Eli Winters floated silently in the sky, sword in hand, still as a sculpture. His gaze followed the vanishing silhouette of Kaido disappearing into the horizon. Yet, he made no move to pursue.
It wasn't fear or hesitation that stopped him far from it. There were two clear reasons.
First, though Kaido had been gravely wounded, Eli knew that the creature's monstrous body could withstand far worse. The injuries were not fatal. And at this stage, Eli still lacked the decisive power to deliver a killing blow.
Second, after such a fierce battle, he needed time. Time to reflect, analyze, and fully absorb everything he had gained from this monumental fight.
Closing his eyes, Eli recalled the sensation of that final strike the one that cleaved the heavens themselves. In the depths of his mind, he retraced every moment, every breath, every flicker of energy that surged through his blade.
He could feel it again now the flow of sword aura, the explosion of power, the perfect harmony between them. It was as if the essence of the sword had been reborn within him.
Without realizing it, his right hand began to move on its own, the sword tracing gentle arcs through the air. The motion seemed calm and slow, yet a sharp, indomitable presence radiated from it like a divine weapon capable of severing all things under heaven.
Suddenly, Eli's eyes snapped open.
Twin flashes of light burst from his pupils. The black sword in his grip slashed forward with an ear-splitting roar.
The sky itself split apart.
A colossal shockwave tore through the heavens, cleaving the sea below into two surging walls of water. A deep trench, hundreds of meters wide, stretched outward from beneath Eli's feet, carving a jagged scar across the ocean for miles until it vanished beyond sight.
Eli stared at the gash in the sea and laughed heartily.
"Ha! Who would've thought?"
He had done it. He had broken through to the realm of the Great Swordsman.
He had always believed that such a breakthrough could only be achieved through countless duels with opponents of equal strength. But today, against Kaido the embodiment of raw power and indestructibility he had been pushed to the edge. His frustration and defiance had forged his sword anew.
That one strike had shattered his limits.
He had become a Great Swordsman.
Eli opened his system panel, a grin spreading across his face.
Name: Eli Winters
Age: 12
Strength: Admiral-level
Speed: Admiral-level
Spirit: Admiral-level
Devil Fruit: Revised Spatial-Spatial Fruit
Mastery: 35%
Haki:
Observation Haki — Advanced
Armament Haki — Advanced (Internal Destruction, Flowing Sakura)
Conqueror's Haki — Advanced (Infused Conqueror)
Fruit Techniques:
Spatial Slash, Chaos Blades, Storage Space, Twin Kamui,
(Phasing, Transfer, Warp, Distortion),
Teleportation, Space Lock, Spatial Walk,
Void Exile — banishes enemies into chaotic dimensional turbulence, shredding them apart,
Space Gate — creates spatial portals for large-scale transport; unlike Kamui, it doesn't require contact.
Swordsmanship: Great Swordsman
Sword Techniques: Piercing Point, Soaring Slash, Phantom Blade, Breaking Strike
Power Level: King-class (Equivalent to the Four Emperors of the Sea)
Companion: Big Pan the Kung Fu Panda
Observation Haki — Advanced
Armament Haki — Advanced (Internal Destruction)
Conqueror's Haki — Intermediate
Techniques: Eight Desolation Staff Arts
Secret Techniques: Tremor, Martial Rupture, Layered Waves, and Spell — Dancing Wheel Shield
Power Level: Vice Admiral Candidate
Prosperity Points: 31,468
Inventory:
Stretch-Stretch Fruit (no side effects),
Spring-Spring Fruit, Explosion Fruit, Float-Float Fruit, Ton-Ton Fruit, Flutter-Flutter Fruit, String-String Fruit, Poison-Poison Fruit,
Cat-Cat Fruit (Leopard Model),
a modern speedboat, a disguise mask, and assorted treasures.
Eli nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
His mastery of Haki had deepened, his swordsmanship had ascended to a new level, and his overall strength had surged forward. The next time he met Kaido, things would be different.
And this time, he'd be the one Kaido couldn't escape from.
Laughing to himself, Eli muttered, "Guess I can speak a little louder next time I say I don't eat beef."
Still smiling, he returned to the Silver Dragon, where Kuzan remained waiting.
"Eli, are you hurt?" Felina asked, eyes filled with concern. Her voice trembled slightly, and both Chiyo and Fiona turned anxiously toward him as well.
Dote and Simon's faces lit up as they shouted, "You're incredible, Captain! You're our hero!"
"Hahaha! I knew it! That ugly eel never stood a chance against my big bro!" Big Pan laughed proudly, chest puffed out. "To me, my brother will always be invincible!"
Hearing the warmth and admiration in their voices, Eli felt his heart soften. Surrounded by laughter, he couldn't suppress his smile. He tried to act modest, waving his hand nonchalantly.
