The battle at the heart of God Valley had reached a fever pitch.
Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, and Monkey D. Garp—three men standing at the pinnacle of their era—waged a clash that completely transcended ordinary comprehension. Their combat was no longer mere fighting; it was cataclysm incarnate, a spectacle of strength, strategy, and sheer willpower.
Every collision felt like two islands smashing into one another. Every release of Haki made the sky wail in anguish and the earth groan under the sheer intensity.
"God Avoidance!"
"Haki Domain!"
"Fist Bone: Starfall!"
Three distinct colors of Haoshoku lightning intertwined, tearing through the air like divine threads. Their aftershocks manifested as a tangible storm, leveling everything within a radius of several kilometers.
Kyle, crouched behind a half-shaved rock, felt like an ant observing three Godzillas in the eye of a violent typhoon. Excitement coursed through his veins, but he knew that one wrong step could blow him away to who-knows-where.
"These three monsters…" Kyle muttered, a faint twitch at the corner of his eye.
Their style seemed deceptively simple. One wielded a sword with the utmost precision, another relied solely on the overwhelming force of his fists, and the third applied the purest, most refined Haki.
This was the true meaning of absolute strength. No flashy techniques, no dramatic transformations—just raw, uncompromising power. Kyle's Boba Fruit abilities, as impressive as they were, seemed almost childish in comparison to this overwhelming display.
Suddenly, a black-red Haki lightning bolt went wildly off course, streaking past the rock behind which Kyle hid.
Boom—!!!
A small hill a hundred meters away vanished entirely, as if an unseen eraser had wiped it from existence.
Cold sweat dripped down Kyle's forehead. This was no place to linger. Any delay could be fatal. He made a split-second decision: it was time to move.
As he prepared to dash to a new position, a rough roar and chaotic sounds of combat reached him from nearby.
"Hmm? Still some fish slipped through the net?" Kyle thought, intrigued.
Following the commotion, he spotted an exceptionally burly young man charging across the battlefield. Two sharp horns jutted from his head, and he wielded a massive, spiked club. Parts of his body were covered in blue dragon-like scales, and occasional flames escaped the corners of his mouth. His eyes burned with a wild, beast-like intensity.
"Wororororo! All of you, get out of my way!"
With a single swing, he pulverized a pirate into a mangled pulp. The raw power of his attack was overwhelming.
Kyle halted, his golden pupils narrowing slightly as he scrutinized the young man.
"That iconic spiked club, the horns… those half-finished dragon scales…" Kyle muttered, a grin creeping across his face.
"So… you finally ate the Fish-Fish Fruit, huh?"
This was Kaido of the Beasts, the future "Strongest Creature in the World." But his current form betrayed inexperience—he had recently consumed the fruit and could not fully control its power yet. His half-dragon form was imposing, but rather than majestic, it appeared more like a man suffering a particularly severe skin condition. His swings were wide, clumsy, and purely reliant on brute strength.
Big Mom had generously provided Kaido with the Fish-Fish Fruit, but after the God Valley incident, the young man had vanished without explanation.
Kyle's lips curved into a mischievous grin. Pirate Lesson One: loyalty. Pirate Lesson Two: forgetfulness. Teacher Kyle, as always, remained far too authoritative.
But crushing a future Yonko? That sounded fun. And since this expedition had netted him no treasures, a little chaos might as well fill the void.
Striding forward, naginata casually slung over his shoulder, Kyle called out with his trademark nonchalance:
"Hey, you with the horns over there… are you a minotaur? Your movements are so soft—didn't you eat?"
Kaido froze mid-charge, his fierce eyes snapping toward Kyle.
"What did you say, brat!"
Kyle picked at his ear, tone still flippant. "I said… I'm a pure-love warrior, specializing in taking down minotaurs!"
"Wororororo! You're asking for death!" Kaido roared, charging. His spiked club tore through the air like a meteor.
Kyle didn't dodge. He didn't evade. Instead, he raised his right hand, forming a gun shape with his fingers.
A compressed, invisible shockwave surged forward, hitting Kaido before he could react.
Boom!
The ground beneath Kaido exploded. The massive warrior stumbled, his fully-charged strike going completely off course. He crashed heavily, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Kaido's eyes widened with astonishment. Before he could recover, Kyle's figure split into three illusions.
"Light Illusion Mirage."
Three Kyles, each identical yet slightly different, grinned mockingly at the confused Kaido.
"Which one of me are you hitting?" Kyle teased silently.
Kaido, enraged, swung his club at the illusion in the center. It passed harmlessly through. Meanwhile, the real Kyle appeared at his side, the hilt of his naginata snapping forward like a lightning strike.
Buzz—!
A high-frequency vibration traveled along the weapon. Kaido's club screamed under the strain. Pain shot through his tiger's mouth and wrist. The spiked club flew out of his hand.
Kaido instinctively sensed danger. He tried to unleash a scorching Heatwave Breath, but Kyle was already upon him. With a clean, decisive Armament Haki hand chop to the back of his neck, the fire attack was muffled into a pathetic burp.
Bang!
Kaido's eyes rolled back. His massive body swayed and collapsed, unconscious within seconds.
Kyle blew on his hand, as if dusting off imaginary dirt, and examined the fallen future Yonko.
"That's it? The future strongest creature? You still need to train, bro," he muttered. A faint kick confirmed Kaido remained completely unresponsive.
A bolder idea crossed his mind. Squatting, he extended his index finger, a faint red light glowing at its tip.
"Heatwave Breath."
He focused the infrared waves into an extremely thin beam, like wielding an invisible branding pen. Carefully, he began his artistic creation on Kaido's broad back. Every line was fluid, every stroke meticulous, imbued with soul.
"Splendid! Truly an artistic genius!" Kyle clapped his hands.
On Kaido's back, a small turtle with its head tucked in now gleamed as a perfectly branded, vivid pattern.
Kyle nodded in satisfaction. "Hmm… perfect. You're welcome, this is art."
Shouldering his black-gold naginata once more, he glanced at the distant battlefield. Legends still clashed, the world-shattering fight between Rocks, Roger, and Garp continued, and the future Yonko lay unconscious at his feet.
Though he hadn't collected a single Devil Fruit, this trip to God Valley had been remarkably profitable in its own unique way.
Kyle whistled cheerfully and flickered out of sight, ready to plunge into the chaotic battlefield once again.
Time to hunt some Celestial Dragon pigs.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)