Kaito and Tokikake stood on opposite sides of the arena, both adjusting their states. The atmosphere was unusually quiet. The spectators around the ring didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, afraid they'd miss something crucial.
After a brief standoff, Kaito made the first move.
He had already entered Sage Mode—his speed increased by several times over. Tokikake wasn't prepared and was sent flying by a single blow, barely managing to stop himself at the edge of the ring.
Kaito didn't give him any time to recover. The next wave of attacks followed immediately. Though Tokikake was on guard this time and twisted his body to avoid the strike, he was still blasted away in the very next instant.
Spitting out a small mouthful of blood, Tokikake wiped the corner of his mouth, his mind filled with doubt.
He had clearly dodged that attack—so why had it still hit?
Suddenly, as if something clicked, he lifted his head and stared at Kaito.
"Advanced Armament Haki? You can use that too?"
Advanced Armament Haki, also known as Ryuo in the Wano Country arc of the pirate anime, allows the user to hit an opponent without making physical contact. There's an even stronger variant that can destroy from within—those who've mastered it are all top-tier powerhouses of the sea.
Though Tokikake voiced it as a question, deep down, he was already certain: the strike just now had been a use of Advanced Armament Haki.
And it wasn't just him—those seated in the stands came to the same conclusion.
Anyone sitting up there was high-ranking Marine combat power. They were no strangers to Advanced Armament Haki—but for a mere Marine recruit to have mastered it?
Kizaru glanced sideways at Zephyr and said sarcastically,
"Since when did Advanced Armament Haki become part of boot camp curriculum? The rookies these days are somethin' else, huh? Right, Zephyr-sensei?"
Zephyr stayed silent for a moment. He knew Kizaru was mocking him for giving Kaito private instruction—and it was true. Nothing to argue there.
But based on Kaito's strike just now, Zephyr also knew: that wasn't Advanced Armament Haki at all. Because he hadn't even taught it to Kaito yet!
After a brief thought, Zephyr slowly spoke.
"That wasn't Advanced Armament Haki. That attack was Kaito's own technique. He calls it Sage Mode. When he enters that state, he can use natural energy and even wrap it around his fists and feet. It does look similar to Advanced Armament Haki, I'll give you that."
Sengoku chimed in as well, backing him up.
"There's a difference. Kaito didn't use Haki at all just now. His arm didn't show any change."
Seeing the two of them shoot down his theory, Kizaru didn't argue further. Picking fights wasn't really his thing—especially not when one of them signed his paychecks.
...
In the ring, Kaito didn't bother explaining any of that to Tokikake. Taking advantage of the disarray caused by his earlier blow, he raised his hand and unleashed a full-power Universal Pull directly at Tokikake.
A massive gravitational force burst forth. The arena floor cracked inch by inch in the direction Kaito's palm faced. Even the spectators behind Tokikake were starting to get dragged in—and that was with Kaito actively limiting the range of the Universal Pull.
Tokikake, still wounded, couldn't resist the pull and was sucked in.
"Damn it! Don't get cocky, rookie!"
Humiliated by the repeated beatdowns, Tokikake was getting pissed. His right arm flared again with Armament Haki—but this time, the color was clearly different. It had a reddish hue: true Advanced Armament Haki.
In midair, Tokikake swung violently. A much stronger energy wave exploded outward, aimed straight at Kaito.
Kaito immediately sensed the threat. He fired off an Almighty Push, but it barely softened the attack. Without hesitation, he formed a Yin-Yang black rod with his other hand and held it up in defense.
Crack!
The rod shattered on impact.
This time, it was Kaito who was sent flying. Forcing the Deva Path's power to stabilize himself, he flew backward over ten meters before regaining control of his body.
Tokikake had won that round. Feeling much better mentally, he didn't let up in the slightest.
He pulled both arms back toward his waist, gathering energy for a moment—then fired both forward at once, aimed right at Kaito.
A transparent, boar-shaped shockwave appeared in the arena, letting out a wild roar before charging straight at Kaito.
Just as Kaito stabilized his stance, the attack was already upon him.
In the stands, Gion's nails dug into the flesh of her thigh in nervous tension. Sitting below the arena, Ain bit her lip hard. Everyone could tell how powerful Tokikake's move was—whoever got hit by that was going to lose a layer of skin, minimum.
Boom!
The center of the arena was engulfed in smoke. Cracked stone tiles flew everywhere. Marine officers stationed around the ring immediately moved to shield the audience from flying debris.
"Kaito!!!"
A shout rang out. Most people didn't pay it much attention, but Gion—sitting on the elevated platform—looked toward the voice's source.
It was Ain, sitting among the spectators. When Kaito vanished into the smoke, her emotions spilled over.
Seeing that it was a Marine cadet—and a pretty one at that—Gion couldn't help but curl her lip.
Figures. Kaito had more admirers than just her.
But now wasn't the time. No one knew Kaito's condition yet. She forced those thoughts aside and focused on the arena's center.
...
Eventually, the smoke cleared.
Kaito's figure slowly came into view. His head was bowed slightly, right hand extended in the direction the shockwave had come from. White smoke was still rising from his hand.
But the most eye-catching detail... was the back of his hand.
There was now a black circular emblem there. Five thick black lines extended from it, linking to each fingertip. The circle pulsed—beating, almost like a black heart.
Kaito slowly raised his head and said softly,
"Armament: Ascension."
Armament... Ascension?
Tokikake was confused. He hadn't been taught anything like that!
Lowering his arms and relaxing slightly, Kaito's gaze grew increasingly dangerous. A terrifying energy began to radiate from his right hand.
Tokikake didn't dare let his guard down. His body tensed in full defense mode.
As soon as Kaito felt the explosive power in his arm was ready, he unleashed twelve rapid strikes in an instant.
"Twelvefold Vacuum Strike."
Twelve fist-shaped shockwaves burst forth, forming a wall of compressed air. The attack range was massive, almost impossible to dodge. The speed was so extreme that the space they passed through warped from the force.
Tokikake knew there was no avoiding it. He planted his stance deep into the ground, his expression determined as he shouted,
"Tekkai!"
Hearing that technique name, Kaito casually reached into the Door-Door Space and pulled out a fresh outfit to change into.
Thud!
The sound of a body hitting the ground echoed through the arena. The referee appeared beside Tokikake, who had fallen off the ring. His eyes had rolled back—unconscious.
Turning to face the crowd, the referee raised his hand and shouted,
"Vice Admiral Tokikake has lost consciousness! I declare the winner of this match is..."
He swallowed hard, trying to calm himself, then bellowed at the top of his lungs:
"Uchiha Kaito!!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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