While Demon Town was still being shaken by the aftermath of the battle, the man responsible for it all had already left.
Kai paid little attention to the chaos behind him.
The discussions, the rumors, the shock spreading through the town—
None of it mattered.
About fifteen minutes later, he crossed the outskirts of Demon Town and returned to the harbor.
The familiar Marine warship sat anchored offshore.
The sea breeze carried the scent of salt through the air.
Above the mast, the Marine flag fluttered proudly.
The harbor remained as gloomy as ever.
Demon Town's infamous fog rarely disappeared, even during broad daylight. A gray haze covered the sea, making everything appear colder than it truly was.
Kai paused briefly.
He glanced back toward the distant town.
The battlefield was hidden behind countless buildings now, but he could still picture it clearly.
Doflamingo.
The strongest opponent he had faced since arriving in this world.
A smile appeared on Kai's lips.
"Not bad."
The battle had been worth it.
He had come to deliver an invitation.
Instead, he had ended up fighting for nearly two hours.
And despite all that, neither side had managed to overwhelm the other.
That alone spoke volumes about Doflamingo's strength.
Still...
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly.
"If we fight again six months from now, the result won't be the same."
He was absolutely certain of that.
His growth rate was simply too absurd.
Half a year later, Doflamingo would no longer be able to stand on equal footing with him.
After one final glance toward Demon Town, Kai turned around and walked up the gangplank.
The moment he stepped onto the deck, dozens of eyes landed on him.
Marine soldiers.
Officers.
Elite Headquarters personnel.
Every single one stared at him with unconcealed admiration.
The respect in their eyes was almost tangible.
After all, they already knew what had happened.
Their youngest monster had just fought Heavenly Yaksha Doflamingo head-on.
And he had returned standing.
Covered in wounds.
But standing.
For Marines, there was no greater proof of strength.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru is waiting for you."
One officer immediately stepped forward.
Kai nodded.
He didn't need directions.
The elderly Vice Admiral was already standing near the bow of the ship.
Her calm gaze swept across him.
Then she smiled.
"You certainly know how to cause trouble."
Kai laughed.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Tsuru's eyes lingered on the cuts covering his body.
Though numerous, most were superficial.
Compared to the injuries Doflamingo had suffered, Kai's condition was actually much better.
That alone was enough to make her inwardly sigh.
Monsters really were different.
"How's your condition?"
Tsuru asked.
"Still alive."
Kai stretched his shoulders.
"A few scratches."
The surrounding Marines nearly choked.
A few scratches?
If those wounds had been on anyone else, they would already be lying in a hospital bed.
Tsuru rolled her eyes.
"You sound exactly like Garp."
"I'll pretend that's praise."
"It isn't."
Kai laughed again.
The atmosphere relaxed considerably.
After a brief pause, Tsuru's expression became more serious.
"Did he agree?"
Kai immediately understood who she meant.
"Doflamingo accepted."
A faint smile appeared on Tsuru's face.
She wasn't surprised.
In fact, she had expected that outcome from the beginning.
The Seven Warlords proposal was simply too valuable.
For an ambitious pirate like Doflamingo, refusing it would have been irrational.
"He made the smart choice."
Kai nodded.
"Smart enough."
The Seven Warlords system was still in its infancy.
Doflamingo becoming the first official member carried enormous significance.
From this moment onward, history had begun changing.
Tsuru looked toward Demon Town.
Her sharp eyes seemed capable of seeing through the fog itself.
"That battle was louder than I expected."
Kai shrugged.
"Doflamingo wasn't weak."
"That's putting it mildly."
Tsuru gave him a meaningful look.
"I watched most of the fight."
Kai blinked.
"You did?"
"Of course."
Tsuru snorted.
"You think we'd just let a five-year-old Marine genius walk alone into Doflamingo's territory?"
Kai suddenly understood.
No wonder.
Several times during the battle, he had sensed another powerful presence nearby.
Apparently, it had been Tsuru all along.
"If things had gone badly, I would've stepped in."
Tsuru said it casually.
But every Marine on deck knew what that meant.
If Kai had lost, Demon Town would have witnessed an even more terrifying battle.
Fortunately, it never came to that.
After a moment of silence, Tsuru suddenly added:
"To be honest..."
"Watching that fight reminded me of something."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Tsuru looked at him carefully.
"Young Garp."
The surrounding Marines immediately straightened.
That comparison carried enormous weight.
Even among Marine Headquarters legends, Monkey D. Garp stood at the very top.
Yet Tsuru shook her head before anyone could react.
"No."
"That's not quite right."
Everyone froze.
Tsuru continued.
"Young Garp wasn't this ridiculous."
The deck became silent.
Kai nearly laughed.
That was one hell of a compliment.
"You really know how to flatter people."
"I'm not flattering you."
Tsuru spoke matter-of-factly.
"I'm stating a fact."
"At your age, Garp was nowhere near this level."
The Marines exchanged shocked looks.
Even though many already believed Kai's talent surpassed anyone in Marine history...
Hearing it from Tsuru carried a completely different impact.
After all, she had personally witnessed the rise of legends.
She knew exactly what she was talking about.
Then Tsuru sighed.
"Honestly..."
"If you and I fought right now, I'm not sure I'd win with absolute certainty."
The entire deck froze.
Several Marines stared at her in disbelief.
Even Kai looked surprised.
Tsuru was not just any Vice Admiral.
She was one of the Marine Headquarters' greatest veterans.
A woman respected by Roger, Whitebeard, Sengoku, and Garp alike.
Yet she had just admitted she might not be able to guarantee victory against Kai.
The statement alone was enough to shake the entire ship.
Seeing their reactions, Tsuru simply shrugged.
"What?"
"You all saw that battle."
"Anyone who still thinks of him as a child is a fool."
No one argued.
Because she was right.
After fighting Doflamingo to a standstill, Kai could no longer be measured by age.
He belonged in the ranks of true monsters.
At that moment, Kai suddenly yawned.
The adrenaline from battle was fading.
Exhaustion began crashing into him like a tidal wave.
Seeing this, Tsuru waved her hand.
"Go get some sleep."
Kai didn't argue.
He genuinely needed rest.
That battle had drained almost everything he had.
As he turned to leave, Tsuru called out one last time.
"Kai."
He stopped.
"What?"
A faint smile appeared on Tsuru's face.
"You did well."
For a moment, Kai seemed surprised.
Then he grinned.
"Thanks."
Without another word, he headed toward his cabin.
The door closed behind him.
A few seconds later, silence filled the room.
Kai collapsed onto the bed.
His body felt as though it had been filled with lead.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
Yet despite the exhaustion, a satisfied smile remained on his face.
Doflamingo had been strong.
Very strong.
But next time?
The result would be different.
That thought lingered in his mind as sleep overtook him.
Outside, the Marine warship began moving.
Anchors were raised.
Sails unfurled.
The vessel slowly cut through the sea.
Vice Admiral Tsuru stood at the bow, watching Demon Town disappear into the distance.
After a long moment, she quietly spoke.
"That kid..."
A Marine officer nearby looked over.
"Vice Admiral?"
Tsuru's eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
"An era belongs to someone eventually."
Her voice carried a rare hint of emotion.
"And for the first time in many years..."
"I think I already know who that person will be."
The warship sailed onward.
Behind them, Demon Town faded into the fog.
Ahead lay the endless Grand Line.
And somewhere beyond that horizon, a new legend was already beginning to take shape.
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