Clang! Clang! Clang!
On a desolate island near the Sabaody Archipelago, the incessant sound of clashing steel rang out. Two figures of vastly different sizes collided and separated at astonishing speeds. Each swing of Gekko Moria's giant claymore stirred up a whistling gale, carving deep furrows in the sand.
His opponent, however, was the comparatively "petite" Kyle, who wielded nothing more than a standard-issue longsword. Yet, with that simple blade, he neutralized every one of Moria's storm-like attacks.
"Hmph!" Moria roared, his arm muscles bulging as his longsword descended with the force of a mountain, its shadow instantly engulfing Kyle. Just as the blade was about to connect, Kyle simply tipped his toes, his body drifting sideways like a feather. He guided his own sword upward, the blade sliding against Moria's massive one, creating a dazzling shower of sparks.
Screech!
An attack that could shatter boulders was completely deflected by this nimble maneuver, slamming heavily into the empty ground beside Kyle. Sand and dust shot into the sky as the ground shook violently.
"Too slow, Moria," Kyle's voice drifted over from behind him. "Honestly, your form is full of openings."
Moria spun around abruptly, sweeping his blade in a powerful backhand strike. But Kyle advanced instead of retreating, his own sword striking the precise axis of Moria's much larger one. With a crisp clang, Moria felt a sharp jolt run up his arm. The limb went numb, and his powerful attack disintegrated into nothing.
Not far away on the beach, under a huge parasol, the atmosphere was completely different.
"Lord Kyle is amazing!"
"Go, Lord Kyle!"
Sakura and Rin's eyes sparkled with adoration as they waved their small fists, cheering for Kyle with all their might. Squeezed between them was a small girl in a lavish Gothic dress, her pink pigtails bouncing. Little Perona mimicked the older girls, waving her own tiny fists, though her allegiance seemed to waver.
"Go, Lord Kyle! Knock him down!" she shouted. But as soon as she saw Moria being forced back, her small face flushed with urgency and she immediately changed her tune. "Lord Moria, you have to try harder! Don't lose!"
The three-year-old was torn between feeling sorry for Moria and admiring Kyle, a delightfully busy predicament for her.
Back in the arena, the spar was nearing its end. Kyle stopped dodging. As Moria charged forward for a furious, full-power lunge, Kyle stood his ground, simply raising his longsword and tilting it slightly.
Clink.
It was a soft sound, almost insignificant on the noisy battlefield, yet it contained an irresistible force. Moria's unstoppable charge was met by the back of Kyle's blade and brought to a dead halt, unable to advance even another inch. Time seemed to freeze. Moria's eyes widened, his face a mask of disbelief.
In that instant of shock, Kyle extended the index finger of his left hand and flicked the broad side of Moria's sword.
Thump.
His fingertip struck the blade with perfect precision. Moria felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. A violent tremor shot through his hand, and he could no longer hold onto the longsword that had been with him for years. It flew from his grasp, spun several times in the air, and then plunged deep into the distant sand.
The battle was over.
"Lord Kyle!" Sakura and Rin immediately ran over like two happy birds, one offering a towel and the other a chilled glass of fruit juice. They meticulously wiped Kyle's forehead, even though there wasn't a single drop of sweat on it.
On the other side of the makeshift arena, Moria's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. His massive body lay spread-eagled on the sand as he panted heavily, his eyes vacant and lifeless.
Kyle took a sip of juice and glanced over at him. "Seriously, what have you been doing for the past few years?" he asked lazily.
Moria's body stiffened.
"Your Observation Haki and Armament Haki are pathetic," Kyle said, shaking his head with a serious expression. "Honestly, Caron's chin is harder than your Haki."
"Pfft…" Sakura, who was kneeling beside Perona to fix her skirt, couldn't help but let out a laugh. She quickly covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.
Moria turned his face away. His large frame prevented him from blushing, but the shame and frustration made him wish he could dig a hole in the sand and bury himself.
Two months had passed since Moria had sworn allegiance to Kyle. Kyle had not treated him like a disposable tool as he had first imagined. On the contrary, the man took time every single day for high-intensity sparring sessions, mercilessly pointing out every weakness and forcing him to confront the Rokushiki techniques and Haki training he had long ago abandoned.
