Night fell. The moon over the Grand Line was as bright and clear as water, but its cool light couldn't dampen the fiery passion on the deck of the Oro Jackson. A large bonfire was lit, its warm glow shining on the excited faces of the crew. After surviving such a thrilling battle, no one felt tired. In fact, their spirits were higher than ever.
Miller Pine was holding a barrel of rum and singing some strange, loud sea shanty, his voice booming enough to scare away Sea Kings for miles. For once, Spencer had dropped his noble act and was arguing with Bluemarine about which cannonball had the most "elegant" trajectory during the battle. Leaning against the mast, Rayleigh watched his energetic crewmates with a faint smile.
"Kuhahaha! This is what being a pirate is all about!" Roger shouted, tilting his head back to chug a large mouthful of liquor. He wiped his mouth, and his hearty laughter echoed across the deck. "Getting chased by the Marines and then leaving them in the dust! What a thrill!"
The Oro Jackson itself seemed to have a special magic. Its spacious deck and sturdy hull gave everyone a powerful sense of security and freedom, as if the ship was big enough to carry all their dreams and ambitions. Kyle sat on a pile of wooden crates with a cup of orange juice, quietly watching the scene unfold. The move he had used to escape the Marine fleet had drained most of his energy, but surrounded by this joyful atmosphere, his fatigue seemed to melt away.
"Hey, Kyle!"
A shirtless Jabba, his bronze skin glistening in the firelight, walked out of the noisy crowd. He was carrying his two giant axes, and his eyes burned with a competitive fire. "What's the point of just drinking and singing? This deck is huge. How about we get some real exercise?"
Jabba's challenge immediately got everyone's attention. The singing stopped, and the arguments died down. All eyes were on the two of them. A fight between two of the crew's veteran members? This was going to be good.
"Oh yeah! This is gonna be great!" Nozdon was the first to jump to his feet, rubbing his hands together excitedly.
"Are they really going to fight for real? Mr. Jabba is super strong!" Punk Rock said, swallowing nervously.
Roger was definitely interested. He propped one foot on a rum barrel and shouted, "Alright! Let's see it! Show me how much stronger you've both gotten!"
Well, well, Jabba-san, Kyle thought. You've definitely got my attention. He put down his juice, stood up, and unstrapped the long naginata from his back. "You're on, Jabba!"
The two of them walked to the center of the deck. The rest of the crew quickly formed a large circle around them, and the atmosphere was electric.
"Place your bets! Place your bets!" Nozdon yelled. "I'm betting on Kyle! One hundred Berries! His ability is too tricky!"
"I'm betting on Mr. Jabba!" Miller Pine shouted, slamming his rum barrel on the deck. "Three hundred Berries! Power always wins!"
"I'm betting on a draw, with Captain Roger having to step in and stop it," Spencer said, pushing up his glasses as he tried to make the most logical guess.
Rayleigh watched the two fighters with a playful smile. He turned to Colonel Mu Gulian, who was standing beside him, and said quietly, "I bet Jabba wins, but he's going to get pretty beaten up in the process."
Jabba crossed his twin axes in front of his chest and settled into a steady stance. He didn't rush in. He knew Kyle was no ordinary kid; underestimating him would be a huge mistake. Kyle didn't move either. He just lightly tapped the butt of his naginata on the deck, sending out an invisible wave that let him sense everything around him—the air currents, the tension in Jabba's muscles, even the rhythm of his breathing. Devil Fruit powers plus Observation Haki, he thought confidently. I can see everything.
"Here I come, kid!" Jabba growled and then shot forward. He didn't charge in a straight line but moved in a zigzag pattern, each step leaving a small dent in the tough deck. The unpredictable movement was meant to throw off Kyle's predictions.
"Tremor Fist: Sonic Burst!" Kyle didn't back down. He met the charge head-on, thrusting his left fist into the air. A compressed shockwave shot toward Jabba's face, creating a sonic boom as it flew.
Faced with a blow that could take down a building, Jabba didn't dodge. He swung his right axe in a powerful upward arc, its blade coated in black Armament Haki. He perfectly sliced through the very center of the shockwave. There was a loud clang, as if he had struck invisible steel, and the shockwave was split in two. The two powerful currents of air shot past Jabba, completely shattering the railings behind him.
He's strong, Kyle thought, his focus sharpening. His Haki is incredible. Before he could react, Jabba was already right in front of him.
