As Roya's words faded, he released his grip.
But the moment he let go, Kalifa used "Shave" to appear behind Roya, her fingers extended as she ruthlessly thrust toward him!
"Let's see you touch me again! Finger Pistol!"
Roya sighed. He now understood just how terrible this girl's temper was.
With a slight tilt of his head, Roya dodged Kalifa's attack.
At the same time, a Phantom identical to Roya appeared behind Kalifa, instantly restraining her.
Kalifa's pupils constricted sharply as she immediately realized what was happening, exclaiming in shock, "You're a Devil Fruit user!"
"You attacked without even knowing your opponent's abilities. That's just foolish."
Hearing Roya's words, the fire in Kalifa's chest blazed even hotter.
"Well, do you know my ability?! Golden Bubble!"
In an instant, countless bubbles surged from Kalifa's hands. Anything these bubbles touched became impossibly slippery.
Using this, Kalifa effortlessly slid out of Roya's Phantom restraint.The moment she broke free from confinement, Kalifa first shattered the Phantom with a Tempest Kick, then rapidly tapped her feet against the ground. The powerful recoil instantly propelled her body behind Roya.
"You're too careless! Finger Pistol!"
Her figure flickered as Kalifa thrust her index finger forward.
This Finger Pistol carried even greater force than the previous one.
At this moment, Kalifa had forgotten this was merely a training ground.
She had only seized the opportunity to test her own strength.
Now, she was striking with her full power, aiming straight for the back of Roya's head!
Thud!
The instant her finger pierced Roya's skull, Kalifa snapped back to reality.
Her pupils contracted sharply.
The fury in her heart was doused as if by a bucket of cold water.
"H-how…?!"
Instinctively, she withdrew her finger, staring in disbelief at the scene before her.
She had thought Roya would react—after all, his reflexes had been so fast just moments ago!
Thump.
Roya collapsed onto the ground, his body limp like a puddle of mud.
As if declaring at every second that Roya had died—because of Kalifa!
More and more people began noticing the commotion, gradually crowding around.
Kalifa rushed to Roya's side, shaking him frantically. "Hey, hey! Get up already! Don't scare me like this! I really didn't mean it—wake up!"
Kneeling beside Roya, fat tears rolled down Kalifa's cheeks.
"What exactly happened here?"
"Looks like Kalifa killed someone!"
"Killed someone? An accidental killing in the training grounds?!"
"That seems to be the case, but… doesn't something feel off?"
"Off? What do you mean?"
"Why hasn't there been a single drop of blood after that man's skull was pierced by a Finger Pistol?"
...
The murmurs of the onlookers drifted through the air.
A few louder voices reached Kalifa's ears.
Her sobbing abruptly halted.
"N-no blood?!"
Hearing this, Kalifa turned her gaze to the back of Roya's head.
At that very moment, the Roya lying on the ground suddenly shattered apart—
Just like the Phantom she had kicked apart earlier.
As the figure on the ground dissipated into the air, three more Royas appeared around Kalifa, encircling her without leaving any room for her to use her abilities.
The spectators around the training grounds were completely stunned.
"Is this a Devil Fruit ability?"
"It sure looks like it!"
"What kind of ability is this? It seems ridiculously strong!"
"These three can't be the real one, right? Where's the actual body?!"
...
"Shave!"
At that moment, Roya instantly appeared atop a training dummy using "Shave."
"Fivefold Phantom!"
The so-called "Fivefold Phantom" was the name Roya had given this technique—
"Fivefold" referring to the number of illusions created upon activation.
Kalifa remained kneeling on the ground, staring up at Roya, her lower lip clenched tightly between her teeth.
She glared at him and gritted out, "When did you create those illusions?!"
"From the very beginning of the fight.""So, from the very beginning of the fight, I was just being played by you?"
Roya smiled without answering, simply dispelling the Phantom before saying to Kalifa, "Don't be so impulsive next time. I'm here to participate in the promotion conference—Marshal Sengoku can vouch for that."
"You mentioned before that it's your first time coming to Marineford, yet you can use 'Shave' from the Rokushiki techniques!"
Kalifa keenly noticed the technique Roya had just used to reach the wooden dummy.
"I saw you doing it here earlier, so I learned it."
As Roya's words fell, everyone who heard them froze in place.
"He learned it just by watching once?!"
"That kind of talent is downright terrifying!"
"This is one of the Rokushiki! Many can't even grasp the basics, let alone master it!"
...
Many thought Roya was just boasting.
But the technique Roya had just used was undeniably "Shave"!
In other words, Roya's talent truly was that formidable!
Kalifa slowly rose from the ground, her beautiful eyes hidden behind her glasses fixed intently on Roya.
It was as if she wanted to etch his face into her memory.
"I won't let you off so easily. I hope you don't lose too quickly tomorrow!"
After saying this, Kalifa walked away from the crowd.
She couldn't bear to stay any longer.
After all, she had been the one to provoke the fight, only to be humiliated by Roya. As a girl, she couldn't help but hold a grudge against him!
Watching Kalifa leave, Roya didn't linger either.
Jumping down from the wooden dummy, he decided to head back and sleep.
Whether Kalifa would change her habits or improve her temperament in the future wasn't something Roya cared about.
But just as he was about to leave the crowd, a man in a deep red suit, draped in a "Justice" cloak and wearing a military cap, stepped in front of Roya!
Roya recognized him immediately.
It was Akainu!
"Why aren't you wearing your uniform in Marineford, the headquarters of the Marines?!"
Akainu's voice was stern as he reprimanded Roya.
"I'm here for the promotion trials. It's my first time—Fleet Admiral Sengoku should know about it."
"So you're the one the Fleet Admiral mentioned!" Akainu continued, "I saw your fight earlier. If you think you can win with just your Devil Fruit ability and the Rokushiki you barely learned, you're sorely mistaken.
I don't understand why the Fleet Admiral would allow someone as weak as you to participate in this promotion trial!"
With that, Akainu brushed past Roya without even a glance, adding, "Pray you don't face me in the first round. Otherwise, I'll show you the true power of 'Justice'!!!"
...