From what he had just seen, Kaden knew these people in front of him were all rare experts. But he also believed his own strength was nothing to scoff at.
With his abilities, even if he couldn't defeat them all, he was confident he could at least break through their encirclement and head inside to find their master.
So the moment he stepped onto the cruise ship, he immediately locked onto a gap between the defenders, planning to burst through from there.
Kaden was an elite of CP9, proficient in the Navy's Rokushiki techniques, especially Soru and Tekkai—his specialties. This time, he went all out, his speed becoming almost unimaginable. In the blink of an eye, he slipped through the gap between two tuxedo-clad stewards.
Here we go.
Kaden's lips curled into a smirk. He was just about to rush inside and drag out the so-called "king" who owned the cruise ship—
But at that exact moment, a figure suddenly appeared in his path, swiftly blocking him.
Kaden looked up and saw it was the same steward leader who had spoken earlier.
A look of disdain tugged at the corner of Kaden's mouth. If all of them attacked him together, he might actually be wary. But you, just one man? Even if you are the leader of these stewards and stronger than the rest, there's no way you're my match.
"Tekkai Kenpo!" Kaden roared, throwing a punch.
The Tekkai of the Rokushiki was a defensive martial art that, through rigorous training, could make the body as hard as iron—impervious to bullets and blades. The drawback, however, was that once using Tekkai, one could not move freely.
But Kaden had mastered the technique to the point that he could accelerate his blood flow, increasing muscle speed, allowing him to move and attack even while using Tekkai.
With a body as hard as steel, his Tekkai Kenpo punches carried incredible, crushing power.
"Hmph!" Ryan gave a cold snort. Clenching his fist, he coated it in Armament Haki and threw a punch of his own.
Bang! Their fists collided, producing a deafening crack.
A fierce shockwave burst out from the point of impact, spreading outward. The very deck beneath their feet splintered and cracked apart.
Seeing the deck shatter, Ryan frowned. This ship was one of Rosinante's favorites. True, the damage could be repaired, but out here, far from any port, where would they find the materials?
Besides, in the Bloodsworn Royal Guard, it was easy to find dozens of skilled fighters at a moment's notice. But finding a master shipwright? That was another story.
Of course, as pirates, they could manage some simple repairs themselves. But if they did it, the cruise ship's elegance would surely suffer.
Before Ryan could say anything, the Celestial Dragon beside them spoke up in anger.
"Hey, you idiot Carden! What the hell are you doing? You damaged my yacht's deck! Watch yourself, or I'll have your life! Do you think a shabby, broken-down cruise ship is worthy of me?" shouted the Celestial Dragon, Zashika.
"My apologies, Saint Zashika," Carden replied quickly. "But I can't worry about the deck right now. The man in front of me is no ordinary opponent. I never thought I'd run into someone in the first half of the Grand Line who could use Armament Haki so skillfully. If I don't get serious, I won't be able to break through."
"Armament Haki? Hmph, in that case, I suppose it can't be helped. Once this is over, we'll haul the ship to the Sabaody Archipelago for repairs. Just make sure you don't damage it too badly," Zashika said, a hint of annoyance still in his tone.
As a Celestial Dragon, he knew well that anyone skilled in Armament Haki was not someone easily dealt with.
"In that case," Kaden said coldly, "I'll have to be careful… and also go all out. I'll defeat you as quickly as possible."
"How arrogant," Ryan sneered. "So you've already decided this ship belongs to you? To think members of the World Government are openly engaging in robbery—more high-handed than pirates."
"You were unfortunate enough to cross paths with a Celestial Dragon… and to have him take an interest in your ship," Kaden replied with a mocking smile. "You should feel honored. Not many vessels can catch a Celestial Dragon's eye. So step aside—or go inform your master. Perhaps he'll gladly offer up the ship. If you hand it over obediently, the Celestial Dragon might even graciously have a Government vessel escort you to a nearby island."
"I can't allow you to disturb His Majesty's nap," Ryan said evenly. "But you're right about one thing—it's time to get serious. We don't have the craftsmen here to fix the deck, so we'd best keep the damage minimal. Otherwise, His Majesty's comfort will be affected."
As he spoke, Ryan's body began to transform—golden eyes, black whiskers, sharp fangs, and lethal claws emerged.
"A Devil Fruit user!" Carden exclaimed.
"Just a Zoan type," he quickly added, regaining a tone of disdain.
Though his expression was mocking, his eyes betrayed a trace of envy. After all, a Devil Fruit was a treasure of the seas, worth no less than 100 million Berries—and in recent years, prices had only risen, with demand far outstripping supply. Even he had never managed to obtain one.
It was partly why he flattered the Celestial Dragons so much—he hoped to use their influence to get his hands on a powerful Devil Fruit. He knew full well how great their power could be.
"…The Zoan type may well be the one most suited to me," Ryan said calmly.
And with that, his body vanished from sight.
"So fast!" Kaden's eyes widened. That speed… it was even faster than his own Soru.
Startled, he quickly steeled himself and launched into full-force Tekkai Kenpo, clashing with Ryan blow for blow.
But then—
Shff! Shff! Shff! Gleaming claws sliced through the air, a flicker of movement followed by a spray of blood.
Long, deep crimson gashes appeared across Kaden's body.
"How… how is this possible? I'm clearly using Tekkai Kenpo! Your fruit should be the Cat-Cat Fruit, giving you agility like this—that's no surprise. But how can you have such powerful attacks? You even tore through my Tekkai!" Carden stared in disbelief at the bleeding claw marks.
"I'm the Neko- Neko no mi Lynx model—speed and power combined," Ryan said coolly.
"I never imagined… you'd have such an exceptional Zoan type fruit. Just who are you people?" Kaden demanded, shocked.
A group with so many competent stewards, and someone like Ryan—whose strength rivaled that of a Marine Headquarters vice admiral—couldn't possibly belong to some random small kingdom.
"Well, no harm in telling you," Ryan said. "We're from the Grey Kingdom."
The moment Ryan spoke, Carden's face twisted into the bitterest of grimaces. His expression was so sour it looked like he was about to cry.