Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: p@treon.com/CosmicKaminari
----------
[Sorry, you don't have enough experience points.]
[Ding, you've received an advance reward of 1600 experience points for the task of "Roger's wife and child."]
[Special Reminder: If the Roger wife and child crisis is not resolved within the limited time, the system will deduct 16,000 experience points from your balance. Time limit countdown: 3 months.]
["Development of Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon" has been upgraded to monster level.]
Hum.
The Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon abilities, now stronger than before, gleamed brightly.
Akira raised his right hand, and a large leaf appeared in his palm.
In front of everyone, the deformed leaf suddenly transformed into a long sword.
A slight smile tugged at the corners of Akira's mouth, and he spoke with a tone full of mysterious meaning:
"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
Light refracted from the blade in all directions.
The next moment!
"Hiss..."
Everyone's eyes widened as they witnessed Akira undergo a drastic change.
A powerful aura erupted from his body, and a sinister black mist filled the entire corridor in just a few breaths.
The onlookers and Marines, who had been enjoying the spectacle, were suddenly shocked.
The weaker ones were even blown to the ground by the force of Akira's aura.
Seeing the menacing figure before them, like an ancient, ferocious beast, everyone gasped.
"Vice Admiral Akira actually has this kind of strength. He's never shown it before."
"I heard that Vice Admiral Garp went to the New World to find a Devil Fruit for him. It seems the rumors are true."
"That's right, but I can't tell if it's an Ancient Zoan or a regular Zoan, though just from this hybrid form, it looks like... a bat?"
"Shouldn't a bat be a common zoan? How can it emit smoke? This smoke gives me the creeps."
"Vice Admiral Akira hid his power too well. If Vice Admiral Chaton hadn't pushed him, we'd all still be in the dark."
"Tch, I think the Devil Fruit just gave him confidence. Otherwise, why hadn't I heard of him taking action before?"
"Are you ignoring Vice Admiral Akira's pressure? Zoan Fruits are different from Logia and Paramecia; they only greatly enhance combat power if the user is already strong."
"Look, they're about to go at it."
"..."
Everyone's attention shifted from the previous farce.
Now, what they really cared about was just how powerful Akira, who was revealing his strength for the first time, truly was.
And as he showcased his abilities, the disdain in many eyes disappeared, replaced with recognition and awe.
Looking at Akira's back, they felt a sense of respect and admiration.
After all, the world of Pirates is a world where "might makes right." Even in the Marine Headquarters, where order is upheld, this iron law is respected.
Bang, bang, bang!
Rumble!
Akira, now in his human-beast form, clashed with Tokikake.
Neither of them held back, each aiming for the other's vital points with full strength.
"Breaking Punch."
Akira pulled his right hand back, like drawing the string of a bow, and unleashed it with astonishing force.
Before the punch even landed, its sheer force distorted the air around it.
Tokikake's entire face was contorted by the wind pressure, his eyes forced shut.
"Dammit... Armament Haki!"
Feeling the punch closing in, Tokikake felt a chill run down his spine.
Years of combat experience told him that if he took this hit without protection, it would be disastrous.
Without wasting time wondering how Akira, usually known for being clever but weak, had suddenly become so powerful, Tokikake quickly coated both arms in Armament Haki and crossed them in front of him.
Boom.
As the punch collided with his arms, a deafening roar echoed, like thunder striking the ground.
The impact sent shockwaves in all directions, shattering walls and windows, sending debris flying into the square below.
After a brief stalemate, Akira was finally forced back, his feet dragging a long trail through the corridor.
"Tempest Kick: Pig Chase!"
Tokikake unleashed a moon-shaped slash into the air with a swift kick.
"Shave!"
Simultaneously, his entire body vanished, following the Tempest Kick at incredible speed, ready to launch a third strike.
No matter how Akira reacted—whether he dodged or blocked—Chaton was prepared to follow up with continuous attacks.
But instead of retreating, Akira did something unexpected: he moved towards the Tempest Kick.
"If you're asking for death, I'll oblige."
Seeing this, Tokikake's eyes gleamed.
Under everyone's gaze, the Tempest Kick, glowing with a cold light, sliced through Akira like paper, cutting him clean in half.
Tokikake's prepared third punch landed squarely on Akira's chest.
"..."
