Smoke billowed.
Dust swirled.
The atmosphere was utterly silent—
not even the sound of a single bird.
Crack!
Crack!
Crisp, cracking noises echoed out as the deck of the warship split apart in every direction.
Shattered.
Fractured.
At the very center of the impact zone, a deep crater had formed.
Within that crater, Lieutenant Commander Bogard lay flat on his back, face pale, blood trickling slowly from his chest.
The aura radiating from his body had grown chaotic and feeble.
"Cough, cough!"
He hacked violently, blood spraying from his lips. Lowering his head, he looked down at the long gash running across his chest and abdomen—and couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
Fortunately…
It was only a flesh wound.
Nothing fatal.
If he hadn't activated Tekkai, the Iron Body technique of the Six Forms (Tekkai), in time, that terrifying slash just now might have cleaved him cleanly in half at the waist!
Even so, though Tekkai had hardened his body into steel and absorbed over ninety-nine percent of the attack's power, the remaining force still left him injured.
From the upper left of his chest down to the ribs on his right flank, a vicious gash continued to ooze blood.
It was "just" a superficial wound—
but it was enough to affect him.
"This battle… isn't over yet."
Drawing a deep breath, Bogard forcibly steadied himself.
He twisted his stiff neck and planted his feet firmly.
"Soru!"
In a flash,
his figure vanished.
The next instant—
Bogard emerged from beneath the shattered deck and landed back on the warship's surface.
His battered form was laid bare before the countless Marine s surrounding him.
"Whoa…"
"Lieutenant Commander Bogard looks miserable!"
"He almost got taken out in a single kick!"
"He's hurt for sure. Maybe not seriously, but it'll definitely affect him."
"I thought this was going to be an even match—but it looks like Bogard's been completely outclassed since the start!"
"Mr. Kai's clearly stronger!"
"'Stronger by a bit'? You mean a lot stronger!"
The crowd of Marine s stared wide-eyed at Bogard's disheveled figure.
That one slash across his chest and abdomen had torn his uniform to shreds, revealing his sinewy muscles beneath.
Still—
compared to Kai's body, veins bulging like coiled cords of steel, Bogard's frame lacked the same overwhelming pressure and visual impact.
Drip.
Drip.
Blood fell steadily from his chest, splattering onto the deck.
"Again!"
Bogard roared, showing no sign of surrender.
He moved.
"Soru!"
His figure vanished once more, darting through the air with Geppo—the Moon Step—leaping again and again through the sky.
He flashed like a streak of light, each movement leaving an afterimage in his wake.
His speed was blinding.
No human eye could follow it.
Not far away, Vice Admiral Garp watched quietly, making no move to intervene.
If Bogard refused to yield, he saw no reason to stop him.
But…
In Garp's eyes, the outcome was already decided.
That brief exchange earlier had been enough for him to judge who was stronger.
"Bogard's going to lose," Garp murmured.
"He's not Kai's match. Not even close."
The gap between them was vast—far beyond a simple difference in skill.
Even though Bogard was fighting at full strength, Garp could tell…
his monstrous grandson Kai hadn't even gone all out yet.
If Kai were to get serious…
Bogard would last, at best, ten more minutes before suffering a crushing defeat.
"To think that kid, at just four years old, already wields such power…"
Garp sighed in awe.
"What a monster."
Back on the battlefield,
seeing Bogard charge again, Kai's expression didn't change.
"Still not ready to give up, Lieutenant Commander Bogard?"
"In that case…"
"I'll play along."
"From here on out, I'll stop holding back."
His eyes narrowed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Then—he moved.
"Soru!"
"Geppo!"
He combined two of the Six Styles at once, his figure vanishing from sight.
In the next moment, the two men clashed high in the air—
a furious aerial duel!
Both used the Marine s' Six Forms—both using Moon Step to stay aloft,
both exchanging blows faster than lightning.
To the Marine s below, the two fighters were little more than blurs,
their forms flickering in and out of sight,
their movements so fast that the human eye could not keep up.
The air echoed with the sharp cracks of their Moon Steps.
"So strong!"
"They're both incredible!"
"We can't even see their fight!"
"So this… is the difference between us and them."
"Lieutenant Commander Bogard's always been strong, but Mr. Kai's this powerful too?!"
"Unbelievable…"
Hundreds of Marine s stood frozen, jaws slack, staring up at what seemed like empty sky—yet filled with the roaring sound of battle.
For a moment, they questioned their own humanity.
Were these two even the same species as them?
"Got you."
Kai suddenly locked onto Bogard's position and struck without hesitation—
one fierce punch crashing down.
A violent shockwave erupted from his fist,
unstoppable, tearing through the air.
"Here it comes!"
Bogard's pupils shrank. He crossed both arms before him to block.
BOOM!
Their powers collided.
Even with Tekkai hardening his body, the force of Kai's punch sent pain stabbing through Bogard's arms, as if his bones might shatter.
Without that defense, his arms would've been reduced to powder.
"What terrifying strength…"
He gasped, feeling the numbing shock reverberate through his body as he was hurled backward, tumbling through the air.
Only by using Moon Step did he barely manage to steady himself.
Then, gritting his teeth, he charged again.
"Again!"
He vanished.
So did Kai.
Both using Soru at mastery level, their forms flickered like lightning.
When Kai caught the next opening—
his second punch smashed into Bogard's ribs.
BOOM!
The force split the air itself, producing a thunderous sonic boom.
The blow ripped through Bogard's side, shaking his internal organs.
"Gah!"
He spat blood, his eyes bloodshot, his face pale.
Crack!
A rib broke cleanly.
Even with Tekkai reinforcing his body, Kai's punch still shattered bone!
Pain lanced through his body, cold sweat beading on his forehead like rain.
Then, before he could recover, the immense shockwave sent him spiraling downward from the sky—
plummeting fast.
Just as he tried to stabilize himself—
a shadow loomed before his eyes.
Kai was already there.
"Third punch."
Kai smiled faintly, his eyes calm.
BOOM!
His fist slammed straight into Bogard's abdomen.
"Not good!"
Bogard's eyes widened in horror—
too late.
The punch struck home with earth-shattering force.
The shockwave exploded outward.
"Wha—ahhh!"
Bogard's body convulsed as another mouthful of blood burst from his lips. His abdomen felt as if it had been pierced clean through.
Blood surged up his throat and spilled freely as he fell—
bleeding all the way down,
painting the sky red.
He crashed into the deck with a thunderous impact.
BOOM!
The shock rattled the entire warship.
The deck cracked and caved under his body, splintering apart as his broken form sank into the crater.
Rumble!
The whole vessel trembled.
And with that—
the battle was over.
Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Commander Bogard—utterly defeated.
Defeated in just three punches from Kai.
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