The sea breeze carried the sharp tang of salt through the deck as the pirates' laughter suddenly died down. All eyes turned toward the figure who had just landed among them—Kaito.
Anos scowled, the golden light from the setting sun glinting off his rum-stained blade. "Well, well, who do we have here? Someone bold enough to step foot on my ship uninvited?"
A low murmur swept through the crew. "Captain, that's Kaito! He's the one who sank a Marine fleet on his own!"
"What?" one pirate hissed. "The guy with the 100-million bounty?"
"That's him," the first pirate confirmed. "He's been cutting down Marine forces like paper. The Admirals themselves are starting to take notice!"
Anos chuckled, the sound grim and cold. "A hundred million? That's cute. But kid, do you know who I am?" He gestured to the vast deck of his heavily armed ship. "Three hundred million berries. That's the price on my head. And you're one man against my entire crew."
Kaito's lips curled into a half-smile. "Three hundred million, huh? Must be nice to know your worth."
The pirates stirred uneasily, gripping their weapons tighter. One of them hissed to his crewmates, "I've heard stories. Kaito took down Commodore Jackson's entire squad and wiped out Vice Admiral Steelcoat's fleet. He's not just talk."
"And our captain's bounty is three times his!" another pirate growled. "What's he got? Some flashy sword moves? We've got strength in numbers!"
Anos raised a hand, silencing them all. His eyes narrowed. "Kaito, you're clearly a capable man. A bounty like yours at your age is no small feat. Why waste it? Join me. I'll make you my first mate. Together, we'll rule these seas."
Kaito snorted softly. "Rule the seas, huh? You're aiming for the Pirate King's throne?"
The crew's murmurs rose again, louder this time. "Did he just laugh at the captain?"
"No one disrespects Anos like that!"
Anos stepped forward, his coat billowing behind him. "You misunderstand, Kaito. I don't care about Gol D. Roger or that white-bearded old fool. This is the New World, and in this age of chaos, a single man's ambition will crush them all. Join me, and I'll show you what it means to be a true overlord of the sea."
Kaito's gaze met Anos's, calm and unflinching. "Not interested."
The air seemed to grow heavier, charged with a tense energy. Anos's expression darkened. "You'd refuse my offer? Then you leave me no choice. Nobody steps on my ship, insults me, and lives to tell about it."
The moment his words ended, Kaito moved. His blade flashed in the waning sunlight, streaking toward Anos.
"CLANG!"
Anos's arms rose in an instant, encased in Armament Haki so thick it shimmered like black steel. Sparks erupted as Kaito's strike met his defense.
"Tch. Not bad," Kaito murmured, adjusting his grip. His blade hummed with the resonance of Armament Haki. He swung again.
"SHHHINK!"
Anos staggered back, his boots skidding on the blood-stained planks of the deck. His arms trembled under the impact. "You've got some nerve, kid."
The pirates, once rowdy and loud, stood frozen in shock. "Did you see that? Captain Anos couldn't stop it!"
"That… that blade nearly broke through his Armament!"
"I thought he was just a hundred-million bounty nobody!"
Kaito's calm voice cut through their panic. "Is this what 300 million gets you? I expected more."
Enraged, Anos roared and lunged forward. His fists, wrapped in an intense, pulsating Haki, swung at Kaito with the force of cannonballs. The deck buckled under his might, wooden planks splintering with each blow.
But Kaito was faster. He sidestepped with precision, the tip of his blade leaving thin trails in the air. "You're slow," he muttered, bringing his sword down again.
This time, Anos dropped to one knee, the weight of the strike forcing him down. The pirates gasped. "Captain's… losing?"
"Impossible! His bounty's three times higher! How is this happening?"
Kaito's blade hovered near Anos's throat. "A high bounty doesn't mean you're strong. It means you're a big enough problem for the Marines to care about. But strength? That's something else entirely."
Anos gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his face. "You'll regret this."
"Doubt it," Kaito replied, pressing his blade down just enough for the steel to touch skin. "This is the New World. If you're not strong enough to defend your title, you don't deserve it."
The pirates could only watch, their captain humiliated and their belief in his invincibility shattered. Kaito stood tall, the fading sunlight casting his shadow long across the ruined deck. This wasn't the first time he'd proven strength outweighed reputation, and it wouldn't be the last.