconds~

Ten seconds~

Only after charging for another full ten seconds did Randall stop.

It wasn't that he didn't want to keep going. If he poured in any more energy, he would lose control.

Then it would be a day of nuclear "peace"...

"Instructor Zephyr! Catch!"

Randall managed a strained smile at Zephyr, then laboriously thrust both hands forward, as though pushing an immense weight.

At his movement, the ball of light, already straining to burst free, erupted.

A dazzling torrent of energy poured toward Zephyr.

Qi Wave!

Facing the attack, Zephyr saw the world before him flare brilliantly.

Nothing remained but a vast expanse of white.

Sensing the power of the strike, Zephyr immediately abandoned the idea of simply tanking it.

His right fist turned pitch-black in an instant, then shot forward.

A moment later, his fist slammed into the torrent of energy.

Bzzzz—

The spectators heard only one deafening sound.

After that, they could neither hear nor see anything.

All they felt was a storm raging right in front of them.

Those standing at the very front felt the skin on their faces instantly pull much tighter.

As for Christa, she was a clever little girl.

Just looking at the move's visual effects had told her it would be anything but ordinary.

So she had covered her ears early and ducked behind everyone else.

The storm lasted a full dozen seconds and more before gradually fading, as though reluctant to die away.

The spectators immediately looked toward the center of the field, unable to wait.

But when they saw what had happened, their mouths fell open and their eyes went wide.

The vast Training Ground had practically been scoured clean.

Almost none of its original stone tiles remained intact.

The training equipment and everything else had been swept to the outer edges.

Some pieces were even embedded in the walls.

And between Zephyr and Randall lay an enormous, deep crater.

The crowd peered into it, seeing nothing but darkness.

They looked at the crater, then at Randall.

Then their gazes kept darting back and forth between the two.

It was as though they couldn't believe there was any connection between them.

That kind of power was practically cheating...

He really was a monster...

The Rear Admiral's son was especially stunned.

Because he knew perfectly well that his pops could never do anything like this!

Wasn't this guy still a student...?

Was everyone in the Elite Camp a monster like him?

The Elite Camp trainees: we're not like him!

On the field, Zephyr drew back his slightly hot fist.

Then he looked at Randall and said:

"Not bad, brat!

That move of yours actually forced me to attack!

Now I know how you killed Texas."

Zephyr could confidently say that very few Vice Admirals could withstand that attack.

Even Momonga and Onigumo would have to pay a heavy price to take it.

Randall smiled at Zephyr's words.

"But that move has some very obvious weaknesses, too.

It takes too long to charge, and it leaves you locked in place for too long.

In a fight, your enemy won't give you that time.

If the attack misses, or your enemy withstands it, the only thing waiting for you is death!"

Toward the end, Zephyr softened his tone and shifted tack:

"Still, those flaws don't outweigh its merits!"

Randall was delighted to receive Zephyr's praise.

Seeing Randall smile, Zephyr smiled too.

Then he glanced regretfully around the field and said:

"Shame. We can't keep fighting now.

I hadn't even started beating you up yet!"

As he spoke, Zephyr flexed his hands.

He looked positively itching to throw punches.

Randall rolled his eyes.

Why did these Body Arts guys love beating people up so much?!

As he thought that, Randall had conveniently forgotten the joy he'd taken in beating up Aequus and Milers.

Seeing that the two had stopped fighting, Christa pattered over to Randall and tugged at the hem of his clothes.

"Randall, are you okay?"

Looking at Christa's adorable little face, Randall felt his heart melt.

"Don't worry! I'm really strong!"

Across from them, Zephyr looked as though he'd just bitten into a lemon.

"Hey, little crystal, I'm the one who got hit. Why are you asking that little brat?"