"Whoosh~~~"
"Ha~~~"
"Hoo~~~"
On the small boat, Kai, Luffy, and Zoro were squeezed onto the tiny deck, practicing their body-tempering techniques against the clock.
Under Nami's helpless gaze at the bow, their physical strength and power rapidly increased.
The feeling of clearly sensing their own strength growing made them all addicted.
Suddenly, Kai, who was cultivating, had a flash of inspiration, and some disjointed images appeared in his mind.
The first image showed pirates swarming into a village like lurking beasts.
Their torches ignited houses along the way. The flames instantly dyed the night sky red, and thick smoke mixed with screams and cries echoed in the air.
The villagers fled in panic; some tried to resist but were cut down by a pirate's blade, their blood staining the flagstones.
The second image showed the sounds of chickens clucking, dogs barking, and babies crying in the village, intertwining into a chaotic symphony.
Against the backdrop of the night consumed by fire, an old man stood trembling at his doorway, trying to protect his family.
But he was brutally pushed to the ground by a pirate, and a flash of cold steel ended his life.
Before dying, the old man watched his family being slaughtered by the pirates, and with an intense hatred, he prayed with his spiritual will.
He was willing to give his soul, everything he had, hoping to kill all these pirates and avenge his family.
At this moment, Kai received these disjointed images, and the Conqueror's Haki within him surged and boiled.
It gave Kai a feeling that by helping the old man get revenge, his spiritual will would become stronger.
Moreover, Kai vaguely sensed that the pirate crew was nearby.
Indeed, a dark silhouette gradually appeared in the distance; a ship dozens of times larger than Kai's small boat emerged on the sea.
The ship was painted in dark black, and the wood grain on the deck showed traces of time, seemingly recording countless journeys of battling wind and waves.
The bow was carved with a ferocious black cat, its eyes inlaid with red gems, as if flickering with an eerie light in the night, sending shivers down one's spine.
The main mast soared into the sky, and the flag depicted a grinning black cat skull, moving with the howling wind, like a silent provocation.
The canvas was heavy and mottled, and though somewhat damaged, it still firmly upheld the ship's grandeur.
Weapons and cargo were scattered on the deck, and occasionally, the rough laughter of pirates could be heard from the cabin.
Several black iron cannons were mounted on the ship's side, their muzzles as dark as an abyss, seemingly ready to spew the wrath of death at any moment.
The entire ship moved steadily through the waves, each pass leaving a deep wake, as if carving its mark on the ocean.
Whether facing storms or enemies, this ship always remained as agile and sinister as a black cat, harboring murderous intent.
Kai stood at the bow, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, watching the approaching ship.
"Hmph, it's a pirate ship!"
Zoro stopped his training, holding his sword, his expression stern, ready to act at any moment.
Luffy, however, excitedly rubbed his palms, seemingly eager for a fight.
The wind began to pick up, and the waves grew more tumultuous; the opposing ship swayed violently between the waves but still pushed forward stubbornly.
From afar, several figures holding weapons could be seen standing at the bow, their fierce eyes fixed on Kai's ship.
They had clearly spotted Kai and his companions' small boat as well.
"Black Cat Pirates..." Zoro murmured, his voice filled with fighting spirit.
"They are a notorious group of pirates, rumored to have attacked several towns and villages!"
He tightened his grip on his sword hilt, leaning slightly forward, like a tiger ready to pounce.
The smell of gunpowder gradually filled the air, and the sound of waves crashing against the hull was broken by Luffy's laughter: "Hahaha, these guys look weak!"
"Since they're a bunch of villains, let's kill them all!"
Kai's eyes flashed, the images from before appearing in his mind; hearing what Zoro said, he knew his feeling was right.
On the sea, a boarding battle was brewing; strong winds whipped up waves that slapped against the hull, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air.
Kai stood at the bow, looking at the Black Cat Pirates' ship not far away.
Zoro stood by his side, his three swords already drawn, their blades glinting coldly in the sunlight.
