__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Rumble…!"
This was easily the wildest storm Kyle had ever seen.
It was as if some god above the black clouds was tipping the entire ocean over, pouring it back down from the heavens like a shattered Milky Way waterfall. The wind screamed overhead, and even the warship beneath their feet could only drift helplessly with the raging waves.
Worse, the storm was still growing.
"Hurry! Get the water out!"
"Don't let the ship flood!"
"This storm's insane! This sea really has a nasty temper!"
Shouts hammered at Kyle's ears. He jumped in right away.
Rain pelted his back and skull like thrown stones. When he glanced toward the water, he could see bubbles rising everywhere and the surface trembling violently—like a giant tsunami was gathering strength in the deep.
"Kyle, head to the stern!"
Kuzan, already soaked through, yelled over the wind with a bucket in hand.
Thunder cracked. Lightning split the sky and lit their faces with harsh white flashes. Kyle nodded, splashing through the water on deck before vanishing in an instant.
At the stern, he found Sakazuki there too.
"Hmph. Kyle."
Sakazuki threw him a cold look, snorted, and kept working—both hands moving fast as he scooped up water and tossed it overboard.
Kyle shot him a sideways glance. The guy had a sword at his waist and a permanent frostbite expression. Kyle said nothing and bent down to help.
Gradually, both of them got faster and faster.
At some point, they both lifted their heads at the same time. Their eyes met. Sparks practically jumped between them.
A silent contest had already begun. Sakazuki's hands blurred, the water at his feet disappearing visibly with each movement. Kyle growled under his breath and sped up as well.
By the time the deck was nearly drained, Kyle finally dropped flat onto the ground with a heavy thud, panting hard.
Sakazuki wasn't in much better shape, but he somehow managed to stay standing, arms crossed as he stared down at Kyle with obvious disdain—like saying that's all you've got?
"Childish competition," Kyle muttered as he got up after a moment.
Sakazuki's expression twitched. He opened his mouth to retort but Kyle had already turned and walked off.
The storm raged on, its winds and rain throwing the entire crew into chaos.
Their vision was almost completely ruined, and even their direction of travel was lost. No matter how they looked around, there was nothing—not a landmark, not even the faint outline of a reef or island.
They had also completely lost track of Roger's crew.
"Bogart! Before they disappeared, they were headed this way, right?!" Garp bellowed.
"No mistake," Bogart said, wiping rain from his face.
"Damn this storm!"
Garp cursed, then turned and yelled toward Kyle, who was staring blankly ahead.
"Kid! Why are you spacing out?!"
Kyle didn't answer. He simply pointed forward.
Through the slanted curtain of rain, more than a dozen pirate ships appeared—tilted, scattered, drifting aimlessly like they'd been dropped out of the sky.
Garp blinked, surprise crossing his face. Then he suddenly burst into booming laughter.
"Hahaha! Looks like this storm completely blew apart Shiki's fleet!"
The rain was so heavy that neither side saw the other until they were almost on top of each other. One pirate ship was even about to collide with them.
"All hands!" Garp roared.
For a heartbeat the storm itself seemed to pause. Everyone on board snapped to attention.
"Clear the path!"
"A bunch of small fries dare to block my way?!"
"Yes!"
Kuzan, Sakazuki, Bogart, and the others shouted back in unison.
Thunder rumbled again. Lightning flashed, briefly sharpening their view through the rain.
"It's the Navy!"
"Take them out!"
"Wait—that guy at the bow…!"
"T–That's Garp! Marine Hero Garp!!!"
The pirates finally caught sight of the warship's crew—especially the man standing at the bow with cropped black hair, a cold gaze, and a massive, solid frame.
Whatever frustration or panic they had before instantly morphed into pure dread.
They hadn't even fought yet, but recognizing that face alone shattered their nerves.
"Kill!"
Sakazuki didn't waste a single word. He leapt into the air, drawing his long blade, and landed on the nearest pirate ship like a falling meteor.
Kuzan and Bogart charged forward immediately after.
Kyle dashed ahead, stepping through the air with rapid kicks, overtaking all of them in a blink as he aimed for a ship farther out.
He glanced down midair and saw Sakazuki's sword cutting through pirates like weeds—ten men down within seconds, his killing intent sharp enough to chill bone.
Bogart swung once, sending a flying slash that sliced the mast and half the ship clean in two. Screams erupted below.
Kuzan flickered from spot to spot, fists slamming with terrifying force.
Back then, Kuzan idolized Vice Admiral Garp and fought with his fists more than anything else—though he still kept a military saber at his waist.
Kyle landed on another pirate ship in the span of a few breaths.
"Kill him!"
"We don't have a choice! Even if it's Garp's crew, we fight or die!"
"Take him down and run!"
He could see it clearly—the panic, the trembling, the terror in their eyes.
Then one pirate rushed him, both hands gripping his sword, bringing it down in a vicious arc.
The speed was insane.
The blade was wrapped in a distinct aura.
"Armament Haki?!"
Kyle's pupils shrank. He didn't even have time to move.
This one was a real veteran. The angle, force, and timing of the strike left almost no room to dodge. Kyle had no Observation Haki yet, and his combat instincts weren't developed enough to save him.
The blade slammed down from above, cutting so fast it blurred—cleaving him from the top of his head straight down through his waist.
His eyes widened in shock, fear, and sharp pain.
It was the worst death he'd experienced so far—cleanly cut in half.
But a second later, his gaze turned icy. The sword, which should have been lodged inside him, was somehow forced out and clattered onto the deck.
A sharp crack sounded as the slash continued forward and split the ship's bow itself in two.
"Shigan."
Kyle's voice was cold. He brought his index and middle finger together and thrust forward.
"Pfft!"
The swordsman's eyes bulged. A bloody hole opened in the center of his forehead. The force pierced straight through his skull and punched a hole in the mast behind him with a dull thunk.
His final expression was pure confusion.
He couldn't understand.
He had just cut the boy in half. Cleanly. He'd felt it.
Kyle exhaled slowly, turning to face the remaining pirates closing in around him, their faces tense with fear.
Pirates of the New World weren't small fry.
This was a real challenge.
But he wouldn't die. And he definitely wouldn't lose.
"..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________