Rayleigh looked at Shano.
Even using all his strength, he couldn't gain the upper hand against this young man who wasn't even twenty.
This kind of talent… isn't it too ridiculous?
Even the current Four Emperors—no, even Roger back in his prime—wasn't this domineering at this age.
At this moment.
On the surface, the two of them looked equally battered—bloodied and scarred. Especially on the right side of Shano's neck, a sword mark extended deep into the shoulder blade, revealing white bone.
But…
What couldn't be ignored was the shocking recovery rate of the young man's injuries. The edges of the gruesome wound had already stopped bleeding, and the muscle fibers were wriggling like living creatures, visibly healing at a rapid pace.
"What terrifying resilience…"
Rayleigh's pupils shrank. His grip on the sword involuntarily tightened.
He had sailed the seas for decades, met many monstrous talents, and seen all kinds of strange bodies…
But none had a self-healing ability that compared to this.
It was downright terrifying!
"What's wrong, are you afraid?"
Shano walked forward step by step, flashing his white teeth in a smile. "Your sword's starting to chip. What's the matter? Has the legendary Dark King Rayleigh gotten so old he needs the Navy to bail him out?"
"Kid… you'd better understand the situation clearly…"
Rayleigh frowned. Was this guy another arrogant brat?
Maybe that's how young pirates are supposed to be. Still, he was truly old now, always looking backward…
He hadn't even finished speaking when—
Shano suddenly grinned, vanishing in an instant.
Rayleigh's face changed drastically. He didn't hesitate—his eyes flashed red, and he quickly slashed to the left with all his might.
Bang!!
But his sword was still a beat too slow—Shano's punch slammed into his chest, blasting him hundreds of meters away. He rolled like a ragdoll before skidding to a stop.
"You've slowed down."
Shano flexed his wrist with a smirk and strode forward again. His aura remained as strong as ever—utterly steady.
"So that's it. You've got the strength, but you can't keep up with my rhythm anymore?"
This seemed to be a common issue with the strongest figures in the pirate world.
Even if their peak strength was still immense—each blow terrifying—their endurance and durability inevitably declined with age.
Just like the Rayleigh standing in front of him.
Though both had been fighting with all their might from the start—sword slashes drawing blood, fists pounding flesh, the intensity pushed to the limit—
Still…
It had been less than two hours since the battle began.
Rayleigh was already breathing heavily. His condition had obviously declined across the board. It was questionable if he could even last until nightfall.
And Shano?
He was only getting more fired up! The more he fought, the more his fighting spirit surged!
At this rate, he could keep going for three days and nights without issue!
"Your chances of winning are getting smaller, old man!"
Shano struck again. This time, Rayleigh managed to respond in time—dodging sideways and blocking with his sword.
While they clashed, Rayleigh's eyes suddenly shifted, surprised by something in the distance.
Several powerful presences—seven or eight of them—were approaching. But rather than joining the fight directly, they took up formation, standing at the edge of the battlefield… blocking the Navy, which had been motionless until now.
"Those your comrades?"
Rayleigh raised a brow. "You trusting them to keep the Navy at bay?"
"Oh, they're here?"
Shano also turned to look, finally noticing the group thanks to Rayleigh's keen perception.
Sure enough, Rayleigh's Observation Haki was stronger than his.
But that was fine. He'd long accepted his own weaknesses. Once he entered the New World, he'd improve.
This gap wouldn't affect the current battle. If victory were decided solely by Observation Haki, countless Nika corpses would already be piled beneath Kaido's feet.
"Perfect!"
Shano laughed boldly. "Leave the Navy to them. As for you—Rayleigh! Stop hesitating and second-guessing yourself. It's pathetic! You've already been pushed this far, so bring out your real strength! Let me see how strong you were at your peak!"
"You really trust your crew."
Rayleigh withdrew his gaze. His smile finally grew cold and sharp: "But you're right. Those who don't believe in their comrades don't deserve to be captains in the first place… Haha… Fine! Let's do this!"
He tore off his tattered cloak, revealing his battered yet still muscular body. He looked worn—but unyielding!
"In that case, I'll throw everything away and fight you to the bitter end!"
Hum!!
A powerful Conqueror's Haki exploded from him as Rayleigh's figure vanished in an instant. Shano's eyes gleamed—he charged in to meet him head-on.
BOOM!!
⸻
The rain came down heavier now, pounding the muddy ground.
Tea Dolphin slowly looked away from the earth-shaking clash in the distance and turned to the seven figures waiting atop the hill.
There were only seven—but their presence was unmistakable.
In the center stood a black-haired girl with a high ponytail, hand resting on her sword hilt. When she met his gaze, her expression didn't change.
"…Seems like I've been underestimated."
His cigar was already gone. Tea Dolphin took a teacup from his adjutant, sipping calmly.
"Golzan, I'm getting old—can't remember everything. Remind me, what's the average bounty of those pirate officers?"
Golzan answered without hesitation: "Excluding the weaker ones, the average bounty exceeds 100 million. Quite impressive for the first half of the Grand Line. The highest is that girl—Deputy Captain Guina. Hers is 200 million."
