Dimensional Chat Group: Speed-o'-Light

Whoosh!

The massive ice spike plummeted from the sky with a piercing shriek, its sheer size and weight—tens of millions of tons—enough to obliterate anything beneath it.

"This is just ridiculous… Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!"

Kizaru scratched his head with mild annoyance before reaching into thin air—pulling forth a massive, radiant sword of pure light.

As a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, Kizaru was immune to physical attacks. But simply dodging over and over again? That would be far too boring.

---

[Kobayashi]: Wha—?! This is insane!

[Tony Stark]: Damn it, am I still dreaming?

[RandomGuyWhoWantsToHugLuoFengsThigh]: Terrifying…

[Ai Haibara]: Oi, oi, oi! Is this really necessary?!

[Fubuki]: S-Class! That woman is definitely S-Class!

---

At the moment the battle erupted, the group chat was still buzzing with casual banter.

But—

When Esdeath's colossal ice spike descended, everyone watching the livestream fell into stunned silence.

Even through a screen, the sheer overwhelming pressure was palpable.

This level of power… was simply beyond what a normal human should be capable of.

---

"Yata no Kagami: Shattering Light Slash!"

With a single motion, Kizaru swung his luminous sword—

And in the blink of an eye—

Hundreds of slashes tore through the sky.

Blinding streaks of light illuminated the heavens—severing the colossal ice pillar mid-fall, shattering it into millions of smaller fragments before it could even reach the ground.

Instead of a single apocalyptic impact, the ice splintered into a widespread cascade—raining down over a massive area, but without the devastating force of before.

---

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Shattered ice chunks hammered the once-flawless frozen landscape, leaving deep craters and sending up a thick, white mist.

Shards scattered in all directions—sharp, jagged remnants of what had once been an unstoppable force.

---

"Guh… What the hell is that guy?!"

The Three Beasts, Esdeath's elite subordinates, had barely managed to escape the destruction.

And now—

They could only stare in utter disbelief.

Someone was actually matching their commander…?

---

As the icy mist slowly cleared—

Esdeath stood atop a towering ice pillar, gazing down at her opponent with undisguised excitement.

Kizaru, on the other hand, hadn't even moved from his original position.

The area directly around him remained untouched—a stark contrast to the devastated battlefield surrounding him.

---

"Not bad…"

Esdeath smirked, rolling her shoulders.

"Looks like I can finally cut loose a little."

---

Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses.

Then, with his usual lazy drawl, he muttered:

"Scary… You're as strong as a monster…"

Kizaru surveyed the battlefield—his gaze drifting over the shattered ice and the frost-covered landscape. He couldn't help but marvel.

"Warm-up's about done, huh? You're ready, aren't you?"

Esdeath flashed a grin, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, her eyes fixed on Kizaru's radiant sword without blinking.

"So that was just the warm-up, huh? Fine, fine. But don't look at me like that, with those eyes… Come on!"

Kizaru clicked his tongue in annoyance, casually gesturing with a finger for Esdeath to come forward.

The towering ice pillar exploded with a resounding crack, and in the next instant, Esdeath's figure vanished from its top.

Clang!

A lightning-fast thrust was countered by Kizaru, who met it with an equally swift jab of his own. The solidified light sword clashed against Esdeath's rapier, and their figures blurred as they disappeared again.

After several exchanges, Esdeath came to a realization:

Kizaru's speed surpassed her own—she would need to find a way to slow him down if she hoped to gain the upper hand.

---

"Ice Storm!"

With a flick of her wrist, Esdeath unleashed her ability, summoning a vortex of icy winds. A massive ice tornado twisted into existence, enveloping both Kizaru and Esdeath within its eye.

The biting cold and increasing wind pressure drastically impeded any movement. In this environment, even the most skilled fighters would struggle to act efficiently.

But to Esdeath's surprise, despite the extreme conditions, Kizaru's speed remained unaffected—if anything, he seemed to be speeding up.

"The wind's so strong, it's messing up my hair…"

Kizaru complained mildly, though his tone was filled with the same laziness as always.

The wind pressure from the storm intensified, and the ice shards embedded within the storm acted like razor-sharp daggers. Even Esdeath had to cover herself with a thin layer of hardened ice to protect herself from the shards.

Yet Kizaru treated the blizzard as if it were nothing. His speed easily allowed him to evade the storm's reach, his figure swiftly moving in and out of the dangerous winds.

At the moment their blades clashed once more, Esdeath took the opportunity to lash out with an incredibly fast spinning kick.

Esdeath was flawless—whether it was in swordsmanship or hand-to-hand combat, her abilities were unmatched.

Kizaru, however, paid no mind. He simply raised his arm, blocking the kick effortlessly, before retaliating with a whip-like kick of his own.

Smack!

What surprised Kizaru slightly was that Esdeath, who had been instinctively avoiding direct confrontation with him, had actually taken the hit head-on without hesitation, despite the potential for injury. She then used the opportunity to create some distance.

Esdeath raised her hand to signal for a temporary ceasefire, and the ice tornado surrounding the battlefield quickly dissipated.

"What was that just now?"

It was as though the intense clash they had just endured never happened. Esdeath asked with a serious expression.

"Hm? You mean… this?"

Kizaru thought for a moment, then wrapped his palm in a layer of nearly solidified Haki and displayed it for Esdeath to see.

Armament Haki provides a significant boost for a strong fighter, and when two combatants are nearly equal in strength, the one who masters this technique often holds a considerable advantage.

Moreover, Kizaru's power was beyond Esdeath's, so the effects were unmistakable.

However, Esdeath's quick awareness of the abnormality was somewhat unexpected for Kizaru. If this woman weren't bound by the world's limits, she would undoubtedly have the potential to challenge the strongest.

"This!"

Esdeath lightly leapt toward Kizaru, landing in front of him. She didn't seem to care that just a moment ago they were in the middle of a fight; instead, she moved closer to carefully observe the Haki around Kizaru's hand.

She even reached out and grasped his hand, eager to experience this mysterious power firsthand.

Kizaru didn't mind her holding his hand—after all, he knew he wasn't at a disadvantage. The elevated perspective was perfect for admiring Esdeath's flawless figure.

"I get it now!"

Esdeath's eyes sparkled with understanding, and she quickly manifested her own Haki in her hand. Without any formal instruction, she instinctively learned how to harden the Haki and even use it to wrap around objects.

"Impressive."

Kizaru raised an eyebrow slightly, unable to stop himself from offering his praise.

°°°

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