Rampaging Bear cursed internally. "This brat—so young, and he's already mastered so many fighting techniques?!"
His kicks were practically a work of art.
His punches? A mix of Fistbone, Dragon Claw Fist, Hasshoken...
You know everything, and somehow, excellent at all of them? What, were you training inside the womb?!
His blood churned violently, surging up to his throat. As his body crashed to the ground, blood sprayed from his mouth.
"What terrifying technique. It bypassed my muscles and rattled my internal organs..." Rampaging Bear stood up, forcefully controlling his muscles and organs to suppress the damage dealt by Klein's strike.
"These slippery arms... they're like a damn slick eel..." Klein looked slightly surprised—not only were the guy's arms slippery, but—
He was also using Kami-e, dodging and reducing the incoming damage with extreme finesse.
"Fighting someone of admiral level... really isn't as easy as it looks." Klein grinned.
But it was fun. Fighting stirred up the chaotic urges and violent instinct within him, setting his blood on fire and adrenaline surging.
"Let's keep testing out everything—skills, experience, techniques, Haki... even control over my body itself!"
Klein shot forward like a comet, treating the Marine Admiral Rampaging Bear as his whetstone.
More accurately: an XP bag.
Thankfully, this was just a sparring test, not a life-or-death duel. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so stingy about using his Scroll-Scroll Fruit.
"And maybe... I should try fusing some techniques together!"
A burning glint flared in Klein's eyes.
Fighting could be a different kind of fun.
"Hasshoken Secret Art: Demonic Flame Kick — Leaf Hurricane!!"
It was his first attempt, but his foot was wreathed in searing blue flames, powered by the essence of Hasshoken.
The strike was brutally penetrating—destructive beyond reason.
As Klein moved, Rampaging Bear instantly sensed the difference. His pores clenched. Hair stood on end.
"Extreme Force: Black Bear Blitz!!"
His massive arms, fists gleaming black, pressed together. Layers of Armament Haki coiled up and condensed into the shape of a giant black bear.
Boom—!
Brilliant waves of energy erupted in every direction, wreaking havoc.
Unsurprisingly, Rampaging Bear was sent flying once more. "Damn it—this brat's attacks are just getting stronger!"
"He's getting hyped up!"
Klein was thoroughly pleased with the result. "Fusing some moves really boosts the power. Now my strengths are even stronger!"
He launched himself again like an arrow from a bow.
The blue flames around his foot roared even hotter.
"Yagami Mad Kick — Leaf Diamond Hurricane!!"
"Shit!" Rampaging Bear's face changed dramatically. "He's doing it again?! You trying to kill me?!"
Pressure. Pure, overwhelming pressure slammed down on him like never before. His muscles bulged wildly, tapping into the depths of his strength.
His Armament Haki flared into a dark violet fireball around his fist.
He struck.
"Extreme Force: Black Ape Sphere!!"
BOOM—
Black and blue flames clashed and burst like an apocalyptic firework.
The violent force beneath Klein's foot smashed down like a prehistoric beast, tearing into the Haki on Rampaging Bear's fist with brutal, barbaric shockwaves.
Wave after wave battered Rampaging Bear's body. He felt blood surge up his throat like a crashing tide.
"Pfft—!!"
He violently spat a mouthful of crimson.
The pressure shattered—and once again, he was sent flying by one of Klein's kicks.
"Terrifying kick technique!!" Rampaging Bear was shaken. "This one's way stronger than anything before! His hand-to-hand skills are savage!"
"Every hit is worse than the last... And he's not even using swordsmanship or a Devil Fruit. He's completely dominating me. This guy's not human!!"
Boom—!!
His massive body flew like a black meteor across the sky before slamming into the earth like a cannonball, blasting out a massive shockwave.
Inside the crater...
Rampaging Bear frantically activated his muscle and organ control to repair his body—but this time, the wounds were deeper than ever. He could only hold things together on the surface.
"Shit... this is pure torture!"
"And Oharden had the nerve to tell me to go easy on him?! You tryna kill me, old man?!"
Then a memory hit him.
Three years ago, during Klein's assessment, Kong was the one who sparred with him—and got completely flattened.
...No way.
Cold sweat streamed down his back. "I'm not gonna repeat history, am I?!"
