In mere seconds, Kenji rose from the sea, propelling himself upwards by leveraging the exploding pirate ships along the way, leaving behind a winding trail of impact.
This was a combat path unique to martial arts masters. A trajectory that onlookers perceived as almost miraculous.
Explosions continuously erupted from the pirate ships, with raging fires igniting the ammunition on board, causing continuous sympathetic detonations. Even in the stormy weather, the fires could not be extinguished.
At the same time, the soaring flames illuminated the panicked and terrified faces of the pirates.
"What, what just happened?"
"Uwah! Why did all the gunpowder and cannonballs on the ship explode?"
Many pirates hadn't even figured out the situation, not understanding why they had suddenly fallen into despair.
Weren't they just happily besieging that very annoying Marine ship below?
"It seems a terrifying guy passed by our ship..."
"That guy's speed was incredible... he's a monster!"
Even some powerful pirates didn't clearly see Kenji's face, only catching a glimpse of his fleeting shadow.
But this only made it more terrifying. Humans have an instinctive fear of the unknown.
In this battlefield, only Shiki could clearly see Kenji's movements, though it required the aid of top-tier Observation Haki.
However, Shiki couldn't comprehend the power Kenji was displaying at this moment.
"Such immense power... what's going on?"
"There's actually a second person in the world with such speed, punching power, and ability to destroy everything..."
At this moment, Shiki almost had the illusion that he had picked the wrong opponent.
Was that lightning-fast monster across from him just Garp wearing Kenji's face as a mask?
The explosions of the floating pirate ships continued, and soon, the shattered pirate ships began to completely disintegrate in the storm.
The explosion's flames shot skyward. Looking up from below, the dark clouds glowed with fire, as if they had been ignited.
Maybe due to the hot air currents from the flames, the dark cloud layer, which had only been swirling with wind, now subtly flickered with lightning.
Before long, bolts of thunder broke through the dark clouds, striking down onto the battlefield.
By this time, Kenji had reached the highest point, a fiercely burning floating pirate ship, his entire body still glowing with flowing Armament Haki.
Bolt after bolt of lightning struck down in front and behind him. Every moment, incredibly dazzling flashes of lightning burst into view, streaking across the dark sky.
Opposite, in the distance, Shiki had long since shed his disdainful expression, the smile gone from his face, as if he had suddenly become humorless.
"Old man, it looks like you haven't been idle all these years!"
Shiki's smile vanished, his expression serious and earnest, already regarding Kenji as a true opponent of his own caliber.
"But an enemy is worth remembering for years!"
As he spoke, Shiki swung the swords in his hands, Conqueror's Haki wrapping around the blades, releasing an extremely domineering aura of pressure.
Powerful energy condensed on the blades. Even before he truly unleashed a slash, the Conqueror's Haki flowing on the blades had already torn through the air, drawing out countless tiny, sharp slashes.
Endless lightning-shaped Haki traces spread out. At this moment, Shiki's body also glowed, but it was the light of Conqueror's Haki.
However, this time, before Shiki could launch his attack, Kenji in the distance had already finished charging and unleashed a heavy punch.
Kenji pushed off with his feet, stomping and exploding the already shattered pirate ship he stood upon.
The entire ship instantly blew apart, and the pirates barely clinging to life on the ship were uncontrollably sent plummeting into the sea like worms.
Using the powerful recoil, Kenji's body shot out at extreme speed.
Due to his immense speed, the air friction generated high-temperature flames, engulfing his entire body in fire. Fortunately, the flowing Armament Haki around him blocked the flames.
From afar, Kenji, glowing all over, was enveloped in raging flames, resembling a man of fire.
However, at this moment, Kenji was in a 'non-human' state.
He had already activated Sea Beast Power when he was charging his punch.
Previously, he had been somewhat hesitant, afraid of stomping and exploding the pirate ship he was standing on.
But now, he had completely let go, unleashing his power without any reservations.
He threw his right fist, and terrifying power coalesced on his fist, ready to erupt at any moment.
It was still 'Titan Impact,' but the power was 'non-human'.
Across from him, Shiki suddenly laughed in the face of this fierce and domineering strike, as if he had seen through something: the true nature of Kenji's power.
"Armament Haki? No matter how strong, it's still just Armament Haki!"
"Only Conqueror's Haki is qualified to stand at the pinnacle!"
The Conqueror's Haki flowing on the twin swords in Shiki's hands fully erupted, its dazzling light even momentarily overpowering the lightning flashes nearby.
The next moment, he fully activated his Float-Float Fruit ability, pushing his speed to its limit, and charged to meet Kenji.
In the blink of an eye, two peaks of light fiercely collided above the stormy sky.
A blinding light instantly exploded, and endless traces of Haki diffused, permeating the entire battlefield with the oppressive aura of Conqueror's Haki. However, this exchange lasted only an instant.
The moment Kenji's heavy punch collided with Shiki's Conqueror's Haki enhanced blade, his body was suddenly jolted by the Conqueror's Haki, as if struck from a distance.
Then, the immense 'non-human' power sent Shiki flying, the latter soaring backward, plummeting far down into the sea below.
"It's not over yet, blondie!"
Kenji shook his fist, continuously stepping on the air with Geppo, soaring through the sky.
However, before he could descend near the sea, his Observation Haki suddenly detected a powerful aura rapidly approaching.
Kenji frowned, narrowing his eyes as he stared at a certain spot on the sea below.
The next moment, a giant whale burst through the sea, splashing water everywhere.
It was a pirate ship shaped like a giant whale! The Moby Dick!
The Whitebeard Pirates had arrived!