"So, you did still have these."
As soon as Nami saw what Kairos Flint handed her, she instantly recognized what it was.
She'd used it once before.
The last time she'd asked Kairos for it, he had flat-out told her he was out.
But now, here he was, casually pulling out four of them.
The colors were different this time—but Nami wasn't foolish enough to think Kairos would hand her anything useless at a time like this.
"This is my ability. After you consume these, your strength will increase. That way, I won't have to worry about protecting you during the fight," Kairos explained plainly.
Hearing this, Nami gave him a side-eye.
So you do know I'm weak... and yet I still ran straight toward the Creek Pirates.
But it was too late for regrets now. The decision was made, and the Creek Pirates were right in front of them.
She reached out, grabbed the four glowing ability crystals from Kairos's hand, and popped them into her mouth without hesitation.
And then it began—
Her body surged with power.
Her soul burned with clarity.
Her combat instincts sharpened to a frightening degree.
Even her swordsmanship—a skill she never had before—flourished instantly.
In a matter of moments, she emerged from the transformation, eyes wide in shock.
She felt… invincible.
At that moment, Nami genuinely believed she could knock Kairos out with a single punch.
Of course, that was just an illusion.
"Don't let a sudden surge in strength get to your head," Kairos reminded her coolly.
His words snapped her back to reality.
"Tch. So you've been hiding this treasure all along and only now decided to let me have some? You're the worst."
She muttered the words under her breath while taking an elegant sword from Kairos's hand.
"If I were really that stingy," he rolled his eyes, "I'd have just stood back and watched you get hacked to pieces."
With that, Kairos took out a crystal of his own and tossed it into his mouth, letting it dissolve on his tongue.
A Silent Step Crystal—one of the rarest and most dangerous ability crystals, extracted from the body of Baiji Keluo.
Until now, Kairos had never used it.
Why?
Because Silent Step, as powerful as it was, had dangerous drawbacks.
It lacked rules. It was hard to control.
Once activated, any attack made with a weapon became indiscriminate—it didn't distinguish between friend or foe.
So he had avoided using it until now.
Besides, Kairos had been steadily improving his strength in other ways. For a long time, he simply didn't need it.
But now?
Now was the perfect moment.
Once aboard Creek's pirate ship, there would be no allies around him.
No need to hold back.
Just enemies.
Just blood.
He could go all out.
The Silent Step technique was comparable to Soru from the Navy's Six Styles—
Except this one had no sound.
No warning. No echo of footsteps.
Unless someone had exceptional vision and could track his movements in real-time, he would be unseeable.
Perfect for the slaughter ahead.
Creek's crew was likely just about to set off for the Grand Line.
Which made this the perfect timing.
So many pirates in one place.
If Mihawk showed up and wiped them all out… what would that leave for Kairos?
No. These five thousand pirates were his prize.
Their lives would be reaped by him.
Boom.
Kairos's ship lightly collided with the Creek Pirates' flagship.
It was time.
"Remember—watch your back," he said seriously to Nami.
Then, without another word, he leapt from his ship onto the massive vessel before them.
Though the Creek Pirates' ship was large, Kairos's strength was already at the level of a seasoned warrior.
This jump was nothing to him.
"Whew... Looks like I'm in luck today. A big-name pirate worth 17 million beli. This trip's about to pay off big time," Kairos muttered as he landed on the deck.
Standing before him was the infamous captain of the Creek Pirates—'Admiral' Don Krieg.
Beside him were his trusted men—Gin and Pearl, and countless others.
Before their fated clash with Hawkeye Mihawk, this crew had been one of the most feared pirate groups in the East Blue.
"A bounty hunter?" Krieg's brow furrowed at Kairos's words.
Anyone targeting pirates was either a Navy officer or a bounty hunter.
One glance was enough to tell—this guy wasn't wearing a uniform.
"Correct guess."
Kairos grinned.
"As your reward, Krieg… I'll be taking your head."
With that, he drew his blade—the Third Generation Demon-Slasher.
"You want my head, kid? Do you even know who you're dealing with?"
Krieg burst out laughing, thinking Kairos was just another arrogant upstart.
Many bounty hunters in the East Blue had tried their luck against Krieg.
They all died.
"There's no one else in this entire sea who's more qualified than me," Kairos replied, voice cold and calm.
"I'm the admiral of five thousand pirates, boy. You're delusional. Once I crush your bones piece by piece, let's see how cocky you still are."
Krieg sneered, then gave a low command:
"Get him. Tear him apart."
As soon as the words left his mouth, dozens of pirates unsheathed their weapons and charged at Kairos.
Kairos didn't flinch.
"If you're not going to surrender, then I'll just send you straight to hell."
The moment the first blade glinted in the air, Kairos moved.
Silent Step—activated.
He vanished—completely.
Not a sound. Not a trace.
Just the breathless silence before the storm.