Evening had fallen, and as promised, Siris appeared before Satoru. From the start, there was no sign of him attempting to flee.
"I thought you'd run," Satoru remarked, standing calmly across from the former pirate.
"Run? Me? Do I look like the type to run, kid?" Siris responded with disdain.
Without waiting for a reply, Siris continued, "You know, I used to be a Marine—served alongside Sengoku and Garp."
Satoru's face betrayed his astonishment. There had been no mention of this in the intelligence reports he'd received.
"Surprising, isn't it? Honestly, it surprises me too sometimes," Siris said, a wry smile on his face. "I never thought, back when I joined the Marines, that one day I'd end up a pirate—a so-called notorious one, at that."
The older man chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone. "If I'd stayed with the Marines, I might have made it to Admiral by now. But, well, life doesn't always go as planned."
Satoru didn't let the revelation distract him. "So, are you going to surrender peacefully, or do I need to take you down?"
"Hah! Surrender? Don't be ridiculous." Siris scoffed, his expression turning serious. "Listen, brat. I was once a pirate who shook the New World to its core. If you want to take me in, you'll have to earn it. Show me what today's Admirals are made of."
As he spoke, a terrifying aura erupted from Siris. It was more intense than what Satoru had felt earlier that day.
"Good," Satoru said, a grin forming on his face. "If you surrendered without a fight, I'd have been disappointed."
Their clashing auras filled the air with tension. The overwhelming presence of their combined Conqueror's Haki caused shockwaves that rippled through the surroundings, shaking the very island.
"Impressive. Looks like the Admirals of today don't rely on luck to get their positions," Siris remarked, his tone grudgingly respectful.
"Obviously," Satoru replied. "This title isn't handed out—it's earned."
Siris smirked. "Let's see if you've got what it takes. But here's a warning: I won't hold back, and I don't want you to either."
In a blur of motion, Siris vanished, reappearing directly in front of Satoru. His massive fist, encased in Armament Haki, shot forward with lightning speed.
"Still using Armament, huh?" Satoru muttered, standing motionless.
The punch stopped inches from Satoru's face, blocked by an invisible barrier of energy. Siris's eyes widened in surprise.
"What the hell is this?" he muttered.
"Didn't I warn you, senior? Armament Haki won't work on me. You'll need to use Conqueror's Haki if you want to land a hit."
Before Siris could respond, Satoru raised a hand, a glowing red orb forming at his fingertips.
"Reversal Surge."
A wave of repulsive force burst from the orb, sending Siris flying backward. The older man managed to land gracefully, but his expression had grown serious.
"What an odd ability," he said, brushing himself off.
"Ready to take me seriously now?" Satoru taunted.
Siris chuckled, the grin returning to his face. "Alright, kid. You've earned it. But don't regret asking for the real deal."
The atmosphere shifted as Siris unleashed the full force of his Conqueror's Haki, the intensity of which made the air around them crackle with energy.
"That's more like it!" Satoru exclaimed, his own Conqueror's Haki flaring in response.
The ground beneath them split from the pressure of their clashing wills, and the sky above was filled with arcs of black and red lightning. The intensity of Siris's Haki stunned Satoru for a moment—it was stronger than anything he'd encountered, even surpassing Kaido's.
The two warriors disappeared from their positions, reappearing mid-air as their Haki-coated fists clashed without physically touching. Sparks erupted between them, and the shockwaves of their blows created thunderous booms that echoed across the island.
Villagers awoke from their sleep, startled by the sounds and the tremors. On a warship anchored nearby, a group of Marines watched the battle unfold.
"The Admiral's fight has started," one of them muttered, awe and worry evident in his voice.
On the battlefield, Satoru grinned, exhilarated by the intensity of the fight.
"This is going to be fun," he said, launching himself back at Siris.