The discussion gradually became heated, and as time passed, more and more marines gathered nearby, watching the battle from afar.
Aokiji continued: "He gave up the Battle Smasher cast by the Marines' science unit division and replaced it with a prosthetic more suited for combat."
"As far as I know, the prosthetic should have been silver, but now look at it again."
Kizaru looked at Zephyr's prosthetic but only saw an arm as black as ink.
For a moment, even Kizaru couldn't help but be amazed: "The top swordsman can temper their sword into a Black Blade through Armament Haki, but that requires years or even decades of hard work."
"Has Zephyr achieved this in such a short time?!"
"This level of Armament Haki might not be far from his prime. However, even with that, he might not be a match for White Knight Gawain."
"Is that so?"
Aokiji was momentarily stunned. "Just how strong is that guy now?"
"Anyway, if he goes all out, he can't beat me, and I can't keep him..."
"Are you kidding me?!"
Aokiji was shocked.
Kizaru's speed, even on this sea, is unmatched.
With his development of the Glint-Glint Fruit and his comprehensive combat power, he is the strongest among the three admirals today in terms of his ability to keep people in a fight.
But now, even Kizaru has no confidence in keeping Gawain, let alone Aokiji himself.
"How old is he?!"
"A year ago, he was still being chased by the Marines in the East Blue, and now…"
Boom!"
Before Aokiji finished speaking, he was interrupted by an explosion.
A shockwave, as tangible as a physical force, rippled outward, kicking up a storm of sand and dust, sweeping toward the marines nearby.
The battle began!
The shock waves that these two people detonated for the first time were enough to shatter the internal organs of ordinary people.
Even though the physiques of these marines were stronger than ordinary people, they would still be injured.
"Ko~wa~I~ne~"
As if expecting this, Kizaru calmly pressed his palms forward, coating them in Armament Haki to form a barrier, effortlessly shielding the marines from the brunt of the shockwave.
"Even after so many years, the old man is still as strong as a monster."
Aokiji was no longer interested in Kizaru's words at this moment, and he looked up at the smoke and dust in the distance.
Although his vision was completely blocked, his perception of the Observation Haki replayed the scene of the two people's fight in his mind.
The arm wrapped in the dark Armament Haki and the sword in Gawain's hand emitting light blue fluorescence clashed in the air, and hundreds of moves were exchanged in an instant.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The explosion, like a bell, continued to erupt from the desert, and the strong shock wave continued to push away the sand under the feet of the two.
In just a few tens of seconds, a huge pit with a diameter of 100 meters was formed, but it was still spreading around.
Seeing this, Aokiji couldn't help but turn back and tell the frightened marines: "The battle ahead is dangerous. Even just watching might get you injured. If you don't want to die, leave now."
Everyone looked at each other with fear in their eyes, but no one chose to retreat.
After all, if they can't even watch the battle of the top strongmen, how can they enforce justice in the future?!
"What a troublesome bunch of little devils."
Aokiji couldn't help but complain a few times, but a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Then hide behind us and try to see how far you can go."
After that, Aokiji ignored everyone and walked straight to the center of the battlefield.
Feeling the violent vibrations from the ground from time to time, his eyes were filled with indescribable shock: "I understand why you are so optimistic about White Knight Gawain. Can he fight with Zephyr-sensei to this extent?"
"No!"
Kizaru raised his hand and pushed his glasses: "It should be Zephyr-sensei. He was able to fight him. This is really unexpected!"
Feeling Zephyr's increasingly violent aura in the smoke and dust, Kizaru gave a heartfelt admiration.
Although he was one of Zephyr's most troublesome students, even the only one.
The phrase 'don't rely too much on your devil fruit ability' has been heard so many times that his ears are calloused.
But Zephyr never told Kizaru that he was not an excellent marine.
The same is true for Kizaru.
Kizaru never thought that Zephyr was not a powerful Marine.
In fact, it was quite the opposite.
One thing that the Marines who experienced that era knew was that Zephyr's peak period was enough to be on par with Garp and Sengoku.
But they all admitted that after experiencing a series of blows, not only was his body decayed, but his once invincible belief was also on the verge of collapse. Zephyr had lost the power to keep pace with the two.
But all this was completely reversed after the experience of being captured, which should have been the lowest point in his life.
Zephyr not only did not fall completely but rose against the trend, reshaped his sense of justice, and acted like a completely different person.
Only the increasingly fierce and domineering aura told everyone that this former Marines's highest combat power lived a second life!
"Ko~wa~i~ne~"
Kizaru recited his catchphrase slowly, looking at the core of the battlefield in the distance, but did not move even a little: "What did the old man experience in Raven Harbor!"
Aokiji raised a playful smile at the corner of his mouth: "Want to know?"
"Isn't this natural? Even Sakazuki would probably be unable to suppress his curiosity about this kind of thing?"
"Go ask Zephyr-sensei yourself."
Kizaru's expression froze: "I'm too lazy to listen to the old man's nagging anymore. The experience back then was not pleasant."
"Hahahaha!"
Aokiji chuckled, then turned his head and focused his attention on the battlefield in the distance.
Like two rampaging beasts, the combatants were now fighting with such force that they were tearing apart the very terrain itself.
After their initial exchanges, they were both beginning to go all out.
The shockwaves of their battle grew stronger and stronger.
Boom!
After another extremely strong collision, the two men flew backward, but in the next moment, they crushed the sand dunes under their feet and rushed towards each other at a faster speed.
Gawain's speed was fully exerted, and his own speed had been pushed to the limit. Even if he just passed over the ground, he would cause smoke and dust like a dragon.
There was also pure white water vapor, which continued to form around him like a barrier.
This speed even exceeded his previous speed when he fought with Golden Lion at Nanohana City. In terms of speed alone, Gawain had become an absolute nightmare to deal with.
Whoosh!
A piercing sonic boom split the air, hammering into the eardrums of everyone present.
The surrounding marines winced in pain, instinctively covering their ears.
"Is this a sonic boom?"
"Can he push the speed to this point just by relying on his physical ability?!"
"How is it possible?!"
"Such an existence has never existed even in the files recorded in the Marines."
"Such an opponent… How to fight it?!"
Some people couldn't help but start to worry about Zephyr; even Aokiji showed a bit of solemnity.
He had seen from the previous battle that Zephyr was undoubtedly far superior to Gawain in terms of Armament Haki, but his physical function and speed were far behind Gawain.
"Zephyr-sensei..."
Aokiji furrowed his brows, only to suddenly widen his eyes in shock.
At that very moment, Gawain found an opening and executed a terrifyingly precise strike, his blade piercing straight through Zephyr's defense.
Gawain's Observation Haki, which could see into the future, had already shown him the outcome; he would sever Zephyr's arm!
A faint blue glow shimmered along the edge of his blade.
Even as an observer, Aokiji felt an instinctive sting on his skin.
That was the kind of attack that could only be forged through countless defenses.
A purely lethal technique.
Even Zephyr's Armament Haki wouldn't be able to withstand this cut!
Seeing this, Kizaru immediately prepared to intervene.
But, in that split second, the future Gawain had seen was shattered.