Paper Paper Fruit In One Piece

"Is the final solution still power and speed?" 

Zephyr let out a bitter laugh. Since the opponent's "partners" had already controlled the battle within the scope of the volcano, it showed that the kid, while chasing his dreams, had also considered not affecting ordinary people.

For the strong in this world, this was already a rare thing! Originally, Zephyr's intention was to teach Luffy the techniques of using Armament Haki in combat, but—

The kid didn't calmly use his techniques to break through, instead, he directly activated an extreme violent "transformation" skill, leaving Zephyr both amused and speechless.

"That's right, many times, absolute power and speed can indeed solve most problems,"

"But humans, by nature, can never compare to beasts, sea kings, or even many gifted monsters. Skill is the key for the 'weak' to win."

Facing Luffy, who, after activating "Gear Fourth," had the speed of "Gear Second," the power of "Gear Third," and a towering body of four meters, Zephyr was not afraid at all. Instead, he shook his head in disappointment.

"Come on, kid!"

"That move of yours, I can tell it's a huge energy drain! Let me give you a proper lesson—"

---

Boom!

Boom!! Boom!!!

"Is Luffy okay?"

While maintaining her "freezing ability" to stabilize the volcano in front of her, preventing a natural disaster that could destroy the city of Seken, known for its hot springs, Nami looked anxiously at the mountaintop.

The explosion that shot into the sky caused the ground to shake with a deafening roar! If not for Roman and Nami using their freezing ability to stabilize the mountain and their gravity powers to control falling rocks, the casualties would have been countless.

"No problem," 

A pigeon perched on Nami's Marine Admiral cloak tilted its head.

"Not to mention that Zephyr and Luffy's grandfather Garp are old comrades from the same generation, but based on Luffy's actions, I don't think Zephyr would actually try to kill him."

Luffy was definitely not a perfect saint, but in this vast sea, calling him a 'good person' was not an exaggeration.

In fact, compared to being a 'pirate,' Luffy seemed more like a 'chivalrous hero' who would risk his life for his friends and draw his sword to help those in need.

You have to understand that most of the 'strong' people in this world, when dealing with problems, would think: 'Did you eat? If not, here's a punch!' Pirates who haven't spilled common people's blood are rare. After all, if I can crush you with one hand, why would I waste time listening to you talk?

If you want something, just take it!

Not everyone is like Shanks, who can laugh off a head injury from a beer bottle by a mountain bandit and still spit back at them.

"Don't worry, Zephyr's main goal is half to test Luffy, and half to teach him Haki techniques. It's just that..."

Roman didn't expect Luffy to go straight into 'Gear Fourth.' Well, Roman was ready to step in at any moment, but, "This power is meant for dealing with beasts, right? It won't work on me!"

In the center of the deafening explosion stood Zephyr, unmoving.

"Armament Haki, defense!"

The invisible Armament Haki released by Zephyr surrounded him like a tough sphere, the peak of defensive techniques! Especially when combined with his huge sea stone weapon in his right hand, it made him practically unbreakable, and the Haki drain on him wasn't high.

"Your explosive techniques must use up a lot of Haki and stamina."

Facing the overwhelming power of Luffy's Gear Fourth, Zephyr remained unfazed. He stood as if rooted to the earth, no matter how much Luffy charged at him with full force, he didn't budge an inch.

"Damn it, what kind of ridiculous skill is this?!"

Gear Fourth was incredibly powerful, but when facing an opponent with such a strong defense, Luffy had trouble dealing with it—like how the drunken Kaido had once called Luffy's Gear Fourth attack a "hangover punch"...

Zephyr might not have Kaido's monstrous physical defense, but his top-tier Armament Haki could easily handle this kind of straightforward attack.

"Watch closely, kid!"

"This is the advanced application of Armament Haki. Don't underestimate the wisdom humanity has accumulated over thousands of years."

As the battle continued, Zephyr began to look more and more blurry, as if seeing through a fog. His face and figure seemed to 'distort.' This was due to his extremely dense external Armament Haki twisting the light around him, making it appear like a 'shielding Devil Fruit power.'

Of course, unlike the regular 'shielding Devil Fruit,' Zephyr's Haki sphere didn't provide absolute defense, but it greatly reduced the impact of any attack that came near him! No matter how strange or powerful the ability, it was nearly impossible to break through his external Armament Haki.

"By gathering Armament Haki on your hands or weapons, you can release it, turning it directly into offensive or defensive power. It can strike enemies with powerful blows, or form a protective barrier."

"Stop underestimating me, old man!"

" Gomu Gomu no Great Ape King Gun!"

Boom!!! 

With a punch that could split mountains and seas, Luffy's fist hit Zephyr's Sea King stone weapon again. The solid ice-covered volcano trembled like waves, shaking the sky and earth, causing mountains to collapse and the ice to crack! A mass of black light shot out in all directions like a tangled web.

At first glance, it might seem insignificant, but the power hidden within it was absolutely terrifying! Just a small section the width of a hair was enough to instantly shatter and kill a Marine's elite officer on the spot, and even an officer would be severely injured and spit blood. The shockwave alone was enough to require someone of officer rank to withstand!

Despite Luffy having the advantage in both size (4 meters tall) and momentum, his face showed no sign of ease.

