The sharp sword aura sliced through the air and grazed Kaito's skin, its pressure like a storm of needles biting into his flesh. A faint sting spread across his body, and his expression darkened.
With a low grunt, Kaito clenched his fist. A violent surge of energy exploded outward like a volcano erupting.
In an instant, the crescent-shaped slash in front of him shattered into fragments of scattered light.
Without hesitation, Kaito stepped forward—his heel cracking the concrete beneath him. The floor split apart as he shot toward Momousagi like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
Momousagi's expression didn't waver, but her eyes flashed in surprise. She hadn't expected Kaito to break her strike purely through brute force.
Gripping Konpira with both hands, she vanished in a blur of movement, activating Soru, one of the Marines' Six Styles. Her body reappeared right before Kaito in the blink of an eye.
"Melee combat? That's a poor choice," Kaito said coldly.
The next moment, he accelerated suddenly—his body a dark streak that crashed into Momousagi midair.
His blackened fist slammed toward her chest, the sheer pressure making the air twist. Momousagi's eyes widened at his sudden burst of speed, but she didn't falter. Her own arm glowed with Armament Haki as she swung her blade to meet him.
Clang!
A metallic ring echoed as fist and sword collided.
Momousagi was thrown backward, her heels grinding deep marks into the earth. Her hands trembled from the impact, almost going numb, and a flicker of fear crossed her eyes.
Such raw power... this strength rivals an Admiral's!
Though she was a woman specializing in swordsmanship, her physical skills were among the strongest of the Vice Admirals. Yet she'd been overpowered in one strike.
"So Sengoku wasn't exaggerating after all," she muttered under her breath. "This man's strength really is on the level of an Admiral. I'll need to go all out."
The air around her sharpened as her gaze hardened. This was no longer a spar—this was survival.
Then, Kaito raised his right hand and slowly extended his palm toward her.
Momousagi frowned. "What's he—?"
Before she could finish, his calm voice resounded.
"Universal Pull."
A deep, thunderous force burst forth. The air twisted violently, creating an immense suction that pulled everything toward Kaito's outstretched hand. The pressure was overwhelming, like a black hole swallowing the world.
Momousagi staggered, stabbing Konpira into the ground to resist the pull. The blade sank deep into the earth, the hilt quivering in her grip.
"What is this…?!" she hissed, her teeth clenched. "A Devil Fruit ability?"
She had thought Kaito was purely a physical powerhouse—but this power, this strange gravitational control, proved otherwise.
Cracks spidered across the ground, spreading fast until the terrain shattered, turning the earth into a storm of flying debris drawn toward Kaito's palm. The broken stones and dust swirled together, forming a massive ball of rubble around him.
"Damn it…" Momousagi's face twisted. She could barely move against the pull.
Suddenly, the sky above them darkened. Her instincts screamed danger. Looking up, her pupils shrank.
A colossal sphere—nearly a hundred meters wide—hung in the sky above her, blotting out the sun like a falling meteorite.
"Fire! Take out that sphere above Momousagi-sama!" Smoker shouted hoarsely, clutching his bruised abdomen.
Gunfire erupted as Marines took aim and fired at the massive construct. Bullets ripped through the air, slamming into the sphere.
"The suction… it stopped?" Momousagi exhaled in relief as her body steadied. Her sharp eyes lifted to the dark mass looming above her.
Her expression turned cold. She gripped Konpira tightly, channeled her Haki, and swung upward in one swift, precise motion.
"A single-sword style… Cross Slash!"
A brilliant crescent of sword energy erupted from her blade, splitting the air with a roar as it soared toward the falling mass.
Boom!
The blinding arc struck the sphere, cutting it cleanly in two. The massive halves crashed to the earth, their edges so smooth they reflected sunlight like mirrors.
Without pausing, Momousagi waved her sword several more times. Blades of compressed air split the tumbling debris into countless fragments, reducing the threat to harmless rubble. Dust and smoke billowed as the pieces hit the ground.
From a distance, Smoker watched in awe. His heart pounded as realization sank in.
Is this the power of an Admiral-level battle?
He swallowed hard. That single attack from Kaito—if used in a city—could erase it from existence. Even so, Momousagi was struggling to keep up.
Before he could think further, a voice spoke calmly behind Momousagi.
"Is that all your strength can manage? If so… this battle's already over."
Her blood ran cold.
Momousagi spun on instinct, her blade slashing in a white arc.
Clang!
Sparks flew. Kaito stood directly in front of her, holding the blade between his fingers. No matter how hard she pulled, Jinpira wouldn't budge—it was trapped like steel in a vice.
Her eyes widened. "Impossible!"
Before she could react, Kaito's hand moved. In one motion, he caught her leg mid-kick, his grip firm but controlled.
"No need to struggle," he said quietly.
He released both her sword and leg, clenched his fists, and struck forward in a blur.
His punch landed in her abdomen like a cannon blast.
Boom!
The shockwave sent her flying, crashing through the landscape like a comet. The ground trembled with each impact until she finally vanished into the distance, leaving a deep trail of destruction.
"Momousagi-sama!" one of the Marines cried out, horror in his voice.
"Open fire! Don't let him escape!" another officer barked furiously.
"Stop! Let him go!" Smoker shouted immediately, voice sharp. "Can't you see? He's toying with us. If he gets serious, everyone here dies."
The others froze, unsure.
A younger officer sneered. "Smoker-san, don't you want to avenge Momousagi-sama?"
Smoker's glare turned cold. "Use your head, Yar. You think you can stop someone who just overpowered a Vice Admiral? You'll just get yourselves killed."
The Marine swallowed hard, silenced by Smoker's tone.
Kaito stood amidst the dust, calm and unbothered. His eyes glowed faintly as the wind swept past him, carrying away the remnants of battle.
"Admiral-level, huh…" he murmured to himself, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Then I suppose that means I'm beyond that."
_____
Enjoying the fanfiction?
Support my work on Patreon to gain early access to multiple upcoming chapters and exclusive content across all my stories!
👉 Patreon.com/Zphyr