He remembered enjoying the show back then. Now? Pure hell.
Meanwhile...
Klein's eyes sparkled with joy. "Fused techniques really are next level!"
"This is the good stuff—!"
"This is the way to go!"
He was thrilled.
This is how you're meant to use skills! I've just been using them wrong until now?!
So...
What should he fuse next?
As he thought—
Rampaging Bear suddenly threw up his hands and shouted, "Stop! I give up—I'm done!"
If they kept going...
He'd lose. For sure. And Klein still had moves he hadn't shown yet.
Can't let the others see him get clowned.
"???"
Klein dropped down from mid-air, staring at him in confusion.
Rampaging Bear raised his hands, grinned, and said, "I was just testing your strength. You passed! Congratulations!"
"..." Klein landed lightly, blue fire dissipating. "Weren't you supposed to show me your giant muscle form or whatever?"
"C'mon, keep going!!"
Rampaging Bear rubbed his wrist, then shamelessly shrugged. "Nah. Can't win. You're too much of a freak. I'm out."
"They say the older you get, the more monstrous you become. But you? You're already worse than the old monsters!"
I surrender.
If this went on, he'd be the next one hospitalized like Kong back then.
I'm decades older than this kid—don't I have any pride left?
Rampaging Bear wiped the blood from his lips. "Seriously, kid... how the hell did you train? How are you better at everything than me?!"
Science meant nothing in this world, but still—it wasn't fair!
"All thanks to hard work and talent!"
Looking dead serious, Klein spoke with conviction.
Rampaging Bear stared at him thoughtfully... his mind playing out dramatic images of Klein training like a madman in secret.
—
On the battleship—
"Klein won?!" Kong felt a knot in his chest tighten.
Instructor Carter nodded heavily. "Yeah. That kid's beyond logic!"
"Those last two kicks—even from way out here, they felt like death itself. Absolutely terrifying!"
He had originally planned to convince Klein to share his follow-up techniques—maybe everyone could get rich off them.
But then he remembered...
The advanced version of Demonic Flame Kick? Maybe only a few Marines in the whole force could even use it.
Most couldn't even finish mastering the basic Demonic Flame Kick in their whole lifetime.
So much for that money-making idea.
Fleet Admiral Oharden's gaze refocused. "Incredible. Haki, kicks, martial arts, fist techniques... not a single weakness to be found."
"Klein has the potential to rule the seas."
Carter followed up immediately: "Strongest in the Marines—he might already be it. Even if you personally fought him—"
"Klein would probably break your old bones to pieces!"
Oharden glared at him. "We old timers don't need to fight the new generation!"
"We're relics of a bygone age. The new world isn't ours anymore."
"This sea... will soon belong to them."
He glanced at Kong. If Klein hadn't shown up, Kong would've been the clear successor.
But I just want to retire...
I'm not doing this 'wait your turn' crap.
Gotta live it up while I still can.
Oharden patted Kong on the shoulder. "You've got this. You'll be the next Marine Admiral—without a doubt!"
"I will." Kong's voice was firm. "One of the three Admiral seats will be mine!"
He just didn't expect Klein to suddenly surge ahead.
That one step...
...felt like an entire Grand Line between them now.
Just three years ago, he could've crushed Klein easily. Now? Tables turned.
Fate sure was twisted.
—
"Looking at it now, the next three Admirals will be Rampaging Bear, Klein, and Kong," Carter chuckled. "Guess it's time for this old man to retire."
"Nope!"
Oharden shut that down immediately. "I haven't retired yet. You can't retire before me!"
Carter bristled, puffing out his chest. "Why not?! Klein's my student! So's Kong! Even Sengoku and Garp have Admiral-level potential!"
"Look at Marine Academy history—how many instructors produced this many Admiral-tier students? Just me, Carter!"
"They should build a statue of me out front, praising my teaching!"
"..." Oharden fumed, beard puffing, face red with rage.
If only I hadn't been so obsessed with power and titles back then... If only I hadn't fought so hard to become Fleet Admiral...
If heaven gave me another chance, I'd give up the position and shove Carter into the spotlight...!
But it's too late now!
—
On the Titanic—
Kaido leapt three stories high with joy.
"YOOO!! OYAJI WON!! He's gonna be a Marine Admiral now!!"