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As one of the Navy's top powerhouses, Garp had the ability to roughly gauge someone's dao power.It wasn't perfectly accurate and always carried some margin of error, but it was still a useful reference.
What surprised Kyle was that his own dao power had climbed to almost four thousand. If his memory was right, that was already on par with Rob Lucci, the man the World Government boasted as CP9's strongest in eight hundred years.
A question rose in his chest. At this point in time… just how high would Garp's dao power be?
At the same time, he couldn't help feeling amazed.Dying and coming back had made him dramatically stronger. The speed of his growth was ridiculous.
"I just don't know if this pace will eventually hit a wall."
"Because if it doesn't…"
If he could grow without limit, it wouldn't take long before he surpassed the power ceiling of this world entirely, stepping into Dragon Ball territory where people shattered planets with a punch.
"Kyle, nicely done!"
"You're a total monster!"
Kuzan grinned and gave him a big thumbs-up, cheerful and warm as always.
Sakazuki returned with a cold face, staring straight at Kyle's expression as if trying to read him. But there was no doubt: he had accepted Kyle's strength, even if he wouldn't say it aloud.
Bogard nodded at him too, quiet and cool as ever.
"Hahaha, onward!"
"Otherwise Roger and the others will slip away before we know it!"
Garp slammed his fists together with a heavy thud and laughed as he shouted.
The warship pushed aside drifting wreckage and charged ahead at nearly full speed. The storm showed no sign of easing.
Kyle walked over to Saul to check on him. The honest, soft-hearted giant shook his bandaged hands and tried moving his legs, only to wince immediately.
"Sorry, Kyle. Looks like I'll need a while before I can help again."
Kyle patted his shoulder. "Just focus on healing."
Then he greeted Shimobu and the other officers with a nod.
The storm was impossible to describe in either scale or duration. The entire sea was wrapped in dark clouds, thunder boomed nonstop, and it was hard to tell night from day.
Yet Kyle noticed something: neither Garp, nor Kuzan, nor Sakazuki, nor any of the senior members showed a hint of worry.
Bogard held the helm steadily, steering in the direction Garp gave him without hesitation.
"This is the way!""I have a feeling Roger's right ahead!"
Garp laughed loudly.
Along the way, they passed more shattered ships and bodies drifting on the waves, swallowed in moments by the sea.The Flying Pirates' skull flag showed up often, tossed by the swells.
The next day, the storm continued, though it was much weaker than before.
"Terrible weather," Kuzan complained."The climate in this half of the Grand Line is like a toddler. Crying, laughing, throwing fits… completely unpredictable."
He pulled off his soaked shirt, revealing sharply defined abs, and wrung the water out. It poured like a waterfall.
"Another hour and I'll start growing mold."
He turned to the black-haired boy beside him.
"You're way too calm."
Kyle had stripped down to the waist long ago. His physique was lean and powerful, like a panther mid-pounce, wearing only shorts in the downpour.
There was no chance to rest during a storm like this. Clearing water, watching the surroundings — everything mattered.
"Worrying won't help," Kyle said lightly.
"Still don't know when this rain's going to quit," Kuzan sighed.
Sakazuki stood nearby, brows knitted. He'd taken off his shirt as well; soaked clothes clinging to the skin were miserable. For some reason, he seemed to have a natural dislike for weather like this.
That evening, the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
The clouds cracked open. Warm orange light streamed down from above, and a seven-colored rainbow arched across the sky like a bridge of light. With the glow behind it, the scene looked sacred and unreal.
Kyle leaned over the rail, staring at the water ahead.
The clouds cleared quickly. The sky turned bright and clear, and another rainbow appeared in the reflection below, dreamlike and surreal.
"It's beautiful!" Kuzan shouted in awe."Look, Kyle! A whole school of fish over there — whoa, they're golden!"
Kyle could only sigh helplessly at Kuzan's enthusiasm, though he didn't dislike it.
He was just as struck speechless, immersed in the beauty that followed the storm.
Far in the distance, the orange-red sun was sinking into the sea, one-third already submerged, dyeing the ripples crimson.
"Hahaha, Sengoku, I'm not listening to you!"
"Only I can take on Roger!"
"What? Kyle and the three kids? Relax, I'll keep an eye on them!"
Garp's carefree voice drifted over, and Kyle faintly heard Sengoku's furious shouting in reply.
"You bastard! Get back here!""Those boys cannot be harmed! They're the Navy's future!"
Hearing their bickering, Kyle couldn't resist a small smile. He closed his eyes and let the evening breeze brush against his face.
Little by little, he felt like he was beginning to sense some of the beauty of this world.
Meanwhile…
Sengoku frowned deeply at the pile of documents in front of him.
Fleet Admiral Kong was in charge of guarding Headquarters, so the affairs of the second half of the Grand Line fell to him. Reports from every part of the Edd War zone were coming in nonstop. The sudden storm hadn't just ruined Shiki's plan — it had forced the Marines stationed there into a fierce battle with the Flying Pirates.
Thankfully, the losses were small and many enemies were wiped out.
"Damn you, Garp!"
Thinking of his old friend, Sengoku slammed a fist onto the desk.
"He actually had the nerve to drag a bunch of rookies with him to chase Roger!"
But he had no way to stop him.
They'd known each other far too long. He understood Garp better than anyone. That man had always acted on instinct, especially when it came to Roger. His obsession bordered on madness.
"I just hope they're all safe," Sengoku sighed helplessly.
This kind of thing had happened countless times in history. And as much as it annoyed him, he trusted Garp's strength.
Back on the dog-headed warship…
The snoring that night was loud enough to shake the deck. Everyone was out cold. Kyle fell asleep the moment he touched the pillow.
When he opened his eyes again, it was morning.
No one on this ship slept in. Some were mopping, some were washing clothes, some were training.
Except for the figure at the bow — the man in the dog-head hat.
"I've always admired people who can sleep standing up," Kyle said quietly.
"Talking smack about your teacher behind his back isn't polite, Kyle," Kuzan chuckled.
"That wasn't smack. That was admiration."
Kyle shrugged and hung his wet clothes on the rack before slipping into training mode.
He had one more of the Six Powers left to master.
And beyond that, he was seriously interested in the technique known as Life Return.
"..."
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