Conceptual Speed

A piercing cry sliced through the chaos of the battlefield.

The massive, shadowy form of the long-haired and long-bearded Five Elder, now fully transformed into his monstrous cat form, darted through the air with eerie grace. His four paws seemed to tread on nothing, each step mimicking the precision of Moonwalk.

In a blur, he plunged into the ranks of the Marine soldiers.

Slash.

Slash.

Each motion was a masterclass in carnage—dozens of Marines fell, their bodies torn as if by invisible blades.

"Too fast," muttered Kizaru, his usual nonchalance giving way to a rare furrow of concern. In a flash of golden light, he materialized before the feline behemoth. "One of the Five Elders, huh? Well, it seems it's my turn to take down one of you legendary figures."

The giant cat cocked its head, a sneer curling its feline lips. "You, Kizaru? Don't make me laugh. Light may be swift, but you are bound by the physical world. My speed? It transcends that. It exists on a higher plane—conceptual speed. A level you cannot reach."

Kizaru's face twitched. "Conceptual speed? Sounds like a bunch of nonsense. Let's see how it handles the speed of light!"

With that, Kizaru lashed out, his leg snapping forward in a dazzling arc. The kick was impossibly fast, aimed straight for the beast's midsection.

And yet…

Whoosh.

His foot struck nothing but air.

"An afterimage?" Kizaru's eyes widened, alarm spreading through him.

Before he could react, a black blur appeared beside him.

"I told you, didn't I?" the long-haired Elder growled, his voice dripping with mockery. "Your light speed is nothing but a cheap trick compared to my power."

With a swift motion, the Elder's hind leg swung through the air, delivering a bone-crushing blow to Kizaru's chest.

CRACK!

Kizaru's body flew backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the earth with a thunderous impact. The ground beneath him cratered, and when he tried to rise, sharp, searing pain stopped him. Deep gashes, laced with Armament Haki, marred his torso. Blood poured freely from the wounds.

"Damn… this isn't good," he muttered, clutching his side.

Not far off, Aokiji watched in stunned silence. He acted on instinct, launching twin waves of freezing air toward the Elder.

"Hmph." The cat's sneer deepened. With a casual swipe of his paw, the icy projectiles shattered mid-air.

Before Aokiji could retreat, the Elder vanished.

And reappeared behind him.

"You're even weaker than your companion," the Elder hissed, striking with both claws.

RIP!

Aokiji staggered as deep, jagged wounds opened across his midsection. His cry of pain echoed across the battlefield as he fell back, hastily freezing his injuries shut to prevent his organs from spilling out.

"Even elemental forms can't save you now," the Elder mused, licking his claws clean with exaggerated relish. "You Admirals are embarrassingly fragile."

Aokiji stumbled over to Kizaru, his face pale and grim. "This guy… he's on a completely different level."

Kizaru chuckled weakly, blood dripping from his mouth. "No kidding. I think I've had enough of this."

Above them, the massive feline loomed, ready to strike. His black eyes burned with murderous intent, promising death.

But just as he leapt, a powerful force slammed into him mid-air, driving him back. The impact sent the Elder skidding across the ground, carving a trench into the earth.

When the dust cleared, the Elder crouched low, his eyes locked on the figure now standing between him and the Admirals.

"Marshal Finn!" Kizaru and Aokiji exclaimed in unison.

Finn stood tall, his presence commanding. His eyes burned with an unyielding resolve as he faced the Elder.

"Well, well," the Elder hissed, his tone laced with malice. "Come to save your lackeys, have you? You must know it's futile. My claws carry the poison of the cat—a conceptual toxin. Once infected, there's no antidote. Those two are as good as dead."

Finn tilted his head, unimpressed. "Conceptual poison? You really like that word, don't you?"

The Elder's lips curled into a snarl. "Mock me all you like, but your men are finished. Their strength will wither, their bodies fail. And after I've dealt with you, the rest of your Marines will fall like leaves in a storm."

Finn's gaze remained steady. He shrugged, raising his rifle. "If that's the best you've got, then this won't take long."

Without hesitation, he fired four precise shots.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The bullets whizzed past the Elder and struck Kizaru and Aokiji instead.

"What… what are you doing?" Aokiji gasped, his vision blurring.

Kizaru grimaced. "Is this some kind of joke, Marshal?"

But as the bullets embedded themselves in their bodies, a strange warmth spread through them. The poison's effects began to dissipate. Strength returned to their limbs, and their wounds stopped aching.

The Elder's eyes narrowed. "Impossible. How did you—"

Finn smirked, lowering his rifle. "You talk a lot about concepts, but here's one for you: innovation beats tradition every time. Those weren't ordinary bullets."

Aokiji and Kizaru rose to their feet, their injuries healed.

"Now then," Finn said, leveling his rifle at the Elder. "Let's see how fast that cat of yours really is."