A punch landed...
The scene Kaji imagined did not appear.
A powerful, heavy punch slammed into the brown sword sheath... The immense impact created ripples of air waves.
The smile on Kaji's face instantly froze.
He stared in shock at the scene before him...
Facing his sudden burst of a punch, he actually blocked it immovably with just a sword sheath held in one hand?
Gion, behind him, was also stunned on the spot. When did he make his move?
The surrounding Marines were even more bewildered. Since the entire process only took a second, when they saw Kaji again, the two were already in this stalemate.
Kaji looked up in shock, only to see Allen squinting his eyes, revealing a harmless smile.
"Uh... Colonel Kaji, I'm happy you're holding back, but please put a little more strength into it."
Smiles don't disappear, they just transfer, right...?
Kaji's mouth twitched, and he unleashed another powerful, heavy punch towards Allen's shoulder.
Boom!!!
Again, ripples spread, and the immense force stirred up dust from the ground, but Allen in front of him still casually blocked it with the sword sheath.
He instantly back-jumped, creating distance.
"You bastard..."
Kaji also understood that this guy in front of him was not simple. If it were an ordinary colonel, taking that punch would put him out of commission for at least a week.
Kaji gritted his teeth, and the re-adjusted Kaji once again assumed an offensive stance.
His tensed arm was instantly covered in a paint black, both arms displaying a black metallic luster.
This is...
The surrounding Marines also looked at this scene in great shock, then looked at Vist beside them.
"Ma-Major, this is?"
"...It's Armament Haki!" Vist was also somewhat shocked.
Usually, only Rear Admiral-level officers begin to master the use of Haki...
He didn't expect that Kaji, who was just a Colonel, had already mastered Armament Haki!
Allen, seeing Kaji's arm covered in Armament Haki, couldn't help but show a look of admiration.
As expected of a future Admiral Candidate!
Kaji also looked at Allen triumphantly.
"Kid, you haven't seen this before, have you...? Today, I'll open your eyes!"
While Armament Haki is relatively rare in the Four Seas, it's not non-existent.
Allen just stared at Kaji as if he were looking at a reward, encountering a user of Armament Haki for the first time.
If...
Before Allen could think further, Kaji instantly disappeared from his spot!
In an instant, Kaji reappeared in front of Allen, delivering a full-force punch!
This time, Kaji didn't hold back, thinking that there shouldn't be any problems this time... Let him suffer a bit!
For saying this old man was holding back!
For sleeping with Lady Diweika!
For liking to help women!
If Allen knew, he would only say, "Uh... I was the one being slept with, you know!"
Bang!!
Kaji's eyes widened again, looking in disbelief at the familiar sword sheath...
Kaji began to doubt life. This is Armament Haki, damn it! And you just blocked it with a "normal" katana?
This punch would dent even a steel plate!
There's no justice...
Kaji gritted his teeth, continuously throwing punches at Allen with both arms. His extreme punching speed was already creating afterimages.
Bang bang bang...!!!
Allen, however, continued to block with the sword sheath held in one hand, appearing to be at ease.
What the hell...? What kind of ghost is this?
Is your broken wooden sword sheath that durable?
After several minutes of high-intensity punching, Kaji was panting heavily, breathing in large gulps.
To others, Allen and Kaji seemed to be playing around, but only Kaji knew what he had experienced; his attacks were completely ineffective.
"Kaji! What are you doing! Go all out!" Gion's voice rang out from behind him.
Kaji no longer had his previous calm demeanor. I really am going all out.
As they fought, Kaji also felt the pressure emanating from Allen.
Looking up at Allen in front of him, who was gripping his sword hilt, Kaji suddenly had a bad feeling...
Damn it!
Could it be...? Allen once again revealed that harmless smile.
"Since Colonel Kaji's turn is over, then... it's my turn!"
Kaji's mouth twitched, and a chill ran down his spine. How could you say such chilling words with a 37-degree mouth?
Allen began to adjust his breathing...
Hoo...
Hoo...
Allen now exhaled a wisp of flame-tinged breath from the corner of his mouth, and the surrounding temperature became noticeably hot.
At this moment, Kaji felt that the sea breeze blowing was also carrying heat...
"You, you bastard..."
Allen's Ryuujin Jakka remained sheathed, positioned for an upward slash.
"Flame Breathing, Third Form: Blazing Universe..."
A scorching flame slash directly targeted Kaji. In this attack, Allen did not use the power of Ryuujin Jakka, but rather a pure Flame Breathing technique.
Facing the incoming flame slash, Kaji's eyes widened.
"Damn it... How can there be flames! Is it a Devil Fruit?"
Kaji tried to move, but realized it was too late, so he could only cover himself with Armament Haki again.
Gion, upon seeing this flame-infused slash, instantly froze... as if remembering something.
Is this the rare sword style mentioned in the reports?
The scorching flame slash instantly struck Kaji...
"Ahhh... So hot, so hot...!"
Kaji was covered in flames from head to toe, hopping around, trying to wipe off the flames.
Suddenly, as if he discovered something, his eyes lit up...
Kaji leaped into the sea with extreme speed.
Sizzle!!
A puff of black smoke rose from the sea, and soon Kaji climbed ashore, looking disheveled.
"Allen, you bastard, how dare you set me on fire!"
So that's how it is...
Kaji hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet...
Just then, Allen noticed a golden orb fall out next to Kaji!
"Oh... Colonel Kaji, why are you lying on the ground? It's cooler on the ground!"
Allen immediately put on a smile and approached Kaji, touching the orb instantly as he helped Kaji up.
"Picked up reward: Armament Haki Fragment 1/3 (from the Pirate World)"
Kaji touched his wrinkled face. Due to the flames, his face was now like a lump of coal.
"You bastard, this old man isn't done with you!"
"It is indeed my fault. It's just that Colonel Kaji is too strong, so I had no choice but to use my ultimate move."
Allen immediately began to act.
"Sigh..."
"How about this? I have a Happy Street VIP card here. All Happy Street establishments are 30% off!"
Allen pulled out a black VIP card, and Kaji's eyes instantly lit up. He reached out and took it.
"I... I'm not that kind of person. Since Colonel Allen's intention is good, I'll reluctantly accept it."
Allen: "Who is that kind of person? As righteous Marines, aren't we just trying to help these helpless girls trying to make a living...?"
Kaji: ...
Kaji's eyes lit up again.
...What the hell?
You can do that?
As Marines, isn't it perfectly reasonable to help these unemployed girls?
Why didn't I think of this before!
Truly, you live and learn...