The battlefield had fully collapsed into chaos.
No formation.
No coordination.
Only scattered ships, broken timing, and survival instincts.
Kevin stood at the center of it.
Not the strongest ship.
Not the largest crew.
But the only one still moving with purpose.
The captain stepped forward again.
His coat was torn slightly now. Armor marked by repeated clashes.
But his eyes were still sharp.
"…You turned my formation into noise."
Kevin replied calmly.
"…You relied too much on structure."
The captain tightened his grip on his blade.
"…And you rely too much on silence."
Around them—
The remaining pirates were no longer attacking in waves.
They were breaking off.
Some retreating.
Some falling into the sea during failed boarding attempts.
Others simply refusing to continue once Kevin's pressure field touched them.
Carina was still on their ship, barely keeping balance as it rocked under stray cannon fire.
She had already driven off multiple boarders alone.
Her breathing was heavier now—but steady.
"…This is getting insane…"
The captain finally charged.
No more testing.
No more reading.
Full intent.
Kevin met him halfway.
Steel collided.
Hard.
This time—
Kevin didn't just block.
The Death Reaper Fruit activated fully.
A deep pressure spread outward from him—not visible, but overwhelming.
Nearby pirates froze.
Some dropped weapons.
Others stepped back instinctively.
"…Reaper Domain."
The captain forced himself forward through it.
"…Don't underestimate willpower!"
He struck down hard.
Kevin stepped inside the arc.
Then—
Countered.
A precise strike landed across the captain's chest gap.
Clean.
Efficient.
The captain staggered.
Breathing broke.
Carina saw it.
"…He's finishing it…"
Final exchange.
Three clashes.
Then—
Kevin shifted.
Condensed all pressure into one strike.
"…End state."
He cut.
The captain tried to block—
Too late.
The blade passed through his defense.
Silence.
The captain dropped to one knee.
"…So… that's your end…"
Kevin replied.
"…Yes."
The captain collapsed.
And just like that—
The battle ended.
The sea quieted slowly.
Cannons stopped.
Ships drifted.
Survivors retreated.
Carina exhaled deeply.
"…We actually won…"
Kevin sheathed his blade.
"…Yes."
But this time—
He didn't turn away.
He looked at the battlefield.
At the drifting ships.
At the broken crews.
At the supplies floating across the water.
Then he spoke.
"…We stay."
Carina blinked.
"…What?"
Kevin stepped toward the edge of the enemy ship.
"…We collect resources."
Carina immediately understood.
Her expression shifted.
"…Right… supplies."
Food crates drifting.
Weapon boxes.
Barrels of water.
Even intact sections of ships still usable.
This wasn't just a battlefield.
It was survival opportunity.
Kevin moved first.
He jumped back onto their ship.
"…Secure position."
Carina nodded immediately.
"…Got it."
She grabbed ropes and began anchoring their ship against a drifting enemy vessel.
Preventing separation from the floating resources.
Kevin began pulling crates directly from the water.
Efficient.
No wasted movement.
Food.
Water.
Spare wood.
Everything useful was taken.
Everything unnecessary ignored.
Carina joined in quickly.
"…There's a weapons crate here!"
Kevin glanced once.
"…Take it."
She dragged it aboard with effort.
"…This is way better than buying supplies…"
Kevin replied.
"…Battlefields provide more."
Nearby—
One damaged pirate tried to crawl toward a weapon.
Kevin glanced at him once.
The man froze instantly under the pressure.
Didn't move again.
Kevin returned to collecting supplies.
No unnecessary killing.
No wasted action.
They moved between drifting wrecks for nearly an hour.
Systematically gathering everything usable.
Water barrels secured.
Food restocked.
Rope replaced.
Even partial cannon supplies recovered.
Carina wiped sweat from her forehead.
"…We actually got a lot…"
Kevin nodded.
"…Enough for extended travel."
She looked around at the battlefield again.
Ships drifting.
Broken masts.
Silent sea.
"…Feels strange."
Kevin replied.
"…It is normal."
They returned fully to their ship.
Now heavier.
Better supplied.
More prepared.
Carina dropped onto the deck, exhausted.
"…Okay… now we leave, right?"
Kevin adjusted the sails.
"…Yes."
The ship began moving again.
This time—
Not damaged and escaping.
But resupplied.
Recovered.
Stronger.
Behind them—
The battlefield remained.
But it no longer mattered.
Carina leaned back.
"…That was worth it."
Kevin looked forward.
The sea stretched open again.
"…It was necessary."
And the ship sailed on.