Brogy's axe swung towards Kai with blinding speed.
Kai, sensing the attack, abandoned his assault on Dorry. Using his Moonwalk to evade, he countered Brogy with a powerful backhand swing of his staff.
Clang!
The collision of their weapons rang out like a clash of metal. Brogy's expression quickly shifted to one of horror.
"This power... How can it be so overwhelming?" Brogy thought, struggling to comprehend the force behind Kai's seemingly ordinary stick. In just a moment, Brogy was sent flying, crashing a hundred meters away from the impact.
"Brogy!" Dorry shouted in alarm.
"Uncle Dorry, stay focused on the battle!" Kai's voice echoed ominously behind Dorry, causing him to break into a cold sweat.
"Where—" Dorry spun around, only to see Kai's staff barreling towards him. He quickly raised his shield.
Bang!
Another thunderous impact sent Dorry reeling, much like Brogy. Kai floated in the air, watching them with a chilling calm.
The sight of Kai's demonic form and the two giants struggling to rise left a profound shockwave among the onlookers.
"Is this... Mr. Kai's power?" Vivi asked, stunned.
"Yeah... This is the first time I've seen him fight like this!" Luffy added, equally amazed. The gap between his own strength and Kai's had never felt so vast.
Clearly, Kai had been holding back in their previous encounters. His true power was leagues beyond what they had faced before.
Nearby, not far from the battle, a nervous figure addressed her companion.
"M-Mr. 3, are we really going to get involved with these people?" Miss Golden Week asked, her voice trembling.
"Well..." Mr. 3 hesitated, then turned to her with a forced smile. "Miss Golden Week, what do you think?"
"I think we should retreat strategically," she suggested.
"Agreed!" Mr. 3 said, relieved by her suggestion. All thoughts of orders were forgotten. Facing Kai's might, he felt that escaping was his only option. After all, with such a powerful foe, survival was paramount.
The two began tiptoeing towards the edge of the forest.
"Hey, you two!" Zoro's voice cut through the air.
Startled, Mr. 3 stammered, "I-I'm not Mr. 3! I don't know anything about Baroque Works, let alone Crocodile!"
Zoro and Sanji exchanged puzzled glances. They hadn't even questioned them yet, but the mention of Baroque Works and Mr. 3's distinctive hairstyle made their intentions clear.
Sanji's eyes narrowed. "Baroque Works? Here to hunt Vivi again?"
Zoro, pulling out his sword, added, "Seems like you're up to no good."
"No, we're not—" Mr. 3 tried to protest, but Zoro and Sanji were already charging at him.
"Damn it!" Mr. 3 cursed under his breath, his eyes cold as he faced the approaching attackers. He didn't dare confront Kai , but these two were different. He quickly formulated a plan to capture them as hostages.
With that in mind, Mr. 3 transformed his hand into wax and launched two large wax balls towards Zoro and Sanji.
However, Zoro and Sanji had significantly improved. Their recent training made Mr. 3's attack look slow and predictable. They effortlessly dodged the incoming wax projectiles.
"How... How is this possible?" Mr. 3 was bewildered. His attacks, usually effective, seemed to barely phase these opponents.
Without further hesitation, Zoro and Sanji were upon him.
"Candle Wall!" Mr. 3 shouted, creating a barrier of wax.
But as he hid behind it, the wall began to crack under the pressure. Zoro and Sanji's combined strength shattered it with ease.
With a final, explosive impact, Zoro slashed Mr. 3 with his three swords, and Sanji followed with a powerful kick.
Mr. 3 was hurled several meters away, bloodied and unconscious.
Zoro then turned his gaze to Miss Golden Week, who had fainted from fright.
"Hey, Zoro, why scare a little girl like that? Isn't it a bit much?" Sanji commented.
"She fainted on her own. What's that got to do with me?" Zoro shrugged, sheathing his swords.
Sanji approached and said, "Do you think we've gotten too strong?"
"Maybe..." Zoro pondered. "Or maybe it's because I landed the serious hits and your kick was just for show?"
"Hey! It was my kick that did the real damage!" Sanji argued.
"No way! My sword strikes were decisive!" Zoro insisted.
Both stared at each other with a mix of exasperation and rivalry.
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Is what you thought
Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.