"Wha—what the hell?!"
"What's going on?!"
"Is that... is that Life Return?!"
Standing on the deck, Garp's eyes bulged wide, staring blankly at his grandson, Kai, as the boy unleashed one of the Rokushiki's ultimate techniques—Life Return.
He was completely dumbfounded.
"If I'm not mistaken…"
"This brat's only been practicing the Marine s' Six Forms for—what?—not even half a month!"
"And in just half a month, he not only mastered all Six Forms…"
"But now—he's even mastered Life Return?!"
"This—this is absurd!"
Garp's jaw went slack.
Life Return wasn't just another technique—it was the secret art beyond the Six Forms, a pinnacle-level combat ability.
Even among the Marine's elite, those who had already mastered the Six Forms often required at least a year or more of rigorous training to even begin grasping the essence of Life Return.
Yet today, before his very eyes…
A kid who'd learned the Six Forms less than half a month ago had already mastered Life Return—and was using it fluently.
Tell him—
Was this still a human child?
No, this was a straight-up monster!
"I don't recall…"
"I don't recall ever teaching that brat the training method for Life Return…"
Garp froze mid-thought.
He'd never taught it.
So then—how in the world did Kai learn it?
Could it be…
He figured it out on his own?!
Through nothing but personal experimentation, the boy had actually mastered One of the Rokushiki's ultimate techniques—Life Return (Seimei Kikan), one of the Rokushiki's ultimate techniques and in mere days!
"Good grief…"
"This kid's talent is downright terrifying!"
At that moment, Garp recalled Kai's earlier words—
that if he took time to "slowly work through things himself," he'd probably need half a month to master the Six Forms.
Gulp!
Garp swallowed hard, his chest tightening in disbelief.
Now, he finally believed it.
If it were Kai—
this monster of a grandson—then yes, it was entirely possible.
Even Life Return, one of the hardest skills to comprehend in the entire Marine, had been grasped by him in just a few days—
and with impeccable proficiency, no less.
"Is he even human anymore?!"
Garp stood there, eyes trembling with shock, his composure completely gone.
On the battlefield, countless Marine s watched, their gazes locked in stunned awe upon Kai.
Lieutenant Commander Bogard's body was now tightly bound—
restrained completely by Kai's flowing, animated strands of hair.
"Mr. Kai…"
"You're truly a terrifying monster."
Bogard's expression was solemn. He drew in a deep breath—
and got serious.
"Iron Body!"
Boom!
A surge of raw power erupted from within him.
His skin hardened—
his flesh gleaming like steel, his frame solid as diamond.
Gradually,
the hair constricting his neck loosened, his breathing steadied, and the bloodshot hue in his eyes began to fade.
With a fierce burst of strength,
Bogard tore free from the entangling strands and swung both arms sharply—
his hands forming knife-edges.
Slash! Slash!
Locks of hair were severed midair, fluttering down like black silk threads.
"Close one…"
"Another second and Mr. Kai would've had me."
His heart still pounding, Bogard reset his breathing rhythm, eyes narrowing as he locked back onto Kai.
Kai, for his part, looked utterly calm.
He wasn't surprised at all.
If a Lieutenant Commander of Marine Headquarters couldn't even resist Life Return once,
then he had no business wearing that uniform.
Besides,
Bogard was among the stronger Lieutenant Commanders—
his power rivaling that of many full Colonels.
Kai never expected to end the fight with one move.
That would've been unrealistic.
"So we're going all out now, huh?"
"Good."
"Show me, then—just how strong a Headquarters Colonel-level fighter really is."
Kai's eyes gleamed, his body coiling slightly.
And then—
Bogard vanished.
"Soru!"
Using the Rokushiki technique Soru, one of its fastest mobility forms—Soru, Bogard reappeared behind Kai in a blur.
A single finger jab shot forward—
"Shigan!"
But Kai merely tilted his head aside, effortlessly dodging the strike.
"Rankyaku!"
Bogard leapt back, his leg slicing through the air.
The gathered force along his foot exploded outward,
condensing into a brilliant, crescent-shaped blade of light.
Shwoooosh!
A razor-edged slash tore through the air toward Kai—
so sharp it seemed to split the very space it passed through.
The shriek of compressed air filled the deck,
pressure waves buffeting the Marine s watching from afar.
Kai's gaze remained tranquil.
He slowly raised his right arm—
"Iron Body: Steel Fist!"
His fist clenched tight.
Raw power surged and condensed at his knuckles—
then exploded outward in a single devastating punch!
BOOOOM!
A thunderous shockwave ripped through the air.
The collision sounded like a lightning strike—
the explosion deafening.
The resulting shockwave swept across the deck,
rattling the entire battleship violently.
Rumble!
The ship trembled.
Hundreds of Marine s staggered backward under the pressure,
their eyes wide in horror.
Even the mere shockwave of the clash stung their skin like knives.
They couldn't imagine—
what kind of power existed at the very center of that impact.
Crack… crack…!
Tiny fractures spread across the battleship's deck.
Even though the warship was made of specially reinforced steelwood,
the boards were beginning to splinter from the sheer pressure.
"Soru!"
Before the dust could even settle, Kai's figure blurred—disappearing again.
The instant he vanished—
Bogard appeared high above, kicking down toward where Kai had just been.
"He disappeared?!"
Bogard froze mid-strike, his pupils narrowing as he frantically scanned his surroundings.
His boots pressed against the air—
Geppo.
He began darting across the sky, each step producing a sharp, crystalline sound, like glass shattering.
High above,
his movements echoed sharply in the wind.
"Lieutenant Commander Bogard…"
A calm, teasing voice came from directly behind him.
Instantly—
every hair on Bogard's body stood on end.
A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight up his spine.
"When did he—?!"
He twisted his stiff neck to look back—
and saw Kai already mid-kick.
"Rankyaku!"
A flash of brilliant light erupted from Kai's leg, forming a crescent slash that blazed toward Bogard.
SWOOSH!
The air itself screamed as the strike raced forward, dazzlingly bright and impossibly sharp.
The sheer cutting power was overwhelming—
so strong it seemed even the surrounding space warped under its force, like reality itself might fracture.
"So fast!"
Bogard's expression darkened.
There was no time to dodge.
He had to take it head-on.
"Iron Body: Steel!"
He roared, channeling all his strength to harden his body to the utmost limit.
His skin gleamed metallic gray—iron turning into living armor.
And then—
BOOOOM!
The slash struck squarely against his chest.
The impact detonated like a thunderclap.
A burst of destructive power slammed through Bogard's frame,
tearing open his uniform in a clean line across his torso.
A shallow crimson gash appeared on his chest,
blood slowly seeping down his front and staining his jacket.
Then—
the residual force erupted again.
The shockwave wrapped around him completely—
and then—with an explosive crash!
Bogard's body was hurled downward,
slamming into the battleship's deck below.
BOOM!
The deck splintered on impact,
and his body sank halfway through it,
sending deep tremors through the entire ship.
Rumble… rumble…!
The enormous battleship quaked from the blow,
waves spreading out in rings,
and the sea around them sang with crisp, rhythmic splashes—
like a melody played upon the ocean's surface.
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