"Oh, it was nothing special. Kaido's strong, sure but compared to me, he's just a little… lacking."
The crew burst into laughter, their joyous voices echoing over the waves.
Then Eli suddenly raised his voice. "Such a moment deserves a celebration! My friends, let's throw a feast! A real one!"
The deck erupted with cheers.
"Yes, Captain!"
In an instant, the crew sprang into action, preparing food, lighting torches, and decorating the ship. The Silver Dragon quickly transformed into a floating festival.
Eli turned toward Kuzan, who was still watching quietly. "Admiral Kuzan, would you care to join us? It's not every day we host a celebration like this."
The Marine's usually calm expression shifted, his gaze fixed on the young man before him. For the first time in a long while, Kuzan felt something close to disbelief.
He had seen prodigies before many, in fact. But this boy… this twelve-year-old monster… was something else entirely.
Eli Winters had reached a realm beyond logic, beyond normal growth. His power, his composure, his sheer potential it was terrifying.
Kuzan finally shook his head. "No. My mission here is complete. I need to return to the New World immediately."
Eli didn't press him. He simply nodded.
As Kuzan stepped off the ship, he paused, looking back one last time. His voice was serious. "Eli, your strength is incredible. But think carefully about your path. If possible, join the Marines. Someone like you… could change everything. And if not then at least don't become a pirate."
Eli smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I have no interest in becoming a pirate. Frankly, I can't stand them."
Kuzan chuckled softly. "Then I'll look forward to meeting you again in the New World."
"You will," Eli replied.
With that, Kuzan leapt from the ship, landing on an icy path he formed beneath his feet. Mounting his bicycle, he rode away into the mist.
The Silver Dragon soon filled with laughter again.
Meanwhile, far behind them, Kuzan reached a Marine warship, called in his report, and connected his Den Den Mushi to a familiar voice.
"Bluu… bluu…"
The snail's face shifted into that of a man with a white mustache, glasses, and a tight afro Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"Kuzan, the battle's over? What's the result?" Sengoku asked.
Kuzan recounted everything from their sparring match to the moment Eli cleaved Kaido in half.
When he finished, Sengoku nearly jumped out of his chair.
"You're saying a twelve-year-old defeated Kaido and broke through to Great Swordsman level?!" His voice cracked with disbelief.
Kuzan nodded calmly. "I saw it with my own eyes. It wasn't luck. The kid's the real deal."
Sengoku exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "Do we know what kind of Devil Fruit he has?"
"Not exactly," Kuzan replied. "But it's clearly space-related. He can teleport instantly even Observation Haki can't trace him. He can phase through attacks, like a Logia but even Armament Haki can't touch him."
Sengoku fell silent. A powerful swordsman, an elite Haki user, and a spatial ability user all in one person.
A combination capable of shaking the entire world.
"What does he think of the Marines?" Sengoku asked.
"He doesn't want to join," Kuzan said.
Sengoku's brow furrowed. "Then what? Is he going to turn pirate?"
Kuzan shook his head. "No. He said he hates pirates. He just wants to be a free adventurer on the sea."
At that, Sengoku relaxed a little. "Fine. Let him be. For now, focus on the New World. Big Mom's crew is becoming restless again. Akainu's having trouble containing them. Send in your report soon."
"Understood, Fleet Admiral."
After hanging up, Kuzan leaned back in a deck chair and pulled his eye mask over his face. Within seconds, he was snoring.
His adjutant sighed and began drafting the report, grateful that they had seen most of the battle through binoculars though some details, he knew, would require Kuzan's input later.
But unbeknownst to either of them, high above the sea, one of Morgans' news birds had witnessed everything.
On a small, nondescript island in the New World, Morgans, the flamboyant owner of the World Economic Journal, stood on a clifftop, eyes gleaming with feverish excitement.
In his hands, a Den Den Mushi recorded the last flickers of the battle.
"This… this is it! The biggest story of the year! No the decade!" Morgans shouted, trembling with joy. "Hahahaha!"
His manic laughter echoed across the island, scattering flocks of birds into the crimson sunset.
"The World Economic Journal will shake the world once again!"
Three days later, the headlines exploded across the seas.
Breaking News: A New Supreme Power Emerges! The "Sky Sovereign" Eli Winters!
Morgans' paper told of Eli's fight against Kuzan and his overwhelming victory against Kaido. At the Marines' request, it was written that Eli had fought Kuzan to a draw a diplomatic compromise that still told the world enough.
The truth didn't matter. The legend had already begun.
Eli Winters' name now thundered across the seas.
And beside it another name shone brightly in the new age:
Big Pan, the loyal panda warrior of the Silver Dragon.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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