*Chapter 139: Zephyr Unleashes the Eight Gates*

Garp's worries were the same as those Zephyr was experiencing at that moment.

He knew he was getting old, but he was far from reaching the point where he couldn't fight anymore.

Although he found it difficult to deal with Kaido, he wasn't completely without a chance of winning.

These past years, while Zephyr was teaching students, he never stopped training.

Now that he was in Dressrosa, his desire to become stronger and change the sea hadn't faded.

He always wanted to change the so-called order of the sea, to end the chaos in this era.

Justice has never faded!

The fire of justice in his heart was burning.

"Bang!"

The shockwaves from the two combatants continued to spread.

Their figures had turned into afterimages, constantly darting through the air.

With Observation Haki, one could see their movements.

Besides using Observation Haki, all the naked eye could see were bursts of sparks and hear the booms of sonic blasts.

Such an intense battle was beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.

Even though Luffy and Ace were bewildered and couldn't clearly see the fight, they widened their eyes, trying to learn something.

They didn't think they could master anything right now; they just wanted to imprint these scenes in their minds.

They believed that one day in the future, they would be able to perform such superhuman actions.

Currently, Garp was intently watching Zephyr, who was fighting Kaido and seemed increasingly overwhelmed.

As soon as Zephyr showed a fatal flaw, that would be Garp's cue to step in.

Even if Zephyr scolded him afterward, Garp was determined to save his old friend's life.

People from their era were becoming fewer and fewer; Garp didn't want Zephyr to be among those who left.

This look on Garp's face was noticed by Uchiha Tetsuka, who somewhat understood Garp's thoughts.

After all, the two had a very good relationship ever since they joined the Navy.

In Konoha, this was known as bonds!

"Vice Admiral Garp, I think you don't need to worry too much about Instructor Zephyr!" Uchiha Tetsuka said, trying to comfort him.

"Hmm?"

Garp was taken aback and looked at Uchiha Tetsuka.

No need to worry? Zephyr was almost beaten to a pulp now.

If there was no need to worry, Garp might have to go up and collect Zephyr's corpse soon.

Could it be that Dressrosa was really just using Zephyr? Did they not even care if Zephyr lived or died?

"Instructor Zephyr hasn't been slacking off during his time in Dressrosa; he's been continuously recovering his strength."

"Lord Reijin once said that if something happened in Dressrosa, we could go find Instructor Zephyr."

"As long as Instructor Zephyr is around, Dressrosa will never face any problems in this lifetime."

"Even if the Pirate King Roger were to come back to life, it would still be the same."

"Instructor Zephyr is... very strong." Uchiha Tetsuka said seriously to Garp.

He had kept these words in his heart all this time, even though he didn't know what kind of power Instructor Zephyr had gained.

But Uchiha Tetsuka always believed in Lord Reijin's words.

After all, only Lord Reijin could truly lead the Uchiha to prosperity.

He didn't trust anyone else, even if it was their ancestor, Uchiha Madara.

"What? Uchiha Reijin holds Zephyr in such high regard?"

"Why not say the same about me? I once drove Roger back."

"Even if Whitebeard were here today, I could protect Dressrosa for you."

Garp was a bit surprised; he didn't expect Zephyr to be so highly regarded by this kid Reijin.

To be honest, even Garp found these words a bit overly flattering.

As long as Zephyr was there, Dressrosa wouldn't have any problems?

Even Garp didn't dare to say something like that.

The praise for Zephyr was too obvious.

Didn't Garp know Zephyr's capabilities?

The fact that this guy could still stand amazed Garp.

These exaggerated words made Garp wonder if this kid Uchiha Reijin was drunk.

How could he say something like this unless he'd had a good three bottles of booze?

This was just making a fuss over Dressrosa.

Can Zephyr protect Dressrosa?

Certainly!

Against ordinary pirates, Zephyr probably wouldn't even need to make a move.

But Kaido, that kid, was a genuine monster.

Comparable to Whitebeard, how could Zephyr possibly stop Kaido?

"It's different! Vice Admiral Garp, let's keep watching," Uchiha Tetsuka shook his head, looking slightly worried.

He was concerned about whether the barrier he created could truly withstand Zephyr's antics when the time came.

If the attack was too strong, it might extend into the town.

They might have to spend time rebuilding then.

Should they have someone set up a barrier just in case?

