Damn, this kid!
"Oi, oi, you serious?"
Borsalino's face still wore that same lecherous grin, but his whole body had tensed with caution.
Because the Armament Haki condensing around Don's hand and blade shimmered with a deep violet glow, rippling like water.
Even someone like him could feel the danger.
At this age… to wield Armament Haki at such a level?
Where the hell did this guy come from?
Before arriving here, even knowing that his opponent might be a Logia user, Borsalino hadn't cared much.
After all, a young man, just setting out to sea—how strong could he really be?
Not to mention, Borsalino had no clue Don had already defeated Chinjao. And even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared much either.
But now, seeing the Conqueror's Haki radiating off Don, and the flowing Armament Haki on his hand
This was without a doubt, the first real headache.
At that moment, Don was drawing on all three colors of Haki. The Observation Haki he had been spreading over a wide area now tightened inward, focusing solely on Borsalino.
Unlike with Kuzan, what made Borsalino the greatest threat was his speed.
This time, Don had no intention of activating Indomitable against him—it was far too risky.
So, he would face Borsalino in his normal state.
Of course, he wasn't delusional—he didn't expect to defeat an admiral in this state. All he needed was to hold him off.
Still, some deterrence had to be shown.
[Swordsmanship (Fully Mastered)]
[Armament Haki (Fully Mastered)]
[Observation Haki (Fully Mastered)]
[Conqueror's Haki (Proficient)]
Ever since awakening Conqueror's Haki, he had been experimenting with Conqueror's Infusion in his attacks.
But as of now, his control was not yet enough.
Even when he fought Chinjao hoping to pick it up from him, it was clear Chinjao didn't know it either.
Or rather, if Chinjao had mastered such a technique, decades ago he would have stood among the true great pirates of the seas.
Of course, it might also be that Garp's punch ruined him all those years ago. Since then, he'd become a stingy old miser, with no intention of growing stronger.
But Don's Armament and Observation Haki had both improved significantly.
This relentless, nonstop way of using Haki was something few others could manage.
And during that process, flashes of inspiration struck—leading him to master new techniques.
With those accumulated insights, the proficiency of his two Haki colors was rapidly advancing.
When he faced Kuzan before, he had been overwhelmed even in his normal state, struggling against a slightly serious Kuzan. Even going all out with his fruit, he still couldn't close the gap.
But after that battle, his strength had grown considerably.
Even his physique had advanced.
So… why not test it?
Don's eyes grew bright with excitement as he looked at Borsalino.
Borsalino, however, felt speechless at the expression in Don's eyes.
"Have you ever been kicked by the speed of light?"
Borsalino began his usual showboating.
But before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, a blade wrapped in terrifying Armament Haki was already at his face.
The dark slash seemed to devour all the light around it, leaving behind a black scar in the air.
Borsalino's body split apart, scattering into golden light before reappearing in the sky.
"Scary, scary~ If I'd been a little slower, you might've killed me."
He pouted as he spoke, but his body was already moving.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Forming a hand sign, countless dazzling light orbs rained down toward Don.
Don tilted his head up, letting the orbs pierce through his body.
From the wounds, fire burned and reformed his flesh.
"Admiral Kizaru, either show me something real, or turn around and leave."
Don raised his flaming finger, pointing it straight at him.
"Young man, don't get too arrogant."
Though he still wore that pouty, indecent grin, his demeanor had clearly shifted.
Or rather—his pride was on the line.
He was an admiral, after all, even if newly promoted.
So few people in this sea dared speak to him like that.
Even if Sengoku and Garp had plans for this young man, giving him a little lesson shouldn't be a problem, right?
With that thought, Borsalino's body turned into light. In the blink of an eye, he reformed beside Don, his leg snapping up in a lightning-fast kick.
But before his leg even swung, Don's Armament-coated left arm had already risen to block.
Bang!
Golden sparks scattered.
The glowing leg clashed against Don's hardened arm.
Feeling the force of the kick, Don turned his head toward the surprised Borsalino.
Boom!
Flames erupted, spreading in all directions—even blazing into the sky above.
And the fiery domain continued to expand.
Light burst out from the flames, but before Borsalino could fully reform his body from light, the roaring fire had already reached his position.
As the flames swallowed him, a black blade suddenly manifested within the inferno.
Then, a figure wreathed in fire emerged.
He twisted aside, narrowly avoiding the slash.
The fiery arc crashed into the sea, its heat and cutting force ripping the ocean apart.
Seawater boiled and exploded outward into massive waves.
In the distance, the ship that had ferried Peck was tossed helplessly on the raging swells.
Everyone aboard stared dumbstruck at the spectacle above the island.
A massive fireball hung in the sky.
Compared to it, their ship was utterly insignificant.
"Retreat!"
Without hesitation, Viola issued the order.
Neither Borsalino nor Don had the time to spare for that lone ship now.
"Admiral Kizaru, this is my gift to you—you're not going anywhere!"
As Don's voice rang out, his black blade clashed with Borsalino's long lightsaber.
Borsalino's eyes narrowed, gauging the situation.
With his masterful Observation Haki and vast combat experience, he understood instantly.
Centered on Don, an enormous domain of fire had spread out.
And within this blazing field, Don could appear anywhere the flames touched.
But such use of a Devil Fruit—its toll on the body was unimaginable.
Most ability users would never dare, nor even be able, to wield their powers like this.
Unless he could force Don to create distance, he would remain trapped in the very heart of this domain.
"Young man, don't get cocky!"
The words left his lips as his body blurred, leg of light slamming into Don's head.
Flames burst apart. Don's figure shifted like light itself—his stance unchanged, still locking blades, but his form sliding aside.
His foot drove straight through Borsalino's chest.
A gaping hole appeared, yet Don felt nothing of impact.
Of course. Katakuri had mastered this trick—an admiral surely had too.
This advanced Observation Haki, combined with a Logia fruit, was a terrifying edge.
But the good news was—he was a Logia as well.
END OF CHAPTER
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