Yes, it's not that deep. Luffy acknowledges Kizaru's strength and the threat he poses to all of them around. Doesn't mean Luffy is afraid for himself. Just like it's not like Prime Whitebeard was scared of young Oden. Right Admiral-Bros?
@Elder Lee Hung @MarineHQ @SakazOuki @EmperorKinyagi
Honest opinion?
Can’t say for sure how Luffy would react from a Young Oden, his personality is pretty different from WB.
An example :
We have Blackbeard sweating with bloodshot eyes from sensing Rayleigh while Kizaru didn’t react nearly as strongly in comparison. Does it prove Kizaru > current Blackbeard?
Not really. First because Rayleigh admitted he would lose and second because Blackbeard simply gets « shocked » much more easily.
Before words get put in my mouth, I did not claim WB is Blackbeard, but he seemed more thoughtful than Luffy overall which means they would have different reactions.
What’s important in my opinion is that Luffy (as he is the one concerned) does not react in shock/surprise from sensing one « very powerful » presence every 20 chapter. He may have called some people like the dukes strong in more casual situations before but I’m pretty confident such a scene, and as a cliffhanger as that, is really rare.
Especially considering this comes after Wano where he faced what should be the peak of power in the verse.
Does it mean I believe Luffy is actually shitting his pants or that Kizaru has bigger presence than anybody that came before?
No.
But pretty fucking solid hype? 100% yes.