Light and Darkness Clash

"Fine, fine, you're not." Noki laughed helplessly.

Ain gave a soft snort, tilted her head, and pouted. Her bright eyes secretly glanced at Noki, as though she were angry.

Noki took the initiative to hold her smooth, delicate hand. "Do you remember that pretty good Western restaurant from before? I'll take you there for lunch."

"We just finished breakfast, and now you want lunch right away? You may not be afraid of gaining weight, but I am."

"Of course not right now. I want to find Admiral Kuzan and Admiral Borsalino first, to explain my transfer to Loguetown and ask for help training my abilities."

"Is Noki going to the training grounds later? I want to go too!"

Ain loved watching Noki train hard and fight seriously the most.

And because Noki was extraordinarily popular, every time he trained, the number of women at the grounds would mysteriously increase.

Though most of them had already been rejected by Noki more than once.

Still, no woman could sit at home unconcerned after hearing that her boyfriend was constantly being confessed to and courted by other women, unless she no longer cared or loved him.

Ain had accompanied Noki during training before, and of course she would do the same now.

"Sure. Go back and get ready first. We'll meet at the training grounds later."

"Mm!"

Ain helped Noki get dressed, straightened his shirt, draped his Marine coat over him, and watched the man leave.

She enjoyed this feeling very much, as though she were already Noki's wife.

Noki crossed the bustling town, arrived beneath the Headquarters' towering, majestic fortress, and walked inside.

The Marine Admirals' offices were on the upper floors of the fortress. There were no elevators in this world, so he could only climb the stairs one step at a time.

Noki went to Admiral Kuzan's office first.

Kuzan was surrounded by layer upon layer of thick documents, yet he himself wore an eye mask and lay sprawled across his desk, snoring soundly.

"Slacking off again, huh."

Noki lightly knocked on the desktop.

As a battle-hardened Admiral, Kuzan's senses were sharp. He woke almost immediately, stretched lazily, and let out a long yawn. "Ara ara, Noki. Waking me when I was sleeping so well is a little rude, isn't it?"

"Slacking off during working hours. We're both guilty of that."

"So, what did you need from me?"

"It's about being sent out for experience as a newly appointed officer."

"Oh, that matter... I haven't decided where to send you yet. Do you have somewhere in mind?"

"I want to go to Loguetown in the East Blue."

"Loguetown?"

Kuzan scratched his messy curls. "With your strength and position, going there would really be beneath you.

And I've already chosen someone to send to Loguetown. You know him too—Smoker."

"I have my reasons for choosing Loguetown."

Noki repeated what he had told Ain that morning. "Although the East Blue is the weakest sea, it is still one of the Four Seas. The people there still suffer under pirates and criminal forces. I want to start with something simple, protect peace in one region, then try to safeguard more places, and eventually the whole world."

After hearing him out, Kuzan patted his head. "Ara ara, I'm seeing you in a new light. So you have ideals like that."

"So, can you agree?"

"Hmm... I only mentioned transferring Smoker to Loguetown verbally. I haven't drafted the transfer order yet. Since you want to go to the East Blue so badly, I'll grant your wish."

"Kuzan, thanks."

"No need to thank me. But you can't stay in the East Blue too long—one year at most. With your abilities, Headquarters still wants to entrust you with major responsibilities."

"I understand."

Kuzan casually flipped through a stack of documents, propped his chin on one hand, and asked as he read, "Have you told little Ain about this?"

"I have." Noki nodded.

"Even I'm a little jealous of you. Women like little Ain are rare. Cherish her."

"By the way, I'm about to see Admiral Borsalino. You said before that you wanted to watch us fight. Want to come?"

Kuzan started yawning again. "Not today. There's still so much to deal with. My civilian secretary took leave today, so I have to handle it myself."

"Why did Sister Ayaka take leave?"

"She said she wasn't feeling well."

"As far as I remember, Sister Ayaka doesn't seem to have a boyfriend. She's pretty, gentle, patient... aren't you going to try dating her?"

"She doesn't have that kind of interest in me."

"Men should be more proactive. I think you'd better go visit her today."

Kuzan tilted his head. "I'll think about it..."

"Then think it over. I'm leaving first."

After leaving Kuzan's office, Noki headed to Borsalino's room.

"Noki, brat—oh no, I should say... Rear Admiral Noki. What brings you running over here?"

Kizaru sat on a purple sofa in his office with his long legs crossed, trimming his nails.

"Hehe, Admiral Borsalino, I need a small favor. Be my opponent for a few days."