"Too slow!" Jabba's other axe came down like a black bolt of lightning, aimed right at Kyle's head. Kyle's eyes widened. He used a burst of shockwaves to propel himself backward, sliding several meters across the deck and narrowly dodging the attack.
"Light Illusion Mirage!" As he moved back, Kyle waved his hand, and the light around him distorted, creating three identical copies of himself. Each one charged at Jabba from a different angle.
"Cheap tricks!" Jabba snorted, unleashing his own Observation Haki. He ignored the two illusions in front of him, twisted his body, and slammed his twin axes together in the empty space behind him. He had found Kyle's real body.
"Light Blade: Heavenly Rainbow Slash!" Though he was exposed, Kyle was calm. Rainbow-colored light waves wrapped around his naginata's blade. As Jabba's axes came together, he unleashed a dazzling slash of energy aimed at Jabba's waist. It looked like they were about to trade blows.
A look of surprise flashed in Jabba's eyes, but his battle experience was second to none. He forcefully stopped his own attack, twisted his body, and used the handle of one of his axes to block Kyle's attack. There was a sizzling sound as the light waves and the Haki-covered axe handle scraped against each other, scattering bright sparks into the air. The two of them quickly separated, creating distance once again.
"Oh oh oh oh!" the crowd roared. Just a few seconds of fighting, filled with skill and danger, had gotten everyone's blood pumping.
"Your ability is a real pain, Kyle," Jabba said, shaking his slightly numb arm with a grin. "But in a real fight, you won't have that much time to set things up!" Before he even finished his sentence, he charged again, his attack even more ferocious this time. His twin axes became a whirlwind of death, each strike heavy and powerful, cutting off all of Kyle's escape routes.
Kyle could only use his Sonic Step to dodge in the small space he had, using his naginata to block the relentless attacks. The sound of clashing steel filled the air, and sparks flew everywhere. Jabba's axe strikes were not only powerful, but the strong wind they created was starting to interfere with Kyle's control over the waves in the air. He was slowly being pushed into a corner. He couldn't use any of his large-scale attacks without damaging the ship, and Jabba's powerful Haki and experience allowed him to counter all of Kyle's smaller shockwaves and light attacks.
I can't let this go on, Kyle thought. He saw a small opening in Jabba's attack and plunged his naginata into the deck. "Reverse Flow Echo!"
A strange sound wave spread out instantly. Jabba paused for a fraction of a second. He suddenly heard the echoes of his own battle cries, the whoosh of his axes, and even his own heavy breathing all at once. The chaotic sounds in his mind made him lose focus for just a moment.
Now!
Kyle pulled his naginata from the deck. Electromagnetic waves condensed at its tip, turning it into a spear of lightning that he thrust at Jabba's chest. "Thunder Pierce: Aurora Spear!"
But just as the spear was about to hit him, Jabba bit his own tongue. The sharp pain snapped him out of the mental confusion. His eyes cleared, and he let out a roar. Ignoring the incoming spear, he charged forward, taking the hit on his shoulder while swinging his axe in a wide arc that slammed into Kyle's side.
Bang!
Kyle felt an unstoppable force hit him, and he was sent flying like a kite with a cut string. He rolled several times across the deck before coming to a stop, his naginata skittering out of his hand. Jabba's shoulder was scorched where the lightning spear had grazed him, and a large piece of his clothes was torn and smoking.
The fight was over. The deck was silent for a moment, and then the crowd erupted in cheers.
"He won! Mr. Jabba won!" Miller Pine shouted, waving his fists.
Nozdon, who had lost his bet, was still impressed. "Kyle was so cool, too!" he shouted.
"Whew, if that blade had been a little to the side, I'd be in real trouble," Jabba said, walking over to Kyle and holding out his hand. "Hahaha!"
"That was a bad joke, and that really hurt, you bastard," Kyle grumbled, taking Jabba's hand and letting him pull him up.
"Kuhahaha!" Roger walked over and threw an arm around each of them. "That was a great fight! You both did great! Alright, boys, let's keep drinking! Let's celebrate the fact that we have two incredible monsters on our ship!"
The party roared back to life. Rayleigh walked over to Jabba, pointed at the torn, smoking cloth on his shoulder, and handed him a cup of sake with a smile. Jabba took the drink and downed it in one gulp, looking over at Kyle, who was now being swarmed by Nozdon with questions about the fight. His eyes were filled with excitement for the future.
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