Gon looked at Luffy, who had already taken a stance, his eyes burning with excitement.
He also truly wanted to know, after his rigorous training at Heaven's Arena, just how strong he had become.
Boom! His Ren instantly erupted, and a powerful aura stirred up fine dust from the ground.
This sudden change made Luffy's carefree expression instantly serious, replaced by the intense focus he showed when facing a formidable enemy.
Zoro's gaze became even sharper, and his hand unconsciously rested on his sword hilt. "Luffy, don't be careless. This kid is extraordinary."
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded heavily, but then a big smile bloomed on his face, and he issued his classic invitation: "You're strong! Come be my nakama!"
"Be your crewmate?" The aura around Gon suddenly became fiery, and anger made his Nen surge even more.
"Are you asking me to become a pirate?" In his perception, pirates were no different from thieves—evil villains who plundered and destroyed at will.
Luffy patted his straw hat, wanting to explain, but Gon had already given him no chance.
Gon moved, erupting with astonishing speed, and in an instant, he closed in on Luffy, his fist wrapped in pure Nen, smashing directly towards his face.
Seeing it was an ordinary fist, Luffy did not dodge, confident that his rubber body was immune to impact.
However, when that fist landed squarely on his cheek...
Bang! A tremendous force, far beyond imagination, struck him.
Luffy felt a sharp pain in his face and was uncontrollably sent flying backward, crashing heavily into a pile of wooden containers behind him with a loud noise.
"Luffy!" Zoro was shocked. "How is that possible? He's a rubber man, physical attacks should be ineffective against him!"
What shocked him even more was that Luffy's mouth was bleeding in mid-air, which was completely illogical.
Kyle saw everything clearly from the side and understood.
Nen is life energy, and this direct attack has an extremely high priority in essence. Even without this world's equivalent, Armament Haki, the attack can still cause physical damage to any ability user.
Luffy quickly jumped up from the ruins, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his face was full of confusion.
Not only was he not afraid, but he curiously grabbed the cheek that had just been hit with his hand and pulled it hard in both directions.
"It hurts! But it's still rubber!" he mumbled, like a child encountering a difficult problem, "Why can your fist hurt me? So strange!"
If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it—that was one of Luffy's main characteristics.
He adjusted his straw hat, his smile even brighter: "Although I don't understand, you really are strong! I want you as a companion even more!"
The battle erupted again, and it became even more intense.
Gon, with his astonishing insight and Nen protection, was entangled with Luffy's flexible and imaginative rubber techniques.
And not far away, Kyle was clearly feeling all of this.
Every offensive and defensive exchange, every strange attack angle from Luffy, every improvised block and counterattack from Gon, all transformed into the most direct combat experience and energy insights, continuously flowing into his body through the soul connection.
He felt as if he was personally on the battlefield; although his body was weak, his soul was simultaneously learning, adapting, and even optimizing these techniques.
This was the terrifying aspect of the Book of World Resonance—it shared the contractor's cultivation achievements and combat instincts with the host without reservation.
"Gum-Gum—Pistol!"
"Gum-Gum—Gatling!"
Luffy put away all his contempt, and his offense became even more fierce.
He used his elasticity to shoot forward like a meteor, stretching his palms back and unleashing a powerful technique.
However, Gon seemed to have anticipated it.
The moment Luffy exerted his maximum force, he quickly sidestepped, then stomped on the ground and leaped up, seizing the moment when Luffy's old strength was exhausted and new strength had yet to emerge!
His fist, wrapped in intense Nen, once again slammed heavily into Luffy's face like a sledgehammer.
Boom! Luffy was directly smashed to the ground, creating a shallow pit, his body temporarily stuck in it.
Gon immediately stepped forward, his right fist held high, the Nen gathered on it emitting a dangerous aura.
He stared at Luffy and said seriously, "Give up being a pirate, and I'll spare you."
"I won't," Luffy replied without a hint of hesitation; even when facing a death threat, his eyes remained clear and firm.
"Aren't you afraid of death?"
"I am." Luffy said it as a matter of course, "But even if I die, I will become the Pirate King!"
Gon was stunned.
He saw no hint of falsehood or evil in the other person's eyes, only a pure, childlike persistence, which was completely different from the brutal pirate image he had in mind.
This caused his descending fist to hesitate slightly.
Just at that moment—
"Captain!" A cold killing intent locked onto Gon from the side!
Zoro quickly rushed towards Gon, and the moment he got close, he slashed at Gon without any hesitation.
Gon, relying on his excellent Hunter instincts, instinctively ducked his head sharply, and an invisible, sharp aura grazed his hair.
He immediately jumped backward, putting distance between himself and Zoro, who now had three swords drawn.
"Are you alright, Captain?"
"Hehe, I almost kicked the bucket!" Luffy easily jumped out of the pit, stretching his limbs.
Zoro stared intently at Gon, and without turning his head, he whispered to Luffy, "This guy is strong, things are bad, prepare to retreat, I'll cover you!"
"No way!" Luffy refused without hesitation, "If we run, we run together!"
Listening to their unreserved trust and responsibility, Gon's doubts deepened. This kind of pirate was completely different from what he had imagined.
Kyle felt Gon's gaze and slowly walked forward. His stamina had recovered quite a bit, and his tone was calm but carried an undeniable firmness.
"People's pursuits differ. Someone who looks like a good person isn't necessarily a good person, and a bad person isn't necessarily a bad person."
"This world is mostly composed of oceans and islands, giving rise to countless adventurous dreamers and ambitious individuals.
The title 'pirate' has become mainstream. Among them, some pursue wealth, power, and slaughter, while others... merely want to chase ultimate freedom."
"This is no different from the Hunters in our world; it's just a difference in title and pursuit, and there is no absolute right or wrong in itself."
As Gon listened to Kyle, the anger and confusion in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of contemplation.
Kyle then formally turned his gaze to Luffy, a smile on his face that mixed appreciation and competitiveness.
"You're Monkey D. Luffy, aren't you? Nice to meet you, I'm Kyle Link."
He paused, his voice clearly echoing throughout the area: "I look forward to this—that on the final path to the peak, we can fight again!"
These words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake! How could Luffy not understand Kyle's meaning?
This was not only recognition but also a naked declaration of challenge! Kyle also wanted to become the Pirate King and saw Luffy as an opponent he must overcome!
In an instant, all the playfulness on Luffy's face vanished.
He straightened the straw hat on his head, and beneath the lowered brim, a huge, incredibly excited smile filled with fighting spirit spread across his lips, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
"Alright! Bring it on!" His voice was loud, and he showed an incredibly confident smile. "I'm the man who's going to be the Pirate King!"