Boom!
Towering waves crashed down from above like a torrential downpour.
The icy seawater drenched everyone in the plaza, sending a chill through their bodies and snapping them out of their stunned daze.
Their eyes fell upon the warship that had been smashed apart, its hull torn open by a massive crater.
Among the wreckage, they could just make out a disheveled figure struggling to his feet.
Even now, everyone remained frozen in place, unable to process what had just happened.
The memory of those few fleeting moments was so surreal that even their minds struggled to comprehend it.
It all felt impossible.
From what they had witnessed, Chaton had used the excuse of standing up for Gion and suddenly launched an attack against Admiral Lucas. His strike had been effortlessly intercepted.
Just as he was about to press the attack with his full strength...
Lucas, the newly appointed Admiral, merely took a bite of his roujiamo, and a radiant Thousand-Armed Kannon descended from above.
One strike.
That was all it took to send Admiral Candidate Chaton flying.
The entire exchange sounded complicated when described afterward, yet in reality it had lasted no more than a dozen breaths.
To everyone watching, it looked as though Chaton had launched a sneak attack...
...only to be sent flying while Lucas never even moved from where he stood.
Had they not witnessed it with their own eyes, no one present would have believed such an absurd scene.
If given the choice, many of them would have gladly asked someone to slap them across the face just to confirm they weren’t dreaming.
"This brat has been hiding his strength far too well," Crocodile said with unconcealed astonishment. "I thought yesterday’s display was everything he had. Who would’ve guessed today’s move would be even more monstrous?"
Mr. 1 wore an equally grave expression.
"Yesterday, he at least made a few preparatory movements before attacking, giving people a chance to react."
"But today... he simply took a bite of his sandwich and blasted an Admiral Candidate away."
"A monster like that is completely beyond common sense. If we ever have to fight someone like him in the future, we’d better stay on guard even when he so much as twitches a finger."
Normally, Crocodile would have scoffed at such an exaggerated description.
This time, however, he couldn’t disagree.
Lucas had sent someone flying...
...with nothing more than a bite of food.
Even Crocodile himself couldn’t pull off something so ridiculous.
And after everything he’d seen while sailing the seas...
That attack was, without question, the coolest thing he’d ever witnessed.
No hands.
No weapon.
He simply stood there and blasted an Admiral Candidate away.
Wasn’t that unbelievably cool?
Even one of the Four Emperors probably couldn’t manage something like that.
As the seawater continued raining onto the plaza, silence settled over the battlefield.
Every gaze turned toward Lucas.
Even Gion stared at him in utter disbelief.
As fellow Admiral Candidates—and partners who had worked together for years—she knew exactly how strong Chaton truly was.
That was precisely why she’d tried to stop him the moment he’d launched his probing attack.
After all, they had been entrusted with monitoring the movements of the Four Emperors.
Without strength worthy of that responsibility, no one could perform such a dangerous duty.
Feeling everyone’s eyes on him, Lucas helplessly finished the remaining roujiamo in his hand before letting out a weary sigh.
"I told you to dodge faster."
"When Kannon decides to smack someone, even I can’t stop it."
"The plaza already had to be rebuilt once. Now it’s nearly been punched through again—and we even lost a warship."
He looked toward Gion.
"Vice Admiral Gion, you all saw what happened. He started it."
"I’m not paying for that warship."
"He started it."
"I’m not paying for that warship."
Everyone’s expressions stiffened.
The awe they had felt moments ago...
The lofty, almost divine image of the new Admiral...
Collapsed instantly.
Was this really the same man who had casually sent an Admiral Candidate flying without lifting a finger?
At a moment like this...
He was worried about paying compensation for a warship?
This wasn’t merely being stingy.
It bordered on outright contempt for an Admiral Candidate.
"Admiral Lucas..."
A furious voice erupted from within the wreckage.
"Are you looking down on me?!"
An immense burst of Haki exploded outward.
The shattered deck beneath the debris instantly disintegrated.
As Chaton stepped out of the wreckage, covered in dust and looking rather miserable, everyone’s nerves tightened once again.
Their brief exchange had already been spectacular.
If Chaton truly decided to fight with everything he had now...
Things were bound to spiral out of control.
Lucas sighed.
Today was supposed to be the first enjoyable day off since becoming an Admiral.
Who would’ve thought it would turn into this?
Still...
The newly acquired Talent of the Sage Clan had proven far more powerful than he’d ever expected.
According to the system, this ability originated from the world of Naruto, specifically Chiriku of the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
By harmonizing one’s own chakra with the natural energy of the world, it enabled the user to unleash a powerful technique resembling Sage Mode.
It functioned somewhat similarly to the natural energy utilized through Jugo’s Curse Mark.
The difference was that one released the energy externally, while the other enhanced the user’s own body.
Yet both shared one defining characteristic—
They could multiply one’s strength severalfold, even by as much as ten times.
After being integrated by the system, however, the Talent of the Sage Clan had evolved into two separate modes.
The Welcoming Thousand-Armed Kannon used moments ago was its passive defensive form.
As long as Lucas possessed Sage Power within his body, the Kannon would automatically activate whenever he encountered danger, protecting him while simultaneously launching a counterattack.
Naturally, the attack power of this form was somewhat inferior to the actively controlled Wrathful Vajra mode.
Originally, based on the system’s description, Lucas had assumed the Kannon form was merely for intimidation.
Who would’ve thought...
When Kannon started slapping people, it was every bit as overbearing as its appearance suggested.
If he switched to the Wrathful Vajra form...
There would probably be even greater surprises waiting for him.
Unfortunately...
Today was supposed to be his precious day off.
The excitement vanished from his face in an instant.
"Admiral Lucas!"
Chaton leaped back onto the shattered plaza.
"I admit your last attack caught me completely off guard."
"But if you think that alone is enough to defeat me..."
"Then you’re underestimating me—Chaton!"
"I challenge you to a duel!"
Although the previous strike had looked devastating, Chaton’s injuries weren’t particularly severe.
He had merely coughed up a few dozen milliliters of blood.
The real issue was his pride.
Not only had he embarrassed himself before everyone present...
He had boldly declared that he would stand up for the woman he admired.
Only to be swatted away right in front of her.
There was no way he could swallow that humiliation.
Watching Lucas remain standing where he was without making another move, Chaton wanted to know whether Crocodile’s assessment had been true.
Could this young Admiral really be worth ten of him?
But just as that thought crossed his mind...
Lucas’s reply left him completely dumbfounded.
"A duel is fine..."
"But let’s follow procedure first."
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