It didn't take long.
After receiving the power crystals from Kairos Flint, the three women underwent astonishing transformations.
As their bodies successfully evolved, their entire beings experienced profound changes.
Uta, overwhelmed with shyness, had hidden herself away in her room.
But Nami and Vivi's transformations stood boldly in front of Robin—and they were hard to ignore.
That feeling…
It was like the shift in presence you'd feel when going from facing chickens and ducks to suddenly facing cats, dogs… even tigers and lions.
Before, the threat posed by Nami and Vivi had been manageable. Sure, they were strong—but so was Robin. Their differences were minor, barely tipping the scale either way.
Now? That had changed.
Her instincts screamed danger. Her body was tense.
And that danger was coming from Nami and Vivi.
"Kairos, I feel like I could beat you a hundred times over right now," Nami said proudly after the enhancement.
Kairos's face darkened.
What kind of thing was that to say?
What did she mean—beat him a hundred times? Was she planning some kind of domestic violence? That was over the line!
Just because she had powered up a bit, now she was getting ideas?
Was her body itching for punishment tonight?
"We'll see about that," Kairos muttered under his breath.
"This time, my physical capabilities have improved far more than what I ever gained through ordinary training," Vivi said, clenching her fists. Her eyes sparkled with determination.
She was someone who believed in action.
In the next instant, she activated her transformation: the BattleGreymon form!
Clad in the armor of Chronic Digizoid, her arms were equipped with Dragon Beast Busters, and the Shield of Courage was strapped to her back.
As her thoughts aligned, her body rose into the air.
And then—
The Power of Gaia!
Vivi raised her hands high, channeling the atmospheric energy around her. Under her control, the energy compressed into an ultra-high-density, high-temperature energy bomb.
From the ship, Kairos quickly sensed the incoming energy and shouted up, "Vivi, throw that somewhere else!"
He had seen this move before.
After all, he was the one who had given her the epic-level Dragon Dragon Fruit: Mythical Zoan-Type, BattleGreymon Form. He had trained her to understand its powers and techniques—including the devastating Power of Gaia.
Previously, her Gaia blast had only reached about three meters in diameter.
Now?
The bomb she was holding looked to be at least a hundred meters across. It was massive.
He knew his own crystal had played a big role in her growth. Without the upgrade to her physical body and latent potential, Vivi would never have been able to handle such a powerful form.
But he definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of that attack.
If she accidentally hit the ship, or him… it would take all his strength to survive it. And even then, the ship might not.
Vivi, hearing Kairos's voice from below, immediately redirected her attack and hurled the massive Gaia bomb far out to sea.
The glowing sphere flew high into the distance.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A blinding light erupted, followed by a deafening explosion.
Kairos and the others instinctively shielded their eyes.
An instant later, a tremendous wave of energy and wind slammed into the ship.
They were tossed like a toy boat in a hurricane. The entire vessel shook violently.
Thankfully, their ship was sturdy and well-built. If they had been on a smaller vessel, they might have been blown over entirely.
Vivi, still in her BattleGreymon form, flew back to the ship after releasing the Gaia blast. She stared wide-eyed at the aftermath of her attack.
The difference between this and her old version of the Gaia power was like heaven and earth. The sheer force was incomparable.
"If Crocodile were to come back from the dead and saw how strong you've become, he'd probably never dare set foot in Alabasta again," Robin murmured.
Vivi beamed with pride at the compliment.
The reason she had sought power in the first place… was to protect her kingdom.
And now—she had it.
But she hadn't forgotten who had made all of this possible.
"Thank you for everything, love," Vivi said, returning to her normal form. She immediately threw herself into Kairos's arms.
"You've got a conscience after all," Kairos said with a smirk.
The epic-level crystal he had given her could've easily increased his own power by one whole experience point—an extremely rare thing for someone at the emperor level.
Still… Vivi hadn't let him down.
At this moment, her stats were impressive:
Emperor-level Physique
Emperor-level Soul
Emperor-level Physical Combat
Emperor-level Talent
General-level Armament Haki
General-level Observation Haki
No Conqueror's Haki (yet)
Even without Conqueror's Haki, her combination of strength, skill, and Devil Fruit ability placed her firmly in the emperor-tier of combatants.
