The words "pirate ship" hit Kyle like a bolt of lightning.
All the boredom, restlessness, and pent-up frustration inside him ignited into pure battle hunger.
He rushed to the railing and squinted toward the northeast.
A dark speck was rapidly growing larger. Soon the shape of a massive ship became clear—several times bigger than their own battered boat. On its sails was a grinning skull with two crossed battle-axes.
The enemy had spotted them too. The pirates were already cheering, waving their weapons in mockery.
"Kuahahaha! Perfect timing!" Roger cracked his knuckles. "I was just getting bored."
"Captain."
Roger and Rayleigh turned in surprise.
Kyle stood at the rail, black hair fluttering in the wind, golden eyes blazing.
"Let me take this one."
His hand closed around the naginata.
Roger stared at him for a second—then burst out laughing.
"Kuahahaha! Fine! Show us what you've got!"
"But if you screw it up," Roger added with a wicked grin, "you're skipping dinner."
"Deal."
Kyle turned toward the approaching ship.
The enemy captain, a massive brute with a face like a bulldog, lowered his telescope and laughed.
"Three people? One of them a kid?! Easy money! Kill them and take everything!"
Kyle leapt off the rail.
"Wave-Step!"
The sea rippled beneath his feet, forming solid plates of compressed vibration.
He walked on water.
The pirates stared in horror.
"He's walking on the sea!"
"Devil Fruit user!"
The captain snarled. "So what? Fire!"
Cannons roared.
Kyle bent his knees.
"Shock Step!"
The water exploded beneath him, launching him high into the air.
Mid-flight, he swung his naginata.
A white blade of vibrating air sliced forward—shattering every cannonball into fragments before they could explode.
Kyle descended through the mist, eyes burning.
"Game over."
His blade began to hum.
"Sound Cleave — Phoenix Cry!"
A gigantic phoenix-shaped shockwave screamed across the sea and slammed into the pirate ship.
The vessel exploded apart.
Masts snapped. Decks shattered. Pirates were flung screaming into the ocean.
In seconds, the ship was gone.
Kyle stood on the waves, breathing hard.
Behind him, Roger burst into thunderous laughter.
"Kuahahahaha! Did you see that, Rayleigh?! That was beautiful!"
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