A thought flashed through Uchiha Tetsuka's mind.

Lord Reijin had said not to use barriers casually.

Only in truly critical moments should they be used for the best effect.

"Boom!"

In the forest, the huge figure was instantly forced back.

The whole person flew back like a kite with a broken string, crashing through everything in its path.

The scales that once tipped toward Kaido seemed to be tilting in the opposite direction now.

Zephyr now looked different than usual, as if green flames were burning on his body.

The terrifying aura around him seemed capable of piercing the sky above the sea.

Kaido began to act more recklessly, swinging his kanabo with great force.

Waves of strong air swept up the surrounding trees.

"Bang!"

Zephyr's figure paused for a moment after taking a hit from Kaido, with a stream of blood flowing down his face.

His sturdy body wobbled twice but ultimately stood firm without collapsing.

Just this seemed to have taken a lot of effort from Zephyr.

"What's the matter, Zephyr? Weren't you looking all high and mighty just now?"

"Why are your punches so weak now? Is this what a former Navy Admiral has come to?"

"How can a Navy Admiral like that protect anyone? Zephyr, you're truly old. There's no place for you on this sea anymore."

"You should find some corner to hide in and enjoy your last days. That's better than dying on the sea," Kaido said with a sneer, unable to suppress his arrogance.

At this point, Zephyr was still stubborn, not letting Garp join the fight and allowing him to watch from above.

Did he really think he could defeat Kaido with his current strength?

No matter how he looked at it, Zephyr was just walking into his death!

Compared to him, a young person and a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit user, the gap in stamina was enormous.

Not to mention strength; if he punched now, Zephyr would probably cough up blood.

As for Haki, his level of Haki was just intimidating to ordinary people.

He couldn't even stand up to Kaido's Conqueror's Haki coating now.

In front of Kaido, Zephyr was just a joke.

Nothing worked against him; now, Kaido was wondering.

How could Zephyr possibly defeat him? Did Zephyr still have some hidden trump card?

Even if he had eaten a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, it probably wouldn't make a difference in front of Kaido.

The situation was already one-sided!

Zephyr had no way out.

---

"No stage for me on the high seas? You little brat, what gives you the right to say that?"

"When you were still in diapers, I was already fighting on the high seas. Dying out there is far more meaningful than dying in obscurity."

"And Kaido, you're speaking too soon. I'm not going to die so easily today."

"If you can withstand this move, then I'll admit you've got some skill."

Zephyr took a deep breath, wiping the blood from his face.

He couldn’t compare himself to when he was younger. His arm wasn’t original, and he couldn’t unleash his full power. But to think they could bring him down that easily was impossible.

"Is that all you've got? Show me something worth my time!"

Kaido let out a wild laugh, looking at Zephyr with a mocking expression.

He swung his spiked club casually. He didn’t even bother transforming into his beast form, choosing to face Zephyr in his regular form, intending to crush Zephyr's will.

That would be far more interesting!

"Boom!"

The ground around Kaido cracked and shattered in an instant.

Just a simple dash forward sent the surrounding ground flying.

He looked like a god or demon, his pupils glowing red, his sharp teeth gleaming ominously.

As he swung the club horizontally, a shockwave exploded in the air.

This blow! Kaido was unleashing his full power.

He intended to end Zephyr in one strike.

As long as Garp didn’t intervene, Zephyr was certainly doomed today.

But perhaps Garp wouldn’t make it in time.

Kaido's eyes were filled with bloodlust, eagerly anticipating Zephyr’s heart shattering under this strike.

"Kaido, kid, you’ve probably never witnessed true justice."

"Eight Gates! Open! First Gate, Open! Second Gate, Rest! Open! Third Gate, Life! Open! Fourth Gate, Pain! Open!"

In an instant, Zephyr’s body erupted with terrifying power, distorting the surrounding space with his immense aura.

At that moment! Zephyr had completely transformed.

He was no longer the Zephyr from before.

As the spiked club approached, Zephyr’s fist carried a faint white ripple.

If you looked closely, it was similar to the shockwaves Whitebeard and Sengoku used.

On the high seas, once you reached Zephyr and Garp’s level, your punches could almost mimic the effects of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

This was basically the principle behind Armament Haki’s internal destruction, only released externally in an instant.

However, it wasn’t as terrifying as the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—unless you were a monster like Garp.

