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"Kill!"
With a sharp roar, Kyle slammed both feet against the deck and vanished.
He reappeared right in front of a pirate, fist already cocked back. It came crashing down like a hammer.
Bang!
The pirate's cheekbone caved in on impact. His face twisted grotesquely as he was smashed straight through the deck, blood spraying everywhere.
Before Kyle could straighten, wind howled behind him—three long blades swung down at the same time.
His eyes sharpened, every muscle snapping taut.
"Iron Body!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Metal rang out as the blades struck his back. The pirates' expressions collapsed into pure terror.
"H-he's a Devil Fruit user!"
"He doesn't die! He just doesn't die!"
"Even Midas the Great Cutter got taken out by him!"
Kyle let out a quiet breath.
Iron Body wasn't as useless as he'd assumed. Against small fry like these, it was actually pretty handy.
He spun, lifting his right leg high before cleaving it downward.
"Tempest Kick!"
A crescent slash tore through all three pirates, sending blood spraying as their bodies flew back like rag dolls.
Gunfire cracked the next moment.
Bang!
A bullet struck the back of Kyle's head. His body flickered but he simply steadied himself again.
Then he vanished, reappearing before the trembling pirate who held the rifle.
"I hate it when people point guns at my head."
The icy tone made the pirate quake uncontrollably.
He could only stare at this monster—shot in the head, yet unharmed, not even a mark on him.
Impossible. Just impossible.
Kyle's fist drove forward and crashed into the man's face.
The explosive force crushed his features and launched him clean off the ship.
Thunder rumbled overhead, jagged bolts lighting up the storm and revealing expressions across the deck—fear, madness, ferocity.
"Kill!"
Kyle turned toward another enemy, voice low and rough.
It was a chaotic, brutal fight. He was taking on an entire pirate crew alone—and he wasn't even using Conqueror's Haki. Just fists.
Death clung to him like a shadow, brushing against him over and over.
But the victory was undeniable. These pirates were clearly under Golden Lion's banner—every one of them elite. Four had Armament Haki. Others were sharpshooters or expert swordsmen.
And all of them fell to Kyle.
He died five times in that battle, and each death made his body tougher, stronger.
Every system point he earned was poured into his Conqueror's Haki, raising it to level 91.
He tightened his fists. With a single thought, black-red lightning wrapped around his arms, crackling with terrifying power.
Level 91 Conqueror's Haki… nearly maxed out. Its force was monstrous.
"A chance to train—and to farm points."
He muttered the words as he looked toward the remaining ships ahead.
Real combat deaths didn't count as suicide. As long as he was fighting at full strength, everything counted.
Kyle leapt forward, landing on the next pirate ship with an earsplitting boom.
To the side, another pirate ship cracked apart down the middle.
He glanced over and saw Bogard turning his head toward him. Neither spoke.
In the storm, Bogard simply lifted a thumb.
"He's a monster!"
"Use Armament Haki on him!"
Pirates screamed over the thunder.
Kyle grinned as another swordsman rushed him, blade flashing.
He clenched his right fist.
Black-red lightning spiraled over his arm.
A heartbeat later, fist and blade collided.
Clang!
Metal rang out, lightning burst outward, the deck splintered under their feet, even the air warped.
The pirate's face froze in horror. He flew backward like a fired cannonball, smashing through the mast and cabin before disappearing into the storm.
"So I can control the force of infusion now?"
Kyle's voice was quiet.
As his Conqueror's Haki rose, his mastery followed. What had once been wild and destructive was slowly becoming something he could direct—limit—shape.
A blessing. Power you couldn't control was like a runaway beast, dangerous to everyone, including yourself.
And it drained stamina and focus like mad.
He struck again and again, clearing another pirate ship in far less time.
This time he only died three times.
"Level 94."
He smirked to himself, checking the number.
Once Conqueror's Haki reached max level, he could finally start investing points elsewhere.
It would be his strongest trump card—his ultimate weapon.
Kyle bent his legs and leapt high above the ship. He hung in the air for a breath, right fist pulling back as fine threads of black-red lightning coiled around it.
Then he dropped his arm.
"Bone Fist—Impact!"
Lightning shot downward like a nest of snakes, striking the center of the ship.
Crack!
The huge vessel split in half instantly. The fracture spread across the entire ship like a shockwave until the whole thing shattered into drifting debris.
At a distance, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Bogard all looked up at the suspended figure, eyes wide.
"That brat!"
Sakazuki clenched his fist.
"As expected of Kyle. He's left us in the dust again, huh?" Kuzan laughed.
Bogard's gaze flickered as he cut down another pirate, clearly deep in thought.
Meanwhile, standing on the prow of the warship, Garp burst into hearty laughter.
"That kid's got a bit of my style already!"
A marine officer behind him stared at Kyle landing on the next ship, voice full of awe.
"He's practically a younger version of you."
Garp laughed even louder. "No—you're wrong!"
"When I was young, I didn't have power like his!"
The officer froze, then went pale with shock.
He watched the silhouette darting through the storm, tearing through ship after ship, fists glowing with raw destructive force.
Would he be the next Garp?
Kyle was deep in battle again.
Death made him stronger every time. His fists had reached the point where he couldn't even estimate the numbers anymore—but he guessed his "Douriki" power was catching up to CP9's top agents.
"Tempest Kick!"
His right leg came down, carving a massive gouge through the deck as pirates screamed around him.
A swordsman lunged.
Kyle pierced forward faster than sight.
"Finger Pistol!"
Thud thud thud thud!
The pirate's body convulsed violently. By the time Kyle moved on, dozens of bloody holes covered the man's torso. He collapsed in terror.
Minutes later, black-red lightning erupted across the ship. With a final blast, the vessel shattered and sank.
Kyle only grew stronger the longer he fought. His progress was frightening.
When he finally returned to the warship and stood before Garp…
His Conqueror's Haki had reached level 99.
Max level.
Garp sized him up, then grinned wide.
"Kid, you really are a monster. After all that, your Douriki must be over 4000!"
"Keep fighting."
"Life and death will make you stronger!"
Kyle blinked.
Four thousand Douriki?
"..."
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