A cold glint flashed in Bullet's eyes as he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. The overwhelming aura surged like an invisible tidal wave.
Buggy, who had been teasing Bullet about looking too mature, was instantly knocked out by the sheer force of the Haki, collapsing to the deck.
"Good, kid! You actually have the potential to be a king. I, Roger, acknowledge your ambition. Come on! Wahahaha!"
Roger laughed heartily and was about to strike Bullet with his sword, his cheerful voice echoing across the sea.
At that moment, Rayleigh quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on Roger's arm with a serious expression:
"Captain, that last Divine Departure already injured him. How can you strike again?"
Roger pouted, muttering:
"What? Rayleigh, are you trying to steal my fight?"
Rayleigh shook his head, adjusting his glasses, and said firmly:
"No, it's not that. This kid is only fifteen. If you strike him again, it would be bullying, and the victory wouldn't be honorable."
Roger thought for a moment, then nodded and glanced at Shiro with a sly smile:
"So you're suggesting…"
"Yes. Let Shiro fight him. Bullet is fifteen, Shiro is twelve—close enough in age," Rayleigh said.
"Shiro has improved a lot over the past two years. This is a perfect sparring opportunity."
"Alright, let's do it!" Roger shouted toward Shiro.
"Shiro, you'll fight this kid Bullet on my behalf!"
Hearing this, Shiro's eyes lit up with fiery excitement. He immediately took off, charging toward Bullet at incredible speed, his face beaming with eager anticipation. Deep inside, he was extremely curious about the strength of this movie-BOSS, Bullet, at just fifteen years old.
In the original story, Buggy had bragged that Bullet at fifteen could spar evenly with Rayleigh, seemingly without a clear winner. But Shiro didn't believe it.
The reason was simple: Buggy himself was ridiculously weak, unable to gauge true strength. In Buggy's eyes, the sparring between Bullet and Rayleigh seemed like a draw.
In reality, of course, Rayleigh never fought at full strength during those friendly sparring sessions. Their true abilities were far beyond what Buggy could perceive.
"Roger, do you plan to run away?" Bullet's voice was full of provocation and anger. His entire body radiated a dangerous, volatile aura.
Shiro, now nearly 1.8 meters tall, was impressive among ordinary people, but standing before Bullet, who towered around five meters, he looked tiny—like a child before a giant. The size difference created a strong visual impact.
Bullet naturally looked down on his younger opponent. To him, Shiro was just a reckless kid, incapable of posing any threat.
Shiro didn't respond with words. Instead, he acted, releasing his own Conqueror's Haki without reservation.
The red-black aura crackling with lightning surged toward Bullet, colliding fiercely with Bullet's Haki. Sparks and crackling sounds filled the air.
The force of the collision sent objects on deck flying. Weaker crew members couldn't withstand the pressure, turning pale as they stumbled back into the safety of the cabins.
"C…Conqueror's Haki!" Bullet's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected such a young boy to wield such powerful Haki.
Shiro's lips curled into a small smile as he teased:
"Don't call me dad the moment we meet, kid!"
The tension on deck broke immediately. Everyone paused, then burst into laughter that echoed across the ship.
Bullet, however, was enraged by the remark. His eyes blazed as he shouted:
"You little brat! You're asking for death!"
He swiftly wrapped his fists in powerful Armament Haki and charged at Shiro.
Shiro didn't hesitate. He covered his sword in Armament Haki and met Bullet head-on.
The clash of fist and blade rang sharply across the deck: "Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Shiro's swordsmanship had improved dramatically over the past two years, but against Bullet, he still struggled. Bullet's Armament Haki, raw strength, and martial skill far surpassed Shiro's. Every strike carried overwhelming power.
Even though Bullet wasn't at his peak, his combat strength already placed immense pressure on Shiro. After exchanging just a dozen or so moves, Shiro felt numb in his hands, his arms almost useless.
Realizing that continuing head-on would lead to certain defeat, Shiro quickly changed tactics.
He began using his Devil Fruit's teleportation ability, flickering across the deck with incredible speed, skillfully evading Bullet while maneuvering around him.
Bullet's speed, though impressive to ordinary eyes, couldn't match Shiro's teleportation. The situation turned instantly: Bullet, who had the initiative, was now forced onto the defensive, unable to land a single hit on Shiro.
However, Shiro's strikes, though clever, still couldn't harm Bullet. Bullet's Armament Haki was so strong that he often enveloped his entire body in it, forming an impenetrable defense that rendered Shiro's attacks ineffective.
Despite being unable to hit Shiro, Bullet felt suppressed by someone three years younger than him—a humiliation that fueled his anger.
"Kid, let's see the power of my Clank Clank Fruit!"
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