The techniques Sage uses are not limited to the Six Styles.
For him, the Six Styles are merely convenient, especially Rankyaku, Soru, and Moon Step, as they represent the ultimate use of the physique in this world, each move encompassing the essence of body techniques.
But ultimately, they are still body techniques. With his mastery of the North Star Divine Fist, Sage has grasped the entire framework of body techniques and can use them skillfully.
The North Star Divine Fist is the way to target the body's secret acupoints, and regardless of the technique used, as long as it gets close, it will have an effect.
The technique against Garp combines the Six Styles with the secret acupoints.
Right from the start, using Rankyaku against the opponent, he had already begun to target the acupoints. In any close combat, Sage is able to hit Garp's acupoints, touching major vulnerabilities during the fight, and even found opportunities to unleash the Hundred Split Fist in a frenzy.
Can't say the result is swift, but it's like breaking through his outer layer.
This is why Sage never considers himself strong. He hasn't fought against such strong individuals, but he knows these strong ones have an incredibly powerful physique!
Whether they use Haki internally, Sage isn't sure, but he knows that this old guy suffered hits to all his acupoints, resulting in just some blood.
Such a small amount of blood for a strong individual... it's just a scratch!
And Bogard, watching aside, was also wide-eyed, honestly surprised by this seventy million bounty pirate.
The bounty reflects the level of threat to the World Government, some have high bounties despite weak strength due to the massive damage they cause.
Before meeting Sage, Bogard considered him a typical example.
After all, he destroyed three allied nations, killed their kings, and plundered numerous towns, being an exceptionally vile pirate.
Such pirates are just savage.
But now, this fight indeed exceeds his expectations.
The Six Styles are secret techniques, rarely known outside of the CP and Navy elites. Even those with great talent only manage a few moves, and those are beings from the New World with their own developed body techniques, not needing all of the Six Styles.
But it's different in the East Sea. Sage is just debuting and couldn't possibly know the Six Styles. In the East Sea, only one person could know it and had left the Navy, and Sage just killed him recently.
Ennio wouldn't teach him that kind of fool, with his heart only on the Oyekot Kingdom. Since he was eliminated... it means Sage learned the Six Styles in his battle with Ennio.
Such talent...
"It's a waste being a pirate!"
Garp laughed heartily: "What you've done is commendable, want to join me in the Navy? I'll train you to become one of the world-class Navy!"
"I'm a pirate with a bounty, don't speak such nonsense!"
Sage sneered: "The Navy, such a thing, hasn't been my option for twenty years!"
Hiss!
A stream of white vapor sprayed from Sage's nose like an arrow, quickly rushing to the ground and spreading into a wave.
Against such a person, the previous fights showed the normal way is ineffective.
So...
"Dragon Transformation Breathing Technique!"
His body began to expand.
With breathing, Sage's body rapidly expanded, bursting out of his pirate shirt, the 'Sword Mountain Cloak' he wore flew off and fell beyond the bridge, drifting into the sea.
His muscles inflated wildly, surface like armor, shoulders rapidly grew forming muscle like shoulder plates, collarbone around the neck bloomed outward, expanded from the neck to the chest, merging with muscle expanding to the chest.
His elbows and legs, like twisted steel amassed, becoming increasingly menacing with the swelling of the body.
"100%!!"
Hu!
The air expelled from his nose charged to the ground, blowing up surrounding fractured stones.
Ka!
Sage turned his neck, making a sound like twisting steel, staring directly at Garp.
With the more menacing physique, Sage stands a head taller than Garp.
Facing such a presence, if he doesn't go all out, he fears being beaten to death here.
"Oh... nice body techniques, Qi Gong Techniques? A bit different though."
Garp's eyes reveal surprise, then he laughs heartily, "Puhahaha, truly a monster!"
Sage didn't speak, only flicked his thumb from the grasped hand forward.
Bang!
A burst of energy struck Garp's head, tilting it back, leaving a mark.
"Hm... Flying Finger Gun? Added Rankyaku's fashion, the force is stronger too."
Garp adjusted his head, laughing more intensely, "Such individuals, if left unchecked, would be quite troublesome!"
Whoosh!
As soon as he finished speaking, Sage hastened his steps, closing in on Garp in a bizarre trajectory, leaving remnants each segment walked, obscuring sight from discerning real from fake, confusing where he truly is.
This elusive movement, even boggled Bogard breaking a sweat, barely discerning it.
"Secret Technique..."
A bland voice rose among these phantoms.
In just that moment, Sage's phantoms surrounded Garp, Garp's eyes narrowed, a red glint flickered then vanished, his attempts to move halted, letting these phantoms close in, all raised their hands in unison, attacking dead angles.
"Seven-Star Death..."
North Star Divine Fist Secret Technique: Seven-Star Death Point!
This move, aligns with North Star Seven Stars' path, rapidly closing in onto enemies, making it impossible to guard against, using phantoms to attack vulnerabilities and target secret acupoints, leading to death.
In this world, there's no North Star Seven Stars, but doesn't hinder Sage from using star paths aligned steps, primarily a rapid attack method.
After merging Six Styles' 'Soru', his speed would become faster.
Adding the Dragon Transformation Breathing Technique's amplification, ordinary folks can't expect defense, not even reaction is likely.
For ordinary folk...
Sage's words weren't finished as Garp's fist slammed into a phantom, instantly eradicating others, leaving only one true form.
Boom!!
Massive waves erupted from the fist impact, rolling gale forcing Sage to retreat several steps.
Puhahaha! Terrifying body techniques! Even physique became fearsome!"
Garp's eye flickered red, laughing boldly: "You're remarkable! Making me treat you seriously!"
Sage's mouth twitched, gazing at quickly faded fist marks on the belly, taking a deep breath, saying gravely, "Haki..."
Not possible to defy his move with normal sight, only Observation Haki... might perhaps!
And this attack...
Sage wiped his abdomen, fists held tight, expression stern.
This old guy is starting to use Haki!