"Oi, oi~ Bastard! You break my ship, I'm taking your ride as payment!"
Aeridar bared his teeth in irritation, the edge of his usual smirk twisting into a scowl as he eyed the hairline fractures webbing across the deck of the Chris. His voice, though light, carried a palpable undercurrent of menace.
If a fight broke out on deck, with the likes of Aeridar and Borsalino involved, a whole city wouldn't survive the fallout.
"My bad, lil' bro," said Kizaru with an exaggerated shrug and a lazy flick of his lips, clearly not taking it seriously in the slightest.
"You damn monkey, wreck my ship again and I'll wipe out your whole fleet!"
A vein popped on Aeridar's forehead. Without further warning, his right arm darkened, Armament Haki, hardening instantly, before rocketing forward in a tight punch aimed at the Admiral's midsection.
They were less than an arm's length apart. Aeridar's punch came fast, a blur of black steel and compressed wind force. Even Kizaru had to cross his arms defensively to absorb the blow.
A concussive blast tore through the air.
Kizaru was flung from the deck like a comet, streaking away in a flash of golden light.
"D-Did he just... knock him away?"
"No way, Captain's insane!"
"That's the Navy's top dog? Doesn't seem so tough now!"
The crew exploded in cheers at the sight of their captain blasting away the Marine Admiral like he was a cannonball.
"Shut up, all of you! Don't make a scene!" Aeridar snapped, an irritated twitch at the corner of his eye.
High in the air, that streak of golden light abruptly halted, hovering midair before condensing once more into a tall, lanky man in a yellow-striped coat.
"My, my... what strength. That punch wasn't normal. You sure you're not part Giant?"
Kizaru floated effortlessly in the air, cigarette between his lips, watching Aeridar with a tilted head and narrowed eyes.
He was genuinely surprised. That punch packed power that bordered on absurd, even by New World standards.
"Damn showoff. Think you're better 'cause you can fly?" Aeridar scoffed.
Thump. Thump. Thump...
Aeridar leapt into the air, feet pounding the atmosphere itself as he raced toward Kizaru.
"Geppō, huh? Not bad. Even CP9 would've blinked," Kizaru muttered with a squint, mildly impressed by Aeridar's speed and control.
"But still... allow me to return the favor, Golden Ring Aeridar."
With that, Kizaru raised his right index finger. At its tip, golden particles began to converge and hum.
In a flash, a laser beam streaked forward.
Aeridar didn't flinch. He couldn't afford to.
Behind him lay the Chris, and if he dodged, the entire ship would be obliterated. Instead, he clenched his right arm, still coated in Armament Haki, as it bulged with force.
Armament Technique—Twin Bear Pillars!!!
The punch met the laser with devastating impact.
A blinding explosion lit up the sky, shockwaves rippling across the ocean's surface. The sea beneath churned violently, tossing the Chris side to side like a toy.
From above, Kizaru narrowed his eyes slightly. Despite his usual nonchalance, the Admiral now looked more focused than before.
"Scary, scary~ What a monster you are," he muttered, still wearing that mocking tone, but with a sliver of genuine respect bleeding through.
"Borsalino... you bastard," Aeridar growled. Around him, the air warped, rippling like a heat haze, forming a faint barrier that shielded him from the explosion's aftermath.
"Is this your idea of tearing up the agreement?"
Kizaru shrugged, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"The World Government has acknowledged your position as one of the Seven Warlords, sure. But we haven't signed anything official yet. So technically... there's no agreement to tear up."
Aeridar's expression darkened. Slowly, he raised both hands, palms open. His left pointed directly at Kizaru.
His right hand, however, extended toward the sea, toward Water 7's Northern Port.
"You want a real fight? I'll give you one. To be honest... I've been curious about just how strong your Marine dogs really are."
Kizaru's eyes flicked toward the direction Aeridar was pointing. His expression tensed just a little.
"Whoa there," he said, lifting both hands in mock surrender. "Let's not go crazy now~ I was just kidding. You know, if a Marine Admiral went all out against a freshly-minted Warlord and caused massive destruction... I'd be the one getting court-martialed, not you."
Truth be told, Kizaru hadn't come here looking for a serious fight. He was simply bored, curious to test the so-called "strongest rookie," the rising star of the Grand Line.
But if things escalated, if Water 7 was damaged in the crossfire, he'd be the one dragged over the coals by the higher-ups.
And worse, if this turned into a full-scale battle, even if he wiped out the entire Chris Pirates, his fleet would take heavy losses.
Those ships weren't expendable, they were currently the only deployable force capable of pursuing the Demon Mask Pirates while the Marine Grand Expeditionary Fleet was still abroad.
"Whatever. You threw the first punch," Aeridar grumbled, lowering his hands.
With that, Aeridar turned away, stepped into the air, and strode back toward the Chris, not sparing Kizaru another glance.
"So young... yet such a monster," Kizaru murmured, stroking his chin as he watched the pirate disappear into the distance. "And a nasty temper, too."
A moment later, his body dissolved into another beam of golden light and shot off toward the harbor.
Back on the Chris, Aeridar landed with a thud on the deck. His crew rushed over.
"Captain! Are you alright?"
Millie and Mina clung to either side of him, their faces etched with worry.
"Captain, what the hell did that guy want? He really just came here to spar?"
Arlan frowned, still watching the yellow streak disappear into the clouds.
"That was a Marine Admiral..."
Oliver's fingers tightened around his sword hilt, expression hardening.
"There've always been stories about the Admirals," Dimitri said, his voice grave. "Today proves they're true. That speed alone could take me out before I even react."
Gorbo and Backan said nothing, but their grim faces betrayed their thoughts. They were both raw power types, and against that kind of speed and firepower, brute strength was meaningless.
They'd be dead before they could land a single hit.
"That guy... he was just bored," Aeridar muttered, his face twisted in disdain. "Annoying bastard. But don't sell yourselves short. He's been in the Navy for decades. An Admiral's strength is earned, sure, but don't let that shake your own."
He turned to face his crew, eyes steely.
"Respect strength, but never forget your own."
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