Chapter 25: The Storm
Kyle watched Luffy take his stance and nodded, impressed. He casually held out his right hand and crooked his finger, a universal sign for "come and get me."
That simple, condescending gesture made even the easy-going Luffy frown.
"Gum-Gum... BAZOOKA!"
Luffy's arms stretched far back. Using the recoil, his body shot forward like a cannonball. The air hissed around his outstretched palms, a strike carrying incredible power.
Kyle stood his ground. He clenched his right fist, his arm muscles tensing.
The instant Luffy's hands were about to connect, Kyle met the attack with a clean, horizontal block.
"BOOM!"
The impact echoed across the Baratie, and the entire restaurant ship shook violently. The diners screamed, grabbing onto anything solid to keep from being thrown overboard.
But what shocked everyone was that Kyle, who had taken the full force of the blow, hadn't moved. His feet were planted on the deck as if they had grown roots.
"H-How is that possible?!" Usopp stammered, clinging to the railing.
Nami's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. She knew how strong that attack was—it could shatter stone—and this kid hadn't even budged.
Luffy's eyes were wide. That was his strongest attack.
Kyle, feeling the force on his arm, let a small smile play on his lips. "Is that all? Not bad." His voice was calm, as if he'd just blocked a normal punch.
Luffy immediately recoiled, flipping nimbly in the air and landing on the far side of the deck. He began to wind up, his rubber body visibly tensing, storing up energy for his next move.
"Gum-Gum... GATLING!"
A storm of fists blurred through the air, each one whistling as it flew toward Kyle.
Killua, who was lounging against the railing, put his hands behind his head. "Good spirit, but his attack patterns are way too predictable." His eyes easily tracked every single fist. "In Zoldyck training, this wouldn't even count as a warm-up."
"If it were you, Killua, what would you do?" Gon asked, watching intently.
"Just weave through the gaps and hit him," Killua said. "But it looks like Kyle has other plans."
He was right. Kyle didn't dodge.
His eyes tracked every punch, and his own arms moved with minimal, precise motions, parrying and deflecting every single blow. The constant thwack-thwack-thwack of fists meeting became a rapid-fire drumbeat.
The reporters who had stayed behind were completely mesmerized, their pens frozen over their notepads.
Kyle noticed Luffy's punches were getting faster. Just as he'd thought. Luffy, just like them, had the talent to grow in the middle of a fight.
"Not enough... Faster!" Luffy gritted his teeth, sweat flying from his brow. His fists rained down, but he couldn't break through Kyle's defense. It was the same hopeless feeling he got when he was a kid, training with his grandpa.
After ten minutes, Luffy's stamina was hitting its limit.
But just as he should have slowed down... he got faster. Stronger.
"A burst from exhaustion?" Kyle's eyes lit up. His own blocks became heavier, sharper. The BOOM of their impacts grew louder, and this time, the deck beneath Kyle's feet began to groan.
Killua stood up straight, his expression serious. "That's a desperation burst. He's running on fumes. He's got ten seconds, tops."
"Why does he get stronger when he's exhausted?" Gon asked.
"It's something anyone can do, but few people ever manage it," Killua explained. "When you're pushed to the absolute brink, your body bypasses its natural limiters and unleashes its true power. In my family's training, we call it a 'Death-Burst'."
"Like when I had to face that bear on Whale Island, and I suddenly jumped higher than ever?" Gon asked.
"Exactly," Killua nodded. "But a burst like that always has a price."
Just as he'd predicted, ten seconds later, Luffy's body visibly deflated. He collapsed like an empty balloon, wheezing on the deck.
"Meat..." he gasped. "I need... meat..."
Nami and Usopp rushed over. "You idiot!" Nami cried, tears in her eyes. "Why do you always push yourself like this?!"
Kyle straightened his collar. "He'll be fine. Just get him a lot of meat. We're leaving."
As the three of them turned to go, Kyle paused. He looked back at Luffy, who was weakly trying to sit up.
"Your Devil Fruit has potential," Kyle said. "But you don't understand your own power. When you truly understand what 'elasticity' means... we'll fight again."
The moment their ship was gone, the Baratie exploded with discussion. No one could believe that the infamous "Straw Hat" Luffy had been so thoroughly defeated by an unknown kid.
"Get this to the press!" a reporter yelled. "This is huge!"
In less than a day, the news was everywhere: Monkey D. Luffy, Defeated by Hunter Pirates Captain, Kyle!
Sketches of Kyle, Killua, and Gon were on fliers circulating through every island in the East Blue.
At Marine Headquarters, Marineford...
"Garp, you need to see this," Fleet Admiral Sengoku said, pushing a report across his desk to his old friend, who was busy stuffing his face with rice crackers.
Garp casually took the paper. The cracker fell from his hand.
On the report was a clear sketch of Kyle—a kid who couldn't be older than 13.
"Impossible..." Garp's expression was, for once, deadly serious. "Luffy's green, but he's not that weak."
"According to eyewitnesses," Sengoku said, steepling his fingers, "this 'Kyle' wasn't even using his full strength. And he has two other kids with him, just as strong."
Garp walked to the window, staring out at the sea. "When did the East Blue produce someone like this...?"
"Your thoughts?" Sengoku asked. "Should we investigate?"
Garp was silent for a moment... then burst into his trademark laugh. "BWA HA HA HA! A little failure will do him good! Teach him the sea isn't a playground!"
But behind the laughter, his eyes were sharp with a deep, hidden concern.
A new, unexpected storm was brewing.