One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

A series of small black dots quickly began to grow on the horizon. More than ten warships of varying sizes surrounded them from all directions. Although they weren't as formidable as the elite warships led by Vice Admiral Doberman and his crew, their sheer numbers, coupled with the presence of Admiral Kizaru, made them a formidable force.

"Quite a fast response, Navy. Impressive," Natsu noted. "But… it won't be enough!"

"Not enough?" Kizaru asked, puzzled by Natsu's casual dismissal.

"Exactly!" Natsu grinned, and the moment his words faded, Enel and Gin launched into the air from the Smile, transforming into brilliant streaks of gold and red as they hurtled toward the navy ships.

"Your strength is just too lacking this time! Surely, you understand the power of a Devil Fruit. Just ten warships… you call that a blockade?" Natsu smirked, his confident expression making Kizaru uneasy.

"Conqueror's Fist: Heaven Shatter!"

Kizaru began to phase into light to support the navy, but Natsu's fist intercepted him, dispersing his body into particles of light. Kizaru had narrowly evaded it by using his Observation Haki to anticipate the blow.

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

Kizaru, now reformed a short distance away, raised his hands, fingers posed to release another familiar move. Light gathered in his fingertips, forming a barrage of deadly energy beams.

Pew-pew-pew!

"Golden Light Mantra: Shield!"

Golden light enveloped Natsu's body, as if he were coated in a radiant armor. The rain of light beams slammed into the shield, sending faint ripples across its surface but failing to break through.

"Oh~ no effect?" Kizaru squinted in confusion. This ability… could Natsu be a Devil Fruit user too? And what was this strange golden light that even blocked his laser beams?

"Fire Style: Crimson Serpent!"

In an instant, flames burst from Natsu's hand, forming a blazing serpent that coiled through the air, targeting Kizaru.

"Flames?"

"Conqueror's Fist: Tiger Hunt!"

"ROAR!"

Without giving Kizaru a chance to react, Natsu lunged forward, his fist trailing the image of a fierce tiger's maw wide open. The powerful blow shot through Kizaru's light-formed body.

Rip!

The clash created a tearing sound as their bodies passed each other, and a small tear appeared on Kizaru's cloak of justice. Though it wasn't a powerful attack, it was enough to cause humiliation.

As a symbol of justice, the cloak worn by navy admirals represents their authority over the seas. But now, his revered garment had been ripped… an insult as much as it was a challenge.

Despite his great strength, a pirate challenging the navy is usually a death wish. Even if his grandfather was Garp, this was crossing a line.

BOOM!

A bright foot of light appeared at Natsu's side, heading straight for his head with lethal intent.

"Whoa there! Almost had me!" Natsu sprouted wings from his back, swiftly retreating and patting his chest as if narrowly escaping death.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" Kizaru rolled his eyes. Almost killed? Hardly – he was perfectly fine.

"What an odd ability…"

With each exchange, Kizaru was growing frustrated. Despite his experience, he was finding it hard to keep up with this young pirate's speed and mastery of Haki.

At that moment, distant screams of terror erupted. Kizaru turned his gaze to the horizon, only to see that all but two of the navy warships had been destroyed. The navy mid-tier officers, exhausted, were panting and gasping for breath. The once-proud fleet had almost entirely sunk beneath the waves.

"The admiral has been held back again!"

"Yes, and Admiral Kizaru can't even break through their defenses to support us. Looks like our suspicions were correct; this young captain, Natsu, is truly powerful."

"Sigh, it seems today, the Navy has suffered a defeat. The Heavenly Tribute is lost."

"The Tribute? Forget that – we need to deal with the mess at hand!"

Impatient with the navy's chatter, Enel raised his hand, summoning a massive lightning bolt from the sky. Blinding light forced the navy men to avert their eyes, and when they looked back, the last two remaining ships were engulfed in smoke, their decks blackened.

Vice Admiral Doberman and other navy officers lay scattered, their expressions a mix of shock and resignation. The navy's reinforcements had been utterly obliterated.

"Hmm, looks like the trouble's been taken care of!" Natsu grinned as the shadowy figure of Gin loomed closer.

"Captain, mission accomplished!"

"Ha ha ha! Excellent!" Natsu laughed, completely ignoring Kizaru's darkened expression. The entire navy fleet was decimated; only two battered ships remained. This was a major blow.

"You've gone too far, Natsu!"

"Too far? Really? We're pirates. Taking treasure is what we do," Natsu replied. "On the other hand, you so-called agents of justice serve a bunch of pampered nobles, stealing from the people to fund their excesses. Justice? Don't make me laugh."

"I won't deny that many in the Navy fight for justice. But you serve the wrong people. If you'd protect the common people instead of those foolish elites, maybe there'd be fewer pirates."

"You!"

Kizaru was at a loss for words. He understood the implications behind Natsu's words – "pampered nobles" and "foolish elites." As Garp's grandson, Natsu had no qualms about calling them out.

"The treasure's ours now! ┐(´-｀)┌ And I doubt you alone can stop us, Kizaru. So… shall we continue?"

"If we do, it won't be one-on-one!"

As natsu spoke, Gin and Enel took their places beside him, their mocking stares fixed on Kizaru, fists clenched and ready.

Kizaru floated in the air, eyeing the three of them. The pressure was immense. How had these youngsters become so terrifyingly powerful?

A single, fledgling pirate crew with two fighters at near-admiral level. And though he hadn't fought him yet, Kizaru suspected that Gin was equally formidable.

"Seems I have no choice…" Kizaru lingered for a moment, then disappeared from view. He reappeared moments later, helping the surviving navy officers retrieve those who had fallen into the sea. It was clear he'd acknowledged his defeat.

"Let's go, you two!"

"Woohoo! We did it! Long live the captain!" Kumo bounced excitedly, his cheers ringing through the air. The jubilant spirit of the Smile Pirates was a sharp contrast to the navy's heavy-hearted silence.

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