One Piece Shadow Army - Chapter 68
At Navy Headquarters.
Surrounded by towering mountains, the naval flags fluttered in the wind. Inside a meeting room in one of the upper buildings, a meeting about the elite training camp was in progress.
Meanwhile, in the waiting area beside the headquarters, an intense event was unfolding.
A naval duel challenge.
Such events were common here and typically didn’t draw much attention. However, the timing was special, coinciding with the elite training camp selections.
When it was known that the challenger was Lieutenant Commander Veroch from the New World G-5 branch, a pre-selected candidate for this year’s elite training camp, the event immediately attracted a crowd of navy personnel who came to watch. They all wanted to see Veroch’s strength firsthand.
As the crowd effect took hold, more navy personnel gathered around.
“Who’s challenging Veroch?”
“No idea, but I heard it’s a young navy guy from the East Blue?”
“The East Blue? That’s the weakest sea. Even if the navy there gets recommended, they can’t be that strong, right?”
“Veroch is a Lieutenant Commander from the New World. His rank is equivalent to that at Headquarters. The ferocity of New World pirates is incomparable to those from the East Blue. That challenger is bound to lose!”
Upon arriving at the duel site, the navy personnel began chatting among themselves.
At that moment.
In the center of the open space.
Veroch stood with his arms crossed, patiently waiting for Curls to approach. His brown-black skin gleamed under the sunlight.
“Hold these,” Curls said, handing his navy coat and silver pocket watch to Tashigi.
Regarding Veroch from the G-5 branch, Curls didn’t underestimate him. He could feel the strength emanating from Veroch, a level of power that far surpassed that of East Blue pirates. Moreover, coming from the New World, Veroch was bound to be even more formidable.
This duel would require Curls to exert his full strength. The items on his body would hinder his movements, so he temporarily handed them over.
He gave them to Tashigi instead of Mode because Mode was a Navy Lieutenant and not very familiar with him. Tashigi, as his subordinate, was a more appropriate choice.
“Oh, yes,” Tashigi replied, taking the coat and watch. As a subordinate, holding her superior’s items was part of her duty.
After handing his belongings to Tashigi, Curls, now wearing just a white navy uniform with a white-sheathed sword at his waist, slowly walked to the center of the open space.
The atmosphere grew tense, and the murmurs of the crowd gradually quieted as everyone focused on the two combatants, eager to see what would happen next.
Veroch remained standing with his arms crossed, a look of disdain on his face. “State your name and rank, though I don’t really care.”
Was he being looked down upon?
Hearing this, a small smile curled on Curls’ lips.
“My name is Charlotte Curls, and my rank is Navy Headquarters Major.”
As Curls’ voice carried through the crowd, the surrounding navy personnel began to murmur again.
“Headquarters Major? Isn’t he from the East Blue? And he’s not even twenty yet. That rank level…”
“Charlotte Curls… That name sounds familiar… Oh, isn’t he the one pre-selected for the elite training camp?”
“I didn’t expect him to be the rising star from the East Blue. They say he’s a Devil Fruit user too. This fight’s gonna be interesting!”
Over the past few days, information about the pre-selected candidates had spread among the navy personnel. However, since Curls had only arrived yesterday, most people didn’t recognize him yet.
What was initially an uneventful duel had suddenly become exciting. Both combatants were pre-selected for the elite training camp, and both were Devil Fruit users. Who was stronger?
The onlookers were eager to find out.
“Headquarters Major? Devil Fruit user?” Veroch’s previously casual stance shifted to a more serious one as he uncrossed his arms. He had assumed his opponent was just an ordinary East Blue officer, not someone who shared his Devil Fruit powers.
Still, this didn’t faze him. Even though Curls was a Devil Fruit user, the environment he came from lacked strong adversaries, hindering his growth.
Veroch’s confidence remained unshaken. After all, not all Devil Fruit abilities were equal.
“A Major from the East Blue, so that’s your confidence. But the New World is a chaotic place, filled with turmoil every day. It’s nothing like your ‘weakest sea.'”
Boom!
In an instant, Veroch’s legs exploded with power as he lunged at Curls.
His thick arm drew back, muscles bulging as he delivered a powerful punch aimed at Curls.
Boom!
The force of the punch sent a gust of wind through Curls’ hair, making it flutter wildly.
The battle happened so quickly that many spectators hadn’t yet processed it. But the scene before them was surprising.
Veroch’s powerful punch hadn’t struck Curls’ face; instead, Curls had effortlessly blocked it with his left hand!
In the center of the duel, Curls’ eyes grew colder. Then, he tightened his right hand into a fist, and with a burst of strength from his biceps, he punched Veroch square in the chest.
“So what if it’s the weakest? Isn’t that the symbol of peace in the East Blue?”
A muffled sound rang out.
The immense force sent Veroch flying like a ragdoll, crashing into a building wall tens of meters away, embedding him deep within it.
This strength…
The onlookers were stunned, almost unable to believe that such power had come from someone under twenty years old.
A year ago, Curls had already possessed considerable strength, capable of ripping apart wild beasts. But this wasn’t particularly special. It was evident from his large appetite.
However, after consuming the Shadow Fruit and doubling his daily training, his strength had increased rapidly.
In the past few months, Curls seemed to have broken through some physical barrier, causing his strength to skyrocket.
This also explained his sudden increase in appetite.
Not far away, amidst the rubble, Veroch extended his thick arm, his fingers digging into the wall as he pulled himself up, scattering the stones.
Once he stood, his face was dark with anger.
His black hair was covered in debris, and the back of his head had some bloodstains.
Being injured by an East Blue navy officer was a great humiliation, especially in front of such a crowd.
Unable to contain his rage any longer, Veroch stepped forward, his blood pumping faster. His already strong body began to change, growing even larger in seconds.
Hiss, hiss!
As his body expanded, his white shirt tore apart.
His long black hair, initially half a meter long, continued to grow…
His brown-black skin darkened further.
At the same time, two black horns grew from Veroch’s head, making him look like a monster!
Among the onlookers, some recognized Veroch’s Devil Fruit ability.
“It’s a Zoan-type Devil Fruit! And it’s an ancient model, which is rare!”
“Zoan-type, Sheep-Sheep Fruit, Ancient Model, Black Ram Form!”
…
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