"Don't want to rush anyone, but the Navy is coming toward us," Kairo said dryly. That seemed to snap everyone out of their stupor.
Luffy was still inside the mech—he wanted to fight with it.
"Luffy, we need to go." Kairo entered the ship and placed a seal there.
Just in case he needed to teleport back.
"I'll hold them back. We'll meet again at the entrance." After saying that, he made sure everyone was on the ship—even Franky, who looked completely confused.
He wasn't joining them.
It wasn't like he had a choice. The ship began moving, Nami barking out orders, and Usopp somehow managing to sneak onto the mech.
They engaged the underwater mode of the ship, turning it into a submarine as it slipped beneath the waves.
Kairo smiled faintly before drawing his sword.
He used Body Flicker and appeared on top of a nearby building.
Exactly as he did, Kuzan came into view.
Kuzan looked up and spotted Kairo in the air, wings spread wide.
"Nice seeing you here, Admiral," Kairo said, his blade already blazing, Conqueror's Haki pouring out of him like a flood.
"Could say the same to you," Kuzan replied lazily.
"How you doing?" Kairo looked completely normal, as if he hadn't tried to kill the man a few weeks ago. Technically a month, but you get the gist.
"I could've been better. That chest wound has seen better days," Kairo smiled.
"I know. I'm a professional."
"Or so I've heard." Ice began forming around Kuzan's fist, his stance shifting as he prepared to fight.
"I doubt the Straw Hats would leave you behind."
"Maybe they have. What's it to you?"
Kuzan didn't believe that for a second.
"Straw Hats don't seem like the type to leave their people behind... which means you're buying time."
"How smart of you. Would you like a cookie for that?" The sarcasm was real.
"No need. I just ate some sweets." It didn't look like they were going to clash just yet.
"I assume you won't let me get by and capture your friends," Kuzan said, eyes fixed on the Lunarian.
"You know me so well," Kairo mocked.
Suddenly, Kairo felt someone enter his blind spot.
"Move out of the way." Turning his head, he saw Garp, Haki coating his fist.
{Galaxy Divide}
Feeling the Haki surging toward him, Kairo used Wind Style—not against the attack, fuck no, that would've been suicide.
Instead, he blasted wind into his wings, propelling himself upward with such force it almost looked like he teleported into the sky.
"Oh, what an honor—an admiral and the Hero of the Navy himself."
Garp's ears twitched.
"Where's Luffy?"
"Ah, that. I'm afraid I can't share that." Kairo's gaze drifted toward the ocean for a moment before returning to them.
"You've got a good head on your shoulders. You know you can't win this," Kuzan said.
"I'm aware you defeated me back then... however, I'm not the same person I was a month ago." As those words left his mouth, Kairo released his Conqueror's Haki at full force.
It was potent—still weaker than a Yonko's, yet frighteningly close to Big Mom's level. {As a baseline, Big Mom's Conqueror's Haki is assumed to be the weakest among the Yonko, and he was already nearing that tier.}
"You're twenty years too early to try using Conqueror's Haki on me," Garp said.
Kairo smirked.
"Oh... I wasn't aiming for you."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Garp and Kuzan felt it.
All the Marines on the island collapsed unconscious.
For some reason, the Conqueror's Haki wave avoided every civilian and targeted only the Navy.
To make things worse, it seemed like the keels of their ships had been damaged.
The blast hadn't been aimed at Garp or Kuzan in the slightest.
Kuzan heard movement beside him as Garp leapt into the air, fist drawn back.
{Galaxy...}
"Till we meet again." Kairo bowed before vanishing into thin air, narrowly avoiding the haymaker that would've seriously injured him.
Garp landed moments later.
"Tricky bugger," he muttered, mildly annoyed.
"Oh well. There's nothing I can do," Garp said casually, as if nothing important had just happened. He already looked ready to go buy more snacks.
"You let him go, didn't you?" Kuzan pressed lightly.
Garp looked at him and shrugged.
"You saw it first, didn't you? He escaped before I could hit him. If I were only ten years younger, he wouldn't have gotten away... oh well, no point dwelling on the past."
Kuzan was baffled by how quickly Garp switched gears.
"I'm getting some salted crackers. You want anything?"
Kuzan briefly considered chasing after the Straw Hats. With his power, he could probably manage—but then he remembered exactly who he was dealing with and immediately dropped the idea.
"I heard this place has the best seafood boil."
And just like that, they both gave up.
After all, chasing after a ninja in his element was not a good idea, they were not siphilus, the task was pointless, so might aswell just chill.
A/N who would be strong.
Bullseye with the infinity Ray
Or
Juggernaut's with the speed force.