SIX PATH SAGE OF THE ROCKS PIRATES

"Let's go. We can't stay here any longer. If the other members of the Rocks Pirates arrive, it'll be a disaster," Zephyr said firmly, his voice steady despite the tension.

Sengoku nodded, adjusting Garp onto his back with care. Garp was bloodied, unconscious, and barely clinging to life. With one last lingering glance at Kaito, Sengoku turned away and began their retreat.

Crane followed closely, her expression grim. She glanced at Kaito, who stood motionless, making no attempt to pursue them.

"He's letting us leave," she muttered to Zephyr, who gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Kaito watched as the Marines disappeared into the distance, letting out a sigh of relief once they were gone. His body was battered, his stamina nearly depleted from his battle with Garp.

"Good, they're leaving," Kaito murmured to himself. Fighting Garp had already pushed him to his limits, and taking on Sengoku, Zephyr, and Crane would have been suicidal in his current state.

He had no desire to test his luck further.

As the Marines retreated, a familiar voice echoed in his mind:

"Ding! Congratulations, Host. The battle is over. You have gained 35 points of Sage Body progress!"

Kaito smirked. The system's notification was a welcome reward for his efforts. The battle with Garp had been a grueling test, but the progress he had gained in developing his Sage Body made it worthwhile.

Looking around at the devastation, Kaito sheathed his blade and sank onto a broken tree trunk, taking a moment to rest.

"That Garp… he's something else," Kaito muttered to himself.

Despite Garp's youth, his raw talent and tenacity had pushed Kaito harder than any opponent he'd faced since setting out to sea. "He really is the man they say will one day rival Rocks in the Valley of the Gods."

Even now, Garp's potential was undeniable. Kaito had won, but the cost had been steep.

After a while, Kaito rose, his stamina partially restored. He was ready to leave the battlefield and regroup when an unmistakable voice broke the silence.

"Jihahahaha! Did you do all this, Kaito?"

Kaito turned his gaze skyward to see Shiki the Golden Lion, his swords gleaming at his sides and a cigar dangling from his lips. Shiki hovered effortlessly in the air, his trademark ability making it seem as though gravity didn't apply to him.

"Shiki," Kaito greeted, his tone neutral.

The Golden Lion descended, landing lightly in front of Kaito. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in the massive craters, rifts, and devastation that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Who did you fight?" Shiki asked, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in his voice. "This place looks like it was hit by a damn natural disaster."

Kaito didn't flinch. "Marine's Garp," he replied simply.

Shiki raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly piqued. "Garp? The guy they're calling one of the four Marine Stars?"

Kaito nodded.

Shiki chuckled, blowing out a puff of smoke. "Hah! The Navy's golden boy, huh? They've been hyping him up as the future of the Marines. So… you're telling me you fought him here?"

"Yes. He's strong, but not strong enough," Kaito replied, his tone calm but laced with pride.

Before Shiki could respond, another voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding:

"I said, who's making such a ruckus? Was it you, Shiki?"

The two turned to see Charlotte Linlin, her towering frame emerging from the forest. Her fierce eyes gleamed with curiosity as she surveyed the destruction around her.

"Linlin," Shiki said, his tone casual but wary. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think? This kind of chaos draws attention. Naturally, I came to see what was happening," Linlin replied sharply. Her gaze shifted to the battlefield, and her brows furrowed. "What the hell happened here?"

Shiki raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not me. I just got here."

"Not you?" Linlin's eyes narrowed. "Then who was it?"

Kaito remained silent, watching the two Yonko-in-the-making. He knew the Rocks crew's internal dynamics well—alliances were fragile, and rivalries simmered constantly. The wrong word could set off an entirely new battle.

"Kaito," Linlin said, her gaze locking onto him. "You've been quiet. Was this your doing?"

Kaito met her gaze without flinching. "I fought a Marine. Garp."

Linlin raised an eyebrow. "Garp? That Marine brat the Navy's been parading around as their future hope?"

"The same," Kaito confirmed.

"Impossible," she muttered. "Kaito's strength a few days ago wasn't even close to this level."

She recalled Kaito's performance during his initiation into the Rocks Pirates just days earlier. While his abilities were notable, they hadn't come close to the level of a cadre. If he had been that strong, Rocks would have elevated him to a leadership position immediately, not relegated him to the rank of a regular crew member.

"Are you saying…" Linlin hesitated, her voice tinged with doubt, "…that Kaito is responsible for all this?"

Golden Lion let out a chuckle, puffing on his cigar. "You're not thinking straight, Linlin. There are only two of us standing here. If it's not me, who else could it be?"

Linlin's eyes locked on Kaito, her disbelief deepening. "How could that be possible? His strength wasn't even close to this level a few days ago. Could Kaito have reached the strength of a cadre in just two or three days?"

The notion was absurd—no one climbed the ranks that quickly, not even Rocks himself. Yet, the evidence in front of her was undeniable.

From the distance, a deep laugh echoed through the air. "Gu ra ra ra… So, this destruction is Kaito's doing?"

Whitebeard, his imposing figure towering over the others, approached with his signature naginata in hand. Behind him, Ochoku, Silver Axe, and John emerged, each one surveying the scene with astonished expressions.

Silver Axe broke the silence, his tone sharp. "I didn't expect everyone to show up here."

John crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Kaito. "This… was your move, Kaito? Were you holding back in your fight against Shiki the other day?"

Ochoku shook his head, his voice steady. "That's unlikely. Rocks himself stopped the fight between Kaito and Shiki. If Kaito had been holding back, Rocks would've noticed. That means Kaito's strength wasn't at this level back then."

The realization hit everyone at once. If Kaito hadn't been this strong a few days ago, it could only mean one thing: he had grown to this level in just two or three days.

The group exchanged uneasy glances.

"From an official crew member to cadre-level strength in less than three days…?" Silver Axe muttered, his voice tinged with awe. "That's… monstrous."

John clenched his fists. "What kind of person improves this quickly? Even Rocks didn't grow like this."

As the tension thickened, a commanding presence approached. The air seemed to grow heavier as Rocks D. Xebec appeared, his shadow casting an imposing figure across the battlefield.

Rocks' piercing gaze swept over the wreckage before landing on Kaito. A faint smirk played on his lips.

"Kaito," Rocks said, his deep voice resonating with authority, "you've exceeded my expectations."

The other pirates stiffened as Rocks continued. "I've had a feeling we were being watched, but you not only found them first—you forced the Marines to retreat."

Kaito didn't flinch under Rocks' gaze, his calm demeanor unwavering despite the scrutiny.

Rocks chuckled, his grin widening. "You've proven yourself far more capable than I imagined. This crew doesn't tolerate the weak, but you… you're no ordinary recruit."

The other pirates exchanged uneasy glances, their awe of Kaito growing by the second. Rocks' words carried weight, and his acknowledgment of Kaito's strength was no small matter.

As the group stood amidst the destruction, the tension between the pirates simmered. Kaito had not only survived but had gained the respect—or fear—of some of the most dangerous individuals in the world.

Linlin's lips curled into a smirk. "Well, Kaito, it seems you're full of surprises. Let's see how far you can go."

Shiki laughed, tapping his swords together. "If nothing else, this'll make things more interesting."

Rocks turned, his presence commanding. "We'll talk more later, Kaito. For now, rest. You've earned it."

As the others began to leave, Kaito remained silent, his gaze steady. In just a few days, he had transformed from an unremarkable recruit to a rising force within the Rocks Pirates—one who was already shaking the foundation of the crew.

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