"So fast!" Hody Jones muttered to himself, frowning.
[Gum!]
Without hesitation, he swallowed the EX Medicine he had just developed, feeling it surge through his body like a volcano. Energy and strength rushed through him, a smile curling the corners of his mouth. Infatuated with his newfound power, he murmured, "This is incredible… I must develop more."
In the next moment, the sound of tearing air announced his enemy's approach. Kaito's whip-like legs blurred into afterimages, slicing through the air as he appeared before Hody Jones.
"Humph! Seeking death! I'll use you as a test subject for my new drug!" Hody Jones spat, positioning his white shark claws across his chest to intercept Kaito's assault.
Boom!
The dull impact reverberated through the room, wind gusts scattering debris. Hody grabbed Kaito's whip leg with confidence. "With EX Medicine, my strength has grown exponentially! Even you are no match for me!"
Kaito smiled lightly, unshaken. "Enhanced strength from drugs is not true power. If I'm right, those pills must have serious side effects."
Hody's eyes flickered with panic. "So what? Power is all that matters! Side effects are irrelevant! These abilities will be enough to destroy you!"
Kaito chuckled. "Destroy me? Your mind has already been kicked by a donkey."
The two clashed with cataclysmic force. Waves of power radiated outward, smashing surrounding walls as Hody Jones moved like a blur, leaving destruction in his wake. He crashed through multiple buildings before finally landing on a broken structure at the edge of Fishman Street.
Pat!
Hody staggered from the debris, blood at the corner of his mouth, disbelief in his eyes.
"How… how is this possible?"
"Nothing is impossible," Kaito said coolly. "Against absolute strength, your drug-induced power is a joke."
Hody Jones' face twisted in madness. "Absolute strength! You're strong, but I have EX Medicine! You are still no match!"
With reckless desperation, Hody swallowed a fistful of red pills, declaring, "With these, I am invincible!"
Hody surged forward like a lightning bolt, five sharp nails flashing with lethal precision. Afterimages sliced through the air, aiming straight at Kaito.
Kaito moved with effortless grace, his body radiating Busoshoku Haki, dodging each strike. In a single motion, his fist crashed into Hody's abdomen like a meteor, accompanied by bursts of sonic force.
Puff!
Blood and shards of flesh erupted from Hody's mouth.
"This… how is this possible?" Hody gasped, collapsing to his knees, pain and disbelief contorting his face.
"Nothing is impossible," Kaito repeated. With a swift turn, he disappeared into the distance, leaving Hody Jones broken and defeated.
Kaito's attention shifted to Noah, the ancient giant ship half the size of Fishman Island itself. Centuries ago, Fishman Island's residents had placed it in Fishman Street as a safeguard. Its enormous hull was visible from far away, and within, Vander Deaken IX, who had long feared Princess Shirahoshi, was hiding.
Noah wasn't just a ship; it was practically an island. Kaito's Observation Haki detected every human fluctuation aboard. Smirking, he made his way deeper inside, moving leisurely as though he were sightseeing.
Vander Deaken IX was a target fruit user, but aside from that, his strength was negligible — far weaker than Hody Jones' crew. Kaito knew well that a captain's power determined the skill of his subordinates.
After effortlessly dispatching Daken IX's remaining pirates, Kaito arrived at the innermost chamber — the hiding place of Vander Deaken IX.
"You? What are you doing here?" Daken IX demanded, stepping forward, his face dark with panic.
Before he could react, Kaito's dark palm struck, pinching his neck with lethal force.
"Let go! Let go of me!" Daken IX choked, flailing, gasping for air.
"Sorry, I promised Shirahoshi I'd bring her nemesis' brain back to her," Kaito said icily. Panic and disbelief crossed Daken IX's face before he crumpled into a lifeless corpse.
Kaito hoisted the body and, with a swift motion, transformed into a black blur, disappearing toward the Hard-Shell Tower.
The area was heavily guarded. Shark Star held his trident, scanning the surroundings. Beside him, a larger, middle-aged man wearing a crown approached.
"Father, why are you here?" Fukaboshi exclaimed, surprised.
"I heard Shirahoshi was in trouble. I came to check," Neptune said, face grim.