Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: The Monkey Show

The straw hat kid ahead was displaying an unmatched posture.

Eagle-Eye’s pupils narrowed slightly, revealing a look of interest.

“Straw Hat Kid, you truly are extraordinary.”

“Eagle-Eye, don’t you remember us?!”

The black blade behind him drew out effortlessly, striking down two nagging, prattling humanoid swordsmen.

“No recollection whatsoever.”

Doflamingo laughed freely, as if witnessing something delightful: “Super problematic rookie—how interesting, how interesting!”

“Stop~~, Straw Hat Kid~.”

Amidst the mixed emotions, the one blocking Luffy’s path was Admiral Kizaru.

Kizaru pouted, his tone lazy but his eyes locked firmly on Luffy: “The Celestial Dragons have been coming to me daily over your affairs—never expected you’d grow this much in just a few days.”

“I can’t let you continue like this.”

His right foot lifted, dazzling light flashing.

Admiral Kizaru moved!

“The undercover agent’s out—this is settled.”

Far away, Su Lin was wandering around, observing everything while browsing the system store.

According to his earlier plan, 100 points could buy a core cultivation technique; the best few martial arts to reach Peak Primordial were priced under 500 points.

But now was clearly not the time to exchange for those.

Purchase-to-Learn Series

【Elemental Introduction: Basics】 Price: 190 Manifestation Points.

【On Hand-to-Hand Combat for Humanoid Beings】 Price: 100 Manifestation Points.

【Starting from Zero as a Phoenix】 Price: 170 Manifestation Points.

These had some utility—when paired with a Logia element ability or a fantasy species power, they could produce decent effects—but long-term, they were somewhat useless.

Since he couldn’t afford high-value items right now, better to just watch; no need to rush into fighting.

He wasn’t a pirate of this world; fundamentally, aside from the Celestial Dragons and Five Elders behind the Marines, he’d best stay out of the Marines’ and pirates’ conflict.

There are good and bad pirates; there are good and bad Marines too.

As an outsider from another world, their moral standards were entirely different; his willingness to help Luffy and others return two years in the past to mend regrets didn’t mean he had to join the pirates’ side.

Life was precious—he had no reason to use newly acquired power to arbitrarily take others’ lives.

In the end, Luffy had to rely on himself; besides, his goal was to use this opportunity to bypass the newbie phase entirely and make a fortune in this world!

He’d gambled away two high-value one-time newbie bonus items.

Straw Hat Luffy leapt upward, soaring over ten meters high.

“How foolish~.” Borsalino lazily raised his foot in response: “Now you can’t escape.”

Kizaru watched Luffy leap into the air like a target, thinking: This grandson of Vice Admiral Garp really is a reckless fool.

Capturing pirates was the Marines’ duty; attacking Luffy was only natural.

But Kizaru knew—if he killed this Straw Hat Kid here, Garp might defect on the spot.

If the adopted grandson was already on the execution platform and the biological grandson also died here, even Admiral Sakazuki couldn’t save him.

If all three Admirals had to stop the enraged Garp, no one would be left to hold back Whitebeard, who was watching from afar.

Therefore, the Straw Hat Kid absolutely could not be harmed.

The surrounding Marine soldiers were all spurred on.

“The Admiral’s acting!”

“Straw Hat Kid won’t escape now!”

“Kill him!”

‘Still too young, kids.’ Kizaru’s thoughts churned. ‘Of course, you’re better off not knowing the hidden truths behind this.’

‘Whitebeard probably knows something, which is why he sent the Straw Hat Kid ahead—but I still can’t ignore this.’

Kizaru decided to first disable the Straw Hat Kid, then casually toss him into a safe zone.

‘Don’t say I’m not being considerate, Mr. Garp~.’

As Kizaru was about to strike, the captains of Whitebeard’s crew all prepared to intervene.

Even Ivankov couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Don’t worry—let them see.” Jinbe crossed his arms, utterly confident: “Our captain’s strength!”

“Huh?” Ivankov’s large head let out a startled sound: “Did you just say… captain?!”

“Get out of my way, Kizaru!”

“I refuse.”

Unlike his techniques against Smoker and Aokiji.

“Gum-Gum…”

A fist, giant as a giant’s, wrapped in flame and Conqueror’s Haki, descended from the sky.

Accelerating like a meteor!

“Inferno Pistol!”

In the blink of an eye, amidst stunned expressions from all.

It had reached Kizaru’s face.

“Ara~.” Kizaru pouted, his lazy gaze freezing—something felt wrong.

BOOM—

BOOM—

After the violent explosion came another silence.

Kizaru was blasted backward, crashing through the stone wall behind the execution platform—and still didn’t stop, with rumbling echoes continuing.

Beneath the ruins.

Kizaru pulled a black Den Den Mushi from his pants, having already phasified at the moment of impact.

“Scary, Straw Hat Kid.”

A trickle of blood ran down his head.

“Admiral Sakazuki, can you hear me~? Moshi moshi.”

“Ah, I must’ve picked up the wrong Den Den Mushi.”

“Well, no choice then.”

Kizaru stood up, brushing off the dust.

Might as well walk back slowly.

He was completely different from when they met on Sabaody Archipelago.

Could someone grow this fast?!

Use of Haki, Conqueror’s Haki wrapping

Slowly emerging from the ruins, Kizaru’s lazy expression had vanished—he seemed to be recalling Luffy moments ago.

Admiral Sakazuki, how will you handle this variable?

Once back, I’ll take my duties seriously.

“The New Generation is terrifying, isn’t it~~.”

“Kizaru was…?”

Not just the Marines—everyone stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it; they’d already lost count of how many times they’d reacted like this today.

No—this shock was far greater than any before.

“Ku ku ku ku!”

Whitebeard’s unrestrained laughter shattered the brief silence of the battlefield first.

He was surprised—but now, he was ecstatic.

“That’s… an Admiral!” Koby, watching from the wall, tears and snot streaming from shock: “Bellemere, am I hallucinating?”

Koby whispered, trembling.

“Bellemere?”

Koby turned—his friend had fainted, head tilted upward.

“Admiral Kizaru!!!”

“Mr. Borsalino!”

“The Admiral! The Admiral was knocked away by the Straw Hat Kid!”

In contrast to Whitebeard, the Marines’ earlier fervor had been doused like cold water by Luffy’s strike.

The Marines’ soaring morale had been halted!