Moonlight had a quiet beauty to it, the kind that calmed the heart without anyone noticing.
After a simple dinner together in Loguetown, Kairos D. Vale and Garp parted ways. It was time for Kairos to set out once more in search of stronger opponents—and better blades.
Kairos dipped the oars into the water, and his little boat cut across the sea at a steady pace.
"Remember," Garp called from the shore, waving him off, "if you ever decide to join the Marines, give me a call!"
"Alright."
Kairos smiled and waved back.
Before long, the small boat drifted farther and farther away. Garp's figure on the shore blurred, then disappeared completely.
Kairos set the oars aside and switched to using Qi Control to guide the boat across the sea.
Then he lay back and focused inward.
"System. Status panel."
The moment the words left his mind, a glowing screen appeared before his eyes—visible only to him.
Host: Kairos D. Vale
Skills: Qi Control, Swordsmanship Techniques, Tsubame Gaeshi, Sword Pressure, Armament Haki, Observation Haki
Weapons: Wooden Sword, Sandai Kitetsu
Cards: Assassin Wu Liuqi (Magic Blade Thousand Blades Version — 4/5), Ikaruga (Fairy Tail Version — 1 Use), Miyamoto Musashi (Fate/stay night Version — 1 Use), Kenpachi Zaraki (Unsealed Version — 3 Minutes), Killer Bee (Tailed Beast Version — 1 Use)
The system interface was extremely bare-bones.
Just those three categories.
Kairos couldn't help grumbling inwardly. This system really was as plain and brutal as it got.
Staring at the panel, he sank into thought.
So it wasn't just skills gained from card usage that appeared here.
Anything he learned through other means was also added to the system panel.
"These past days had their gains and losses, but overall… I've definitely gotten a lot stronger."
Kairos spread out his hand and slowly clenched it into a fist.
Armament Haki coated his palm, then faded away just as quickly.
He looked up at the bright moon overhead.
"Well then… time to keep getting stronger."
And so Kairos' wandering journey began again.
…
The weather was bright and clear. Seabirds wheeled through the air.
This was Marine Headquarters, Marineford, deep in the Grand Line.
The harbor was unusually lively today, packed with Marines waiting at the shore.
All of them were here for one person—
Vice Admiral Garp.
And the reason traced back to the island battle half a month ago, the one that had shaken all of Marineford.
That battle had brought one name to the attention of the highest-ranking Marines.
Kairos D. Vale.
It was a name no one had heard before.
And the reason it caught everyone's attention was simple.
Brutally simple.
In that island battle—
Kairos had defeated Vice Admiral Garp head-on.
When the report first spread, the Marines weren't shocked.
They thought it was ridiculous.
Impossible.
How could something like that happen?
Garp was one of the absolute strongest fighters in the Marines.
A true legend.
He had once stood against the Rocks Pirates at God Valley, opposing the unstoppable advance of the most terrifying pirate crew of that era, before joining forces with Gol D. Roger to destroy them completely.
That battle had earned him the title of Hero of the Marines.
And after that, he had cornered the Pirate King Roger himself on multiple occasions.
There was no question about it—
Garp stood among the very strongest men in the Marines.
That was exactly why the Marines found Kairos defeating him so unbelievable.
How could Garp possibly lose to someone no one had ever even heard of?
But as the matter spread, more details followed, and the Marines were forced to take it seriously.
The Marines stationed in Loguetown had personally witnessed Garp admit defeat.
And newspaper reports had even published photographs of the battle as supporting evidence.
The proof was solid.
Even so, many Marines still doubted it.
Because Garp wasn't just a man.
He was a symbol.
And symbols like that weren't supposed to be defeated so easily.
That was why so many Marines had gathered at the harbor today.
They had received word that today marked the end of Garp's leave—
the day he would return to Marine Headquarters.
"He's here! He's here!"
A young Marine pointed excitedly toward the distant sea.
Sure enough, a warship was slowly approaching the harbor.
It docked steadily at the port.
"Vice Admiral Garp is back!"
The Marines immediately rushed forward in a swarm.
But the result left them disappointed.
Garp wasn't on the ship.
At the same time—
Inside Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office—
Knock knock knock.
A quick series of knocks sounded at the door.
"Come—"
Before Sengoku could finish the word, the door was kicked open.
A huge figure strode in, laughing loudly.
"Hahahaha! Good thing I was smart enough not to come through the harbor!"
Garp dropped into the sofa like he owned the place, grabbed the teapot from the table with practiced ease, poured himself a cup, crossed his legs, and drank in complete comfort.
"Garp, you bastard…" Sengoku's eyelid twitched. He suppressed the urge to march over and punch him. "Next time, remember to knock."
Garp's expression didn't change in the slightest, as though he hadn't heard a thing.
Sengoku could only sigh helplessly, pour himself a cup of tea, and sit down across from him.
Then his face turned serious.
He looked at Garp and asked directly,
"You really lost to that East Blue swordsman, Kairos?"
"I did."
Garp set down his tea and nodded without hesitation.
He didn't consider it something shameful.
The only reason he had avoided the harbor and come straight here was because he didn't want to get mobbed by curious Marines.
Now that Sengoku had asked—
he answered plainly.
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