SPLASH!
High atop the crashing waves, Kisame grinned like a maniac.
"Hehehe… I'm coming in now!"
"URRAAAHHH!!"
With a battle cry that shook the skies, he tightened his grip on Samehada and charged down the wave, riding it like a demon surfer. The massive blade swung overhead like a mountain falling from the heavens.
There was no fear on that shark patterned face—only vicious glee and savage intent.
A violent gust of energy exploded outward, howling winds roaring past, Kisame's cloak flapping like a flag in a storm. The pressure alone felt like it could tear Zephyr apart.
But Zephyr stood firm in the rising water, calm amidst the chaos. His brows furrowed—not in fear, but curiosity as he summoned his own force of will to counter the crushing aura.
From midair, Kisame caught sight of Zephyr's stance, and his eyes narrowed.
This guy is insane.
Just a regular human…and yet he'd trained his body to such a terrifying degree?
Unbelievable.
It reminded him of that green-skinned monster from before…
BAM!
A thunderous thud echoed as Samehada struck Zephyr's arm—black as ink and hard as iron. The recoil alone sent a numbing tremor through Kisame's palms.
There was no doubt now—this man's physical prowess was beyond logic.
If the cap for hand-to-hand combat skill was a 9, this guy had smashed right through it.
He could feel it clearly:
Samehada hadn't moved him an inch.
Still, that didn't mean Kisame was backing down.
No way in hell.
He focused his will, channeling it into his living weapon.
RIIIP—!
The white wrappings burst apart, shred by shred—finally revealing the true, monstrous form of Samehada.
A grotesque, black hunk of muscle and spikes—like a meat club covered in barbs.
"Huh?"
Zephyr's brows twitched. "So that's what it really looks like…"
With his sharp Observation Haki, he'd sensed from the start that Kisame's weapon was… strange.
It felt alive—like it was more than just steel.
He'd brushed it off as a trick of the senses when he felt how hard it was earlier.
But now, seeing that toothy, living weapon tear off its bindings, baring its jagged maw…
It sent a ripple of shock down even his veteran spine.
What the hell is that thing?!
It's moving. On its own.
---
Outside the battlefield, Sengoku narrowed his eyes at the grotesque blade in Kisame's hands.
"…That weapon…"
He couldn't help but think of the experimental work being done by the Marine Science Division.
Turning weapons into Devil Fruit users.
But the thought flickered and passed—there was no time to dwell.
He returned his gaze to the two combatants.
Earlier, when he arrived, he'd thought Zephyr might be overreacting.
But now?
Not so much.
And as for Kisame—Sengoku was starting to see him in a very different light.
Zephyr's curiosity had been piqued. He stretched out a hand toward Samehada, wanting to grab it—but Kisame, sensing his intent, dodged away at the last second.
Zephyr didn't seem the least bit annoyed. Instead, he lifted a foot and snapped it outward.
FWOOOOOSH!!
Out of nowhere, a storm of slicing wind erupted, sending visible air blades tearing through the atmosphere.
Rankyaku—one of the core Rokushiki techniques.
Normally, it was a standard-issue move for a marine.
But in the hands of someone like Zephyr?
It was nothing short of a natural disaster.
Kisame's pupils shrank. No time to act tough—he kicked off, retreating fast, forming rapid hand seals while gripping Samehada tight.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Landing on the artificial lake, he claimed his home turf. With both palms slamming the water's surface, the lake responded with a roar.
The waters surged and twisted like a living beast, forming a spiraling vortex wall in front of him.
Not just that—the spinning wall wrapped around him in a full-circle defense, enclosing his position entirely.
Back in the Shinobi World, he'd been nicknamed the Zero-Tails, thanks to his obscene chakra reserves.
His jutsu?
Basically just super-sized versions of everyone else's.
The swirling water vortex rose like a tower, clashing directly with Zephyr's wind blades.
SPLASH! WHOOSH! CRACK!
Water exploded outward, wind howled wildly—the battlefield looked like the middle of a hurricane at sea.
The cadets and marine officers watching from the sidelines were completely shook.
They couldn't help it—everyone took an involuntary step back.
Especially the cadets—those chaotic wind blades alone were enough to make their scalps go numb…
But their eyes?
Burned with raw admiration.
They knew the Rokushiki was powerful, but they'd never imagined it could be pushed this far.
Zephyr's attacks were terrifying, no doubt…
But they hadn't been able to break through Kisame's defense.
With his monstrous chakra, Kisame had completely neutralized the wind barrage using Water Formation Wall.
But then came the real question…
Now what?
He hadn't exactly thought that far ahead.