At times, Kyle was the absolute ruler on a dark throne, his will as profound as a god's. At other times, he was this easygoing man who would lounge on the sofa, being served tea by his maids, his mouth full of playful remarks. This unique charm, a blend of authority and familiarity, had completely won Moria over. He was beginning to understand that true strength wasn't just about martial prowess; it was about the absolute confidence to hold everything in the palm of your hand.
As for Perona, the little girl he had brought back from Wano, she had become the darling of the villa. Sakura and Rin adored her, and their greatest joy was dressing her up like an exquisite doll in the gorgeous outfits that Caron sent as tribute. Even Perona herself had grown accustomed to a life of changing into several new dresses every day.
At that moment, as Moria was stinging from Kyle's teasing, he felt a gentle tug on his clothes. He turned his head to see Perona squatting beside him, looking at him with her big, worried eyes.
"Lord Moria, are you alright?" the little girl's soft voice asked.
Her concern was like a clear spring washing over his battered heart. Moria was silent for a moment before replying hoarsely, "I'm fine." It just means tomorrow's training will probably be doubled.
Kyle handed his empty cup back to Sakura and strolled over to where Moria was sprawled on the ground. He lightly kicked his massive arm. "Hey, still alive? Don't play dead, we're not done yet."
Moria's eyeballs moved slightly, but he seemed to lack the strength to even open his eyes. An indistinct grunt escaped his throat. "Kishishi… Alive… It just feels like… I died again."
"Haha, well, that's good," Kyle said nonchalantly. "You'll get used to it after you die a few more times."
The verbal blow was just as devastating as the physical one, and Moria's body stiffened even more. He struggled to prop himself up on his arms, his massive figure casting a defeated shadow on the beach. He was silent for a long time, as if gathering his thoughts and his courage.
"Kyle…" he finally said, his voice raw. "Back at Marineford… that attack you used against Garp and Sengoku…" He trailed off, but his bloodshot eyes held a mixture of awe, confusion, and a desperate longing. It was a power beyond mortal comprehension.
"Ah, that," Kyle said, putting his hands in his pockets and looking up at the sky. "That's Conqueror's Haki coating."
"Haoshoku… Coating?" Moria repeated the unfamiliar term, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
"A technique that only a handful of Conqueror's Haki users can master," Kyle explained, glancing at him with that familiar smirk. "You can't use it. Your Conqueror's Haki is too weak."
Moria felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart twice more. He had just awakened his Haki, and before he could even enjoy the feeling, he was being told it wasn't good enough.
"At most, your Conqueror's Haki can be used to clear out small fry," Kyle continued, twisting the knife. "Or maybe… to scare little Perona."
"Little Perona isn't scared at all!" Rin called out from under the parasol, puffing out her cheeks. Perona nodded vigorously beside her, her small fists clenched.
Moria's face fell completely. Seeing his utterly defeated expression, Kyle finally dropped the playful tone.
"Look, not many people know that technique," he said seriously. "Don't aim so high. First, you need to build a solid foundation. Just focus on your basic Haki. Garp's Armament Haki, in terms of pure destructive power, isn't much weaker than my coating."
Garp… The name made Moria's pupils contract. The Marine Hero who had punched an Emperor out of the sky with nothing but his fists represented another extreme of power.
"Instead of thinking about things you can't reach," Kyle's tone shifted, his golden eyes locking onto Moria with an all-knowing light, "you should be thinking more about your own ability."
"My… ability?" Moria subconsciously looked at his own hands.
"Your development of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit is a complete waste of its potential," Kyle stated bluntly.
With that final piece of advice, Kyle turned and walked back toward the girls. "Alright, ladies, today's outdoor activity is over. Let's go home for afternoon tea."
"Yes, Lord Kyle!" Sakura and Rin responded cheerfully, quickly packing their things.
The setting sun dyed the beach a warm orange. Kyle held Sakura and Rin's hands, with Perona sitting happily on his shoulder. Their four figures cast long shadows as they walked away.
On the desolate island, only Gekko Moria remained.
After a long time, he slowly raised his head and looked at his own shadow, stretched incredibly long by the setting sun. In his eyes, once filled with despair, an unprecedented flame began to burn.
"Kishishishi…"
A low laugh sounded again, but it was no longer dry and defeated. It was filled with a newfound excitement. He pushed himself to his feet, his massive figure looking resolute in the sunset. He didn't bother to retrieve his fallen sword. Instead, he extended his right hand, fingers spread, and aimed it at his own shadow on the ground.
Under his will, the shadow began to twist, writhe, and rise.
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