Kizaru crooked his mouth into a grin and drawled, "Oh~ So you want me to be your sparring partner? I'm very busy, you know~"

Noki glanced at him and smiled. "Busy trimming your nails? You should know that, in my heart, you've always been the ceiling of Devil Fruit development.

Whether it's Uncle Sakazuki or Admiral Kuzan, I don't think either of them compares to you.

That's why I turned down their offers to spar with me and came specifically to find you."

"You're quite perceptive, kid~"

Kizaru slowly set down the nail clippers. "I can give you some guidance, but I have one small condition."

"What condition?"

"I'm getting old. Fighting a hot-blooded youngster like you takes quite a bit of energy, you see. I need to replenish myself~"

Noki immediately understood what he meant. "For the days you train with me, I guarantee that I'll personally prepare all three of your meals."

"All right, I happen to have some free time, so I'll accept your request. Shall we start today~?"

"Yeah!"

Kizaru dawdled as he put on his clothes, then Noki dragged him to the training grounds.

There were not many people at the training grounds at the moment.

"Is that Admiral Kizaru and Rear Admiral Noki?"

"They're taking their stances. Are they going to spar?"

"This is incredible! Hurry and call the brothers over—this is a rare battle!"

"Sisters, we have a chance to see Rear Admiral Noki fight! Hurry and gather at the training grounds!"

The Marines who had been training automatically gave the entire field to the two of them, gathering with their companions outside the grounds to watch.

"Your popularity is terrifying, kid~ When this old man makes a move normally, there aren't nearly this many people watching."

Kizaru stood with his hands in his pockets, grinning at the crowd around them.

"Empty fame. It isn't worth mentioning."

Noki did not draw Golden Scale from his waist, because he was training his Devil Fruit ability today, not swordsmanship.

Kizaru asked, "How much of my strength should I use?"

"Start with twenty or thirty percent."

Noki took a deep breath, and dense black smoke spread out from his body.

Perhaps it was because of his talent, but he had always learned things quickly. Swordsmanship and the Six Powers took little effort for him—he learned them as soon as he tried.

Now, his starting point with Devil Fruit abilities seemed to be somewhat higher than that of ordinary people as well.

To successfully develop a Devil Fruit,

one had to clearly understand its strengths and characteristics.

The Dark-Dark Fruit had two defining traits. The first was its ability to draw in ability users and nullify all powers; the second was its dark gravitational force, said to reduce everything to nothing.

The former was primarily supportive, while the latter was theoretically an all-purpose ability.

Why was that?

Reducing all things to nothing first showed that it possessed extremely strong offensive power.

Second, the Dark-Dark Fruit had the property of absorbing damage. Did that mean damage was also within the scope of what it could reduce to nothing?

Many people only focused on Blackbeard rolling around on the ground in pain after eating the Dark-Dark Fruit, yet they failed to notice how quickly his wounds healed.

Otherwise, judging from the Dark-Dark Fruit's performance, it would be difficult for it to deserve the title of "the most vicious" in an era where Haki ran rampant and all sorts of Devil Fruit abilities had awakened.

It must possess powerful abilities that had yet to be revealed!

Kizaru raised his right leg, and a dazzling light shone at his toes. "You may be underestimating yourself too much. In this old man's opinion, you can withstand at least forty or fifty percent~"

"Light-Speed Kick?"

Noki extended his right hand, opened his palm, and swirling black smoke formed a vortex like a Black Hole.

Dark Water!

The most basic application of the Dark-Dark Fruit.

"Hm?"

Kizaru instantly felt an irresistible pulling force drawing him in. He simply borrowed that force, stepped on a flash of light, and charged straight at Noki.

At Noki's current level, Dark Water was only palm-sized, and he could only use it with one hand.

Just as Kizaru was about to kick him, Noki switched to releasing Dark Water with his left hand.

This way,

the suddenly changing direction of the suction force could pull Kizaru's light-transformed leg into his palm rather than another part of his body.

"What terrifying suction~"

Kizaru could not resist the gravity of darkness and could only let Noki grab his right leg.

Once an ability user was caught by Dark Water, even the strongest Devil Fruit ability would be nullified.

Unable to use his light ability, Kizaru felt rather unaccustomed to it for a moment.

Noki knew full well how powerful his opponent was, so he showed no mercy at all. Holding Kizaru's right leg with his left hand, he extended his right index finger and jabbed toward Kizaru's chest.

Kizaru had already reacted. He exerted force through his right leg and swung it forward, breaking free from Noki's grip. "If that's all you've got, it's far from enough~"

Kizaru gathered light once more and kicked again.

