How strong Roya was—Smoker felt he understood this more clearly than anyone. If it had been Roya three months ago, Smoker believed he could still rely on the abilities of his Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit to maneuver around him and drag the fight into a battle of endurance.
But now, three months later, although he did not know exactly how much stronger Roya had become, his instincts told him that he was no longer a match for Roya at all.
Now everything depended on whether Roya could defeat Lucci.
Otherwise, it would not just be the Marine Headquarters' new recruits and the Marine Headquarters training camp who would lose face—even their instructor Zephyr, and the entire Marine Headquarters itself, would suffer a huge embarrassment.
"Understood."
Roya nodded casually, neither confirming nor denying Smoker's reminder.
The moment he entered the field, he had already recognized Lucci's identity. Although Lucci was much younger than in the original story, his appearance was still unmistakable.
Lucci in the original story was extremely powerful, hailed as the strongest CP9 member in eight hundred years. Even ordinary vice admirals were likely no match for him. What Roya had not expected was that Lucci could already defeat Smoker at this point.
Although Roya had not seen the earlier battle, judging by the fact that many people in the Elite Camp were injured—including Smoker himself—and by their expressions, the outcome was obvious.
Roya did not particularly care about the Elite Camp's reputation. However, since he was now one of them, and had just walked out to hear Lucci openly belittling everyone in the Elite Camp as worthless, he could not simply ignore it.
If he had not heard it, that would be one thing. But since he had—there was no way he could pretend otherwise.
Roya himself was not especially eye-catching, but with everyone in the Elite Camp focusing their gaze on him and making way for him, he immediately became the center of attention.
Garp, Zephyr, Kizaru, Aokiji, and the others all turned their eyes toward Roya as well.
"So the brat finally came out?"
Garp grinned broadly, while Zephyr's eyes flickered slightly. Aokiji, who had secretly paid attention to Roya before, reacted similarly.
Only Sengoku and Kizaru showed a trace of surprise. The two of them had only heard a little about Roya—and that was mainly because he was Garp's nephew. They were not particularly clear on Roya's strength or talent.
But judging from the scene before them, Roya clearly held a pivotal position within the Elite Camp.
"Vice Admiral Garp's nephew… don't tell me he's a monster too?"
Kizaru muttered softly, so quietly that only he could hear it.
Naturally, he did not really believe it. From what little he had heard, Roya had joined the Elite Camp less than five months ago and was a newcomer of this squad. No matter how strong a newcomer was, how strong could he really be?
Sengoku, on the other hand, had heard Garp praise Roya before, but as the Marine Fleet Admiral, his duties kept him busy—he had no time to deliberately focus on a single recruit, even if that recruit was Garp's nephew.
So Sengoku did not know much about Roya either. Watching him now, a hint of curiosity appeared in his eyes.
"There are even stronger new recruits at Marine Headquarters?"
The World Government officials also looked at Roya with interest.
However, despite Roya's attention-grabbing entrance, these officials—and some CP officers among them—still had great confidence in Lucci and did not believe anyone here could defeat him.
"So you're… Roya?"
Lucci looked at Roya, who was stepping forward under the crowd's admiring gaze. His expression remained unchanged, but a scrutinizing look appeared in his eyes.
Earlier, he had heard the Elite Camp recruits mention Roya. After asking around, he learned that Roya was merely a newcomer who had joined the Elite Camp less than five months ago, so he dismissed it and paid no further attention.
But now, it seemed things were not that simple.
"That's right."
Roya walked calmly into the field, replying casually. Then, looking at Lucci, he said lightly, "Rob Lucci… correct?"
"You know me?"
Lucci frowned slightly, surprised that Roya could call out his name directly.
"I just got to know you."
Roya chuckled, a deep glint flashing in his eyes. "Sorry, but I'm also a Marine recruit from the Elite Camp—so I can't pretend I didn't hear what you just said."
"Hmph."
Lucci snorted softly, a faint look of disdain appearing as he stepped toward Roya.
"If you want me to take back what I said, then show me with your strength."
"Exactly what I was planning."
Roya stood there loosely, without any obvious fighting stance, and shrugged at Lucci. But the moment his hand lightly rested on the hilt of Engetsu, all the laziness about him vanished instantly.
In its place erupted a sharp, overwhelming aura—his presence turning fierce in an instant!
Feeling the surge of momentum radiating from Roya, Lucci's expression changed abruptly. He abandoned any hint of underestimation and fixed his gaze solemnly on Roya.
In the next moment, Roya gently drew his sword.
Shhk!!
With one hand holding the blade, he swung it casually, and a silvery sword slash shot straight toward Lucci.
"Rankyaku!"
Lucci's eyes sharpened. He leapt into the air and kicked sharply at the incoming slash, tracing an arc through midair.
This was Rankyaku (Tempest Kick), one of the Rokushiki (Marine Six Powers), capable of launching cutting attacks from the legs comparable to sword slashes.
Bang!!
An invisible blade of air burst forth, colliding with Roya's slash. The two sword energies exploded upon impact, then dissipated into nothingness.
"Soru (Shave)!"
Lucci's gaze darkened as his figure suddenly blurred into an afterimage. When he reappeared, he was already behind Roya, extending a finger and stabbing fiercely toward Roya's back.
Shigan (Finger Pistol)!
Lucci was proficient in the Rokushiki. The power of his Shigan was comparable to a real firearm—if it landed cleanly, it would leave a bloody hole.
However, just as Lucci's Shigan was about to strike Roya's back, Roya's figure also blurred into an afterimage and vanished outright.
Lucci could use Soru—and so could Roya.
"What?!"
Lucci's expression changed. Without hesitation, he twisted his body to the side. At that very instant, a sword slash grazed past him by the narrowest margin.
Even though he used Kami-e (Paper Arts) to evade it, the sharp edge carried by the slash still tore his clothing and left a shallow cut across his skin.
Crack!!
The sword slash flashed past Lucci and struck the ground, carving a deep trench into the hard stone floor.
"As expected—using Kami-e was the right choice. I can't block this guy's slashes with Tekkai (Iron Body)…"
Looking at the mark carved into the ground by Roya's strike, a heavy look appeared on Lucci's face.
The slash Roya delivered with both hands on the sword was naturally far stronger than the earlier casual one-handed swing. This attack was vastly more powerful than the slash he had neutralized with Rankyaku before.