Me, Gawain, an Acting Pro!

In the distance.

Amid the ruins.

Kuro pushed aside the planks pinning him down with one hand and got to his feet in a daze.

Who am I? Where am I? What happened?

After instinctively asking himself the three great philosophical questions, Kuro looked up at Gawain and saw that he wore an equally bewildered expression. The corner of Kuro's mouth twitched.

"So this monstrous strength is the trump card you've been hiding all along?"

Suppressing the churning blood in his chest, Kuro put on an expression that said he had seen through everything.

"Unfortunately, strength is nothing before my speed!"

"..."

Gawain was briefly speechless.

He had been worrying about how to explain things without making Kuro lose all hope, but it seemed his perspective had been too narrow after all.

A proper leek had to know how to talk itself into things!

Besides, that strike had finally made Gawain understand just how outrageous the boost from his nearly doubled overall attributes on the System Panel could be when they were perfectly balanced.

The increase in raw strength was definitely not as simple as doubling it on paper. The power he could unleash in an instant had increased three or fourfold.

That was why he had been able to send Kuro flying so effortlessly!

He had only used half his strength just now!

Had he gone all out, Kuro probably would not have been able to get back up after that blow.

That made Gawain instinctively rein in his strength.

In the distance.

Kuro rubbed his aching shoulder and flexed his fingers. After confirming that his injuries would not affect his movements, he bounced lightly on his feet, then vanished into thin air the next instant.

For a moment.

Only Kuro's flickering figure could be seen all around them. Even the flames of the bonfire swayed wildly in the wind kicked up by his movements.

Whoosh!

The firelight crackled.

The familiar scene reminded everyone nearby of the companions who had once been badly wounded or even killed by Kuro's technique. They instinctively backed away.

Yet halfway through, they were shocked to find that there was not a single additional scratch around them.

"That's not right!"

"Kuro really, truly has perfect control over Shave!"

"We don't have to worry about being caught in it anymore!"

Sam turned around and stared at the scene before him in astonishment.

The stone slabs beneath Kuro's feet shattered one after another, yet his figure had completely disappeared into the air.

"Kuro is even faster than before!"

Jango let out a startled cry.

Back when Kuro used Shave, he could still make out a blurry shadow. Now, he could not see a thing.

That could only mean that Kuro's speed had been pushed to an entirely new limit!

Faster!

Stronger!

For a moment.

Everyone could not help but look at Gawain with a trace of worry in their eyes.

Could Captain Gawain really still handle such speed?

That sword strike had certainly been powerful, but if his speed could not keep up, it would all be useless!

"He should be fine, right? Even at Kuro's speed, didn't the captain manage to react to him?"

Just as Catman Buchi's words gave everyone a hint of reassurance, a piercing sound tore through the air in the distance...

Screech!

Everyone looked toward the sound.

A tear suddenly appeared in Gawain's leather armor. Perhaps due to luck, there was no obvious bloodstain.

Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.

"Even the captain can't keep up?"

"What do we do?"

"Are we really going to follow Kuro?"

Sam buried his fingers in his hair.

If he had not experienced everything at Raven Port, perhaps he could have accepted his old life. But now, there was no going back.

Buchi and Jango clenched their fists, quietly breaking into a cold sweat for Gawain.

Only Akin looked at Gawain suspiciously and asked in confusion.

"That shouldn't be possible."

"When the captain hammered me last time, he wasn't at this level either! Is it because of his bond with Kuro that he can't bring himself to strike?"

"Damn it!"

"I'll definitely surpass you, Kuro!"

"I'll become Captain Gawain's most capable subordinate!"

While Akin was talking himself into it, several more cuts appeared on Gawain's clothes. He even wore an expression like he was badly constipated.

Not only did he have to suppress the urge to attack, he also had to stop Kansei Masamune from cutting Kuro down in one blow...

This is too hard!

Meanwhile, Kuro, who was charging forward with reckless abandon, had already gone wild with laughter.

"Just as I thought!"

"Now that I've raised my speed to another dimension, even your neural reaction speed can't keep up with me, Gawain!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Kuro's triumphant laughter echoed through the area, and everyone felt an inexplicable pressure settle over them.

Akin clenched his fists even tighter and shouted in his heart.

"Mr. Gawain!"

"Even if you're merciful to your subordinates, there has to be a limit!"

"If this keeps up, you'll really get hurt!"

On the battlefield.

For a time, the situation was bizarre. Kuro kept using his speed to launch attacks, leaving wound after wound on Gawain's body, yet not a single one broke through his flesh.

More than ten minutes later.

Gawain decided it was about time. He put on an expression that said he had seen through Kuro.

"I found your weakness, Kuro!"

The next instant.

A silver-white blade flashed across Kuro's path. But at the moment of impact, it flipped over, the edge meant to slash Kuro instantly becoming the flat of the blade before slamming hard into his chest...

Boom!

In the exact same spot, Kuro crashed into the ruins for the second time. He struggled to stand, but his hands had completely lost their strength.

Feeling the pain radiating from all over his body, Kuro knew that he had reached his limit.

Yet he did not feel discouraged in the slightest, because this time, he felt that the gap between himself and Gawain had narrowed considerably.

It was no longer like before, when he could not see even a shred of hope!

"Next time, I'll definitely defeat you!"

"Gawain!"

"I'll be waiting for you in the captain's seat!"

Gawain gave a response, then pretended to be out of breath as he walked over and pulled Kuro to his feet. He still wore a smug smile.

"Looks like I was a little better after all!"

"Hmph."

Kuro snorted, though a faint smile crept onto his face.

"Smug bastard."

The battle came to an end.

Cheers immediately erupted around them.

The banquet, which had been interrupted by Kuro's sudden challenge, resumed once more.

The Catman Brothers and Jango were so excited that they began performing a strange dance around the bonfire, drawing laughter from everyone.

The musicians of the pirate crew also began playing a familiar tune.

Relieved and brimming with enthusiasm, the Gawain Pirates sang along with the musicians' accompaniment. They were tone-deaf, could not remember the lyrics, but sang with overwhelming emotion.

"Yohohoho~ Yohohoho~"

"Yohohoho~ Yohohoho~"

"Bring Rum of Bincks~ to your side~ like the sea breeze, free and easy~ riding the wind and waves~"

Amid everyone's singing, even Kuro was swept up in the mood. He downed mug after mug of ale and raised his cup with Gawain.

Seeing the smile on Gawain's face, Kuro froze slightly.

"How is this guy not even sweating?"

"Impossible!"

Kuro shook his head.

"I must have seen wrong. I still have hope!"

"As long as I work a little harder, I can defeat Gawain and reclaim the captain's seat!"

Akin sat quietly to the side, occasionally glancing at Kuro as he sneered inwardly.

Just watch. I'll defeat you and become the captain's most capable subordinate!

Gawain looked at Kuro, whose fighting spirit was burning brighter than ever, then glanced at the System Panel. The smile on his face could not be suppressed at all.

That's right.

Try a little harder, and I'll reach the pinnacle of life—punching Yonko and Shichibukai, kicking Marines and Celestial Dragons!