But! A flash of red light flickered in Zephyr’s eyes.

He clenched his fist and punched forward!

It no longer seemed soft like before.

With this punch, it was as if he had regained the terrifying strength of his youth.

"Rumble!"

"Rumble!"

"Rumble!"

The terrifying impact filled Kaido's eyes with shock.

He felt the strength in his hands was completely off, as if Zephyr had become a different person.

What did this guy just do to undergo such a drastic change?

Perhaps... it was a final burst of energy before death.

"Bang!"

Zephyr stood in place, and there was nothing in front of him.

The surrounding environment had completely changed.

In front of him, a massive trench had been blasted out.

This time, it was Kaido who was sent flying, and the situation seemed to be turning.

"Looks like I won’t die here today."

Zephyr chuckled, tearing off the tattered remains of his shirt.

After the brief battle, his clothes were already in shreds.

His arm was wrapped in white cloth in one spot, looking a bit odd.

"But! This isn’t my limit! I’m not that old yet."

"Eight Gates! Fifth Gate, Close Gate, Open!"

Boom! Steam burst from Zephyr’s body, expanding further.

His aura grew even stronger, now resembling that of a monster.

Seeing this monster, Kaido felt a twinge of fear in his heart.

Was Zephyr really experiencing a final burst of energy before death?

From any angle, it didn’t seem that way.

This level of power made it seem like Zephyr could become even stronger.

Kaido narrowed his eyes, and at some point, a tail had extended from behind him.

His form also began to change drastically, his face turning a shade of blue.

Facing this version of Zephyr, Kaido realized that if he didn’t take things seriously, he might end up dying here today.

After all, Zephyr’s current appearance was truly terrifying.

The Eight Gates technique was linked to one’s body’s accumulation and strength.

Even after forty years of relentless training, Might Duy only managed to open the Death Gate and defeat a few members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, achieving his final glory.

But in reality, that was just Duy’s limit, not the limit of this technique.

Might Guy, on the other hand, continued to train tirelessly, resisting the elements, and could destroy some ninja techniques with just his taijutsu without opening any gates.

Ultimately, he was able to dance before Madara Uchiha.

But now! After fifty years of rigorous training, Zephyr’s body was far stronger than any ninja’s.

His body could not only withstand ninja techniques, but even endure dozens of them at once.

This meticulously honed body was the perfect vessel for the Eight Gates.

In the Naruto world, not even the physically strongest Raikage could shake it.

The Eight Gates technique amplified based on the user’s physical foundation.

For most people, it was like one plus one equals two.

But for Zephyr’s powerful body, one plus one equals five.

Now, with just the first four gates opened, Zephyr could easily surpass Guy’s performance at the seventh gate.

When two worlds truly merge, they can unleash the ultimate power.

Zephyr prided himself on his strong body, capable of withstanding the many calamities of the high seas.

"What is this power?"

Kaido asked, realizing this wasn’t Devil Fruit power.

He had never heard of a Devil Fruit that could cause such a transformation.

Kaido never expected Zephyr to unleash such power in just a brief moment.

This was a power he had never seen on the high seas.

"This? This is my accumulation over fifty years! Fifty years of unwavering justice!"

"Kaido, can you withstand this punch?"

Zephyr’s heavy voice echoed above Kaido.

Kaido quickly looked up and saw a massive fist blocking all of his vision.

In that brief moment, Kaido felt a chill, his whole body frozen in place.

His massive cape covered his back, now drenched in sweat.

Rumble...

Dressrosa trembled.

Kaido was driven into the ground, headfirst, like a nail.

With just one strike, Kaido’s brain was almost shaken to a pulp.

"This is Zephyr?"

Garp's face was filled with shock. He was about to step in to save Zephyr.

But he didn’t expect Zephyr to have such a resurgence!

Not only had his physical strength returned to his youth, but it had also become even stronger, his aura even more terrifying.

If this was Zephyr, Garp might as well eat his hat.

"That’s right! This is Instructor Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, you’re not seeing things."

Uchiha Tetsuhiko added fuel to the fire.

His eyes were also filled with shock.

He never imagined that an obscure ninja technique could possess such terrifying power.

Although it was written in the Book of Seals, how many people had actually learned it?

But on Zephyr...

This had already surpassed the world of Naruto!

No way!

Not even Hiruzen Sarutobi had this kind of power.

(End of chapter)

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