"It's Tempest Kick!"
The slash wave from the War Pirates' side had been launched by Kaito Arisawa.
The moment he saw a similar crescent-shaped blade of air erupt from the lead Marine warship and slice through incoming cannon fire, he immediately recognized the technique.
Not only did he recognize it—
His eyes lit up.
It wasn't surprising that someone in the Marines could use Tempest Kick. It was one of the Six Styles, after all.
What truly caught Kaito's attention was the power behind it.
The opponent's Tempest Kick was strong.
Very strong.
That single exchange told Kaito one thing clearly—
There was a master aboard the Marine fleet.
And not just any master.
Someone worthy of stepping onto the battlefield personally.
For a long time now, Kaito had been looking for someone capable of sharpening him.
Now, interest surged in his eyes.
…
"Damn it… Tempest Kick…"
On the Marine side, the one who had intercepted the shells with Tempest Kick was Vice Admiral Henry.
Unlike Kaito, Henry's reaction was not excitement.
His face darkened.
Shock and anger churned in his chest.
Anger—because the Six Styles were a Marine combat art, yet pirates were now wielding them.
Shock—because the Tempest Kick just now was no weaker than his own.
Henry had once served at Marine Headquarters. Even though age had dulled his peak condition, he still possessed absolute confidence in his strength.
Especially in West Blue.
Compared to the Grand Line, pirates here were, in his eyes, little more than rabble.
Yes, intelligence reports had already informed him that the War Pirates were powerful. Their captain, Kaito Arisawa, had even killed Sai, heir to the Eight Treasures Navy, who carried a bounty exceeding one hundred million.
But knowing something and witnessing it were different matters.
Henry had not expected this level of strength.
Still, he was a veteran of countless battles.
The initial shock and anger quickly settled.
The contempt he had harbored at the beginning hardened into caution.
The bombardment did not cease.
Wave after wave of artillery thundered across the sea.
The distance between the two fleets shrank steadily.
…
"I've found him."
Kaito activated Observation Haki, extending his perception across the battlefield.
As the ships drew closer, the auras aboard the Marine fleet became clearer.
He filtered through them one by one—
Then locked onto the strongest presence.
"That must be him."
The aura was powerful.
Stronger than Sai had been.
A flicker of anticipation passed through Kaito's eyes.
Even so, compared to Kaito in a fully concentrated Constitution state, it still wasn't enough.
"Still… aura mostly reflects physical strength," Kaito thought calmly. "Skills and Devil Fruit abilities can't be detected so easily."
It had been a long time since he had encountered a worthy opponent.
Using brute force to crush the enemy outright would be simple.
But dull.
He wanted a proper fight.
A clash.
A sharpening.
Still—
Carelessness was fatal.
Devil Fruits in this world were unpredictable. One strange ability could overturn a battle instantly.
So Kaito decisively adjusted his talent allocation.
He entered Concentrated Observation state and activated mind-reading.
If the opponent possessed a bizarre Devil Fruit ability, Kaito would eliminate him quickly and decisively.
If not—
He would use him as a whetstone.
…
"You're going to fight personally?"
On the deck of the War Pirates' flagship, the distance between the fleets had narrowed drastically.
Under heavy shelling, the crew readied rifles and prepared for close combat.
Mangu stood silent but tense.
Robin, along with Neferpet—still a little worn from the previous night's "training"—also stepped onto the deck.
Robin's gaze swept over the battlefield—
Then she saw it.
Kaito had drawn both golden sabers.
Her eyes sharpened.
She walked up beside him.
"There's a strong one over there," Kaito said calmly, eyes fixed on the lead Marine warship.
His tone was steady.
But his gaze burned with excitement.
Through mind-reading, he had already confirmed something crucial—
The opponent was not a Devil Fruit user.
That meant no strange, unpredictable abilities.
Perfect.
He could fight freely.
Of course, he was not careless.
Though he had not switched to Concentrated Constitution state, he remained in Concentrated Observation state.
It did not amplify raw strength like Constitution did—
But it enhanced perception, reaction, and danger avoidance.
Sharpening a blade always carried risk.
Kaito had no intention of gambling his life recklessly.
"An expert?" Robin's expression grew serious. "Then this Marine fleet isn't simple."
She knew Kaito well.
If he chose to fight personally, the opponent was definitely not ordinary.
"Hold things here," Kaito said.
The distance between ships had dropped below one hundred meters.
He no longer wished to wait.
"I'm going ahead."
Without hesitation, he strode forward.
"Six Styles—Moonwalk!"
He leapt.
After soaring more than ten meters into the air, his feet stomped the atmosphere itself.
Boom!
He kicked off invisible footholds, stepping on compressed air.
Though he had originally obtained only three of the Six Styles—Shave, Tempest Kick, and Finger Pistol—that did not mean innovation was beyond him.
With concentrated combat talent and absolute mastery, he had long ago deduced additional applications.
Moonwalk.
Using principles similar to Tempest Kick and Shave, he had reconstructed the technique.
Step after step—
Kaito walked through the sky.
Cannon fire exploded around him, but none touched him.
He moved like a flash of golden light across the battlefield.
On the Marine flagship, Henry's eyes narrowed sharply.
"He can use Moonwalk too…"
The distance closed rapidly.
Within seconds—
Kaito descended toward the Marine fleet like a falling star.
The real battle was about to begin.
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