6 Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: Don't, Don't Slap Me In The Face

On the school field, dust swirled in the air. Darren, Gion, and Kake stood at a distance from each other, their presence growing more intimidating by the moment. The yellow sand whirled, pushed by the cold sea breeze that fluttered the wide cloaks of Gion and Kake. The Marines from the 321 branch had gathered around the grounds, their eyes wide with anticipation for the upcoming showdown.

"Deputy Chief Flying Squirrel, do you think Chief Darren will lose?" a young sailor asked, his arms folded across his chest.

Flying Squirrel, donning his military cap, smiled but gave no reply. Losing was simply not in Darren's repertoire. The real question was to what extent those two esteemed individuals from headquarters would be outclassed.

"So Rear Admiral Darren, who do you want to challenge first?" Kake, full of enthusiasm, tossed his scant hair and spoke with pride. He noticed several girls from the Marine base looking their way with high hopes, inflating his ego even more. Under the guidance of many masters at headquarters, he had received high praise even from Sengoku. None of his peers could match him, except for Gion. He imagined himself defeating Darren effortlessly, earning the admiring gazes of the Marine girls. With this thought, a smirk crept onto Kake's face.

Darren glanced at him, shook his head, and said, "No, let's save some time. You both come at once."

Kake and Gion were taken aback by his words, then felt a surge of anger. How dare he be so arrogant!

"Then don't blame me for not holding back! I'll be merciful!" Kake declared through gritted teeth, determined to demonstrate the true strength of the headquarters' Marines to this North Blue native. He lowered his knees and tensed his muscles.

Boom! The ground erupted beneath him as Kake's body launched forward with incredible force, shooting towards Darren like a cannonball. This wasn't the Marine Six Styles' technique; Kake and Gion hadn't yet attended the officer training and were unfamiliar with the "Superman" Six Styles. It was simply a burst of raw speed and power.

The observing Marines gasped as Kake vanished from sight, covering over ten meters in less than a second. He arrived before Darren in a flash, his muscles swelling as he aimed a rapid punch at the Rear Admiral's abdomen.

There were no tricks or illusions, just the pinnacle of his physical prowess. Darren stood still, seemingly unaware of the incoming attack, which made Kake laugh triumphantly. He could already picture Darren reeling from the punch, spitting onto the ground.

As the punch finally made contact, hitting Darren's solid abdominal muscles squarely, a shockwave rippled through the air. But the smirk on Kake's face froze. The punch felt like it had struck an iron plate—Darren hadn't budged an inch.

Not far off, Gion, sword in hand and ready to attack, was also frozen in shock.

Kake looked up in astonishment and found himself met with Darren's young, slightly bemused face.

"Major Kaji, I do appreciate your mercy, but please take this sparring seriously," said Darren with a playful smile.

The corner of Kake's mouth twitched slightly. "Kage, what are you doing? Stop playing around!" Gion's face, filled with doubt, reflected his urge to shout.

He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and tensed the muscles in his entire arm before punching Darren again. Boom! A turbulent wave of air spread out, and a violent wind kicked up plumes of dust. Yet Darren, the Base Chief of Branch 321, remained motionless.

Kake was stunned once again. Is this the Iron Body? He hadn't learned the Marine Six Styles yet, but he wasn't a stranger to the idea. This technique, which fortifies the body to the hardness of steel, was unmistakably the effect of the Iron Body from the Marine Six Styles. The principle involved accelerating blood flow and muscle movement. Incredibly, Darren showed none of the usual signs of exertion associated with the technique.

"I said, Major Kaji, there's no need for mercy. I really want to see your full strength," Darren's voice echoed once more.

"Kake, what are you doing? I told you to give it your all!" Gion spoke up in frustration.

With an almost tearful expression, Kake vowed internally that he wasn't holding back. He threw his arms about wildly, aiming for Darren.

Bang bang bang! His stormy fists, strong enough to crush a rock wall, pummeled Darren's chest, abdomen, legs, and even his head, yet the latter didn't take a single step back. Not a single move had any effect. Darren stood sturdy, like a reef weathering a violent storm.

How could this be... Kake thought, staring blankly at Darren's casual demeanor and the faint smile in his eyes. A shocking realization dawned on him.

Then he saw Darren grinning, "Have you had your fun? If so, it's my turn now."

A chill ran down Kake's spine. A massive hand sped towards him, growing in his vision—inescapable. His face paled as he suspected the horrifying truth: Darren possessed overpowering strength.

"Don't, don't hit my face!" Kake cried out comically, but in the next moment, the large hand covered his face.

With Gion watching in disbelief, the Branch 321 Marines staring aghast, and Flying Squirrel helplessly observing, Darren, holding Kake's face, stepped forward and then slammed Kake's head into the ground with great force. Boom! The ground within a twenty-meter radius shook, creating a huge crater with cracks spreading from it.

Kake's head was plunged into the pit, his legs flailing in the air. Dust billowed around like a fierce dragon.

At that moment, everyone present gasped at the sight, their eyes twitching in sympathetic pain. It looked excruciating to even witness.