And as for talent?
While some might overlook it, talent was essential.
Within Kairos's Goldfinger system, "talent" encompassed everything: intelligence, fighting instincts, and ability to grow stronger.
Someone with great talent could unleash 150%—even 200%—of their true power in battle.
Someone without it? Might struggle to use even half.
That's why Kairos had invested in epic-level talent crystals. They could help a Devil Fruit user like Vivi unlock the full potential of her abilities.
"Wow, look at you two all lovey-dovey. Should I give you some space?" Nami teased from the side.
Vivi quickly stepped back, flustered, face turning red.
At that moment, the door to the cabin opened, and Uta stepped out.
Her entire demeanor had changed.
The difference was obvious—she had taken the power crystal as well. Her aura was now much more refined, radiating power and grace.
Now, on Kairos's ship, including himself, there were four emperor-level powerhouses: Kairos, Nami, Vivi, and Uta.
With this kind of strength, even some of the strongest crews in the New World would think twice about crossing them.
Against forces that didn't even have a single emperor-level fighter?
They could wipe them out with just one of their members.
Just then—
Something fell from the sky.
Kairos's Observation Haki immediately picked up on it as it entered his perception range.
He reached out and caught the falling object—a wooden box.
Something about it felt familiar.
"No way…" Kairos murmured.
He pried it open.
Inside was—a Devil Fruit!
"Another Devil Fruit?" Nami gasped.
She looked at Kairos, her eyes full of envy.
Last time, he'd randomly picked up a Devil Fruit—and now it happened again?
Even the cheapest Devil Fruit sold for at least 100 million.
That meant Kairos had casually picked up 200 million berries' worth of treasure in under a year.
"If I'd had that kind of luck, maybe I wouldn't have spent all those years getting chased around by Arlong," Nami muttered.
"It must have floated out on the sea and got blasted into the air by Vivi's Gaia attack," Kairos said, analyzing the situation.
Was it just luck? A crazy coincidence?
Either way, he didn't dwell on it.
He examined the fruit in his hand.
[Paramecia-Type: Slate Fruit]
Grants the user the powers of living stone. But as always, eating a Devil Fruit means losing the ability to swim. Can be used for synthesis.
As always, Goldfinger's descriptions were short and blunt.
Kairos didn't care much for this particular fruit.
It was weak.
So, without hesitation, he tossed it into his portable space, marked for future synthesis to upgrade better fruits.
Meanwhile, Robin—who had been mostly silent—finally spoke.
The security she felt now was unlike anything she'd ever experienced.
Who would've thought…
That Kairos could empower others like this?
He had elevated Nami, Vivi, and Uta to emperor-level strength.
Add himself to the mix, and they were a crew of four imperial-caliber warriors.
Even the Four Emperors would have to think twice before picking a fight with them.
That kind of peace of mind… was priceless.
Not long after, the group set off again, following the direction indicated by the Log Pose.
Elsewhere, in the Kingdom of Alabasta—
Tina had arrived on orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Her mission: meet Kairos Flint and try to recruit him into the Navy.
But upon arrival, she found that he was already gone.
She waited around long enough to finalize the delivery of naval compensation resources—but still, no sign of him.
Frustrated, she asked King Cobra about Kairos's whereabouts.
Only to learn… he had left the country.
She was speechless.
He had completely slipped away while she'd been preparing her recruitment pitch.
Angry and disappointed, Tina eventually left.
And now, she would have to explain everything to Sengoku.
Given the admiral's interest in Kairos, she knew this wouldn't be the end of the story—and things might get a lot more tiring from here on out.
———
A few days later.
Jaya Island.
Kairos and his crew finally arrived.
If you wanted to reach Sky Island, there were only a few options:
Have a flying Devil Fruit ability.
Climb to the top of the western sky.
Or… ride the risky natural geyser known as the Knock Up Stream.
Kairos wasn't one to waste time on roundabout methods.
Time was valuable.
And so, he had chosen the most direct route—the Knock Up Stream.
Dangerous? Yes.
But also the fastest.
And Kairos Flint was always ready to take a gamble when it meant reaching new heights.
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