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The battle situation on the light screen changed in an instant, gripping the hearts and minds of every viewer in God Valley.
However, not everyone was fully immersed in the impending final showdown between Luffy and Zephyr.
Kaido's gaze remained fixed on those bizarre Devil Fruit abilities.
"Linlin…"
Kaido asked curiously, his eyes flashing with pure curiosity and a desire to probe: "I have a question. Tell me, why doesn't that old guy named Zephyr use his female disciple's Reversal-Reversal Fruit ability on himself and give himself a couple of touches?
If he could regress his body by ten or twenty years, wouldn't his physical condition improve a lot? Wouldn't his combat power rise to a whole new level?"
Kaido's question came from a rather tricky angle, yet it precisely hit on the astonishing potential displayed by the "Reversal-Reversal Fruit."
A single touch regresses twelve years of time, with effects that can stack, even potentially erasing existence itself.
This power that touched the rules of time and existence held an inexplicable attraction for Kaido—even though he had already eaten the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon…
Hearing Kaido's question, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin gently stroked her chin, then let out a thoughtful "Mam-ma-ma-ma" hum.
Though her actions could be violent, her mind was far from simple—especially when it came to an extraordinary understanding of various special abilities and Devil Fruits.
Big Mom narrowed her eyes, recalling every detail of Ain's ability shown on the light screen.
"That ability… has been shown too little…"
Big Mom finally gave her judgment, her voice full of helplessness: "The most crucial point is unclear—whether the 'reversal' affects only the outward appearance of age, or if it also traces back the internal bodily functions and peak condition as well?"
As she spoke, Big Mom paused, looking toward Zephyr's figure on the screen—a figure whose heaviness and exhaustion could be felt even through the display.
"In the future, Zephyr's body has long been hollowed out by illness and old age. Even if Ain's ability could make his appearance younger, if his internal organs are failing, accumulated hidden injuries…
Chronic asthma and other bodily functions aren't restored along with it, then it's merely superficial. The combat power boost would be limited, and he might even misjudge his own endurance due to the 'young' appearance, leading to an even faster collapse."
Big Mom's evaluation was very practical and fair.
Devil Fruit abilities come in all shapes and forms, but they often carry inherent limitations and costs.
Whether Ain's "reversal" touched the essence of life or merely acted on some kind of "temporal imprint" couldn't be conclusively determined from the fragments shown so far.
"I see…"
Kaido nodded thoughtfully, accepting the explanation.
But the interest in his eyes toward the "Reversal-Reversal Fruit" did not diminish; instead, he muttered: "If it could reverse bodily functions along with it… that would truly be heaven-defying."
"Gulp gulp… Burp!"
A sound of fierce gulping and a satisfied belch came from the side. Captain John, eyes bleary from drink, interjected: "On this sea… there are all kinds of weird abilities!
Burp, maybe… maybe there really is a fruit that can make someone truly turn back the clock and rejuvenate! Heh… the world is interesting precisely because of stuff like this! Cheers!"
John raised his bottle and shook it at the air, then drank again on his own.
Though he looked like a drunken fool, no one refuted his words.
The existence of Devil Fruits was one of the most mysterious and unpredictable variables on this sea, granting the world infinite possibilities and creating countless legends and tragedies.
Low murmurs about various fruit abilities, Zephyr's choices, and future directions had been continuing among the pirates and Marines.
But at this moment, all the background noise seemed to be absorbed by an invisible sponge, quickly falling silent once more.
The light screen's image now firmly pinned every gaze to the summit of that smoke-shrouded island!
The final battle had begun…
To reclaim the straw hat that carried his promise and starting point, Luffy charged like an tireless beast straight through the hail of bullets laid down by the Neo Marines!
His steps never faltered, his gaze blazing, until he finally set foot on Zephyr's location.
"Straw Hat brat…"
Zephyr's voice was low and hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper: "Have you come to protect this New World, to protect those laughable dream-lands?
Like the 'justice' those Marines proclaim?"
Zephyr thought Luffy would give an answer along the lines of "to stop your madness" or "to protect the innocent"—something fitting a grand sense of "righteousness."
However, Luffy steadied himself, raised his head, and looked straight into Zephyr's eyes—eyes scorched by hatred and despair—declaring firmly: "No! I'm here to take my hat back!"
Luffy's answer was so simple, so direct, even seeming somewhat "selfish" and "narrow-minded."
