CHAPTER 33
"Cough… these swords? I actually just picked them up, and I only know a little about swordsmanship." Carl awkwardly scratched his head, raising his pinky finger slightly to indicate how minuscule his skills were.
"Oh~ you injured Hawkeye with such little skill? That's quite the understatement~" Kizaru raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise. "It seems your physical prowess and Haki must be truly exaggerated~"
"Sir, you've misunderstood," Carl quickly waved his hands in denial. "I—"
"Well~ no wonder Garp Vice Admiral keeps praising your strength," Kizaru interrupted in his usual languid tone.
Carl's mouth twitched, slumping lazily into his chair, completely dropping his earlier pretense of formality.
That old geezer Garp… Did he spill the beans?
Carl pulled out a cigar, lighting it with an annoyed expression.
"Why do you hide your strength, Carl?" Kizaru asked with a light chuckle. "For a strong man like you, displaying your full abilities would only grant you more status and power, wouldn't it?"
"Well, to be honest, it's because I'm not strong enough," Carl exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone casual. "The New World is filled with monsters, and the strongest ones are on an entirely different level."
"Besides, while I don't mind dealing with trouble when it comes my way, I prefer not to go out of my way looking for it."
From East Blue to Alabasta, his actions had never been truly proactive.
This was his core belief—he avoided unnecessary trouble.
However, if trouble found him first, he would ensure it was thoroughly resolved.
Once a problem was dealt with, it was no longer a problem. If left alone, it would only escalate.
"Oh~ then we're quite similar," Kizaru said with mild amusement. "But I still need to understand your strength."
Carl narrowed his eyes slightly.
Indeed, Kizaru didn't seek out problems himself.
However, if something forced his hand, he would handle it accordingly.
"Hah… so what do you want to know, old man? You don't expect me to actually fight you, do you?" Carl lazily blew out another puff of smoke.
"Well~ that's exactly what I mean. Let's have a little spar, Colonel Carl."
"After all, the old man knows a thing or two about swordsmanship~"
"???" Carl's mind went blank for a second.
Who in their right mind would want to fight a freak like this?!
"Wait, old man! I'm just a colonel, and you're my direct superior! How could I even dare to fight you?!"
"Oh, it's fine, I'm personally authorizing it~" Kizaru's grin remained unchanged.
"Cough… actually, old man, my moves all put a strain on my body. If I overuse them, I get injured. It's not that I don't want to fight… I really can't."
"No problem. The headquarters has the best medical facilities in the world~ You'll recover just fine," Kizaru continued in his usual teasing manner.
"Hah—" Carl smacked his lips in frustration, extinguishing his cigar in the ashtray on Kizaru's desk.
"Do I have to fight?"
"Well~ I just want to assess your strength," Kizaru spread his hands. "Oh~ your aura has changed, quite terrifying~"
Carl's golden eyes flickered.
"Fine. Where are we fighting?"
"Just outside in the plaza," Kizaru's body turned into light, vanishing on the spot.
Carl let out a deep breath, unsheathing Sakura Ten and stepping forward.
With a flash, he disappeared from the office.
Marineford Plaza
A vast, open courtyard stretched out before them.
As soon as Carl arrived, Kizaru's voice echoed from behind him.
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Boom!
Carl's right arm, coated in black lightning, blocked Kizaru's glowing foot.
With his other hand, Sakura Ten slashed through the air in a precise arc, cutting directly through Kizaru's torso.
The admiral's body split in half, his surprised expression still intact—before he reformed seamlessly.
"Tch! Logia-types are always troublesome," Carl muttered, as if he hadn't even landed a hit.
"Advanced Armament Haki and… a Great Swordsman~" Kizaru's lips curled into a faint smirk. "How terrifying~"
"Ama no Murakumo!"
Kizaru materialized a golden lightsaber in his hand.
Carl clenched his left fist, his golden eyes flashing with intensity.
"Final Scene—White Emperor Sword!"
Cherry blossoms drifted in the air, forming enormous sword-shaped wings behind him.
"Just because I can't use Geppo doesn't mean I can't fly!" Carl shot forward like a meteor.
Sakura Ten crackled with dark energy as he swung.
"Cut!"
Boom!
Kizaru intercepted with his lightsaber, their weapons colliding with explosive force.
"Oh~ so you can actually fly with this technique~" Kizaru mused, deflecting rapid blows.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as they exchanged strikes in midair.
Suddenly, a fierce wave of sword intent surged from Carl's blade.
A sense of absolute dominance filled the air.
"Shattering Army—Dragon Slayer Strike!"
Carl's body accelerated unnaturally, rocketing forward like an arrow!
Kizaru barely managed to react, shifting into light just in time.
His body reformed some distance away, his usual relaxed expression slightly shaken.
"That sword technique… quite dangerous~"
Carl's swordsmanship was entirely different from anything seen in the world.
Kizaru only evaded because of his immensely honed Observation Haki— the same level that allowed him to predict Whitebeard's attacks at Marineford.
"Bah!" Carl clicked his tongue. "Damn near broken ability. But next time, watch yourself, old man."
All of a sudden—
An overwhelming, razor-sharp aura erupted from Carl.
It was as if countless blades materialized in the sky.
"Ten Thousand Swords Return to One!"
The highest realm—Sword God's Domain!
A crimson light gleamed in Carl's eyes.
The wings behind him unfurled further, splitting into five additional sword-like appendages.
"Oh~ this is not good~" Kizaru's gaze sharpened.
His Observation Haki screamed a warning.
"However, if that's the case…"
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Countless golden beams rained from the sky.
Carl remained unfazed, swinging Sakura Ten in swift, consecutive arcs.
Each time he slashed, one of the five sword wings detached, continuing the attack autonomously.
This was the ability of [Piercing Clouds], an extension of Ten Thousand Swords Return to One!
Every attack triggered a secondary assault.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions filled the air as their abilities clashed.
Kizaru flickered, reappearing behind Carl.
Speed was the greatest strength of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
He was nearly untouchable—always the one attacking, never the one receiving blows.
However—
Carl smirked.
"Got you, old man."
Swish!
The five sword wings shot forward.
Kizaru's body instinctively tried to shift into light—
But—
He couldn't move!
A formless force had locked him in place.
[Ten Thousand Swords Return to One]—the second phase.
It wasn't just an offensive move.
It was also a domain. A suppression technique.
An invisible sword realm pressed down, rendering the target immobile.
A technique that turned even an Admiral into a helpless target.
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