Having Seen the Summit, Strive for the Summit

But to someone on the same level, it was like a light in the dark: bright, glaring, and hard to miss unless deliberately hidden.

"What are you doing here?" Koshiro asked Ivankov's group.

"Everyone, there's no need to be so tense. We're just here to restock our supplies and buy some food."

Inazuma stepped out from behind Ivankov. He swirled the red wine in the glass in his left hand, raised it to his lips, and took a delicate sip before answering.

"Food? Little Ivan, if you beat me, I'll make sure you get as much as you want," Kuta said, picking up where Inazuma had left off as he looked at Ivankov.

"Hey! Isn't 'Little Ivan' a bit too familiar?"

Several others who had come down behind Inazuma shouted in protest.

"Exactly! That's Lord Ivankov, the Okama King, to you."

Ivankov's lips curled into a grin. "Settle down, boys. What he calls me is a minor detail. Names don't matter. You could even call me poop, and I wouldn't mind."

Poop????

An uncanny silence fell. Everyone watched him.

Then he suddenly spun in place, threw both hands into the air, and roared, "I do mind being called poop!"

"So he hates it after all!"

"He got us again!"

The others behind him played along, shouting at the top of their lungs.

Kuta trembled slightly, his face darkening. He glared at the group and shouted in fury.

"You... Just how little do you think of me? Is that why you keep acting like I'm not even here?"

With that, he suddenly teleported behind Ivankov and kicked him in the backside before Ivankov could react.

Bam!

Caught off guard, Ivankov's towering body pitched forward and hit the ground, kicking up dust.

Kuta let out a long breath, releasing some of his frustration. These people had brushed him off again and again, and it was getting on his nerves.

He landed smoothly where Ivankov had been standing and called out, "Ready to take me seriously now?"

"What did you do to Lord Ivan?"

Seeing Ivankov on the ground, Yifu and the others glared at Kuta in anger.

Inazuma, who had been sipping his wine beside Ivankov, stared at Kuta, who had appeared out of nowhere. A thought struck him.

He quickly stepped back. His expression changed, and his hands dropped to his sides as he watched Kuta warily.

He's fast. No, it isn't speed. No matter how fast he moved, I would have sensed him.

"You ate a space-type Devil Fruit, didn't you?"

Kuta ignored Inazuma. He watched Ivankov on the ground with excitement, sensing a rising force from him. Is he finally going to get serious?

"It's all right, Inazuma. Don't be nervous."

Ivankov sat up and studied Kuta with curiosity. "What was that ability you just used?"

"Beat me and you'll find out."

"Fine!"

Ivankov pushed himself to his feet and looked around. His gaze finally settled on the beach to the left of the harbor.

"We can't fight here. Let's go over there. There's plenty of room."

Then he turned to Inazuma and the others. "Wait here a moment. I'm going to fight..."

He stopped short, thought for a moment, then looked down at Kuta. "Right, little boy. What's your name?"

"Kuta. 'Ku' as in 'space,' and 'ta' as in 'space,'" Kuta answered with a straight face.

Ivankov's mouth twitched. He turned and headed toward the beach on the left.

"Hey, Little Ivan! Wait for me."

Kuta hurried after him. Hearing Kuta behind him, Ivankov walked even faster.

Having Seen the Peak, Stride Toward It

On the beach.

The two stood facing each other. Ivankov looked relaxed, but Kuta was far more solemn.

Kuta gazed at Ivankov, who stood with his back to the sun, its light haloing him. Kuta's pupils suddenly contracted. Faint starlight revolved within them.

Like a Black Hole, his eyes seemed ready to draw the entire starry sky into them—deep, mysterious, and deadly beautiful.

An invisible pressure spread outward.

Sensing the change in Kuta, Ivankov grew a little more serious and slowly set aside his contempt.

If Kuta had been a kitten before, he was a tiger now. The danger he posed had risen dozens of times over.

Ivankov tore off his black robe, raised both hands with a flourish, and revealed the bizarre outfit underneath.

