The cannon blast tore through the sea with violent force, sending water crashing high into the air as the shockwave rolled toward the ship.
Carina screamed.
"—WE'RE STARTING WITH THAT?!"
Kuina didn't flinch.
"Brace!"
Tashigi stepped forward, blade raised instinctively, even if it was still just a training weapon.
Kevin moved.
Not fast.
Not dramatic.
Just precise.
"…Angle: right side. Impact in three seconds."
Carina blinked.
"…YOU'RE TIMING IT?!"
"Move."
That single word snapped everyone into motion.
Kuina shifted left instantly.
Tashigi followed half a step behind.
Carina barely reacted in time, stumbling as the cannon blast struck the water beside the ship instead of directly hitting it.
The explosion still sent a wave crashing over the deck.
Water flooded across their feet.
The ship rocked violently.
Carina grabbed onto the mast.
"…I hate this! I hate this so much!"
Kuina steadied herself immediately.
"…They're not testing."
Tashigi nodded.
"…They're calculating."
Another cannon rotated.
Kevin's eyes sharpened.
"…Second shot incoming."
Carina shouted.
"…WHY ARE THEY SO FAST?!"
This time, before the cannon fired—
A presence moved.
Not from the ship.
From the Marine vessel.
A figure stepped onto the air.
Carina froze.
"…Wait… WAIT—HE'S WALKING ON—"
Tashigi's voice cut in.
"…Geppo."
Kuina's grip tightened.
"…Advanced Marine technique."
Vice Commander Varek D. Solen stepped forward through the air itself, each step producing a sharp burst beneath his feet.
He wasn't rushing.
He wasn't aggressive.
He was closing distance with complete control.
Kevin watched him carefully.
"…Speed: controlled. Not maximum."
Tashigi narrowed her eyes.
"…He's holding back."
Carina nearly choked.
"…WHY WOULD HE HOLD BACK?!"
Solen stopped mid-air, looking down at them like they were already contained.
"…Observation complete," he said calmly.
Then—
He vanished.
Kuina reacted first.
"…Above!"
A sudden force crashed downward.
The deck cracked under the impact.
Wood splintered.
Carina was thrown back.
"…WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Kuina blocked.
Or tried to.
Her wooden sword met Solen's arm.
For a split second—
Stillness.
Then—
Her entire body was forced back, feet sliding across the deck.
Tashigi moved instantly, striking from the side.
Solen didn't even look.
He shifted slightly.
Her blade missed by centimeters.
"…Predictable," he said.
Kevin stepped in.
No hesitation.
No wasted motion.
His arm moved toward Solen's center.
Solen's eyes shifted for the first time.
He blocked.
The moment their arms met—
A faint ripple passed through the air.
Kevin's shadow flickered unnaturally.
Solen stepped back.
Not far.
But enough.
"…You are the source," he said.
Carina, still on the ground, stared.
"…Wait… he actually backed off?"
Kuina regained her footing.
"…He adjusted."
Tashigi's eyes sharpened.
"…He recognized Kevin as priority."
Kevin stood still.
"…Confirmed."
Solen looked at his hand briefly.
"…Abnormal response."
Then he raised his gaze again.
"…Re-evaluation complete."
The pressure returned.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Carina dropped again.
"…OKAY—THIS IS WORSE—!"
Tashigi gritted her teeth.
"…He increased output…"
Kuina forced herself to stand.
"…I can still move."
Kevin didn't move.
But something behind him did.
His shadow stretched.
Not naturally.
Not following light.
But expanding slowly across the deck.
Solen noticed.
"…So that is your anomaly."
Kevin spoke quietly.
"…Incomplete."
For a brief moment—
The pressure around him bent.
Not broken.
Not resisted.
But distorted.
Like something else was interfering with it.
Carina stared.
"…That's not normal… that's REALLY not normal…"
Solen's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…You are not using Haki."
"…Correct."
"…Yet you are affecting pressure."
A pause.
"…Unacceptable variable."
He moved again.
Faster this time.
Kuina stepped forward instantly.
"…Left!"
Tashigi moved at the same time.
No hesitation.
No delay.
Their movements aligned perfectly.
Solen struck—
Kuina blocked the initial force.
Tashigi redirected the follow-up angle.
For the first time—
Solen's attack didn't land cleanly.
A small shift.
But real.
Carina's eyes widened.
"…They stopped him?!"
Kuina pushed forward.
"…Now!"
Tashigi followed.
Their swords moved together.
Not identical.
But synchronized.
Solen stepped back again.
This time—
Intentional.
"…Synchronization confirmed," he said.
His voice remained calm.
But something had changed.
"…Adaptation rate exceeds standard projection."
Kevin watched everything.
Silently.
Calculating.
"…Still insufficient," he said.
Carina snapped.
"…Can you NOT say that right now?! They're doing amazing!"
Kuina didn't react to the comment.
Tashigi didn't either.
Because they both understood.
Kevin wasn't criticizing.
He was stating reality.
Solen stepped forward again.
"…Then we increase pressure."
The air tightened violently.
The deck creaked.
Carina couldn't stand anymore.
"…I can't—move—!"
Kuina dropped to one knee.
"…Heavy…"
Tashigi struggled to keep her footing.
"…He's compressing the field…"
Kevin finally moved again.
One step forward.
His shadow surged outward.
Not large.
Not overwhelming.
But dense.
For a brief second—
The pressure split around him.
Like something refused to overlap.
Solen's eyes narrowed.
"…Now I see."
Kevin's voice remained calm.
"…Still incomplete."
Solen raised his hand.
"…Then I will end this before it completes."
The air snapped.
His next movement—
Was faster than before.
Target locked.
Kevin.
Kuina reacted.
Tashigi followed.
Carina shouted—
"—KEVIN!"
But this time—
They were too slow.
Solen was already there.
His strike descended—
And Kevin's eyes turned completely black.
For a single second.
Everything went silent.
Even the sea.
Then—
A faint, cold whisper spread across the deck.
Something ancient.
Something watching.
Something that did not belong to the ocean.
Solen's attack stopped.
Not blocked.
Not deflected.
Stopped.
Mid-air.
His expression changed for the first time.
"…What… is this…"
Kevin stood still.
But behind him—
For just a moment—
A shadow formed.
Tall.
Holding something long.
Curved.
Watching.
Then it vanished.
Kevin exhaled slowly.
His eyes returned to normal.
"…Not yet."
The pressure collapsed instantly.
Everyone staggered.
Carina gasped.
"…WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Kuina stared at Kevin.
"…That wasn't you."
Tashigi whispered.
"…That was something else…"
Solen stepped back.
This time—
Without attacking.
His gaze locked onto Kevin completely.
"…Reclassification required."
Silence.
Then—
"…Priority elevated."
The sea moved again.
But now—
Everything had changed.