The morning mist clung to the jagged cliffs of the northern archipelago, thick and heavy, as though the world itself were holding its breath. Kaizen stood atop a crumbling watchtower, his coat dripping with condensation, the hilt of Kurogami glinting faintly in the gray light. His Sixth Eye flared, scanning the terrain, catching the faintest movement: a pirate scout slipping between rocks, another stirring the branches of a gnarled forest. The storm from the previous battle had passed, leaving silence that felt almost alive with danger.
Kaizen crouched, muscles coiled like springs. His fruit powers hummed faintly beneath his skin, energy coursing in pulses as his mind calculated every possible approach of the targets. The first wave of pirates—those of moderate bounty, around 300 million berries each—were scattered across the archipelago. None knew the Black Hand was already among them, unseen, unstoppable. He moved like shadow, blending into ruins and fog, the Sixth Eye guiding his every step.
The first encounter was sudden. Two scouts emerged from behind boulders, swords drawn, unaware of the predator already observing them. Kaizen leapt from a collapsed ledge, Kurogami spinning in a deadly arc. The first pirate barely reacted as the katana sliced through the air, sparks scattering across wet stone. The second swung blindly, only to meet Kaizen's enhanced reflexes. A precise strike, a pivot, and the pirate crumpled without a scream. The Sixth Eye had calculated their center of gravity, muscle tension, and balance before their swords even moved.
Further into the forested cliffs, a trio of pirates ambushed him, hoping to take advantage of their numbers. Kaizen did not hesitate. The fight became a symphony of movement. He vaulted over a tree stump, twisting midair, Kurogami flashing in arcs of silver. A pirate lunged, and Kaizen sidestepped, slicing through a tree branch to redirect it into another attacker. Timber cracked, pirates screamed, and the forest floor became a chaotic dance of shadow and steel. His fruit powers flared, amplifying speed and strength, the air rippling with unseen energy.
The battle intensified as Kaizen pressed further inland. A small cliff overlooking the bay offered both risk and opportunity. Pirates attempted to flank him from both sides, but the Sixth Eye revealed their intentions before a single step could betray them. Kaizen moved fluidly, a lethal ghost among rocks and roots, cutting, dodging, and anticipating every strike. His movements were not merely physical but strategic, using the environment to create traps and force openings.
As the morning fog lifted, Kaizen faced the core of the pirate group: three lieutenants working in perfect coordination. One wielded a heavy hammer, swinging with brute force; another carried dual blades, rapid and unpredictable; the third controlled explosive devices, setting traps across the clearing. Kaizen assessed them instantly. A frontal assault would be suicidal—he needed precision, timing, and full exploitation of his powers.
He feinted to the left, drawing the hammer-wielder forward. Kurogami flashed in a blur, slicing the ground to create a shockwave that unbalanced the pirate. The explosive expert reacted, triggering a device meant to disrupt Kaizen, but the Sixth Eye allowed him to anticipate the trajectory, redirecting the blast with a sweep of the katana. Sparks, smoke, and debris mingled as he pivoted, striking the dual-blade pirate with a precise downward slash that left the attacker incapacitated but alive—Kaizen preferred to neutralize rather than kill, at least for now.
The hammer-wielder recovered and charged again, roaring, his brute strength augmented by sheer fury. Kaizen met the charge with fluid deflection, using Kurogami to redirect the blow toward a nearby rock wall, which shattered under the force. Rain-soaked earth erupted in splinters, and the pirate stumbled, giving Kaizen a clear opening. He surged forward, a blur of steel and energy, landing a precise strike that disarmed the brute without breaking the katana—his style emphasized control as much as power.
The final lieutenant, the explosives expert, attempted to flee, triggering a series of timed devices across the terrain. Kaizen did not chase blindly. Instead, he calculated trajectories, using his fruit powers to manipulate the energy around him, creating a protective aura that absorbed and redirected blasts. Each step was deliberate, a blend of foresight and lethal precision. Within moments, the lieutenant was surrounded, weapons neutralized, trapped by Kaizen's strategy rather than brute force.
As the sun climbed higher, the aftermath was clear: all pirates were incapacitated or fleeing, the clearing littered with debris, scorched earth, and the silent testimony of Kaizen's mastery. He stood atop a rock, surveying the archipelago, Kurogami resting lightly on his shoulder. The Sixth Eye remained active, scanning the horizon. Somewhere beyond these cliffs, greater threats awaited—pirates of the Worst Generation, lieutenants of Empires, and forces that would test the limits of his powers.
The chapter closed with Kaizen disappearing into the mist, the archipelago silent except for the distant crash of waves. This is only the beginning, he thought. Each step draws me closer to those who truly matter—and each confrontation will shape the world itself. Lightning flickered in the distance, a reminder that the storms of the New World were far from over, and that the Black Hand would strike with precision, inevitability, and unmatched power.