Before long, the medical staff carefully moved Gern onto a stretcher and carried him away, while the observing Marines also left one after another.
For a moment, only Zephyr and Garp remained on the training ground.
Only then did the two truly see the almost destructive power caused by this battle.
The once flat Training Ground No. 1 was now unrecognizable.
The ground looked as if it had been gnawed by a giant beast, covered in deep pits and cracks, with some areas even showing bizarre twisted states.
Subtle vibration waves still permeated the air, as if the air itself had been shattered, unable to regain stability for a long time.
Most terrifying were the grounds around the central giant pit, where the space showed glass-like cracks, as if torn by some invisible force, and one could even vaguely hear faint 'crackling' sounds.
Several school buildings of the Marine School in the distance were covered in spiderweb-like cracks, some even directly collapsed.
The perimeter wall at the edge of the training ground had long turned into dust, leaving only a few solitary steel bars leaning crookedly in the ground.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Garp stood at the edge of the field, his eyes wide as he looked around, "This is just like it was hit by a meteorite!"
As he spoke, Garp directly squatted down and touched a still vibrating crack, his fingertips immediately feeling the piercing high-frequency vibration.
"Hiss~ Even the ground is still shaking." He pulled back his hand, his brows tightly furrowed.
Zephyr, meanwhile, watched all of this in silence, his right hand unconsciously moving to his left arm.
Garp noticed the abnormality, his gaze falling on his slightly trembling left hand, "Zephyr, you..."
Zephyr tugged at the corner of his mouth, forcing a smile: "I didn't have time to attach Armament Haki to the last blow... I didn't expect the power of 'Heaven Quake' to be so astonishing."
Garp's expression tightened; the power of a vibration that could make even "Black Arm" Zephyr suffer was easily imaginable.
But then, Garp suddenly grinned and patted Zephyr's shoulder.
"When Sengoku returns and finds that Training Ground No. 1 is gone again, he'll probably be so angry his beard will stick up! It's only been less than three months since it was last repaired, right?"
Zephyr snorted lightly, subtly glancing at Garp: "You were the one who suggested letting Gern go all out this time."
"Huh?" Garp's eyes widened, looking innocent, "I just said it casually, who knew you'd actually let him fight without restraint!" As he spoke, Garp muttered, "He could have ended the battle with one punch..."
But the corner of Zephyr's mouth imperceptibly turned upward: "When Sengoku asks, just say it was your responsibility."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Garp immediately waved his hands, theatrically stepping back two paces, "I don't want to be nagged by Sengoku! Last time, he chased me around for a whole week about the training ground's repair fees! I even had to practice my punches at the scrapyard!"
Zephyr chuckled softly, saying no more, just silently rubbing his left arm, which still throbbed faintly.
Garp scratched his head, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "How about this, we just say the training ground was hit by a meteorite? Anyway, Sengoku has no proof!"
"Such a thing..." Hearing Garp's words, Zephyr squinted at him: "Do you think Sengoku will believe that?"
"Hahaha! Who cares!" Garp laughed loudly, patting Zephyr's back, "Anyway, he can't call a meteorite to confront us, right?"
Zephyr shook his head helplessly, but he felt a sense of relief in his heart.
At least this guy Garp should be able to attract all of Sengoku's firepower.
However, jokes aside, when they calmed down and saw the terrifying destructive power before their eyes, both couldn't help but feel a flicker of shock.
"This level of destruction..." Garp murmured, "It's even more dangerous than Whitebeard... No, it might even be more dangerous."
Zephyr slowly nodded, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead from the pain in his left arm.
"The Tremor-Tremor Fruit is inherently dangerous, but this kid is also a Nature Type, and..." As he spoke, Zephyr looked in the direction Gern was carried away, "Most importantly, he's only developed the Fruit for a year after acquiring it, but how many different moves did he throw at me just now?
Especially when I had forbidden his sword!"
The residual vibration waves in the air were still spreading, and faint cracking sounds occasionally came from the ruins of the training ground.
The two legendary Marines exchanged glances, both seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes.
...
At the same time, Marineford Fleet Admiral's Office.
Kong crossed his hands beneath his chin, staring intently at the battle report and several photos of the shattered training ground on the table.
His brow furrowed deeper and deeper, finally slapping the table abruptly, making the water in his teacup splash out.
"This kid... Is he really a Nature Type?" Fleet Admiral Kong's voice held disbelief.
Although Gern had a record of fighting Whitebeard, Kong, who hadn't seen it with his own eyes, still harbored a trace of doubt.
Especially now, he placed more importance on the three monsters who graduated from the Marine School.
But now, this tentative exchange between Gern and Zephyr truly made him, the Fleet Admiral, take Gern seriously.
"This destructive power is like a fusion of Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit and Nature Type characteristics."
The adjutant standing by wiped his cold sweat: "Reporting, Fleet Admiral, Vice Admiral Zephyr has confirmed that Warrant Officer Gern's ability is indeed the Nature Type Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
And..." He hesitated, pointing to the area of spatial cracks in the photos, "According to observations by the Science Department on site, Warrant Officer Gern's Fruit ability, the residual vibrations, can even temporarily persist."
Fleet Admiral Kong took a deep breath, his gaze falling on Zephyr's fourth handwritten evaluation at the end of the report.
【Potential far exceeds expectations, recommended for Key training...】
"Heh, Zephyr, that guy, his eye for talent is as sharp as ever." Kong shook his head, but the corner of his mouth curved slightly upward.
"First Kuzan, Sakazuki, Borsalino, those three monsters, and now there's Gern... Four powerful Nature Types, the Marine truly hit the jackpot."
After a moment of contemplation, Fleet Admiral Kong suddenly asked: "By the way, where is Sengoku now?"
"Admiral Sengoku is expected to return to Marineford tomorrow."
"Very good." Fleet Admiral Kong showed a meaningful smile.
"When he returns, remember to take him to visit the 'newly renovated' Training Ground No. 1 immediately.
Just... just say Garp did it."
...
Two months later, Marineford Medical Bay.
"Click."
The last bandage was cut, and Gern grimaced as he sat up from the hospital bed, looking down at his chest, which had finally seen the light of day again.
The hideous bruises had faded, but faint traces of fist marks still remained on his skin.
"Teacher Zephyr's punches... they really pack a punch."
Gern moved his shoulders, his joints immediately protesting with a creaking sound.
"I only got hit a few times, but I was actually bedridden for two months!"
"Is that what you call 'a few times'?!" The medic put away his scissors, unable to help but complain: "If Lieutenant Kuzan hadn't used his ability to stop the bleeding and cool you down in time, I'm afraid..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Gern quickly waved his hand, "If you keep talking, I'll start to think I'm a medical miracle."
Then, he jumped out of bed, casually grabbed the uniform hanging on the wall, and put it on, "By the way, where's my sword?"
"Your weapon has been sent to your office."
"Also..." The medic handed him a document.
"This was left for you by Vice Admiral Zephyr before he went on a mission last month. He said to open it once you were up and about."
"Left for me?" Gern raised an eyebrow as he took the document, and froze in place as soon as he opened it and scanned it.
On the paper was only one line of boldly written characters:
"Tomorrow at 4 AM, meet at the dock. Dare to be late and you'll do ten times the extra training—Z."
"Whoa, whoa... What kind of recovery gift is this?! No, how did Teacher Zephyr know when I'd be well?"
