Ain was startled and instinctively raised her gun to shoot.
"Get lost."
Bang!
Sage didn't even look; he simply kicked sideways, striking Ain in the heart, sending her flying backward. He then casually lifted Zephyr, and with a swift motion of his fist, shattered Zephyr's breathing apparatus.
"Don't accuse me of bullying the old with numbers, though you old guys don't admit you're old. Just watch."
Smack!
He pressed his two fingers firmly on Zephyr's chest, sending him flying once again.
This time, Zephyr steadied himself and landed firmly on the ground. Clutching his chest, he instinctively wanted to cough, but at that moment, he suddenly froze.
Zephyr blinked and took two deep breaths. Despite the cracking pain in his chest, he exhaled forcefully.
He showed disbelief, "Sage, you..."
The asthma was cured.
This was a disease that had tormented him for years!
"Under my hand, there are few diseases I can't cure!" Sage let out an arrogant and rampant laugh.
North Star Divine Fist is also the Living Fist.
Under Sage's training, except for incurable terminal diseases, other ailments could be easily cured by this fist.
Mere asthma was nothing.
"Of course, just a single point like that can't cure it completely. It requires prolonged Secret Hole treatment. But for you, it's enough, because you won't live to see tomorrow."
After speaking, he waved his hand again, and the ensuing Wind Blade sliced more Neo Navy apart, either slashing open their heads or carving deep gashes into their bodies, or slicing them in half.
Immediately after, his descending hand summoned several Thunderbolt strikes, charring a group of people black.
The astonishment of having his asthma just cured vanished instantly for Zephyr, who shouted, "Stop it, Sage!"
"Hohohoho, an old Navy asking a Pirate to stop?"
Sage laughed loudly, "I'm a Pirate, how could I possibly listen to you? If you want to stop me, of course, you have to use strength!"
As he spoke, he waved his hand again, instantly summoning Wind Blades and Thunderbolts to take down another group of Neo Navy soldiers.
"See? You can't stop me, which means your strength is insufficient. You're not strong enough, Zephyr!"
Sage's words, almost shouted, made Zephyr retreat again and again, despite not being attacked.
His eyes even showed a look of despair.
Indeed...
Not strong enough anymore.
Being an old Navy, not only did Sage notice the disparity, but during the battle, Zephyr also realized it.
Sage not only became stronger, but he also became weaker.
But it's unavoidable; he's doubting, he's confused, and inevitably, he's weakening.
When that 'Whitebeard the Second' joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he questioned the Navy's sense of justice and so resigned.
But even before that, he was already very weak.
Long ago...
At the time when an Ability User who infiltrated his family killed them, he'd been gradually weakening since then.
What was the point of not killing?
Was it to let those Pirates come back for revenge?
If he had killed them earlier, would his family have survived?
If his heart had been hardened, even if a Pirate invaded the new ship, he could have taken him down before the guy slaughtered everyone, at least preserving half for retreat.
But there are no what-ifs; amid years of confusion and weakening, he placed all his hopes on the Navy.
But the Navy betrayed him, no... the World Government betrayed him.
It's not his fault, but is it the fault of the World Government?
For so many years, he should have understood what it truly was.
So, in the end...
Whose fault is it?
Zephyr's pupils noticeably began to lose focus, and his willpower dropped to its lowest.
Despite his muscular frame, knotted muscles, and tall stature.
At a glance, he looked no different from a disheartened, frail old man.
No longer a threat.
"The sea is just this cruel!"
At this moment, a voice as grand as a bronze bell resonated in Zephyr's ears, bringing a glimmer of clarity back to his eyes as he instinctively looked up.
Sage, like a tiger pouncing on a flock of sheep, summoned storms and Thunderbolts, dispatching those who followed him from the Navy with every flick of the wrist. They were either charred or dismembered by Wind Blades, dying horrible deaths.
He stood on the black cloud, arms spread wide, laughing heartily, "Only the strong can stand firm in this ocean! Only the strong have the right to sit at the table!"
"Justice? Evil? Every part of the sea has its own reasons, and who's right is decided by strength!"
Boom!
Black and red lightning from the sky shrouded the entire island in a black-red glow.
The intense sound of the lightning and Thunderbolts couldn't drown out Sage's wild voice.
"And now, my reasoning is supreme! I am justice! My beliefs and will can be most firmly realized!"
Amidst the thunderous lightning, a figure suddenly rushed towards Sage in the black clouds, his punch tearing through the sky, rivaling the Thunderbolt in speed. Sage didn't turn around, just smirked and instinctively threw a punch back.
"An ambush is useless against me!"
Bang!
The collision of fists created a shockwave that rippled through the air. Under this impact, the figure was again knocked backward, spun several times in mid-air, and landed steadily.
The flickering black-red lightning receded into the clouds, quieting the island once more.