"Seize!"
Facing Squard's twin blades, Satan reached out and grabbed. The swords vanished from Squard's hands in an instant. Two blades appeared in Satan's grip, startling Squard.
But among the strong, a single heartbeat decides the clash. Seeing his chance, Satan lashed out with a kick. The leg whipped like thunder, sharp and domineering.
Boom.
Squard was sent flying with a single kick.
"What just happened?"
"How did Squard's weapons end up in Satan's hands?"
The pirates were stunned. None of them had caught Satan's movement, nor how the blades had transferred.
"Devil Fruit power," Whitebeard said. "The moment Squard closed in, he snatched the weapons away. An interesting ability." Even he had not seen the transfer. That left only one possibility, a Devil Fruit.
"Devil Fruit, is it? So that's why you said you didn't need a weapon," Squard roared.
Black Armament Haki crawled across his fists. His rage burned hotter, his face twisted. The famed captain of the Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates, a veteran of decades at sea, had been humiliated by a junior.
"It's called Seize," Satan said coolly. "I can take anything from my opponent, whether tangible or intangible. All of it."
A robber's ability indeed, Squard sneered, wounded and furious. "But it isn't invincible." His eyes locked on Satan like a beast on prey as he edged forward step by step.
"True. With my current strength, the effective range is three meters," Satan said. "Within three meters, everything can be taken."
"How arrogant. Remember, there is a power you cannot steal. The power of my own body. Learn some sense next time."
Squard stamped forward, lunging like a rampaging tyrannosaur. His right hand turned jet black under Armament Haki and hammered toward Satan. If not with a blade, then with a fist.
"Proud, aren't you," Vista muttered, stroking his upturned mustache. "No matter how fast you've improved, this still ends the same. Forcing Squard this far is already something."
Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Endurance +0.1.
Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Endurance +0.1.
Ding, Arrogance acknowledged. Arrogance +1. Endurance +0.1.
Ding, Wrath detected. Absorb or not.
Absorb.
Ding, Wrath absorbed. Wrath +50. Endurance +5.
Listening to the system prompts, Satan smiled into Squard's oncoming strike. Rising endurance meant a tougher body, stronger recovery, sturdier defense. Squard was a crew captain and wielded Armament Haki. In a straight slugfest, Satan would not be his equal. But with the endurance boost, he could try that move after all.
"Seize. Body Hunter Guard."
Satan sank into a horse stance, arms crossing to guard his chest.
Boom.
Squard's powerful punch crashed into him and drove him back several steps.
"Die."
Landing his first blow, Squard erupted, a storm of fists raining down on Satan.
"It's over."
"As expected, the rookie's too weak."
"Squard, a lesson is enough. Don't kill him."
Boredom crept into the onlookers' voices. The battle seemed to have ended too quickly.
Then the next instant—
Boom.
Squard's fist was caught.
"Impossible." Horror flickered over Squard's face as he felt the strength pressing back through his knuckles. Had Satan already surpassed him?
"Are you scratching me," Satan said. "Since you started it, take one from me."
His punch drove out. Squard tried to slip aside, only to find his body lagging behind his intent, strength and stamina failing to keep pace. Before he could react, Satan's fist crashed down. Squard flew and slammed to the deck, out cold.
"One hit. A clean finish."
"Are rookies really this strong now?"
The pirates cried out as the reversal came too fast to process. A moment ago Squard had been crushing Satan. Now a single blow had ended it. Around the ring, throats bobbed as men swallowed. The scene was too shocking. Even Marco, Vista, and Jozu were struck dumb. They had thought Satan would lose. Instead, Satan had won.
"Kid, did you pull a trick," Marco asked.
"Seize. Body Hunter Guard," Satan said. "I can take anything. Every time you hit me, I take a portion of your power into my body. That punch just now carried not only my strength. It carried yours."
Gulps sounded all around. A broken ability. So long as Satan could endure the blows, could he not strip power without limit. If he kept growing, in single combat, who would be his match.