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Time itself seemed to freeze.Even the ocean breeze stopped blowing.Every face — whether from the Red-Haired Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, or even Kaido himself — went stiff.
Eyes bulged wide.Mouths gaped open wide enough to swallow a Sea King whole.
"W–What… what just happened?"A Red-Haired crewman's voice trembled as he spoke.
"Beckman's b–bullet… it just got blown apart?!"Yasopp's eyeballs nearly fell out of his head. The joy on his face turned instantly into raw horror.
"The ocean… it split!""And it still hasn't closed up!""What kind of technique is that?!"
The sailors on both Emperor crews screamed in disbelief.
"This…"Even Ben Beckman, usually calm and collected, looked like he'd been struck by lightning.
He had seen it clearly.
That kid—he had just thrown out a lazy punch.A casual, half-hearted swing.And yet that was enough to obliterate his bullet midair?
What kind of absurd, world-breaking power was that?!
That kid didn't just match the speed of the bullet…The impact he unleashed was absolutely ridiculous!
"Wororororo! Beautifully done, Dan!!"Kaido was the first to snap out of it, his thunderous laughter shattering the eerie silence.
All his doubts vanished.
This kid had been hiding his true power deep.That "blood-red demon" form disappearing earlier?Not because he'd run out of energy — he'd faked it!
He was baiting them.No — more than that. He didn't need that form anymore!By letting it go, he could fight longer and save his strength.
Which meant… after all those battles, this brat had already built up serious combat experience.
"Ee-ya!"
Dan blinked his big black eyes, unfazed by everyone's shock. His tiny right fist rose again.Then — he threw another punch.
"Second step!"
BOOM!
Another colossal cylindrical shockwave erupted, roaring straight toward Ben Beckman.It moved so fast it vanished from sight entirely.
"Not good!"
Beckman's pupils shrank. A surge of primal danger flooded his chest.Without thinking, he pushed his Observation Haki to the limit and slipped aside like a ghost.
KRAKOOOOOM!
The shockwave scraped past him and slammed into the sea far behind.
In an instant—The water split open again!The sheer force sent both the Red Force and the Moby Dick rocking violently in the waves.
"Ha—he dodged it!"The Red-Haired crew exhaled in relief.
But they didn't get long to breathe.
"Third step!""Fourth step!""Fifth step!"
Dan hovered in midair, tiny fists raining down like a storm!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three more tightly condensed shockwaves screamed through the sky, hammering toward Beckman like an unstoppable tempest.
Each one carried enough force to tear the sea apart—And each one was faster.And stronger.
"If even one of those hits me, I'm done…"
Beckman's heart pounded with dread as he pushed both his speed and Haki beyond their limits. His body flickered across the deck, leaving ghostly afterimages as he barely evaded each deadly blast.
The sea boiled beneath them, roaring and churning as five massive holes ripped through its surface, refusing to close.
"Oh my god…""Is he even human?!""Every punch—each one's as strong as an Admiral's full-force strike!""A brat like that… stronger than an Admiral?!""Th–this is insane!"
Both the Whitebeard and Red-Haired crews were frozen in terror.
Now they finally understood — that blood-red skeleton from before wasn't Dan's limit at all.
This diaper-wearing little demon was the real monster.
Shanks and Whitebeard's faces both turned grave.They knew: even they would struggle to withstand such a relentless assault.
"Huff… huff…"
Beckman's forehead was drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged.He had dodged every blow — but the mental strain was enormous.
Then, suddenly—Dan stopped.
His dark, pure eyes locked onto Beckman.His soft, childlike voice piped up:
"Ee-ya… you… get ready… defend yourself."
Defend yourself?!
Those three words sent a violent jolt through Beckman's heart.A wave of danger — stronger than anything before — crashed over him!
Without hesitation, he flooded his entire body with Armament Haki.A pitch-black armor coated him from head to toe.
And then—
Before anyone could even blink—
Scarlet steam exploded from Dan's body once again.
This time it was denser. Wilder. More violent than when he'd opened the Eight Gates before.
He crouched midair, like a runner at the starting line.Raw, primal destruction poured off his tiny frame in waves.
"Niiight… ENNN!!!"
That childish cry still carried an undeniable authority.
Within the red steam, his body began to change —Glowing crimson lines etched across his skin.His eyes turned into whirling vortexes of blood-red flame.
A crushing pressure — stronger than anything before — flooded the entire sea.
"W–What the hell is that?!""He can still get stronger?!""This power… it's worse than Pops in his prime!"
The onlookers were petrified, trembling under the sheer force pouring off the kid.
Even Shanks and Whitebeard's expressions darkened.They could feel it — this child's power could kill them if unleashed.
Dan's tiny form crouched low in the air, like a predator ready to pounce.His target: Ben Beckman.
It was clear — the next move would decide everything.
And just as Dan was about to strike—
"Wait!!!"
Beckman shouted, throwing up his hands and lowering his gun with a weary sigh.
"Kid… fine. You win. This round's yours."
"..."
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