Chapter 86: This Sea's Justice Needs a New Pillar!
"Oh! It's the Marine Supernova, Roy Amos! This highly anticipated participant chose to observe the situation first, but now he's finally making his move to break through the 'Sea Beast Barrier'!"
Watching the zoomed-in camera feed, the commentator's voice rose in excitement, trying to hype up the action for ratings and a raise.
His voice echoed wherever the Tri-Force Demonstration was being broadcast across the world.
To be fair.
Although Roy had gained fame before the demonstration as the "Disciple of a Former Admiral" who "Fought a Warlord to a Draw."
He was still young and previously unknown.
So, a theory circulated that Roy hadn't actually fought the Warlord evenly, and the World Government was just using the Warlord's name to boost his reputation.
Even the WEP commentator had his doubts.
But...
"It is said that Major Roy created the Wave Fist himself, a technique praised even by 'Black Arm' Zephyr, with three distinct styles... Hisss!"
The commentator bit his tongue.
SPLASH!
In a Marine branch cafeteria somewhere, a cook accidentally spilled soup on a Marine.
But the Marine didn't even flinch, staring wide-eyed at the screen projected by the snail.
CRASH! (xN)
In countless taverns, glasses dropped from the hands of patrons who were betting on who would reach the island first.
Similar scenes played out across the world.
Because at this moment, everyone saw it.
On the screen, from the snail's overhead view.
A massive "highway" had appeared on the sea infested with Sea Beasts.
At the end near the island, the sea was a crimson inferno, boiling under intense heat.
Bubble, bubble.
The air distorted from the heat, and the scent of roasted meat wafted from the countless Sea Beast corpses.
At the end near the coast, the sea was frozen solid.
Crack! Crack!
Biting cold winds howled, freezing the Sea Beasts in place.
Intense shockwaves swept across the sea.
And at the end of this massive, clear path...
The young figure, bearing "Justice" on his back, slowly retracted his fist.
This scene would be etched into the memories of everyone watching the Tri-Force Demonstration for a lifetime.
"Oh~"
Even Admiral Kizaru, sitting on the high platform, couldn't help but voice his surprise.
"I heard the rumors, but to actually do something like that~ How scary~ Kids these days~"
He adjusted his yellow sunglasses, his voice dripping with his usual laziness.
"That power... it almost looks like Fleet Admiral Sengoku's 'Buddha Impact', doesn't it~"
But the surprise in his voice was real.
"Wave Fist."
Akainu said deeply. "I heard he used this move to defeat Hanafuda, but I didn't know it was this powerful..."
His voice held a hint of doubt, but also appreciation.
For someone who upheld Absolute Justice and believed pirates were evil, Roy's decisive action against Hanafuda and his displayed strength were worthy of recognition.
"Well..."
Aokiji scratched his cheek. "Indeed. I heard his fist style incorporates Instructor Zephyr's Black Body Style, Fish-Man Karate, and Wano's Foxfire Style, but even so... this power is shocking."
He paused, remembering something. "Come to think of it, I think I saw him in the Detention Unit before... He didn't feel this strong back then."
He turned to the three veterans behind him. "Is he really not an ability user?"
But Garp wasn't listening. He was laughing and slapping Zephyr's shoulder. "Bwahahaha! What an amazing kid! You really found a gem—hey, Zephyr! How about you give him to me? I'll let you train my grandson however you want!"
Zephyr: "You old bastard... is your wound itching? Want another beating?"
Only Tsuru answered Aokiji. "All participants were verified with Seastone before the event."
Hearing Tsuru's answer, Aokiji nodded and asked no more.
He knew Roy couldn't be an ability user.
To deliver a punch like that, a fruit would need to possess shockwave, fire, and ice powers simultaneously, plus an extremely tough body.
Such a fruit didn't exist. And even if it did, using it would cause physical changes.
But everyone saw clearly—no elementalization, no zoan transformation, no paramecia body alterations. Roy showed no signs of using an ability.
So, "special talent" seemed like a more reasonable explanation than a Devil Fruit.
"Teacher Zephyr, can I have a chat with this junior brother later?"
Aokiji asked proactively, a rare occurrence. "I'm interested in his fist style."
He hadn't learned the Black Body Style, but if he could learn this Wave Fist and combine it with his Ice-Ice Fruit and Garp's Iron Fist—even for someone at the peak of the sea like him, it was a possibility worth exploring.
