Journey to One Piece

292. The lost deal

The cracking of the wooden and the steel frame was loud enough as the fire typhoon just broke through the ship, almost splitting the ship in half. The otehers were now sure that it was Ken's doing and two of the masked men. 

This time he didn't let them pass his body like always but actually swiftly moved and slashed at both of them. He had opened his shikai, it would be waste if he didn't use it. Ken was so fast that the two masked men couldn't even react even though they had Observation haki.

Their Observation Haki couldn't predict at all of Ken's movement. No, it was something else. Kong who had seen Ken make the move had his eyes wide open as he realized what Ken had just done. 

He was not that much surprised that ken ended up delivering long gashes on the bodies of the masked men but the fact that he himself couldn't predict the move of Ken. He was actually ready with his future sight and take down Ken but then he realized that he couldn't use the future sight at all. 

Blood spilled on the broken deck as the two masked men were thrown back and hit the floor. They screamed a bit in pain but their scream was drowned in the cracking of the ship and the ship slowly drowning. 

But all of this didn't matter to Kong. He stumbled upon his own words as he asked. 

"You.. You can.. You can kill others' Observation Haki?" 

Ken swung his sword in the air as the blood on the blade sizzled into vapor, while Kong looked at him with horror. He had only met one person who could ever do that and that was Shanks. There was a reason why he could do that. It was because, just like how when fighting one could mix Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, thus making a person more strong, the same way Observation and Conqueror could be done. 

Only this was very rare and a very few people could do that. Now he got to see another person who could do it. One Shanks was already a bit of a headache, but having another one who could do it, that too from a Vice Captain. 

He was in more horror thinking what the Captain could do now. For the first time he was regretting taking this mission upon himself of catching the Straw Hats since the last time. They were already in peril and now there was more of a headache. 

Ken didn't look at the masked men and just at Kong when he said. 

"I trained in Observation Haki for years, I would be a fool if I didn't progress further and I guess I do have a knack for it." Ken smiled. Ken didn't speak more the world around swirled as he tried to take in Kong. Once could be looked over and forgotten, but not the second time. 

Kong was slowly being pulled into the Kamui dimension, but in the next moment Kong vanished and he appeared again on the roof of the ship. He just used Soru to escape the entrapment of Ken. 

"So you guys have learnt how to escape." Ken said as he looked up at Kong who had escaped and was on his knees. Sengoku was right, getting sucked into his eye only gives nausea and nothing else. Kong threw his blazer on his shoulder away.

His duty demanded him to fight and so he would. He would do everything possible. Even though Observation Haki had stopped that didn't mean his strength would be lower than Ken. Ken looked at Kong and for some reason he wanted to fight too. 

And thus both jumped at each other ready to unleash the full fight. Ken swung his Zanpakuto with precision, flames trailing in its wake. Kong countered with swift and calculated movements, dodging the fiery onslaught. Their attacks sent shockwaves through the already battered ship, threatening to engulf them in the inferno below.

The ship groaned beneath their onslaught, the flames licking higher and higher. Ken's eyes burned with determination, his spiritual pressure radiating like a scorching sun.

"What the hell is the fire, Punisher?" Kong asked as he felt the heat on the face. He felt as if the fire was hurting his soul, not just the flesh. He soon understood that Ken didn't have the Conqueror's haki laden Armament but here was the problem. 

Kong couldn't damage the sword of his at all. And Ken was able to stop the attack and hurt him back. Though Ken did feel the wrath as he was pushed and mauled. Kong was already in hybrid mode of his Devil fruit so it was battle of attrition and Kong definitely had more raw explosive power and Ken had in an instant. 

Ken's Zanpakuto clashed with Kong's Haki-infused fists, creating a shockwave that sent both warriors reeling. But in that shockwave the ship finally gave away and broke into several pieces. Kong who was ready to fight more lost the footing and had to use Moon walk to keep him standing. 

"You still don't have the same raw power as me. You never will." Kong shouted as he couldn't let this small victory get away and take over Ken psychologically. Ken smiled in response and said 

"It only took two years to get better in Haki, guess what would happen in few more months when I will be able to progress more." Ken said as he stepped on the air. "I wanted to capture you and your minions to make a deal with the Marijoa again, but I guess I can't now. I would love to fight more but someone is coming. I hope you will give him a warm welcome." 

With those words he vanished. Kong flew towards him in order to catch him but it was already too late as he sucked himself into his own dimension. He was furious, but also looking at the ship a bit afraid. That sword of his made him feel scared. 

He felt as if the sword was alive. The other marines had spoken of that when they had faced Zoro and Brook in war. Was there any relation? What were the swords and why were they so dangerous?