The Black Cat Pirates' ship slowly drifted into dock.
Once it landed, several crew members stepped off the boat.
"Captain Kuro still hasn't shown up?" Zangao asked, scanning the area. Though he hadn't taken off his sunglasses, he could make out the general surroundings—though not in perfect detail.
Still, none of them were particularly surprised. They were used to Captain Kuro arriving late. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.
But just then—
Kairos Flint made his move.
Itto-Ryu: Ghost Aura - Awakening Sting!
From the shadows, his figure shot out like a wraith.
In a flash, the sword came down—
SPLASH!
Zangao's head was cleanly severed from his shoulders, falling with a dull thud.
The strike came too fast.
Too sudden.
The ambush was so abrupt, Zangao didn't even have time to react.
"Who's there?!"
The Meowban Brothers, Jango and Butchie, immediately sprang to action, startled by the gory scene. Their reaction was quick, but not quick enough.
Itto-Ryu: Ghost Aura - Clear Serenity!
Kairos gripped his sword with both hands, a chilling aura of ghostly energy spiraling from the blade. With no hesitation, he charged straight at them.
Under the pale moonlight, the arc of the blade glittered.
His figure was already behind them.
SLASH!
Blood sprayed from deep gashes across their chests.
Both Meowban Brothers collapsed.
Three of the Black Cat Pirates' strongest fighters—defeated in mere seconds by one man.
When the remaining pirates saw what happened, panic erupted.
"It's an enemy attack!"
"Run! Zangao's dead!"
"The cat brothers are down too! Get outta my way!"
Chaos.
The crew scrambled to get back aboard their ship, desperate to escape.
But they wouldn't get the chance.
Kairos had no intention of letting anyone leave alive.
He had expected more from the so-called elites of the Black Cat Pirates, but now, disappointment settled in.
They were weak.
Though their strength technically qualified them as lieutenants, it was borderline—barely more than glorified second lieutenants. Kuro, by contrast, could fight on the level of a Navy captain if properly prepared.
But still, for someone like Kairos, who was already among the elite lieutenant class, this battle was child's play.
Uninspiring.
Unchallenging.
He turned his gaze to the panicking pirates.
And then, like a whirlwind of vengeance, he tore through them.
Screams filled the night, blending with crashing waves and the sound of bodies hitting the sand.
One by one, the pirates fell.
Three minutes.
That's all it took.
In three minutes, Kairos Flint had annihilated every last pirate aboard the ship.
Their blood dyed the shoreline red, soaking into the sea.
"Nami, it's done," Kairos called out calmly.
"I'm on my way!" Nami responded, dashing over.
This was all profit—dead pirates meant bounties, and who knew how much treasure was hidden aboard their ship?
Kairos watched as she made quick work of boarding the ship, moving with practiced efficiency.
Just then, a familiar message appeared before him:
[Pickable items detected. Would you like to collect them?]
"Pick up."
[Ding! Successfully acquired: Excellent Physique Crystals x3, Standard Physique Crystals x33, Excellent Soul Crystals x3, Standard Soul Crystals x33, Excellent Martial Arts Crystals x3, Standard Martial Arts Crystals x30, Standard Swordsmanship Crystals x32. Items have been stored in Portable Inventory.]
Not a bad haul.
When added to the crystals he already possessed, he now had a total of 10 Excellent Physique Crystals—just enough to reach the next tier and advance from the lieutenant level to major.
Satisfied, he retrieved the 10 crystals from his personal space and swallowed them all at once.
Since they were for personal use, there was no need to synthesize them into Perfect Physique Crystals beforehand. He let them dissolve directly in his mouth.
A powerful warmth surged through him.
The sensation of leveling up coursed through his body—a thrilling high of transformation.
He closed his eyes, savoring it.
The experience was nearly addictive.
However, the rush faded after a moment.
"So this is the strength of a major-level physique?" he muttered, flexing his fingers. "I feel like I could tear steel apart with my bare hands."
But he didn't let the euphoria go to his head.
He was aware that such rapid improvement often led to overconfidence—illusions of invincibility.
And he wasn't fooled.
Compared to the true monsters in the Grand Line, he was still a small fish.
Still, it was a good step.
One more step closer to true power.
One step closer to standing among emperors.
He knew better than to be arrogant just yet.
But with steady growth, perhaps one day, even an emperor-level power wouldn't be out of reach.
And when that day came—
The world would remember the name: Kairos Flint.