Standing behind the water curtain, Kisame stared through the waves at Zephyr, his expression caught between grim and impressed.
This guy's insane.
He was on the same level as that "Kaido" monster.
That ridiculous body… and that black aura he wrapped around himself…
Hard when it needed to be, soft when it wanted—completely terrifying.
Seconds passed. The storm of air blades finally died down.
Then—Zephyr's Haki exploded.
That inky black Busoshoku surged violently over his arm, twisting into raw pressure that rippled through the air.
With a deafening roar, he launched himself upward—then came crashing down, straight toward the water shield.
After watching it hold out against Rankyaku, he knew it wasn't something to mess around with.
So he didn't.
No fancy techniques.
Just a punch.
A big, black, Haki-coated punch.
Sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective.
CRACK! BOOM!
His fist slammed down like a hammer from the heavens. The air around it rippled, compressing into shockwaves.
Even through the wall of water, Kisame could feel that power bearing down on him.
That fist—It made him feel tiny.
The sheer mental pressure of it was enough to make him grit his teeth.
He racked his brain for a counter, eyes sharpening
BOOM!
The Haki wrapped fist punched into the water shield, sending out a muffled, bone-deep impact.
Zephyr felt the resistance instantly. His eyes twitched in surprise
Then bulged wide as his muscles tensed.
"BREAK FOR ME—!!"
BANG!!!
With a thunderous roar, a terrifying surge of pressure and momentum exploded outward from Zephyr.
That overwhelming force—like a hurricane of despair—tore through Kisame's Water Formation Wall in an instant.
And that jet-black fist?
Still carrying its unstoppable force, it smashed straight into Kisame's body.
CRASH!!
The wall of swirling water shattered like glass.
"Pffft—!"
With no more resistance in the way, Zephyr's punch landed full force, completely obliterating Kisame's shoulder.
"H-He broke him!"
"It's over!"
The second the water curtain fell and they saw Kisame, shoulder mangled and blown out by that monstrous punch, the cadets around the arena shouted in shock.
A moment ago, sure—they'd looked down on the guy a bit.
But after that vomit tsunami earlier? Their opinions had already started to shift.
This dude?
He was literally overflowing—with water, power, and maybe just a bit of unhinged madness.
People couldn't help but admire that.
But now?
He was toast.
Wrecked by Zephyr sensei himself!
One by one, jaws dropped, stunned expressions everywhere.
And it wasn't just the cadets—even the marine brass looked startled.
They'd finally found someone with real talent…
And on just his second day Zephyr turned him into sashimi?? (fresh raw fish sliced into pieces)
All eyes slowly turned to Sengoku.
But when they saw the Fleet Admiral's expression—stone faced, not the slightest hint of concern—they all blinked in confusion.
What the hell?
Following Sengoku's gaze, they spotted a small group standing just outside the arena—people not in marine uniforms, grinning like they knew something everyone else didn't.
Who the hell were they?
No one recognized them… but Sengoku did.
He'd read the files.
Those were Kisame's crewmates.
And instead of freaking out at their buddy getting half-destroyed…
They were just standing there grinning.
That alone was deeply unsettling.
No normal reaction at all.
And the only reason someone could react like that—Was because Kisame hadn't been taken out at all.
That was the conclusion Sengoku came to after careful observation.
And honestly? It only made him more curious.
He focused his gaze back on the arena, eyes narrowing with interest.
He wanted to see just how this freak of a man planned to survive Zephyr's monster punch.
Meanwhile, Zephyr stood there, staring at the shattered remains of Kisame.
Something about the whole thing just felt… wrong.
Especially the sensation when his punch connected.
That moment when it sank in—not the feel of flesh and bone,
But something wet.
Slippery. Gooey.
Just as he suspected—The mangled "corpse" hanging off his fist suddenly collapsed into a puddle of water.
Sploosh.
And then—That familiar, deep, eerie chuckle echoed out again.
"Hehehehe…"
"Haki… what a terrifying thing."
A blur of motion and Kisame reappeared right in front of Zephyr.
Perfectly fine. No wounds. No blood. No missing arm.
Just standing there like he hadn't just gotten atomized.
"UWAAHH?! IS THAT GUY EVEN HUMAN?!"
Cadets and navy officers alike stared, eyes bulging.
They'd just watched this dude get obliterated.
Like, literally shoulder-exploded into a puddle.
And now he was standing there again, not a hair out of place!
Even a Logia type Devil Fruit user would've struggled to walk away from a punch like that from the man they call "Black Arm" Zephyr.
But this guy?
Not only was he fine—he looked downright chill.
This...This was science fiction-level nonsense.
Where the hell was the "science" in this?!
(End of Chapter)