Noki hurriedly used Soru to retreat. He knew Kizaru had held back just now—otherwise, with Kizaru's speed, there was no way he could have dodged that kick!

Dark Hole!

Endless black smoke poured from Noki's body, covering the entire training ground. Some scattered objects gradually sank into the dense darkness.

Kizaru remained dismissive. He raised his right hand, extended his index finger to aim, and leisurely fired a dazzling laser beam. "Noki, brat, darkness of this level isn't enough to contend with this old man's light~"

Noki drove the black smoke to build a "wall" before him, obstructing the laser's path.

How could he not know that?

It was just that this was his first time fully unleashing the Dark-Dark Fruit's ability, and there was still much to explore.

Noki tried all sorts of methods and exchanged several moves with Kizaru.

Kizaru was quite patient, continuously accompanying him as he tested his abilities.

During this time,

many Marines had already arrived outside the field to enjoy the "show."

"As expected of Admiral Kizaru. He handles every situation with ease."

"Rear Admiral Noki isn't bad either. His attacks are getting more dangerous each time."

"Sisters, I've already bought water. Once Rear Admiral Noki finishes fighting, I'll be the first to bring it to him."

"You're actually trying to outdo us in secret? No, no, I'm going to buy some too..."

Ain held the water cup Noki had given her, a faint smile lifting her lips. "Hmph, my Noki won't accept your things. He only wants mine."

Through several exchanges, Noki discovered the secret of Dark Water.

The smoke forming Dark Water was actually ordinary black smoke. What absorbed Devil Fruit abilities was his own body.

Only when his body touched an ability user could he nullify that person's powers.

In other words, setting aside nullification, he could use the limitless gravitational pull released by the black smoke to drag anyone anywhere. He did not necessarily have to pull them before himself.

Once Noki understood this, he changed his approach and tried to alter the Dark Hole covering the ground.

He made the darkness not merely spread across the ground, but rotate like Dark Water's vortex.

Sure enough.

Kizaru was once again affected by the powerful suction. Though he had been hovering in the air using his ability, he uncontrollably crashed toward the black mist below.

Even transforming into light could not free him.

"The Dark-Dark Fruit is terrifying~ If this continues, this old man will be defeated soon."

Kizaru stepped on a laser beam and kicked toward the area where the black smoke was densest.

For a moment,

the flash of light exploded against the black smoke, and light and darkness canceled each other out.

Dark Water!

Seizing the opportunity, Noki used Soru to flash to Kizaru's side and raised a hand to grab him.

"I can't use my ability again? Noki, brat, fighting you feels awful~

It's been a long time since this old man felt so completely at someone else's mercy~"

This time, Noki had touched Kizaru's shoulder, so both of Kizaru's legs could still move freely.

Even without the boost of light speed, the force of his kicks was still not something an ordinary person could withstand.

Seeing Kizaru kick at him, Noki found the speed, power, and angle impossible to evade, leaving him no choice but to use Iron Body to take it head-on.

Bang!

Noki staggered back repeatedly, a clear footprint left on the clothes over his chest.

That hurt!

Noki gritted his teeth. Thankfully, Kizaru could not use his ability with that kick, or the pain would have made him cry out.

One ahead and one behind, one bright and one dark, they exchanged dozens more moves.

Kizaru was even more agile this time than before, and Noki struggled greatly to keep up.

Seeing that he seemed close to giving out, Borsalino took the initiative to call a halt. "Major General Noki, let's stop here for today. It looks like your skills have improved quite a bit~"

Noki took a deep breath and endured the pain radiating from all over his body. As the Dark Physique absorbed his internal injuries, they slowly faded into nothingness. He forced a smile. "Yes, thank you for your hard work today."

"Don't forget the promise you made~ If you don't do a good job, I won't agree to tomorrow's training~ Forget lunch; we'll start with dinner tonight."

Noki and Kizaru had trained for only a little over an hour in total.

But as the saying went, training was not about quantity, but quality.

Noki had originally thought that the Dark-Dark Fruit had little in common with other Logia types, so Kizaru would not be able to offer him much help. He would still have to rely more on himself.

But the facts proved that he had been wrong.

Although Kizaru had not given him any verbal guidance, he had continuously guided Noki's improvement through his movements.

For example, the various ways he dealt with being drawn in by darkness were helping Noki discover the flaws and shortcomings in his techniques, so that he could improve them accordingly.

All in all, sparring with a true expert had indeed benefited him immensely.

He still had much to learn.