He wore a skintight, plunging bodysuit, a fishnet cape, and stockings. A huge skull was tattooed across his abs, and his deep-purple afro was enormous. He pointed a finger at Kuta.

"Come on, little Kuta."

"Hee-haw!"

He threw back his head and laughed.

On the dock, among the spectators, Inazuma had somehow put on glasses and turned into a man.

In a low voice, he murmured,

"Is he getting serious? Lady Ivan... And that kid is completely different from before."

Ahua stared at Ivankov's fully revealed outfit and makeup.

Realization dawned on him, and he cried out in surprise,

"Whoa...!"

"So an okama is a pervert!"

Ever since they had set sail, he had been wondering what an okama was.

"Shut up."

Yifu turned and glared fiercely at Ahua.

"How dare you speak so rudely about Lord Ivan, you little brat?"

He knew most okama were perverts, but Ivankov was different.

Ivankov was not only the Okama King but also one of the Revolutionary Army leaders they respected.

"What? Want to fight?" Ahua shouted, emboldened by the number of people on his side.

"Yeah! He's a pervert. Are we not allowed to say it?" A-Luo chimed in.

"Come on, then."

Yifu rolled up his sleeves, flexed his muscles, and beckoned at Ahua and the others with a cocky grin.

"All of you, come at me. I'll take on ten."

Inazuma and Koshiro had seen enough. They spoke at the same time.

"Quiet, all of you."

The two sides exchanged a look, turned away in unison, and snorted.

"Hmph!"

Silence returned.

Kuina and Zoro stood among the crowd without a word, their eyes fixed on Kuta.

Their bodies were tense, their expressions focused.

Kuta slipped his hands into his sleeves and gave his shoulders a shake. His shirt slid off, revealing a lean, muscular torso and eight-pack abs.

It was hard to believe this was the body of an eleven-year-old boy.

He leaned forward and gripped his sword's hilt tightly.

He raised his head toward Ivankov, and starlight flashed in his eyes.

An invisible space quietly expanded outward.

He reduced the pressure and activated Shave at the same time.

Whoosh!

He vanished from where he stood.

Why hadn't he simply teleported? Because without acceleration, his attack would lack power.

With his current strength, if he teleported straight up to someone far stronger than himself, he might not even break through their defense.

As Kuta charged toward him at breakneck speed, Ivankov stepped back and winked his left eye.

Hell Wink!

Just as the shock wave was about to strike Kuta, his charging body vanished.

Teleportation!

Kuta passed the shock wave and appeared in front of Ivankov in an instant.

Without giving Ivankov time to react, he expanded his Space Domain. In a flash, it enveloped Ivankov's entire body.

He increased the pressure.

Iai Slash!

It all happened in one fluid motion.

A red glint flashed in Ivankov's eyes. He had reacted the moment Kuta appeared.

But just as he tried to raise his right hand and throw a punch,

a surge of pressure hit him, making him falter.

He broke free in an instant, but that brief hesitation gave Kuta enough time to swing his sword.

Faced with the gleaming, razor-sharp blade, Ivankov only had time to hastily coat his chest with Haki.

Clang!

A terrifying force slammed through the blade.

They held their ground for only an instant before the force of the Slash drove Ivankov rapidly backward.

His feet carved two furrows more than ten meters long through the sand.

Feeling a dull ache in his chest, he looked down.

He

had a faint blood-red cut across his chest, and beads of blood were seeping from it.

He had not had time to draw on all his Haki, but for someone Kuta's age to cut through it and wound him was still absurd.

If Ivankov had reacted any slower, or coated himself with Haki a moment later, the humiliation would have been immense.

Dragon would never let him hear the end of it.

He raised his head and stared at Kuta, who was hovering in the air. His pupils contracted slightly, and his expression grew grave.

He can fly, too?

Standing in midair, Kuta looked down at Zankū in his hand, now coated with Haki again, and smiled in satisfaction.

As expected, fighting strong opponents is the best way to refine my Haki.

It could not increase the amount he had, but it could improve its quality.