In less than half than an hour, news of this bet spread through Marineford as if it had grown wings. Every corner of the base, from the barracks to the docks, was buzzing with the scandal.
"Hey! Have you heard? That New Recruit Kakei is actually challenging Rear Admiral Kane!"
"You mean that creepy guy who is always pestering Gion? Has he lost his mind? He is going to get slaughtered."
"The stakes are insane. Whoever loses has to wear a dress and run ten laps around the Headquarters Plaza naked!"
"Holy crap! For real? They are going that big? Quick, quick, go grab a seat before the stands are full!"
Rumors always get wilder as they spread. The story shifted from simply running laps to running naked in the span of minutes, but this did not dampen the Marine Soldiers' enthusiasm for the spectacle at all. Even many field-grade officers put down their paperwork, using the thin excuse of inspecting training to sneak off to the First Training Ground.
The First Training Ground, which could accommodate over ten thousand people, was now packed to capacity. A sea of heads moved about in the stands, and the roar of thousands of voices was deafening.
At the highest observation deck of the stands, three tall figures leaned against the railing. Their presence alone created an area with the lowest atmospheric pressure in the entire venue, keeping the common soldiers at a respectful distance.
"Young people these days are truly terrifying."
Borsalino had his hands in his pockets, a punchable smile on his wretched face as he spoke to the two men beside him.
"I have heard of that Kakei kid; his talent is decent for a recruit, but challenging Kane... Is he looking for a creative way to commit suicide?"
"Probably just hormones clouding his judgment," Kuzan added. He let out a long yawn, pushed his green eye mask up to his forehead, and leaned lazily against the back of his chair. "Still, Kane is quite the sadistic one for coming up with that bet."
"Hmph, a boring farce!"
Sakazuki stood with his arms crossed, his eyes cold and filled with disdain.
"The dignity of the Marines cannot be trifled with! Once this is over, that fool Kakei should be thrown into solitary confinement for three days for wasting our time!"
Down on the field, Kakei stood in the center of the arena. His solitary figure looked somewhat thin and fragile against the vastness of the stadium. He looked at the crowd cheering like mountain torrents and tsunamis, and his head began to buzz. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, running past his comical slanted eyebrows and onto the ground.
He regretted it. He truly regretted it. Why did he let jealousy cloud his mind? Why did he agree to such a perverted and public bet?
Just as he was about to be crushed by the sheer pressure of the moment, the crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer that shook the foundations of the building.
"Rear Admiral Kane is here!!"
At the tunnel entrance, Kane appeared. He had changed out of his formal officer's uniform and was wearing a simple, slim-fitting white outfit that allowed for maximum movement. His shirt collar was slightly open, revealing lean, powerful muscles that rippled with every step. On his right shoulder, he carried a long object wrapped in strips of black cloth. His calm and composed aura formed a tragic contrast with Kakei, who was drenched in sweat and acting as if he were facing a mortal enemy in a war zone.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Kane walked to the center of the field and casually unwrapped the black cloth. He revealed an eerie, pitch-black tachi with a Manji shaped guard to the bright sunlight. The pupils of every swordsman present who knew the value of a blade constricted instantly. That sword, just by looking at it, sent a physical chill through one's heart.
High above, the trio of future Admirals frowned simultaneously. They could sense the strange energy coming from the weapon.
"To show you respect, I specifically brought a new blade for this occasion."
He glanced at the pale-faced Kakei and smiled gently, though the look didn't reach his eyes. "By the way, have you picked out a dress yet? I think pink lace might suit your temperament quite well."
"You...!"
Kakei's face turned the color of pig liver from the insult.
"You make the first move."
Kane held his sword with one hand, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground in a relaxed stance. He turned his head to look toward a certain section of the audience, where Gion was nervously clenching her fists. This posture, which showed he did not take his opponent seriously at all, completely detonated Kakei's last shred of sanity.
"You said it!"
Kakei took a starting stance and let out a loud roar to bolster his failing courage. "I will show you the results of my hard work to become stronger every day!"
"Hard work?"
Kane smiled. He did not want to discourage the kid, but in the world of the Pirate King, there are some gaps that you cannot cross even if you throw your life into the effort.
Kakei roared and stomped his feet hard against the ground. The force was so great that the solid rock arena was actually stomped into two deep pits. Though his looks were messy, the future Admiral Candidate's reputation was definitely not for nothing. In this moment, Kakei displayed astonishing explosive power. He was like a cannonball fired from its barrel, instantly crossing dozens of meters. His heavy fist, wrapped in the flames of jealousy, slammed fiercely toward Kane's chest.
"Get down!!"
Bang!
A dull thud echoed throughout the arena. However, the expected image of Kane flying backward did not appear. He did not even sway. That fist, capable of punching through steel plates, landed solidly on his chest, and then... it just stopped there.
Kane retracted his gaze from the stands and looked down at the fist print on his white shirt. An unnoticeable flash of disappointment crossed his eyes.
"Is this your full strength?"