No high-sounding reasons, no slogans about saving the world—only an obsession with something that belonged to him and held profound meaning.
"This hat was entrusted to me by Shanks!"
Luffy's voice rang out especially clear in the wind: "It has always guided me forward! It's one of my most important things!
So no matter what, I have to take it back!"
This answer clearly caught Zephyr off guard. He froze for a moment, then an even more surging rage erupted from the depths of his heart!
He absolutely would not allow a pirate—a pirate who, in his view, symbolized the "age of evil"—to speak so "lightly" in front of him about "important things" or "guiding forward"!
A pirate's "important things" were often built upon the suffering of countless others!
"Stubborn fool!"
Zephyr growled low. His left hand suddenly pulled out a vial of medicine; without even looking, he crushed the bottle in his grip!
No more words were needed!
Almost in the same instant, both moved!
No probing, no detours—the battle instantly entered white-hot intensity!
Luffy knew full well the threat of that Seastone mechanical arm, but this time, he showed no hesitation!
Gear Second steam exploded outward, his skin turning red, speed surging!
He no longer tried to completely avoid the "Destroyer" but pushed Armament Haki to its limit, coating his fists, launching round after round of ferocious close-range assaults in a near life-or-death stance!
"Gomu gomu no… Jet Gatling!"
Fist shadows rained down like a storm, each strike whistling through the air with resolute will, smashing relentlessly toward Zephyr's torso, face—even actively meeting the incoming massive mechanical arm!
Though old, frail, and plagued by illness, Zephyr's foundation as a former Marine Admiral was profoundly deep!
His combat experience was terrifyingly rich. He responded steadily, moving with minimal effort, blocking and countering with the mechanical arm while his other Armament Haki-coated iron fist struck opportunistically, clashing head-on with Luffy's fists!
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom!"
The sounds of flesh against metal, Haki against Haki, came thick and fast like drumbeats. Shockwaves burst outward repeatedly, pulverizing the rock platform's surface into dust!
At first, Zephyr could still handle Luffy's onslaught with ease, even occasionally gaining the upper hand through superior experience and landing heavy blows on Luffy.
However, as the battle continued, astonishment gradually appeared in Zephyr's eyes.
The boy before him seemed to know neither pain nor fatigue!
Every time he was knocked back, he charged forward even faster; every injury only made the flame in his eyes burn brighter!
A purity taken to the extreme—stubbornness and fighting spirit…
What truly shook Zephyr's mind even more was that Luffy was adapting to the discomfort caused by Seastone at an astonishing speed during the fight!
He no longer relied entirely on the fruit's elasticity but combined Haki with a body honed through countless trials.
His movements grew simpler and sharper; his predictions of the "Destroyer"'s attack paths grew increasingly precise!
"This kid…" Alarm bells rang in Zephyr's heart.
Finally, in one breathtaking exchange, Luffy took a sweeping blow from the "Destroyer" head-on!
Luffy poured all his strength into a single punch—not aimed at Zephyr's body, but smashing squarely into the main structure of the seemingly indestructible "Destroyer" mechanical arm!
"Crack!!!"
A grating, tooth-aching sound—the noise of metal structure completely shattering!
Zephyr's Seastone giant arm "Destroyer"—the companion of many years, symbol of revenge and power, yet also shackling part of his soul—
Under Luffy's earth-shattering punch, it actually began cracking from the middle with countless web-like fractures!
Then gears flew apart, hydraulic tubes snapped, the thick metal shell twisted and disintegrated!
Finally, the front half of the massive mechanical arm, accompanied by piercing scraping and flying sparks, detached from Zephyr's control and crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The weapon… was broken.
A fierce wind swept across the rock platform, dispersing some of the smoke.
Zephyr stared blankly at his now-empty right shoulder—only a broken joint and a few sparks of electricity remaining!
Then he slowly raised his head, looking toward the boy across from him: breathing heavily, covered in blood, yet still standing stubbornly with eyes as bright as ever.
An indescribable, extremely complex feeling quietly rippled in the depths of his heart—nearly dried up by the flames of revenge.
This boy who could erupt with such power, even shattering his "armament," just for one hat…
What exactly was he holding onto?
And what, in the end, had he himself been seeking all this way?
The light screen captured that fleeting moment of bewilderment and emotion in Zephyr's eyes with perfect clarity.
The Marines in God Valley held their breath along with it, waiting to see where this clash—transcending mere brute force—would ultimately lead.
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