The primary reason Kaito Arisawa had invested time into deducing Moonwalk was simple—its ability to move freely through the air was extraordinarily practical.
For someone who understood its value, refining it was only natural.
Boom!
With a sharp explosion of compressed air beneath his feet, Kaito stepped off the sky itself and accelerated forward, rapidly closing in on the Marine warship where his target stood.
Clang—!
Shells fired from the Marine fleet streaked toward him midair, but each was effortlessly split apart by the twin golden blades in his hands.
One slash.
Another.
Explosions flared harmlessly behind him as he advanced unhindered, descending toward the lead warship.
That ship, naturally, was Henry's.
Kaito's speed left little room for reaction among the ordinary Marine soldiers on deck.
But Henry was not ordinary.
At that moment, however, Henry's face was filled with astonishment.
"What's going on…? Why has his aura suddenly weakened?"
Just as Kaito employed Observation Haki, so did Henry.
Henry's own Observation Haki allowed him to gauge the strength of others through their aura.
When he first sensed Kaito—while Kaito had still been in a Concentrated Constitution state—Henry's heart had trembled violently.
It had been overwhelming.
Terrifying.
Unbelievable.
As a veteran from the same era as Sengoku and others, Henry had witnessed countless monsters in his lifetime. Though he could not compare to legends like them, he had stood on the battlefield of the Grand Line and faced titans of the age.
The aura he had felt from Kaito moments earlier—
It had reminded him faintly of Whitebeard in his youth.
Even Charlotte Linlin.
But now—
It had dropped.
Significantly.
Though still powerful enough to demand caution, it was nowhere near the oppressive level from before.
"Damn it!"
The abrupt shift unsettled Henry deeply.
But there was no time to analyze.
Kaito was already upon him.
Swish!
Henry bent his legs and launched himself skyward with explosive force, intercepting Kaito head-on.
"Armament Finger Pistol!"
Armament Haki surged around his right arm, coating it black.
With a roar, Henry thrust his index finger forward like a spear, the piercing force condensed to the extreme—sharp enough to punch through steel.
Kaito's eyes flashed crimson.
In his Concentrated Observation state, every movement appeared clear.
Recognizing Henry as the strongest aura aboard, he showed no hesitation.
Armament Haki wrapped around his right-hand golden blade.
Clang—!
The sword struck Henry's finger precisely.
Ding! BOOM!
Sparks erupted in a violent burst.
A visible shockwave exploded outward from the collision point, rippling through the surrounding air.
Both men trembled under the force.
Then—
They were blown apart.
Henry crashed back onto the deck, the impact spiderwebbing cracks beneath his boots.
Kaito, meanwhile, was knocked backward through the air toward the sea.
But mid-fall—
He twisted.
His body spun sharply as he slashed downward.
A blazing crescent of compressed air tore across the sea's surface, splitting water apart and sending waves surging.
Using the recoil from his own attack and the spinning motion, Kaito propelled himself back upward—
And landed precisely atop the forward turret of Henry's warship.
He rolled his wrist slightly, easing the numbness in his right hand.
"In a non-Constitution Concentration state, my Armament Haki is noticeably weaker," he thought calmly.
The strength of Armament Haki depended on Haki volume.
And Haki volume derived primarily from physical stamina.
Lower Constitution meant less Haki to draw from.
In his current state, Kaito's Constitution attribute sat at its minimal allocation.
His base physical ability was still extraordinary compared to ordinary men—but it was nowhere near his peak.
Had he been an average person with such reduced physical attributes, he likely would have struggled to stand.
But Kaito was not average.
Still—
The difference was real.
"Fire!!"
"That's Kaito Arisawa, captain of the War Pirates! Don't let him escape!"
"Attack!"
The clash between Kaito and Henry had lasted only an instant.
Now that Kaito stood upon the turret, the Marines finally reacted.
Guns were raised.
Bang bang bang—!
A storm of bullets rained toward him.
Kaito remained calm.
One smooth slash.
BOOM!
A massive golden arc erupted from his blade.
The compressed-air wave crushed incoming bullets effortlessly, shattering them mid-flight and continuing forward with overwhelming force.
The Marines, along with parts of the deck structure, were caught in its path.
Henry moved.
Despite his age, his body exploded forward with astonishing speed.
Armament Haki enveloped his fist as he met the oncoming slash.
BOOM!!!
The collision detonated like thunder.
Shockwaves tore across the deck, splitting wood and rattling the entire warship violently.
"Ahhh!"
Marine soldiers were flung into the air.
Some tumbled overboard into the sea below.
Others crashed across the fractured deck.
When the slash wave finally dissipated—
Henry stood firm, though forced back several steps.
Cracks radiated beneath him.
His breathing had grown heavier.
Across from him, Kaito remained poised atop the turret, golden blades gleaming in the sunlight.
The sea churned violently below.
Gun smoke drifted.
The air hummed with tension.
The battle between two masters had only just begun.
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