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Black-red lightning twisted and darted through the sky, impossibly fast. But even more unbelievable was the distance behind Kyle's punch.
From nearly a hundred meters above the pirate ships, he threw his fist downward—and the force slammed into the two ships below almost instantly, detonating in a thunderous blast.
The pirate captain and his officers froze, horror sweeping over their faces.
Boom!
The two massive ships cracked, shattered, and burst apart. Splinters flew in every direction, and the sea beneath dipped violently as if punched by a giant's hand.
And that was only the first impact.
A second wave of force rippled out afterward, spreading and smashing toward the other three ships nearby.
Crack!
The thick hulls might as well have been glass. Fractures spread across them in an instant. Pirates who had fainted earlier were suddenly flung into the air, flying helplessly before splashing into the distant waves.
The caved-in sea, the pulverized ships, the spray of blood misting from obliterated pirates—it all seared itself into the minds of Jinbe and the other naval officers, images they knew they would never forget.
Then, through the haze, the tremoring white cape marked with "Justice" came back into view. The slender teenager landed lightly at the stern.
To the soldiers, he didn't look human anymore. He looked like a god descending.
That punch—they would remember it for the rest of their lives.
Kyle exhaled slowly.
Staring at the churning waves, floating debris, and twisted, bleeding bodies, the sharpness in his eyes gradually faded.
This punch… it was nowhere near Garp's technique. It was just a crude attack he'd improvised while wrapping his fist in Conqueror's Haki.
"I still have a long way to go."
He let out a small sigh.
Far ahead, the aftermath of the clash between the two pirate crews lit up the sky, shaking the sea and filling the air with several overwhelming signatures of Conqueror's Haki.
Each one was at least as strong as his—probably stronger.
Judging from the explosions of light and the violent tremors ripping through the sea, their attacks were on a whole different level.
"Strength… technique… experience… I'm behind in all of it."
Even from here, far from the center of the battle, he could feel the destructive power of the monsters fighting in the distance.
A fierce ambition surged inside him.
"One day… I'll become that strong too."
Kyle clenched his fist and stared up at the sky.
The helplessness he'd felt facing Shiki's airborne fleet still lingered. Watching comrades fall, seeing Rear Admiral Jerry die right beside him—that sting was still fresh.
In the distance, the battle raged on. Lightning thickened across the clouds, lighting up the sky. Darkness swallowed almost the entire Etwall Sea.
"It's terrifying…"
"Their fight is literally tearing apart the sky and the ocean…"
"Golden Lion Shiki… Gol D. Roger…"
"This is a clash of the world's strongest!"
The officers behind him murmured in awe.
Kyle's punch had shocked them—but the war between the two pirate legends frightened them even more.
Suddenly, a slicing shockwave screamed overhead.
Crack!
The mast snapped cleanly and toppled onto the deck.
Kyle sucked in a breath. The cut was smooth as glass. It was only the leftover edge of a slash thrown from more than ten kilometers away.
"We need to get out of here. Now."
"The ship's damaged and the mast is gone, but the auxiliary power still works. The bottom paddles aren't broken—we can still move."
The remaining sailors quickly inspected the ship, relieved they could still escape.
Even far from the battlefield, they were completely helpless against the stray impacts.
Kyle walked to the bow and picked up the Den Den Mushi Jerry had held.
It rang the next second.
"Rear Admiral Jerry, report your situation immediately."
The voice made Kyle pause.
"Vice Admiral Garp," he said, then added quietly, "Rear Admiral Jerry is dead. It's Kyle."
Garp fell silent for a moment, then answered quickly, "As long as you're alive. We're heading toward Area A-13 right now."
"We've managed to get away for the moment," Kyle said. "The Flying Pirates ran into the Roger Pirates and they're fighting each other. That's the only reason we're still alive."
"Roger?!"
Garp's voice shot up.
"Good. Hold on—I'm coming."
The line cut off.
"Kyle… what do we do now?"
Satori, supported by another soldier, sat up against the rail and asked weakly.
The fires at the stern had been extinguished, and for the moment, everyone was safe.
Kyle blinked, then looked around. Every pair of eyes—burning with trust and expectation—was fixed on him, even Jinbe's.
There was no question anymore. After that punch, all of them acknowledged his strength. They were ready to follow his lead.
"Move the ship farther away."
He took a breath and spoke steadily.
"Vice Admiral Garp is on his way. Our job now is to stay alive—and keep observing the fight between Shiki and Roger."
"Yes, sir!"
Jinbe responded immediately, and the others sprang into action.
The backup power couldn't take them far, but it was enough to pull them out of immediate danger.
A short while later, they put more distance between themselves and the battlefield.
Boom!
Even from far away, the roar shook their ears and rattled their bones. Winds screamed overhead. The clash of light and thunder at the center of the battlefield grew even more intense.
This was a battle at the very top of the world.
Shiki's crew outnumbered the rest by far, elite fighters everywhere. But the Roger Pirates—every single one of them was a powerhouse.
Rumble—!
Lightning split the sky as the fight dragged on. Then suddenly, rain came crashing down in sheets, burying the battlefield in a gray curtain.
Kyle narrowed his eyes.
Through the storm, he saw the chaos begin to quiet. The sea calmed. The noise faded.
And then—he spotted it.
A single pirate ship riding the swelling waves, cutting forward. At its bow stood a man laughing boldly into the storm, fearless and larger than life.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"I told you, Rayleigh! This isn't our end!"
"Even the heavens are cheering for me!"
His voice cut through the storm as if distance meant nothing.
Kyle raised his binoculars, staring at that figure.
"Gol D. Roger…"
He whispered the name under his breath.
"..."
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