Marine Warship – Onigumo's Perspective
The air was heavy with a charged silence. The shattered remnants of the warship lay in ruins, the once-proud vessel now a mere carcass drifting aimlessly in the sea. The power of that single strike—the one Hiro had landed on Kizaru—still reverberated through Onigumo's very bones.
But as the stillness lingered, Onigumo felt something… unsettling.
Kizaru wasn't done.
Despite the brutal blow, despite the bleeding body and the stunned silence that had fallen over the battlefield, Onigumo could feel the pressure building.
His eyes darted to the horizon, and there—at the center of the wreckage—Kizaru slowly stood up, his usually carefree demeanor now replaced by something more serious.
His golden eyes burned with intensity.
"That… That was interesting."
Onigumo's jaw tightened.
He's still standing.
Borsalino wiped the blood from his lips, his smile returning, though more restrained. There was no trace of arrogance now—just a cold, calculating resolve.
"Not bad, pirate." Kizaru's voice was low, almost measured. "But that was just a warm-up."
Hiro's crimson eyes flicked toward him, his stance still composed. The shadows around him flickered and writhed, almost as if they were reacting to Kizaru's renewed energy. The air grew thicker with tension.
"I've been to hell and back, but you…" Kizaru's gaze narrowed, his body pulsing with an otherworldly speed, "You're not even trying yet, are you?"
Hiro didn't respond, but his posture shifted slightly—his right hand clenched into a fist, shadows swirling around his body. The tension was palpable, as if the very world around them knew something monumental was about to unfold.
---
Night Guild's Ship
On the deck, the crew watched in awe as the battle unfolded before them. They were used to Hiro's power, of course, but seeing him face off against an Admiral—a being who could level islands and control the seas—was different.
Musica, ever the optimist, cracked his knuckles. "Now this is getting exciting."
Soruto adjusted his sniper rifle, scanning the battlefield with a focused eye. His thoughts were on the fight—but more than that, he was waiting. Hiro hadn't used his full power yet. No, this was a test.
Kizaru hadn't even started his real fight yet.
---
The Battlefield – Kizaru's Movements
Kizaru flexed his arms and shoulders, shaking off the lingering fatigue from the earlier attack. His golden light flickered around him as he powered up, gathering speed and lightning-fast reflexes into his form. Hiro watched, unblinking, his crimson eyes locked onto the Admiral's every movement.
"Alright then," Kizaru said with a flash of his usual grin. "Let's see how you handle this."
In an instant, he disappeared.
Not even a blur. He simply vanished, leaving behind nothing but the air distorting in his wake.
Then, Kizaru reappeared behind Hiro—his foot aimed directly at Hiro's back, moving at the speed of light.
Hiro barely shifted.
---
Marine Warship – Onigumo's Perspective
The Vice Admiral's eyes widened as he watched. For a moment, it seemed like Hiro had no chance to dodge. But then—
The world slowed.
Hiro moved, his body an extension of the shadows around him. The darkness shifted like a living thing, warping reality itself to twist Hiro's body out of the path of Kizaru's attack. The light kicked up a wave of searing heat as it grazed where Hiro had been.
But Hiro wasn't there anymore.
Instead, the world seemed to collapse around them, shadows unfurling in chaotic tendrils. Hiro was in front of Kizaru now.
The Admiral's foot hit nothing but air.
"This… this is no ordinary Devil Fruit."
---
The Battlefield – Hiro's Strike
Kizaru's eyes widened as Hiro's fist shot out like a strike of lightning. There was no hesitation in the movement. The blackness around Hiro expanded, enveloping his hand, and the shadows compressed into a solid, hard mass of unnatural power.
Kizaru barely had time to react.
The impact was immeasurable.
Hiro's punch landed with the force of a tsunami, his fist carving through the very fabric of space itself. The shadows enveloped Kizaru's body, twisting and distorting the very light around him, until there was no room to escape.
Kizaru's eyes burned with determination.
He was an Admiral. He would not fall.
For the first time since the battle began, Kizaru unleashed his true speed.
Light exploded around him—a violent, golden storm that filled the air with the scent of ozone. Kizaru's form flickered between bursts of blinding light, each one stronger than the last. His golden light expanded, attempting to drown out the shadows.
But Hiro was still there, his body just barely avoiding each burst of light, each hit from Kizaru, even as the energy of the battle escalated.
"Is this all you have?" Hiro's voice was like a whisper in the storm.
Then Kizaru's voice came, a forced grin on his lips:
"Not by a long shot, kid."
---
The Marine Warship – Onigumo's Perspective
Onigumo's gaze locked onto the fight as it unfolded. Every move between the two seemed to warp reality itself, bending light and shadow into something unrecognizable.
He'd never seen Kizaru so furious—so focused.
This was the Admiral, the embodiment of speed, and he had finally awakened his true power.
And Hiro…
Hiro was still standing, unscathed. The darkness around him pulsed like a living thing. The air grew denser. Even the sound of the waves crashing against the ship seemed to vanish into the chaotic atmosphere.
Kizaru was fast—but Hiro was something else.
---
Night Guild's Ship
Musica tightened his grip on his instrument, as if preparing for something inevitable. "Hiro's holding his own, but this fight is far from over. Kizaru still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve."
Celeste's silver eyes flicked to the battlefield. "We need to be ready. Hiro… he might not unleash his full power unless pushed."
"Then he'll be pushed," Hikari murmured, her gaze unwavering.
"Of course. It's Hiro's way," Soruto replied, watching through the scope. "And Kizaru won't give up. Not unless it's over."
---
The Battlefield – Hiro's Final Words
A dark chuckle echoed across the distorted landscape as Hiro took one step forward, eyes glinting with ruthless amusement. "I'm getting tired of this."
A black hand reached out.
Then it collided with the speed of light.
The world exploded with darkness and light as the battle reached its final phase.