The wind howled around The Moment as it sailed away from Sakura Reef, the island slowly vanishing behind a curtain of sea spray. The scent of smoke still lingered in Kairos's clothes, and the ache in his muscles hadn't fully faded from the fight with the Wild Jackals.
But none of that mattered now.
Because Kairos had made a promise.
He would never stand by again.
---
Days Later – The Floating Bazaar of Aruma
It was a miracle of chaos.
A city built on anchored ships, platforms, and repurposed galleons lashed together by bridges and rope. The Aruma Bazaar floated across the East Blue like a drifting jungle — markets, dens, taverns, even an arena tower perched on the prow of a capsized warship.
It was where pirates, merchants, and wanderers came to trade anything — weapons, maps, Devil Fruit rumors, even secrets.
Kairos and his crew docked at the edge, staring in awe.
"Looks like it's held together with rust and favors," Lokk muttered.
"I love it," Jinx grinned.
They had come for supplies… and something more important.
Information.
---
Trouble Finds Them Fast
They didn't even get past the first market stall.
Bam! A child — maybe ten — slammed into Kairos, chased by two towering bounty hunters in fur coats and iron boots. The boy's tiny body hit the dock hard, bleeding from a cut on his forehead.
"Little brat stole from us!" one of the men growled, lifting his boot.
Kairos stepped between them.
"Try it," he said flatly.
The man sneered. "You interfering, punk?"
Kairos didn't flinch. "I don't like grown men hurting kids. Let him go."
Jinx muttered, "Here we go again…"
The bounty hunter reached for Kairos's collar.
Too slow.
Kairos grabbed his wrist — Swap: Balance.
The man wobbled instantly, stumbling and crashing face-first into a crate.
"Wha—? What the hell did you do?!"
Kairos turned, scooping up the terrified boy. "Run. Find a place to hide."
The child didn't hesitate.
The other bounty hunter snarled and threw a punch.
Kairos ducked — just barely — and struck the man's side with an open palm.
Swap: Stamina.
The man's punch lost all force. He collapsed mid-swing, gasping.
But Kairos staggered too, sweat breaking out along his temple. The swaps were still too draining without rest between them.
They were attracting a crowd.
And attention.
---
The Arena Challenge
That night, as they camped in a spare storage crate Jinx had "borrowed" from an abandoned food stall, the boy returned.
His name was Dren, and he was part of a loose network of orphans who worked the bazaar, begging, stealing, surviving. He thanked Kairos with a half-eaten pear and news:
"You made someone angry," Dren said, chewing. "They put your name in the Arena Registry."
Kairos blinked. "The what?"
Jinx groaned. "Arena Tower. You've been challenged. It's public. You don't get a choice. You run, and your bounty goes up. You stay… you fight."
Kairos rubbed his forehead. "Who challenged me?"
Dren grinned like it was a bedtime story.
"Lady Vermina."
---
Next Day – Arena Tower
The Arena sat atop the broken spine of a warship, looming over the marketplace. Hundreds gathered in the bleachers — pirates, mercs, traders — eager for blood.
Kairos walked in with his coat fluttering, sword at his side, Jinx muttering something sarcastic behind him.
And across the sand stood Lady Vermina — six-foot-tall, wrapped in red silk, and wielding two curved blades coated in a green sheen.
"She's a poison duelist," Jinx whispered. "Fast, and clever."
"Any fruit?" Kairos asked.
"Nope. Pure skill."
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
"To the challenger: Kairos of the Swap-Swap Fruit! To the defender: Lady Vermina of the East!"
The crowd roared.
---
The Duel
It began in a blink.
Vermina dashed forward, blades spinning. Kairos ducked, rolled, dodged.
Too fast.
She sliced his side. Not deep, but he felt the sting.
Poison.
He had seconds.
She went in for the finishing move.
Swap: Speed.
In one flash, he was faster. Her movements slowed in his eyes.
He parried, barely grazing her shoulder.
Then—Swap: Injury.
The cut on his side vanished.
Her arm convulsed. She dropped a blade, staggering.
"W-what did you—?!" she growled.
"Just a little trade," Kairos panted, sweat dripping.
But the swaps were stacking. His stamina plummeted.
---
Last Gambit
Vermina adapted fast. She fought more defensively now, cutting off his reach, avoiding grabs.
Kairos pretended to fall.
She lunged.
He threw his hand out — not at her.
At her shadow.
Swap: Momentum.
His falling body became her fall. She tripped mid-air and slammed to the ground.
He stood over her, sword to her throat, breathing hard.
"I don't want to kill you," he said. "Just want people like you to stop preying on the weak."
Silence.
Then cheers.
And laughter.
---
Aftermath
Vermina yielded. The orphans got safer footing in the bazaar. Dren hugged Kairos's leg before disappearing into the crowd.
Kairos walked out of the arena with a new weight to his name.
Not just a pirate. Not just a kid.
A fighter.
One that stood up when others looked away.
And the world?
It had started to notice.