"In front of my 'Dominant Air Defense,' no matter how powerful the force is, it will be weakened. Even I, as an old man, can easily take your punch. If all you rely on is brute strength, your journey ends here, Pirate King!!!"

Zephyr clenched his left fist against his waist. He wasn't just a punching bag; the name "Black Arm" came from his powerful Armament Haki: "Empty Foot, Solo Walk!"

With a punch thrown from a distance, Zephyr's fist hadn't even reached Luffy, but the Haki, as overwhelming as a raging tsunami or collapsing mountains, already struck from the air! When it reached Luffy, there was no physical collision or impact. Instead, it passed around Luffy's Armament Haki, seeping invisibly into his entire body, even reaching his bones and internal organs.

"Bleh—" 

A large mouthful of blood sprayed out. Even Luffy's tough body couldn't withstand that punch! After the previous battle, his muscular frame quickly shrank and deflated, returning to his usual 1.7 meters as he half-knelt on the battlefield.

"Cough, cough... cough..."

Luffy, coughing up blood clots, lifted his head and looked at the large old man in front of him without fear.

"You're really strong, old man."

"Now you decide to say that? Isn't it a bit late?"

In response to Zephyr's words, Luffy wiped the corner of his mouth as he stood back up. 

"I'm just telling the truth, but... our fight isn't over yet!"

?

"Interesting," 

*Crack, crack,* 

With a nod from Zephyr, his Sea King stone arm made a series of rough sounds as it finally: 

*Clang!* 

The massive weapon dropped to the ground, revealing Zephyr's right hand—of course, it was also a mechanical arm.

"I didn't expect you to learn 'Haki Release' during the battle."

"Hehehe, after taking so many punches from you, even a monkey should have figured it out, right?"

...Sorry, but no normal person would suddenly comprehend their opponent's advanced Haki skills in the middle of a fight, right?

A white dove circled in the sky. The battles in other areas were already over, since Zoro and Sanji were far stronger than Ainz and Binz. As for those 'pacifists,' they clearly weren't a match for the Straw Hat crew.

The only remaining fight was between Zephyr and Luffy.

Soon, the rapid loss of stamina turned the battle into: 

Boom! Boom! One punch from you, one punch from me.

"Ha~~" 

"Ha~~ ha~~"

Although Zephyr had seemed like he was fighting Luffy effortlessly earlier, in reality, he was already old. 

Unlike Luffy, who could "breathe and heal," Zephyr was 74 years old, and his breathing had become rough, a sign that his asthma was starting to act up.

"Kid, you've got the straw hat. Why are you still fighting me?"

The figures of the two, throwing punches and kicks at each other, slowed down and grew weaker. One was old and sick, and the other was exhausted; they were less fighting and more a clash of wills.

"You're a pirate, right? Even if you defeat me, no one in this world will thank you!"

Knowing when to stop and assess the situation is what being a pirate is all about.

"So what? I just want to do things my way!" 

Luffy, staggering back, answered without fear.

"If I don't beat you, I can't become the Pirate King."

"...Is that really all there is to it?"

Zephyr's old voice seemed to question him, or maybe he was asking himself.

What a good kid... passionate, relentless, responsible, and kind-hearted... Even more rare is his strength and insight, both of which are by far the best I've ever seen! Even his grandfather Garp, at this age, wasn't this exceptional. But... "You want to do things your way?"

?

"Hahaha, what I want to do right now is..."

With a fist the size of a cooking pot covered in Armament Haki, Zephyr smiled.

Boom! With one punch, he sent Luffy flying. As Luffy got back up, Zephyr stepped forward and swung his fist again! Even the sharp pain in his chest couldn't make him waver for a second.

"I'll knock you down!"

Boom! Boom!!

Boom!!! Hand-to-hand combat, Luffy was no match for Zephyr, but even though he wobbled, staggered, and had to take a few punches before he could fight back, Luffy still didn't fall. Until...

Thud, Luffy, completely drained, fell forward and grabbed Zephyr's belt, refusing to fall completely to the ground. Even though he couldn't lift a fist, his face still showed an unwavering, determined look in his eyes.

!? Thud, just before Luffy hit the ground, Zephyr also fell back first. His sunglasses fell to the side, revealing his old but calm eyes.

"Looks like... I'm getting old,"

Not just physically, but mentally too! Seeing such an outstanding younger generation, the former "Black Arm" Admiral couldn't swing his fist anymore.

"It's a shame, happy times always pass so quickly..."

Slowly sitting up, looking at Luffy who had gotten back on his feet, Zephyr had lost the will to continue fighting.

"If you want to chase your dream, you need to clear all obstacles and keep moving forward."

Teaching the next generation was deeply ingrained in Zephyr's bones. If the sea really could be calm, then:

"Take my hat and my life with you!"

Facing Zephyr, who was now ready to face death, Luffy just smiled brightly.

"I don't want your life, I'm already happy!"

...

"If you still want to fight, I'm here."

Facing Luffy's cheerful smile, Zephyr was stunned for a few seconds, then shook his head.

"No, I have no reason to throw another punch."

"Luffy!" x7 

"Zephyr-sensei!" 

x2 With the others arriving, this battle of beliefs came to an end.

(End of chapter)

 ----You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu