"If I use my full strength, I might destroy this peaceful island!"
Kaizen stood up and brushed the dirt off his coat, a faint smile of confusion playing on his lips.
"What nonsense is he talking about? Did he hit his head too hard?" one CP5 agent muttered, eyeing Kaizen with suspicion.
"Hmph! Could an idiot tear apart Seastone chains with his bare hands? Get ready—the real fight starts now," another CP5 agent snapped, his tone serious.
Kaizen's next words came with a playful smirk, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The beginning is the end. Farewell, everyone."
"Such shameless arrogance!"
The CP5 agents surged forward in unison, unleashing an oppressive wave of killing intent. Their movements, a blend of ghostly cries and ferocious roars, came together like a tide crashing violently onto the shore.
The spectacle was enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone watching.
But Kaizen was unfazed. His eyes gleamed, and with an explosion of Conqueror's Haki, he overwhelmed the battlefield.
The combined pressure of the CP5 agents crumbled before Kaizen's domineering aura, their strength paling in comparison.
Kaizen moved like a phantom, his figure flickering in and out of sight. The agents, unable to track him, felt only the gusts of wind preceding his attacks.
One by one, they were sent flying, their bodies crashing into the distant sea.
Kaizen calculated every strike, each one precise and devastating. In mere moments, all of the agents were defeated, cast into the night sky like fallen stars.
Now alone, Kaizen stood before the flaming wreckage of the laboratory. The moonlight pierced through the smoke, illuminating his solemn face.
"Just don't come back and bother anyone again," he murmured before disappearing into the shadows.
---
In the distance, the town began to stir. Residents woke to the sound of chaos—rushing to extinguish fires, shouting, crying, and searching for their loved ones.
Among the chaos, a lone figure moved in the opposite direction. Vegapunk held the small firefly-like creature in his arms, tears streaming down his face.
"Why don't you go home?"
Kaizen's voice cut through the stillness, startling Vegapunk, who was huddled near a stone pillar.
"My friend, I'm so lost right now," Vegapunk said, his tearful eyes meeting Kaizen's.
Kaizen crouched beside him, gazing at the sparse crowd in the distance. His mind wandered as he tried to find the right words.
"If you're sad, then cry. There's no rule that says a man can't cry," Kaizen said finally.
"Why do people live? What is the purpose of life? Can you tell me, my friend?" Vegapunk choked out between sobs.
Kaizen tilted his head toward the sky, his voice soft but firm. "Live the rest of your life the way you want to."
Vegapunk looked at him, his expression conflicted. "Is that really it?"
"My father is gone," Vegapunk whispered, staring at the ground. "He barely spoke to me, even at the end."
"Maybe that's what life is all about," Kaizen replied, unsure of how to comfort him.
"I want to complete his experiments—his life's work," Vegapunk said resolutely, clutching the firefly creature closer to his chest. "And I'll protect her too."
Kaizen smiled faintly. "Don't underestimate the night, Vegapunk-san."
Vegapunk looked at him curiously. "Are you leaving, my friend?"
Kaizen nodded. "Yes. With all this commotion, staying any longer would bring disaster to this place."
"Will you come back?" Vegapunk asked hesitantly, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Kaizen turned to him, his gaze steady. "When the chaos of this world settles, I'll return."
The cryptic reply left Vegapunk deep in thought. Finally, he nodded, his voice firm. "You must come back! I'll finish my father's work and use it to help the world."
As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, Kaizen placed a hand on Vegapunk's head and smiled. "For now, go home. Let's set off for our respective journeys."
Vegapunk nodded, though his heart was heavy. "I'll always remember you, my friend."
The two parted ways, walking in opposite directions. Their figures grew smaller and smaller, swallowed by the crowd and the approaching morning light.
---
Kaizen reached the coastline, where the CP5 agents were struggling to pull themselves out of the sea.
"Well, fancy meeting you all again," Kaizen said with a grin, walking up to them casually.
The agents tensed, their wet clothes clinging to their bruised bodies.
"Damn it! Did he follow us here? Is he planning to finish us off?" one of them muttered, panic in his voice.
Kaizen chuckled. "Relax. I just happened to pass by. You all looked so pathetic I thought I'd stop and say hello. I didn't mean to hurt you earlier—sorry about that."
The agents glared at him, their pride stung.
"What a joke! Don't forget you're a Shichibukai! Even if you secretly hate us, you should act cautiously in public. Otherwise, we'll report this to the Celestial Dragons, and you'll be finished!"
Kaizen tilted his head, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Oh, did I forget to mention? I never actually agreed to the World Government's Shichibukai offer. That was a lie."
"What?!"
The CP5 agents' faces twisted in rage, their humiliation complete.
"You dare to mock us?! Do you think we'll just take this lying down?"
Kaizen laughed heartily, his voice carrying over the waves. "You're welcome to try, but I doubt it'll go any better for you this time."
As the agents fumed, Kaizen turned and walked away, the wind carrying the sound of his laughter as he disappeared into the horizon.
---
TO BE CONTINUED...