As soon as Kai finished speaking, he shot into the sky using Geppo (Moonwalk). His iron staff was raised high, coated in Armament Haki, and all his remaining strength surged into it.
"Meteor Strike!"
With a roar, Kai accelerated toward Hawkeye, using Geppo to propel himself faster and faster. By the time he was near his opponent, his speed had reached an incredible level.
He remembered Kizaru's words: "Speed is power!"
When Kai reached Hawkeye, he swung his staff down with full force.
Boom!
The impact was far greater than anything before, and the resulting shockwave was immense. Even from several kilometers away, the bystanders could feel it. The waves it generated rose hundreds of meters high.
Both Luffy, Don Krieg, and their crews, who had been locked in battle, paused in disbelief as they watched the chaos unfold. Without a second thought, they sprinted toward Baratie, the only ship that offered any sense of safety.
…
As the clash settled, it became clear the battle between Kai and Hawkeye had reached its conclusion. Kai lay sprawled on a floating piece of debris, sweat pouring down his face.
Across from him, Hawkeye, still standing tall though slightly out of breath, spoke: "I lost."
Kai already knew his chances going into the fight. While he was strong, defeating someone of Hawkeye's caliber was beyond him. But he wasn't upset—he could feel that Hawkeye hadn't gone all out. If the world's greatest swordsman had used his full strength, things would have ended much sooner.
Still, the fight had given Kai a good understanding of his current power level. He was probably around the same strength as Luffy when he first used Gear 4 a few years down the line. And that was an impressive feat for the short time he'd been in this world.
Considering how far he'd come, Kai couldn't help but grin. He was satisfied, knowing that his strength wouldn't plateau. More adventures, more battles, and soon...
Heh, the sky's the limit.
Hawkeye sheathed his sword, still looking calm but clearly shaken on the inside. "This kid's got potential," he thought. The last attack had made him use more power than expected.
At first, he saw the fight as nothing more than a way to pass the time and offer advice to a young fighter. But he hadn't anticipated feeling a hint of excitement, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Today's youth were fiercer than ever.
"Boy, what's your dream?" Hawkeye suddenly asked.
Kai hesitated before smiling. "I want to live freely on this sea—do what I want, without anyone holding me back."
Hawkeye nodded, though he knew that freedom, especially on these seas, wasn't easily attained. Even he, with all his power, was bound by certain forces, like the World Government.
Looking at Kai, however, he saw the burning desire for true freedom. If Kai pursued that, it would undoubtedly mean clashing with powerful forces. But Hawkeye stopped himself from overthinking it.
Let the young man follow his dreams, Hawkeye mused. Who knows? Maybe he'll achieve what I couldn't.
Hawkeye smiled slightly and turned, stepping onto a floating plank. Before he departed, he offered one final piece of advice. "Don't give up on your dreams, kid. Keep at it."
"I will," Kai replied, flashing a toothy grin.
Satisfied with the answer, Hawkeye drew his black sword once more and sliced the air. His plank shot across the water, swiftly carrying him back to his small boat.
As the black dot on the horizon faded, Kai smiled to himself. What a fight.
Ten minutes later, after regaining some of his strength, Kai finally stood up. Looking around, he noticed that Baratie had drifted far into the distance, now just a small black dot on the sea.
Damn, I forgot about that! Kai slapped his forehead in frustration before launching himself into the sky with Geppo, speeding toward the ship.
Fortunately, he could still see it. Otherwise, he'd be stranded, unable to navigate back—his sense of direction was terrible.
…
By the time Kai returned to Baratie, it was clear that the place had taken some damage from the earlier battle. The two raised finboards had been shattered.
Surveying the aftermath, Kai noticed Luffy snoring peacefully on the ground while Krieg lay unconscious nearby. Kai quickly pieced together what had happened. Using his Observation Haki, he realized that most of the crew was missing.
So, Nami's made her move, huh?
She was heading toward Arlong Park. Kai knew her plan—to face Arlong alone and shoulder the burden herself. He thought it was foolish, considering Arlong wasn't a threat that should be dealt with alone.
But what was done was done. No point in dwelling on it now. There were other matters to deal with first.
Kai landed on the deck, and the remaining pirates instinctively backed away, fear clear in their eyes. A dark line appeared on Kai's face.
Do I really look that scary?
From their perspective, they had just witnessed a godlike battle that shattered their perception of the world. To them, Kai was now the strongest being alive, someone who could destroy the world if he wanted. It made sense they were terrified.
With Kai's sheer presence looming over them, the pirates quickly gathered their things and fled, drifting away on any makeshift rafts they could find. At least they had the decency to drag Krieg along with them.
With the battle officially over, Kai turned to the chefs.
"Is the restaurant still open? I'm starving."
"OPEN!!!" the chefs replied without hesitation.
…
Half a day later~
After a hearty meal, Kai and the crew began discussing their next move.
"So, Nami's destination is definitely Arlong Park," Yosakusaid with certainty.
"Alright!" Luffy shouted, already fired up. "Let's go get her back!"
Kai nodded calmly from the side. "Yeah, we should head out soon. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it might become."
"Yosh! Let's move out!" Luffy grinned.
As they left the cabin, Sanji was waiting for them outside, cigarette in hand. He smirked coolly.
"Let me come along… I've got some things to settle too."