"Koby has already lost."
Garp quietly watched the battlefield.
Beside him, Helmeppo froze, as if he had misheard.
"V–Vice Admiral Garp… you mean Koby is going to lose to Mr. Raifeng?"
"No."
Garp shook his head.
"Then what do you mean?" Helmeppo asked in confusion.
"I mean," Garp said slowly,
"Koby isn't going to lose."
"He already has."
"What?!"
Helmeppo was completely dumbfounded.
He stared blankly at the field, confusion written all over his face.
The fight hadn't even started yet.
How could Koby already have lost?
It made no sense at all!
At that moment—
An overwhelming pressure crashed down on Koby.
Even though he had already pushed his concentration to the limit, his tightly wound nerves still couldn't withstand the sharp, cutting presence radiating from Raifeng.
"Koby," Raifeng said calmly, katana in hand, its blade pointed straight at him.
"Are you ready?"
At that instant, Raifeng was like a blade on the verge of being drawn.
He hadn't even attacked yet—
And yet the pressure alone was already crushing.
Strong.
Terrifyingly strong.
Koby could clearly feel it.
The pressure pouring off Raifeng made his limbs stiffen uncontrollably.
He couldn't believe it.
He never imagined that Raifeng could make him feel this powerless.
"Mr. Raifeng… when did you—"
Koby stared at him in horror.
Only now did he truly feel it—
That terrifying edge unique to a swordsman.
It filled the air, crushed down from all sides, squeezing every cell in Koby's body.
The gap.
At this moment, Koby clearly realized the massive difference between himself and Raifeng.
"This has to be wrong…"
"This must be my imagination…"
Koby violently shook his head, trying to throw away the chaos in his mind.
He couldn't accept it.
He couldn't accept that Raifeng was exerting this level of pressure on him.
It was too absurd.
Too unbelievable.
"I'm attacking now, Koby."
"Don't let your guard down."
Raifeng's final words fell.
Instantly—
Koby's entire body erupted in goosebumps.
It felt like he was being locked onto by a ferocious beast.
A sense of danger surged from everywhere, piercing straight into his soul.
Cold air shot up from his feet to the top of his head.
There was nowhere to defend.
Nowhere to escape.
Every weakness in his body felt completely exposed.
In the next instant—
From Koby's perspective—
Whoosh!
Raifeng vanished.
The spot where he stood was empty.
"So fast!"
Koby's pupils shrank violently.
He spun around, desperately trying to locate Raifeng.
Nothing.
It was as if Raifeng had disappeared from the deck entirely.
A chilling sensation crawled up Koby's spine.
"Behind me!"
Koby turned around instantly—
And saw him.
But it was already too late.
"Koby," Raifeng's voice came from behind him, calm and indifferent.
"Your movements are too stiff."
"And…"
"They're too slow."
Raifeng was already standing directly behind him.
The katana in his hand radiated a terrifying pressure, completely enveloping Koby's body.
Koby couldn't move.
Not even a finger.
He was frozen in place like a statue.
"When… did this happen…?"
Koby's face was blank with shock.
A cold sensation brushed his neck.
The katana's edge rested less than an inch away.
Cold light flickered.
If Koby made even the slightest movement—
His head would fall.
Raifeng stood calmly behind him, sword steady, breathing even, eyes sharp.
Like a veteran swordsman who had fought through countless battles.
In that instant—
The victor was decided.
There was no doubt.
This was absolute domination.
Total suppression.
Koby had been completely crushed by a seven-year-old.
One exchange.
Instant defeat.
If this had been a real battlefield—
Koby would already be a corpse.
Raifeng had held back.
Otherwise, Koby's head would already be rolling across the deck.
Fast.
Too fast.
The fight had ended before it even truly began.
No one could have imagined this outcome.
Silence.
The entire deck fell deathly quiet.
Every Marine stared in shock at the scene before them—
Raifeng holding a katana, its blade resting against Koby's neck.
The result was clear.
Yet no one could accept it.
A one-hit defeat.
Instant kill.
"Sorry to say this," Raifeng said with a faint smile.
"Koby—you've lost."
Koby stood there blankly, eyes unfocused.
"I… lost…"
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