Silence fell over the arena. All the Marines stared in shock at Akira, now seemingly cut in two by the Tempest Kick. At first stunned, they quickly became alarmed.
The thought of losing someone who was being considered for the next Fleet Admiral was unthinkable.
Tokikake's heart skipped a beat, but as the one involved, he quickly realized something was off.
Akira wasn't dead.
The impact felt wrong. Although his fist had connected with Akira's chest, the sensation was like hitting something small and soft.
From Tokikake's perspective, a chilling sight unfolded.
As Akira's upper body slowly fell, he grinned silently at Tokikake.
"Bats!"
Akira muttered softly, and then his entire body dissolved into hundreds of tiny bats, swarming in every direction.
"Is this... elementization? But he's supposed to be a Zoan user?"
Tokikake was momentarily stunned by the sight.
Suddenly, he felt sharp, sword-like nails pierce into his shoulders.
"Not good!" Tokikake's face paled as he realized there was no one else but Akira who could be this close to him.
He gathered all his strength, trying to break free.
But Akira had been waiting for this moment. There was no escape.
"You're finished!"
Akira, now fully visible behind Tokikake, extended his tongue, licking his lips, his blood-red eyes filled with bloodlust.
He swiftly extended his powerful right arm, wrapping it around Tokikake's neck, whispering softly.
"Thousand Bats Bite."
Fluttering...
The swarm of bats around them flapped their wings, rushing at Tokikake like a pack of hungry beasts.
At the same time, Akira's body continued to release more bats.
"No!"
After a brief scream, silence enveloped the area.
The figures of Akira and Tokikake were completely obscured by the bats.
...
...
"Garp, is this the Devil Fruit you brought him?"
In the conference room, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, having released his Armament Haki, looked out at the scene and spoke with a complicated tone.
Vice Admiral Garp, standing beside him, scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Akira's competition with Sengoku for the position of Fleet Admiral was already well-known among the high-ranking officers. If most people had written off Akira's chances before, some were likely starting to reconsider.
After all, Vice Admiral Tokikake , also known as Chaton, was no ordinary Vice Admiral. His strength ranked just below the three Admirals.
Even Vice Admiral Garp found it hard to accept.
It was all happening so fast!
Who would have thought that just a few days ago, Akira was considered a weak intellectual, but after eating a Devil Fruit, he became so formidable?
Now, in front of everyone, he was practically toying with Tokikake.
"Akira's acting skills... are remarkable. Even I was fooled for a long time."
"It's almost like a hypnotic ability, but incredibly realistic. It could be a game-changer on a large-scale battlefield."
"Can you tell us the specific name of the fruit?"
With gray hair and signs of age on her face, Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes, hidden behind her glasses, glinted with curiosity.
"Hahaha, Tsuru, you guessed wrong. It's the same Mythical Zoan type as Sengoku's."
Garp chuckled awkwardly. "But I honestly don't know what fruit he ate."
There were two possible Mythical Zoan fruits: one he knew was the Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, but the other remained a mystery.
"A terrifying ability."
Since Garp claimed not to know, Tsuru figured he genuinely didn't. She shook her head, stopping further questions, and remarked, "And as you said, he just ate the fruit today, and yet he's already developed it to a level that can challenge Tokikake."
"Beyond strategy, Akira's other qualities should not be underestimated."
"Sengoku, be careful."
Tsuru gave a gentle warning but left it at that.
Although she and Sengoku were old friends, at her age, she had become more philosophical about many things.
It didn't matter who became Fleet Admiral, as long as they were pure of heart, committed to justice, and willing to protect civilians around the world.
She knew Akira's character well. Over the years, whenever the staff had unresolved issues, Akira could always provide the best solutions from a different perspective.
And despite holding significant power as a Vice Admiral, he had never engaged in morally questionable behavior.
So, like most officers in the Intelligence Division, Tsuru had no objections to Kong's decision.
"Don't worry, Sengoku, I have faith in you. There's no way Akira can surpass you in just two months; he doesn't even know Haki yet."
Garp thumped his chest confidently. "I fully support you as the next Fleet Admiral."
Sengoku shot him a sideways glance, biting back the words he really wanted to say.
If you support me so much, why did you help him find that Devil Fruit?
Sooner or later, your actions are going to be the death of me.