"Scattered power, wrong point of exertion—aside from your loud voice, you are practically worthless."
Kakei's pupils vibrated violently. It was not just because the attack was ineffective, but because he felt a despair-inducing pressure emanating from Kane's very skin.
"I don't believe it!!!"
Kakei's mental state collapsed. He swung his arms frantically, launching a storm of attacks at Kane like a high-speed pile driver.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
Fist shadows fell like raindrops—hitting the chest, abdomen, and shoulders. Kakei used every ounce of strength he had in his body. Every punch created a mini sonic boom as they frantically smashed into various parts of Kane's body. But Kane was like a towering mountain; let the wind blow and the rain fall, he remained unmoved.
Thirty seconds later, Kakei was exhausted. He stood there gasping for breath, his chest heaving. His fists were swollen and bleeding from hitting Kane's body, and his eyes were filled with confusion and fear. The gap... was it so large that he did not even have the qualification to break through his defense?
Kane sighed inwardly. I was too hasty. With his terrifying Physique of 85 points, an attack of Kakei's level was really no different from an annoying itch.
I thought he would be a sandbag I could test my sword on, thinking I would at least have to parry a few times. Turns out, I thought too much. With this level of power difference, he did not even have the qualification to make him draw his sword properly. His sense of anticipation quickly cooled into boredom.
"Are you done playing?"
Kane's voice rang out eerily, carrying a hint of genuine boredom. Kakei looked up sharply, meeting Kane's eyes which had instantly become indifferent and even somewhat pitying.
Crack.
In that moment, Kakei heard the sound of his own mental state completely shattering.
"In that case, let's end this."
Before he finished speaking, Kane's right hand, simply covered in black Armament Haki, struck out nonchalantly. Although he had held back ninety percent of his power to avoid killing the boy, it was still not something the current Kakei could withstand.
Boom!
A straightforward punch without any frills landed right in the center of Kakei's face.
"Pfft—!"
Kakei's nose bled profusely, his features distorted under the force, and he was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. In the instant his body was still tracing a tragic parabola through the air, Kane moved. Since the sword was already in his hand, he might as well give it a try. He flicked his wrist, lifted the pitch-black long sword, and gave a casual swing in the direction Kakei was flying.
"Getsuga..."
A low murmur vibrated in the air, sounding like a hum of static.
"...Tensho."
Buzz—!!!
A crescent-shaped slash, woven of black and red energy and compressed to the extreme, instantly erupted from the blade. It shot up into the sky, brushing right past Kakei's falling body. The terrifying wind pressure generated by the move directly shattered Kakei's comical top hat into dust.
Kakei, still in mid-air, rolled his eyes. This time, he was truly scared unconscious by that aura of death so close at hand, and he fell straight to the ground like a stone. But the slash did not stop. That black-red crescent moon was like a raging dragon, roaring as it shot straight into the clouds, domineeringly crashing into the heavens above Marineford.
Rumble—!
A dull, massive explosion echoed from the sky. Everyone in the arena looked up in terror. The thick layer of clouds overhead had actually been sliced in two by this single, casual slash.
The sky had split open.
The gloomy clouds receded to both sides, and golden sunlight spilled from that massive crack, shining right onto the figure standing with his sword in the center of the arena. Kane casually performed a sword flourish, letting the long blade hang naturally at his side as he watched it all with indifference.
The entire training ground was deathly silent for several heartbeats.
Three seconds later.
"Ahhhhhhh—!!!"
The stands erupted in screams loud enough to overturn the entire island. Countless female soldiers fainted on the spot from pure excitement.
"Is that freaking swordsmanship?!"
"He cut the clouds?! You have got to be joking!"
"So cool!! Rear Admiral Kane, I want to have your babies!!"
On the high platform, Borsalino's sunglasses slipped to the tip of his nose, and his expression became solemn for the first time in years.
"...You are joking, right? A slash of this level..."
Kuzan's eyes were also full of shock. "...This is trouble. His swordsmanship was clearly average when he was in the Elite Camp. When did he become even more of a monster in that than in his Fruit ability?"
Sakazuki stared fixedly at the black sword in Kane's hand, then looked at the split sky. He turned to look at Borsalino, a fellow master of swordsmanship, his voice raspy with realization.
"Borsalino, did you see it clearly? His swordsmanship..."
Borsalino adjusted his glasses, his tone serious as never before. "I could not see the technique clearly, but... I know that strike has already stepped into the realm of a Great Swordsman."
In the crowd, Gion stared blankly at the figure bathed in sunlight, her eyes dreamy and wide. She knew that for the rest of her life, she might never be able to erase this figure from her mind. At this moment, the young girl's heart was completely conquered.
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There was a short delay in uploads due to laptop issues on my end, so I couldn't post chapters for the past few days.
Uploads are now resuming, and I'll be doing my best to maintain a regular schedule over the next few days despite the situation.
All pending chapters will be released, along with bonus chapters as compensation for the delay.
Thank you for your patience.
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion