Chapter 229: Akainu vs. Zhao Zheng

Chapter 229: Akainu vs. Zhao Zheng

The next day, at dawn.

On a deserted island near Marineford, numerous high-ranking Navy officials gathered.

Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, the three Admirals, and some renowned Vice Admirals were all present.

The sole purpose of their assembly was to test Zhao Zheng's strength!

Previously, in the office, when Admiral Kizaru had mentioned that Zhao Zheng's strength surpassed that of an Admiral, everyone had thought he was joking.

Little did they know that Kizaru was dead serious.

He even suggested to Admiral Sengoku that Zhao Zheng could be the Navy Headquarters' true ace, delivering a fatal blow to the Whitebeard Pirates at a critical moment, possibly annihilating them entirely.

Upon hearing this, the other officers were astonished.

Admiral Sengoku's expression turned serious as well.

If this young man, Zhao Zheng, truly possessed the strength of an Admiral, then as a trump card, he might indeed bring about an unexpected outcome.

However, this was assuming that Kizaru wasn't exaggerating Zhao Zheng's abilities.

With the upcoming battle against the Whitebeard Pirates having significant implications, Admiral Sengoku couldn't afford to take any chances.

As a precaution, they had arranged for this test on the deserted island.

If Zhao Zheng's strength proved to be truly astonishing, they could boldly revise their previous plan.

But if Zhao Zheng's abilities were merely average, they would stick to the initial strategy.

This deserted island was originally intended for sparring and training among the Navy Headquarters' strongest warriors.

Located at a safe distance from Marineford, even if a commotion occurred, it wouldn't affect the headquarters.

...

At that moment, Zhao Zheng stood in the center of a clearing, surrounded by the Navy's top brass.

"Let's get started!" Admiral Sengoku scanned his subordinates and asked, "Who wants to test his abilities?"

Hearing this, Zhao Zheng's eyes curiously scanned the crowd, eager to see who would step forward first.

The Navy officers remained silent, sizing up Zhao Zheng as if analyzing his strength.

After all, Admiral Kizaru's words from the previous day had been so earnest that they couldn't take them lightly.

As half a day passed without anyone stepping forward, Admiral Sengoku's brows furrowed slightly.

Just as he was about to select someone, Admiral Kizaru stepped forward.

"Young Zhao, I'm not quite satisfied with yesterday's outcome. So, I'd like to spar with you again."

Zhao Zheng responded with a smile, "Of course, no problem."

Seeing this, Admiral Sengoku immediately spoke up, "With the battle approaching, preserve your strength. Remember to hold back during this spar."

Admiral Kizaru nodded and moved to face Zhao Zheng.

"Young Zhao, my attacks are incredibly fast, so be careful!"

"Okay, I understand," Zhao Zheng replied with a smile, not taking it too seriously.

Admiral Kizaru was known for his speed, rumored to be as swift as light itself, but in reality, it wasn't quite so.

If he truly could move at the speed of light, he would have been invincible long ago.

In truth, Admiral Kizaru's speed was impressive but still within acceptable limits.

As the two prepared to engage, the surrounding Navy officers perked up, eager to witness the skills of this young man named Zhao Zheng.

Suddenly, Admiral Kizaru's expression turned serious, and his casual demeanor transformed.

The next moment, he leaped into the sky.

"Yasakani no Magatama!" Admiral Kizaru shouted, gathering a massive amount of yellow light in his hands, dazzling everyone.

The onlookers were shocked by this display, as Yasakani no Magatama was one of Admiral Kizaru's signature moves and extremely powerful.

No one expected him to unleash such a powerful technique right from the start.

Admiral Sengoku's face paled, wanting to stop Admiral Kizaru, fearing that this attack might obliterate the young man named Zhao Zheng.

But as he opened his mouth to intervene, he was stunned by what he saw.

Zhao Zheng had changed.

To be precise, the aura surrounding him had undergone a dramatic transformation.

It was as if an ancient ferocious beast had awakened, its aura radiating with overwhelming power.

Everyone was left in awe of this formidable presence.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

At that instant, Admiral Kizaru's attack arrived.

Countless dazzling light orbs, like a dense rain of fire, descended upon Zhao Zheng from all directions.

In an instant, the entire island was bathed in a golden glow.

The crowd's attention turned to Zhao Zheng, only to find him unmoved, a faint smile still gracing his face...

