Kairos was fairly satisfied with the rewards from the battle.
He had obtained another Sasaki Kojiro card. That made three in total. Seven more, and it would evolve into a permanent card.
As for Kanzaki Kaori in her non-Saint mode, it was a little unfortunate, but Kairos didn't dwell on it. The Saint version was simply too powerful. Gaining that level of strength too early might not be a good thing.
While he was still thinking, heavy footsteps approached from behind.
Dorry and Brogy had walked over.
"Kairos… you're leaving, aren't you?" Dorry asked.
His voice was calm, but his gaze was sharp. He had already sensed the change in Kairos.
"Yeah." Kairos nodded.
A year.
This year on Little Garden had given him more than he expected.
Not only had he mastered Hakoku, but he had also begun developing sword techniques that truly belonged to him.
But those techniques needed real combat to be proven.
Staying on Little Garden any longer would not help him grow much further.
Only by returning to the sea and facing stronger opponents could he truly refine himself.
"Kairos, take care out there," Brogy said seriously.
There was reluctance in his eyes, but he made no attempt to stop him.
Kairos smiled faintly, then suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, your old crew has been looking for you. Want to leave with me?"
He was referring to the giants who had been searching for Dorry and Brogy all this time.
The two giants answered almost at the same time.
"No."
"We'll keep fighting until we settle it properly!"
They grinned at each other, their eyes filled with stubborn pride.
"We'll send word to them," Dorry said. "Tell them we're fine, and that they should return to Elbaf."
Kairos studied them for a moment, then shook his head with a smile.
"Figures."
He didn't try to persuade them.
Some things were simply part of who they were.
And those things did not need to be fixed.
Not long after, Kairos said his goodbyes and retrieved the small boat he had hidden on the island.
Once again, he set sail.
Back into the Grand Line.
The sea that day was far from calm.
Dark clouds swallowed the sky. Rain poured down in sheets, and violent winds tore across the ocean. Waves surged like walls, crashing one after another.
In the middle of that storm, a massive pirate ship struggled forward.
Its jagged, saw-like prow cut through the waves, while a black-and-red pirate flag snapped wildly in the wind.
This was the Shark Superb.
The ship of the Arlong Pirates.
"Arlong! This storm's too much!" Hatchan shouted, struggling to keep his balance against the gale.
Smack!
A sharp hand struck the back of his head.
"Idiot!" Chew snapped, his thick lips curling in annoyance. "We're fish-men! Since when are we afraid of storms?"
"…Oh."
Hatchan froze for a second, then nodded slowly, still looking a little dazed.
"Stay focused," Arlong said coldly from the front of the ship.
Unlike the others, he stood completely steady, unmoved by the storm.
"Yes!"
The crew immediately straightened.
Just then—
"Ar… Arlong! There's something on the sea!"
It was Kuroobi.
His voice, for once, trembled.
Arlong frowned.
Kuroobi was the most composed among them. For him to react like this, something was wrong.
Arlong grabbed a telescope and followed the direction Kuroobi was pointing.
On the sea, there was a small boat.
A lone wooden skiff.
Empty.
No one on board.
Arlong's pupils shrank slightly.
He lowered the telescope.
Because in the next moment, he no longer needed it.
Someone was already there.
Standing at the very front of his ship.
Right on the jagged prow.
Rain poured relentlessly.
But not a single drop touched him.
An invisible force surrounded his body, pushing the storm away.
He wore plain white clothes, old but clean. His face was calm, his eyes deep and dark, and his black hair moved freely in the wind.
"…Kairos?"
Arlong's expression changed instantly.
He recognized him.
Everyone on the seas had seen the reports.
The man who defeated Admiral Kuzan.
The man who brought down Golden Lion Shiki.
Kairos D. Vale.
But why was he here?
Why now?
Wasn't he supposed to have disappeared?
Hadn't there been rumors that the Marines had captured him?
In that instant, countless thoughts raced through Arlong's mind.
Then Kairos spoke.
His voice was not loud.
But even in the middle of the storm, every person on the ship heard it clearly.
"You're heading to the East Blue?"
Arlong nodded instinctively.
"Yes. We're going to the East Blue. Why—"
He never finished.
Kairos moved.
No one saw how.
There was no wind-up. No warning. No visible motion.
Only impact.
BOOM!!
Arlong's face caved inward from a single punch.
His body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through the mast. The main pole snapped instantly, and the pirate flag was ripped free, swallowed by the stormy sea.
For a brief moment, everything went silent.
Hatchan stood frozen in place, mouth hanging open.
"…Huh?"
His brain couldn't keep up.
What had just happened?
Why had they suddenly started fighting?
Was going to the East Blue… wrong?
At the prow, Kairos stood where Arlong had been moments earlier.
His right fist was still raised slightly.
The black sheen of Armament Haki slowly faded from his knuckles.
His expression did not change.
There was no anger.
No excitement.
Only calm.
As if what he had just done was not worth mentioning.
Rain continued to pour.
The storm continued to howl.
But on this ship, something far more dangerous than the storm had just arrived.
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