The trainees all knew that Rebecca wasn't a superhuman, so they didn't rush to go into the sea to retrieve her. As long as Rebecca wasn't unconscious, she could float on her own.
Crocus thought so too, and everyone was waiting for Rebecca to surface on her own. However, even after holding her breath for longer than an average person could, Rebecca did not rise to the surface.
Just as Crocus was anxiously taking off his clothes to dive and rescue the people, a deafening whale call rang out, followed by an ever-growing shadow appearing beneath the surface of the sea.
Then, Rebecca's body was pushed out of the water by an Island Whale with many huge crisscrossing scars on its head. It was Laboon, the Island Whale Laboon Brook and his crew had brought to the Grand Line.
Crocus, who was about to dive, stopped. Laboon called out again and swam to the shore where Crocus was.
Laboon lowered his head slightly, and Rebecca's body slid down Laboon's smooth head to stand in front of Ain.
Ain was stunned when she saw Rebecca being knocked into the sea. Only now did she come to her senses. She quickly put Uta aside, deactivated her Devil Fruit power, and then immediately knelt down to check on Rebecca's condition.
" Rebecca! Wake up! How can I explain to Vic if you're gone!"
As Ain called out to Rebecca, she slapped Rebecca's face with her small hands, the sound quite loud, suggesting a hint of personal grudge.
However, Ain genuinely wanted to wake Rebecca up; despite being a rival, Rebecca was still very good to her.
The two groups facing off stopped paying attention after seeing Rebecca rescued by the giant whale; a major battle was about to break out here.
The atmosphere on the scene immediately became tense. A battle of this magnitude is not common at sea. Even the whale Laboon was affected by the momentum and quickly sank into the sea.
" Red-Hair brat! Now it's our turn. My student probably didn't exhaust your Haki and stamina much, did he? I'm not trying to bully you, even though I'm old. Come on! If you can't get past me, your voyage will end!"
Zephyr challenged Shanks to a duel; he genuinely wanted to capture this pirate who would grow into a huge threat in the future.
" Beckman! I want to try it out against him one-on-one. I want to know how much of a gap there is between me and the Admiral!"
Shanks stared at Zephyr and said in a low voice, "I learned the Ryuo from Rayleigh, and now is the time to test it."
Beckman didn't speak, but simply nodded, then took out another cigarette and lit it. He had also learned the Ryuo from Shanks, and his strength was about the same as Shanks'.
If Shanks really can't win, he can join the two-on-one fight, but that's the worst-case scenario. He won't go in unless Shanks is completely overwhelmed. Fighting is a process of getting stronger and learning, especially against a former Admiral like Zephyr who has extensive combat experience.
After speaking with Beckman, Shanks drew his Gryphon and charged towards Zephyr. Behind him, except for Beckman who didn't move, the other crew members also rushed out. Zephyr shouted "Charge!" and met Shanks head-on. The trainees behind him also found their own opponents, and a great battle began.
The two were directly clashing through Armament Haki, a confrontation between the black Gryphon and the Black Arm. Both were using wide, sweeping movements, without any fancy tricks; it was all about power, speed, and Haki.
The battle between Shanks and Zephyr was exceptionally intense. Ordinary students could only see two afterimages clashing and intertwining. The two fought as they climbed the slope of Reverse Mountain, causing the mist surrounding the Reverse Mountain to surge and create a whirlwind.
After a short while of fighting, Rebecca woke up, but she had no intention of joining the battle. She was wounded and would be content to watch and cheer.
"Sister Rebecca! You're awake!" Ain's face showed a hint of joy, but her eyes were a little red. Rebecca noticed this and felt a warmth in her heart.
"Don't worry! How could anything happen to me! Is this your new friend?" Rebecca reassured her, then pointed at Uta and asked.
"Yes!"
"No!"
Two voices rang out simultaneously. Ain agreed, but Uta, who had been shrunk by Ain, disagreed, turning her little face to one side with an air of arrogance.
"Hehe!" Rebecca chuckled and stopped paying attention to the two children's personal feud, turning her gaze to the battlefield.
Rebecca is currently only focused on the battle between Zephyr and Shanks, and has little interest in other battles. Among the trainees, apart from Barnett and Frodeku who can gain the upper hand when working together, the other trainees are no match for the Red-Hair crew. However, none of them are going all out against the Marines, so Rebecca is ignoring them.
The battle between Zephyr and Shanks escalated once again, with both using Ryuo to fight, adding an even more oppressive atmosphere to the white mist.
Gryphon's domineering Haki swirled and leaped, while Zephyr's fists and wrists were also enveloped in pulsating blue-black bubbles.
The collision between Gryphon and his fist and wrist shook the heavens and earth, the clouds around them were shattered and turned into raindrops, and the two illusory moving figures became slightly clearer.
Slashes flew into the distance, tearing the Reverse Mountain. Some pebbles and clods of earth rolled down the hillside, and the people fighting below had to take cover. It sounded like thunder rumbled in the clouds.
However, the two were still moving very fast, colliding and separating recklessly on the slope of the Reverse Mountain.
A line of blood hung from the corner of Shanks' mouth. His newly learned Advanced Ryuo was clearly no match for Zephyr. Although he wasn't directly hit by Zephyr, the Haki that had seeped in still injured Shanks ' internal body.
" Red-Hair brat, if you promise me you'll stop being a pirate, I'll let you go this time. Why don't you take your crew and find a place to live in seclusion? With your strength, you're sure to live a good life!"
While fighting, Zephyr also tried to persuade Shanks not to become a pirate. If Shanks agreed, he would also be able to keep his promise to Vic.
Zephyr was destined to be disappointed. If Vic had known that Zephyr was advising others in this way, they might have had some hope, since they were facing someone capable of killing them.
But these words have no effect on people like Shanks and the Straw Hat Boy. They would rather die than give up being pirates, or rather, they would never give up their freedom!
" Zephyr! Although I didn't become a pirate with the goal of becoming the Pirate King, I became one for freedom and adventure. There are no true adventurers in this era; being a pirate is our destiny. If I have to give up freedom for my life, I'd rather die!"
As Shanks finished speaking, an imposing aura emanated from his body, and black and red Inazuma instantly spread out, the mental impact sweeping across the entire battlefield like a whirlwind.
Many in the Recruit Camp couldn't withstand the shock and fainted, even Ain and Uta collapsed into Rebecca's arms.
"This guy's Conqueror's Haki has gotten much stronger again!" Rebecca held a little one in one arm, her eyes were very serious. She thought of Vic, who wanted to fight Shanks again. Last time, Vic was affected by Conqueror's Haki.
" Conqueror's Haki!" Zephyr's eyes narrowed, and his Observation Haki swept across the entire arena. There were not many students left who could stand, and even those who were still standing were much weaker and no match for the pirates.
Before long, all the recruits except Rebecca were lying on the ground, and only Zephyr was fighting.