"Boom! Boom!"

As the countless light orbs struck the ground, intense explosions erupted one after another, engulfing Zhao Zheng in a sea of blazing light...

...

As an Admiral, Akainu's strength was undoubtedly formidable.

"Among the Navy experts present, aside from a few top-tier powerhouses, none could guarantee their survival under Admiral Yellow Monkey's attack."

Yet, at this moment, the crowd could clearly sense through their Powers of Observation that the figure remained unyielding amidst the explosion.

"Boom! Boom!"

Yellow Monkey's assault persisted for a full minute before ceasing.

As the dust settled, Zhao Zheng's figure stood there, just as expected.

What shocked everyone was that Zhao Zheng seemed completely unharmed after enduring such an attack.

"Did he block that attack solely with his physical strength?" Warlord Admiral Sengoku's face turned solemn. "What kind of monster is this guy?"

"A body like this is probably comparable to that monster, Kaido," Garp, standing nearby, said gravely. "Bepo, you've truly brought back an exceptional young man."

The vice admirals had long been stunned speechless.

Even Admiral Akainu, at this moment, slightly lifted his head, his triangular eyes fixed on Zhao Zheng, revealing a look of seriousness.

Everyone here was an expert, and Powers of Observation were almost standard among them. They could sense whether Zhao Zheng had used Armored Color Domination or any other defensive measures.

The truth was that Zhao Zheng hadn't moved a muscle...

"The newcomers these days are truly terrifying!"

In mid-air, Yellow Monkey, seeing his attack was ineffective, was also stunned.

In the entire pirate world, there were hardly any who could withstand such an attack from him.

Suddenly, Zhao Zheng spoke, "Admiral Yellow Monkey, your Hachishaku no Tennyo, while impressive in might and wide in range, lacks sufficient power."

Hearing this, Yellow Monkey burst into laughter.

Zhao Zheng's performance didn't dampen his spirits; instead, it ignited his competitive spirit.

"Huff!"

Yellow Monkey descended from the air, gazing at Zhao Zheng, "Young Zhao, your physical strength is probably no less than that monster, Kaido. So, I'll have to bring out an even stronger attack... Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!"

As he spoke, he condensed photons in his hand, forming a sword of light as his weapon.

The sword in his hand, a pure energy form, shone brilliantly, dazzling to the eye.

It was evident at a glance that its cutting power was extraordinary.

Zhao Zheng didn't take it lightly; he smiled slightly and clenched his fists.

"Buzz!"

The highest level of Armored Color Domination instantly enveloped his fists, swiftly spreading up his arms.

Crackle!

Scarlet lightning continuously flashed across Zhao Zheng's body, making him resemble a hellish demon.

The high-ranking Navy officers were stunned once more.

As experts, they could clearly see how terrifying Zhao Zheng's Armored Color Domination was. Those scarlet lightning bolts were the hallmark of peak Armored Color Domination!

The key was...

How could someone as young as Zhao Zheng have mastered such formidable Armored Color Domination?

Speaking of which, these high-ranking officers were also rare talents, having cultivated their Armored Color Domination to a level that others found hard to match.

But compared to Zhao Zheng, they felt they had wasted their lives...

"Garp!"

Warlord Admiral Sengoku asked incredulously, "How does this rascal's Armored Color Domination compare to yours?"

Garp looked at Zhao Zheng, his expression complex.

Without a word, he burst into laughter.

"Sengoku, this kid is a monster! If you can control him, your sense of justice will be fulfilled!"

Upon hearing this, Sengoku ignored Garp but grew even more cautious of Zhao Zheng.

...

"Admiral Yellow Monkey, come on!"

Zhao Zheng waved at Yellow Monkey, saying, "Let me test your Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!"

Hearing this, Yellow Monkey didn't hesitate and immediately launched his attack.

His figure suddenly transformed into countless photons and vanished from his original position.

The next moment, his figure reappeared behind Zhao Zheng.

Then, a sonic boom sounded!

Yellow Monkey's sword of light slashed towards Zhao Zheng.

Although this move was not only extremely fast but also unexpected.

It still couldn't defeat Zhao Zheng.

In the instant Zhao Zheng turned around, he raised his right arm, blocking the attack.

"Clang!"

Yellow Monkey's Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi struck Zhao Zheng's arm, emitting the sound of clashing blades.

Zhao Zheng's arm remained unscathed, not even a scratch.

His performance had left the surrounding Navy officers dumbfounded...

Yellow Monkey's Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was incredibly sharp, no less than the top-grade swords wielded by great swordsmen. It was not something that could be blocked solely with Armored Color Domination.

Zhao Zheng effortlessly blocked the attack, indicating only one thing: his physique was unbelievably powerful!

Admiral Kizaru realized this fact. He understood that to defeat Zhao Zheng, he could only rely on speed.

And so, Kizaru transformed almost entirely into photons, pushing his speed to the limit, intending to exploit his speed advantage and find Zhao Zheng's weak points.

Zhao Zheng merely smiled faintly.

Then...

"Huff!"

His figure disappeared from his original position.

The next moment, Zhao Zheng's silhouettes filled the entire arena!

He was jumping around, showing off his agility.

This was not an illusion but a visual illusion caused by Zhao Zheng's incredible speed.

In the face of such terrifying speed, everyone's Observation Haki couldn't keep up...

"Admiral Kizaru, it's my turn to attack now, be careful!"

Zhao Zheng's voice seemed to come from all directions.

Even a master like Kizaru couldn't immediately discern which of the phantoms in the arena was Zhao Zheng's true body.

"Wait, Zhao, I concede!"

Kizaru, also known as the 'Single Dog,' raised both hands and conceded without hesitation.

He carried none of the burden of an Admiral.

He clearly understood that he couldn't break through Zhao Zheng's defense, and his speed was no match for Zhao Zheng's. There was no point in continuing the fight.

"Huff!"

As Kizaru conceded, all the silhouettes of Zhao Zheng in the arena vanished.

Zhao Zheng's true body appeared behind Kizaru, his fist less than twenty centimeters away from the Admiral's head.

This scene left many people drenched in cold sweat!

It was terrifying! If Kizaru had conceded a moment later, he might have been headbutted. Even with his formidable body techniques, a punch to the head from that monster would likely knock him unconscious for a long time.

After witnessing Kizaru's concession and retreat, no one around laughed at him.

In everyone's eyes, Admiral Kizaru's performance was commendable, and he had undoubtedly demonstrated his true strength.

If anyone was to blame, it was Zhao Zheng's overwhelming power! Admiral Kizaru was right! These newcomers were indeed formidable.

"Is there anyone else who wants to give it a try?"

Admiral Sengoku suddenly spoke up.

His question surprised everyone.

Logically, Zhao Zheng's performance had already proven that Kizaru's assessment the previous day was not an exaggeration.

This young man's strength was indeed superior to Kizaru's! Why did Admiral Sengoku want to continue the test?

The reason was simple.

Admiral Sengoku wanted to see where Zhao Zheng's limits lay...

No one spoke up.

Admiral Sengoku directly called out, "Sakazuki, it's your turn!"

Sakazuki was the name of Admiral Akainu.

Upon hearing Admiral Sengoku's order, Sakazuki didn't say a word. He slowly stood up and fixed his gaze on Zhao Zheng.

Zhao Zheng also showed great interest! Among the Three Admirals, Akainu's strength was undisputed and unmatched.

He was even stronger than Kizaru and Aokiji.

During the Summit War, Akainu's performance was exceptional. He single-handedly blocked Whitebeard's attacks and held his own against the legendary pirate.

Although Whitebeard was aging and not in his prime, it still proved Akainu's formidable power.

After the Summit War, the new Four Emperors, Blackbeard, possessing the Quake-Quake Fruit and the Yami-Yami no Mi, still chose to retreat upon seeing Akainu's arrival...

All these events testified to Akainu's strength.

Additionally, Akainu was like a tenacious cockroach; he was nearly indestructible.

Despite being brutally beaten by Whitebeard, he survived. After the war, he vigorously competed with Aokiji for the position of Admiral.

Their battle lasted ten days and ten nights, and in the end, Akainu emerged victorious, driving Aokiji away!

Such a glorious record secured his position as the undisputed first among the Navy Admirals.

And now, Akainu was at his peak.

...

As Akainu approached Zhao Zheng, the high-ranking Navy officers around them held their breath, afraid to make a sound.

Akainu's sense of justice was extreme, and his killing intent was usually overwhelming, causing many to fear him...

Additionally, everyone wanted to know if Admiral Akainu could defeat Zhao Zheng after Admiral Kizaru had clearly been outmatched.

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end