"Sengoku Admiral, you must stop it! If you don't, Vice Admiral Tokikake will be killed!"
At that moment, a Marine officer rushed in, pointing toward the corridor with a panicked expression.
Sengoku didn't respond.
Neither did Garp, Tsuru, or the three Admirals behind them—Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino. They all remained silent.
How could they stop it?
No one was actually getting hurt!
From their viewpoint, Akira had been standing still since he called out "Kyōka Suigetsu."
In contrast, Tokikake and the other Marines looked like they were acting in a farce.
Tokikake was battling what seemed to be invisible flies in the air, shrieking and flailing.
The other Marines stared blankly at the ridiculous scene, expressions of shock on their faces, occasionally gasping and muttering words like "terrifying" and "horrifying."
Sengoku couldn't help but imagine how embarrassed he would be if he were in their position.
...
Meanwhile, Akira wasn't as relaxed as he appeared.
Copying and using Kyōka Suigetsu's Zanpakutō had drained a lot of his stamina. Even with his monster-level physique, his legs felt weak.
He considered himself fortunate.
Thankfully, he had been cautious and hadn't attempted to copy a more destructive Zanpakutō like Ryūjin Jakka. Even if he had managed to copy it, the flames would probably have consumed him.
Kyōka Suigetsu, with its fully auxiliary abilities, was on the same game-breaking level as Sugar's Hobby-Hobby Fruit or Foxy's Slow-Slow Fruit. The difference was that it didn't harm its user.
You can always follow your instincts and create the outcome you desire.
A few years ago, Akira had gained a deep understanding of the Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, which allowed him to adapt his techniques after consuming the Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon.
"My strength has recovered a bit. It's time to end this farce."
Akira gripped his Zanpakutō and began walking toward Tokikake.
For him, this duel wasn't just about salvaging his reputation; it was also crucial for asserting his dominance in front of everyone.
Now that his strength had been solidified, the next step was to make a decisive impact—to prove to everyone that he was the right choice for the next Fleet Admiral.
If he didn't make these Marines, who only respected strength, recognize and fear him, it was foreseeable that they would continue to dismiss his plans, just like Tokikake did, and wouldn't hesitate to stand in his way.
As long as he was acting as a candidate for Fleet Admiral and not the actual Fleet Admiral, they wouldn't worry about being hated or facing retaliation.
After all, everyone was a Vice Admiral, and he was considered the weakest among them. If they offended him, so what? Could he really retaliate? Many likely harbored this mindset.
So, even if Tokikake hadn't taken the initiative to challenge him today, Akira would have had to find another Vice Admiral to defeat in order to prove himself.
He just needed a valid excuse.
And the accusation of slander provided the perfect opportunity.
"Today, I won't just win—I'll win decisively!"
With that thought, Akira's eyes grew colder.
He made his way toward Tokikake without any resistance, reaching him with ease. He raised his Zanpakutō and brought it down with a powerful strike.
The sharp blade cut through the air with a piercing whistle.
But Tokikake remained unresponsive. To conserve his strength, he had only covered his hands with Armament Haki, staying alert to the open space around him.
Kyōka Suigetsu, the Zanpakutō of the Illusion type, manipulated the five senses of its target. If someone didn't close their eyes before its ability was activated, even Observation Haki couldn't break free.
After all, Observation Haki is ultimately dependent on the five senses.
The only way to counter this ability was to touch the blade before Kyōka Suigetsu was activated or to have Armament Haki strong enough to overcome it.
In the world of Bleach, battles were fought with spiritual pressure, but in the world of pirates, battles were determined by Haki.
If the gap in spiritual pressure was immense, the abilities of any Zanpakutō would be useless—like Aizen's overwhelming power.
Similarly, Haki strong enough to nullify Devil Fruit abilities—like the case with Trafalgar D. Water Law's abilities—could override almost anything.
Kyōka Suigetsu, as a Devil Fruit ability in this world, followed the same principle: Haki reigns supreme.
Swish.
The blade sliced cleanly through Tokikake's chest.
A large amount of blood sprayed out, and under Akira's deliberate control, it rained down on him and the surrounding Marines.
Simultaneously, the illusion faded.
Tokikake looked down at the wound on his chest, his face filled with disbelief.
"W-When... Akira, you..."
His words trailed off as the reality of the situation hit him.