NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: CHAPTER 2
"Hmm?"
The raucous laughter and clinking of mugs on the pirate ship abruptly halted as a strange sound reached the ears of the crew. Anos, the self-proclaimed captain, and his crew turned to see a figure boarding their ship.
"Oi, brat! You dare set foot on my pirate ship?" snarled a burly pirate, veins popping on his forehead.
Another chimed in, his tone laced with mockery, "Do you even know who you're messing with? Our captain, Anos, is a big name in the New World! His bounty is a whopping 300 million berries!"
But another pirate's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait… that's Kaito! The rogue pirate who took down three Marine warships solo. His bounty's 100 million berries!"
Murmurs rippled through the crew.
"A hundred million berries?!" one gasped. "He's no ordinary punk."
"Fool! 100 million is nothing compared to Captain Anos' 300 million. This guy's just a small fry!"
Despite their bravado, the pirates subtly tightened their grips on their weapons. Kaito, calm and unflinching, strode forward, ignoring their chatter.
Anos, an imposing figure with sharp, predatory eyes and an aura of arrogance, stood and addressed Kaito directly. "A hundred million, huh? You're strong, I'll give you that. A man of your caliber should join my crew. Follow me, and I'll make you my vice-captain! Together, we'll rule these seas. I'm destined to become the Pirate King!"
Kaito's lips curled into a smirk, his voice dripping with disdain. "Pirate King? You?"
Anos bristled at the insult. His declaration of ambition, grand as it was, paled against the titanic figures that loomed over the seas. Kaito's mind flashed through the infamous legends of the era.
Rocks D. Xebec, whose crew of monsters once sought dominion over the world.
Gol D. Roger, the man fated to claim the title of Pirate King.
Edward Newgate, "Whitebeard," the world's strongest man.
Kaido, the so-called strongest creature alive.
Big Mom, the fearsome matriarch.
Shiki, the Golden Lion, whose legend echoed across the seas.
Compared to these titans, Anos was nothing but a footnote.
"I'm not interested," Kaito replied flatly, his tone unwavering.
Anos' face darkened, his pride wounded. "You dare step onto my ship and refuse me? There's no leaving here alive unless you swear loyalty to me!"
"A lot of talk," Kaito said, gripping the hilt of his blade.
"Shhh!"
In an instant, Kaito moved, slashing his blade in a blur.
"Clang!"
Anos, though caught off guard, reacted with a seasoned pirate's instincts. His Observation Haki flared, allowing him to sense Kaito's killing intent. He raised his arms, coating them in Armament Haki just in time to block the strike. Sparks flew as steel clashed against hardened flesh.
"You've sealed your fate, Kaito," Anos growled, his voice cold.
"Try me," Kaito retorted.
Kaito's blade glimmered with Armament Haki as he pulled it back, then swung with greater force, aiming to overwhelm Anos' defenses.
"Clang!"
The fight intensified, the deck trembling under their blows. Anos was skilled, but Kaito's calm and relentless attacks hinted at a man who had faced far deadlier foes.
The blade sliced through the air with a resounding hum, a vibration so sharp it seemed to cut the very atmosphere.
"Shiiiii!!!"
Anos staggered back, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. Despite his towering reputation in the New World, the cold edge of fear gripped him. His arms, clad in shimmering black Armament Haki, trembled as they strained against the force bearing down on him.
With a deafening clash, the blade met his defense, sending shockwaves across the deck of the ship. The timber beneath Anos groaned before giving way, splintering as his legs plunged through, leaving him sunken into the deck in a humiliating posture of defeat.
"Captain… our captain is being crushed by him!"
"How is this possible?! That guy's bounty is only 100 million berries! Our captain's bounty is 300 million! There's no way he should be this strong!"
"He's a monster… no, a demon!"
The watching crew gasped in horror, the confidence they had in their captain now a fleeting memory. Their leader, renowned across the New World with a bounty that spoke of devastation, was utterly outmatched. The gap between a 100 million and 300 million berry pirate was supposed to be insurmountable—an unbreachable chasm that defined power and influence in these seas.
Kaito, the one they underestimated, stood unscathed. His blade gleamed with an eerie sheen, a fusion of Ryou Haki and something else—a strange, spiraling energy pattern that bore an uncanny resemblance to the markings of Sage Mode from the Naruto world. He gazed down at Anos with the calm detachment of a predator over its prey.
"Too weak," Kaito said coldly. "Is this all the strength a 300-million berry pirate can muster?"
Kaito's bounty was a mystery to many, an enigma wrapped in his disdain for notoriety. He didn't seek fame or fortune—only battle. His journey into the New World wasn't driven by dreams of becoming Pirate King but by the pursuit of power. In his quest to master the Sage Body, Kaito had faced countless opponents, defeated them, and left no witnesses. His bounty of 100 million was merely the result of a skirmish with a Vice Admiral, a fragment of his true strength exposed.
"Don't you dare underestimate me!" Anos roared, his voice raw with fury. His veins bulged as his arms shimmered with enhanced Armament Haki. He pushed back against Kaito's blade with every ounce of strength he could muster, the deck cracking further beneath him.
But Kaito didn't budge. His blade remained as immovable as a mountain, suffused with the combined essence of Armament and Conqueror's Haki, amplified by the spiraling power of Sage body. The clash of these techniques created a glowing aura around Kaito, evoking a visage of Naruto Uzumaki in the throes of his Kurama-Sage Mode transformation.
"Struggle all you want," Kaito said, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "But against me, even the strongest waves of the New World break."
The crew watched, paralyzed by fear and awe, as their captain's strength dwindled before their eyes. They realized, too late, that Kaito was not just another pirate. He was a force of nature—a storm unlike anything they had ever faced.