Chapter 90: Target Lock! Kizaru

Carl loosened his collar and glanced at Kizaru and Akainu. The two responded with their eyes.

Then, darkness, magma, and light—three natural abilities—burst out simultaneously.

Carl's body was cloaked in darkness, Kizaru radiated dazzling golden light, and hot magma dripped from Akainu, leaving black marks on the ground.

Zephyr smiled slightly, bending his arms as his Armament Haki instantly enveloped them. Compared to the overwhelming presence of Carl and the others, he remained calm and composed.

After a brief silence, Carl's eyes focused, and he exerted force on his feet. In a flash, he appeared in front of Zephyr, moving at a speed that surpassed the previous students.

Carl kicked in the air, and Zephyr immediately blocked it with his forearm. With a loud bang, the ground beneath them exploded, stunning everyone present.

"Hmm?"

Zephyr frowned slightly. He felt an invisible force twisting his forearm. If it weren't for the strength of his Armament Haki, someone else might have had their arm torn off.

His muscles bulged as he prepared to counterattack when a golden flash appeared—Kizaru, with his signature smile, delivered a kick at the speed of light.

However, what seemed impossibly fast to others was caught by Zephyr in an instant. He remarked,

"Borsalino, even with the speed boost from your fruit, is this the limit of your kick?"

Kizaru's smile faded. Without a word, he drew his light sword, intending to test Zephyr again. At that moment, Akainu rushed over like a heavy chariot, dragging a massive arm made of magma.

Carl and Kizaru exchanged glances before vanishing from both sides of Zephyr simultaneously. Zephyr faced the incoming magma fist calmly and, with a low shout, struck it with his iron fist.

The two fists, vastly unequal in size, collided, causing the massive magma fist to explode into scattered fragments, hurtling toward the sidelines.

Fortunately, the students present weren't weaklings. Lucia and the others reacted swiftly, destroying the approaching magma.

Zephyr shook his hands, crouched slightly, and then shot forward like a cannonball. His first target was Kizaru, who had just reformed his body. Startled, Kizaru swung his sword down, but Zephyr's Observation Haki was top-notch. No matter how Kizaru tried, he couldn't land a blow. Eventually, Carl intervened with Kamui, aiding him.

Carl summoned the demon sword Muramasa and engaged Zephyr directly. Their figures flashed in and out of sight, leaving cracked ground in their wake.

Zephyr grew more pleased as the battle progressed. Carl's ability to fight him to this extent proved his strength was formidable.

Having lost his family to pirates, Zephyr found nothing more gratifying as a teacher than seeing his students succeed.

The spectators were utterly stunned—Carl's combat prowess exceeded their wildest imaginations. He was only eighteen years old!

An eighteen-year-old Marine fighting on par with the renowned Admiral Zephyr was unheard of. At this point, the battle's outcome hardly mattered.

On the high platform, Sengoku was equally shocked.

"Unbelievable. Carl's growth rate is truly astonishing!"

Watching Carl and Zephyr battle in the arena, he spoke in a deep voice.

"Fleet Admiral Kong, we need to reconsider Carl's post-graduation assignment."

Kong, seated in the middle, nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.

In the arena, Kizaru had already flown high into the sky, crossing his arms as two shining orbs of light formed in his hands. He locked onto Zephyr.

In a dazzling halo, countless light bullets rained down, all aimed at Zephyr.

Carl, still engaged with Zephyr, immediately activated his power. Zephyr punched the air before being engulfed by the rain of light.

Each light bullet carried destructive power greater than warship shells. Explosions rang out, raising a massive cloud of smoke and dust, obscuring the arena.

Swish!

Kizaru dispersed the light and landed on the ground. Akainu stepped forward, raised his arms, and unleashed a barrage of magma fists into the sky. After the light rain, a terrifying wave of magma fists followed, crashing down where Carl and Zephyr had been.

Those unfamiliar with Carl's abilities worried about his safety inside such a cataclysmic attack.

But as the dust cleared, they were stunned. Zephyr's upper body was exposed, revealing his muscular frame, though burns and glowing marks were visible on his skin.

Carl, on the other hand, remained completely unscathed. The reporters were horrified, wondering what kind of defense this was!

Zephyr shook his body and turned to Carl. His pupils contracted as he noticed Carl's body emitting a white light. Without hesitation, he crossed his arms over his chest and quickly retreated.

The next second, Carl's voice rang out.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Buzz!

A terrifying repulsive force swept out, forming a transparent hemispherical field that cleared the arena.

Zephyr was pushed to the edge, his defensive stance barely holding. To everyone's shock, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zephyr smiled.

"Good, that move of yours is truly powerful!"

Not far away, countless points of light coalesced into Kizaru's body, while a thick pillar of magma erupted from the ground as Akainu emerged.

This showcased the benefits of elementalization. No matter how strong one's physical fitness or speed, a wide-range move like Shinra Tensei could still be overwhelming.

For Kizaru, who could turn into light, the repulsive force merely scattered him, allowing him to reform moments later. Akainu had a bit more trouble—he had to sink into the ground to avoid being blown out of the arena entirely.

Zephyr moved his body, his breathing slightly disrupted, before locking eyes on Kizaru.