"I can't answer for him—ask him yourself."
Zephyr stood up with a smile.
"Oh~ Where are you going?"
Kizaru asked cheerfully. "Not staying to watch your disciple land on the island?"
"No need. This test can't stop him."
Zephyr said calmly.
But few knew the surprise and pride beneath his calm exterior.
Pride in his disciple's excellence.
And surprise because...
"How did this kid's Wave Fist get so much stronger?"
He was certain Roy's Wave Fist wasn't this exaggerated in range and power before.
In such a short time, he had grown stronger again.
Adding in the "Ryou" Roy displayed earlier and his constantly improving physique...
"Can training the Black Body Style be this effective?"
Zephyr could only attribute it to that. In his memory, Roy started improving at an insane rate after starting the Black Body training.
Of course, none of that mattered.
What mattered was, after seeing Roy's power...
Zephyr had made up his mind.
"I'm going to talk to Sengoku."
Zephyr said, leaving his seat.
"..."
Seeing Zephyr leave, Kizaru and Aokiji were curious but didn't ask further.
Instead, they turned their attention back to Garp's injuries.
"By the way, Vice Admiral Garp~"
Kizaru asked softly. "Those injuries look scary~ Was it really done by that member of 'The Zodiac'?"
Honestly, Garp's injuries were mostly healed and didn't look scary at all.
But Kizaru was clearly referring to the person who could injure Garp.
"Hahaha! That guy... Intelligence guessed his name is 'Inoshishi'."
Garp laughed, unconcerned about his wounds. "Indeed, a pretty good kid. Tricky ability."
"Not just him."
Tsuru spoke up again.
The Chief Staff Officer's eyes flashed with gravity. "The members of The Zodiac all seem to be troublesome individuals."
"That is precisely why... this Tri-Force Demonstration is important."
She looked at Zephyr walking up the stairs to the top platform, then at Viroth nearby, and finally at the figure in the distance.
"The Justice of this sea needs new strength and pillars!"
At the same time...
"Phew... Nice!"
Roy exhaled after clearing the Sea Beasts with one punch.
He looked at Smoker. "How was it?"
Smoker: "..."
How was it?
How else could it be?
He was one of the people who knew Roy best. He had sparred against the Wave Fist multiple times and heard the rumors.
But no matter how he looked at it—this punch was completely beyond his comprehension.
Only now did Smoker realize Roy wasn't joking before they left—he really was terrifyingly strong.
"You..."
Smoker started to speak, his voice dry.
But...
"Talk later—don't forget our bet!"
Roy interrupted him, raising a hand.
Bet?
Smoker paused, instinctively looking at Island Number 7 behind them.
Then he realized—although Roy's punch had cleared the path...
Other Sea Beasts were swimming in from nearby.
Although they looked terrified and reluctant, the path Roy cleared was rapidly disappearing.
Only then did Smoker understand Roy.
"Bet? What are you planning..."
Before he could finish.
WHOOSH!
As a smoke-man, he felt the change in the environment clearly.
It was...
"Wind!?"
Smoker looked at the distant sea—why was there such a strong wind?
But immediately, he realized the cause.
He looked at the path Roy had blasted open.
At the start, the ice created cold air.
At the end, the fire created hot air.
"Cold and heat create a temperature difference, and temperature difference creates 'Wind'!"
Whispering, Roy silently switched fruits.
[Logia · Magma-Magma Fruit -> Zoan · Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Quetzalcoatlus LV4]
[Quetzalcoatlus LV4: Can generate wind blades with wings, and use wind currents for super-high-speed movement.]
The next instant...
"Geppo: Windrider!"
BOOM!
In front of Smoker, Roy's figure shot out like a bolt of lightning at an exaggerated speed.
The sonic boom caused by the speed was piercing.
When Smoker turned his head in disbelief...
He saw Roy crossing the closing channel of Sea Beasts in an instant.
Thud!
Roy landed on the artificial island marked with the number '7'.
The crowd, still recovering from the previous shock, fell silent again.
Then...
"The first participant has landed! Too fast! Unbelievably fast!"
"While the fastest, Vice Admiral Gion, is only halfway there, the Marine Supernova, Major Roy Amos, has successfully landed... Ouch! My tongue, again!"
Only when the commentator announced it with a trembling voice...
Did the roar of amazement finally erupt.
☆☆☆
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