Luffy, excited, stood by the mast, stretching his arm to grab a rope on the enemy ship, ready to leap over at any moment.
On the Black Cat Pirates' ship, there was also a flurry of activity; pirates brandished their weapons, their fierce eyes glaring across the distance at Kai's ship.
Captain Jango, dressed in dazzling attire, stood coldly at a high point, wearing half-moon spectacles on his nose.
"Captain Jango has a bounty of 7 million Berries!"
"Battle member Buchi has a bounty of 9 million Berries!"
"Battle member Sam has a bounty of 8 million Berries!"
Zoro, who used to be a pirate hunter, listed the Black Cat Pirates' information as if it were common knowledge.
"Oh? The captain's bounty isn't even as high as a battle member's?" Kai asked, puzzled.
"That's because the Black Cat Pirates' original captain, Kuro, a pirate with a bounty of 16 million Berries, is already dead," Zoro explained.
"I'm going first!" Before his words even finished, Luffy, who couldn't wait any longer, shot towards the enemy ship like an arrow from a bowstring.
Zoro followed closely, his steps steady and swift, leaping onto the Black Cat Pirates' deck with a powerful jump.
Looking at the pirates surrounding him, Zoro let out a cold laugh.
He moved through the crowd as if nobody was there, his blades creating sharp gusts of wind with each slash.
Luffy, like a nimble monkey, used both his fists and feet, attacking widely and powerfully among the enemies.
Kai also jumped over, punching and killing several pirates, and then he saw the pirate from the earlier vision who had killed the old man's family.
It was battle member Sam, with a bounty of 8 million Berries, a tall, thin, agile, hunchbacked pirate skilled in flexible combat.
"Die, kid!"
His figure moved swiftly like a ghost, his clawed gauntlets cutting through the air straight towards Kai.
Kai glanced at him, and the moment he got close to Kai, a single punch shattered his heart.
"How... how could... he be so strong..." Sam's eyes widened in disbelief as he collapsed.
Kai's strength had improved rapidly; he was no longer the man who had to use Conqueror's Haki to kill a wild boar.
The din of battle spread in the sea breeze, and the Black Cat Pirates were gradually slaughtered by Kai and the others.
The morning sea was like a giant mirror, the sun just peeking out from the horizon, its soft light spilling onto the water, creating layers of golden ripples.
The sea breeze gently brushed by, carrying a faint salty scent, yet it was warm and peaceful.
"Don't forget to cut off the heads of those with bounties," Kai said, waving to Zoro and instructing him.
After all, Zoro recognized these pirates with bounties, so this task could only be done by him.
"We need a lot of money for our training!"
Kai glanced at the messy deck, then at Nami, who was rushing towards the Black Cat Pirates' storeroom, and walked towards the bow.
An image of the old man thanking him flashed through his mind.
Immediately after, Kai felt that his previously stagnant spiritual will had received some kind of boost, growing a little.
Kai stood at the bow, the sunlight casting a sharp shadow on his stern face.
He slowly closed his eyes, and the next instant, a majestic burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from within him, like a volcanic eruption, surging in all directions.
The world suddenly fell silent, then was broken by a deafening roar.
The sea instantly churned with towering waves, the ship's mast swayed violently, and the canvas made a tearing sound.
The Haki, like invisible thunder, swept all around; the seawater, under this force, even parted to both sides, revealing a brief abyss.
At that moment, it was as if only his figure remained between heaven and earth; the ocean roared, the storm howled, and all forces submitted at Kai's feet.
"As expected, it's a bit stronger than when I was on the isolated island, but unfortunately, my current body still can't bear two parts."
Kai sighed, felt his body, and gave up the idea of using Conqueror's Haki here.
"This aura, it's so powerful!!!"
"So strong!"
Luffy and Zoro on the ship were both stunned by the Conqueror's Haki Kai released, exclaiming in shock.
And Nami, who had just plundered the treasures, saw Kai standing at the bow like a god, and a glimmer of hope welled up in her eyes.