"Two hundred million? Terrifying…"
Tea Dolphin exaggerated a gasp. "No wonder they think they can stand before me with such a small group. Golzan, tell me, such powerful pirates…"
BOOM!!
Before he finished, Tea Dolphin vanished.
The next moment, he appeared before Guina—his right leg wrapped in Armament Haki, swinging down like a battle axe toward her head!
"One hit is all I need to take her down!"
Clang!
Guina caught the strike with her gleaming blade. Sparks flew, and the ground cracked beneath her feet, splitting in every direction.
The force of the blow was immense.
But Guina didn't move.
She calmly placed her left hand on the back of her sword, muscles tightening, and forced the leg-axe upward—neutralizing the blow with a blank expression.
Tea Dolphin froze.
How?!
He didn't use a Devil Fruit. He didn't practice swordsmanship. He had reached this level through pure physical prowess. That kick could shatter a supernova's skull instantly.
Yet she hadn't even budged?
He struck again from the air, pouring more strength into his leg—
Clang!
Same result.
"Uh… Mr. Gion?"
The adjutant's voice trembled. Many naval soldiers were stunned. Worse—there was a Den Den Mushi camera aimed right at them.
Tea Dolphin's face darkened.
He backed away from Guina, scowling.
"…Interesting."
The smile disappeared from his face. In its place was cold, sharp killing intent.
"I really did underestimate you, 'Rain-Cutting Swordsman' Guina. That 200 million bounty… far underrates your strength."
"You're stronger than me," Guina said flatly. "But unfortunately, your strength alone isn't enough to break past me. Don't expect to interrupt Lord Shano's duel. I alone am enough to stop you."
She turned to her crew. "Just watch the others. No need to interfere."
"Tch. Always hogging the spotlight. You've been corrupted by Captain Shano."
Smoker, chewing his cigar, still followed her orders. "Fine. You're the vice-captain."
The others nodded and scattered to hold the line.
This battlefield, No. 1 Grove of the Sabaody Archipelago, had become the center of attention. Not just the Navy—but even pirates lurking nearby, and bounty hunters hiding in the shadows, all watched with bated breath.
None would dare interfere with the captain's duel.
⸻
"Huh? Only one person to stop me? A bit insulting."
Rain dripped from Tea Dolphin's hat as he raised his hands. Jet-black Haki wrapped around his arms.
The water at his feet shivered, driven back by invisible pressure.
"I claimed I was only a little stronger than you—but now, I'll get serious!"
Whoosh!
He vanished again.
Faster than before, he blitzed Guina like a black blur. His fists exploded forward like cannonballs, shaking the very air with each blow—each capable of flattening a large ship!
Bang bang bang!!
Guina's eyes sharpened. Her blade flashed silver, clashing with each punch. Sparks burst through the rain.
Her feet dug trenches into the mud with every step back.
Clearly, she struggled to block his full assault.
But her gaze remained calm—even slightly excited.
This guy may have no flair or aura, but he truly lived up to the name of Admiral Candidate. Far stronger than Doflamingo!
And he fought purely with close-quarters physical skill—just the kind of opponent she wanted.
"In that case… it's my turn!"
Guina let out a sharp cry.
Tea Dolphin's eyes widened—but before he could react, her swordplay shifted!
"Steel-Cutting Flash: Twin Dragons Out to Sea!"
She stepped forward, slicing with sharp arcs. Wind howled as two tornados spun outward, tearing through his offensive and forcing him back.
Guina followed up immediately!
"Moon Step!"
She soared into the air like lightning, blade aiming for his throat.
Tea Dolphin raised his arms—but her strike was far stronger than expected. It sent him flying straight into the naval ranks!
BOOM!!
Debris exploded as Marines scattered. Tea Dolphin crawled from the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
His arms trembled—his face finally serious.
Guina descended gracefully, landing without a sound.
"Now you know I wasn't bluffing."
Rain slid off her blade. She raised her head slightly and tilted it at him, smirking faintly.
"Come. Let's continue."
⸻
Grove No. 40.
The heart of Sabaody's tourist zone.
In the center plaza, three massive screens stood tall, broadcasting the battle.
The crowd was packed. The Sabaody Newspaper had sent experienced reporters to provide live commentary.
Now—
As Tea Dolphin was knocked back onscreen, the crowd erupted.
"He really held him off?!"
"That swordswoman is awesome!"
"A whole Admiral Candidate can't beat the Pirate crew's vice-captain?!"
"You idiot, it's just back and forth! The Navy guy's still stronger!"
"But he can't break through. Isn't the Navy doing anything else? Where's the Admiral?!"
People started yelling at the broadcast:
"Hey, this is cool and all—but it's still the side battle! Cut back to the main fight already!"
"Right! We wanna see who's stronger—Dark King Rayleigh or that kid! …Wait, now that you mention it, Shano hasn't used that sword on his back at all, has he?"
"Yeah… what's up with that?"
A middle-aged commentator quickly took the mic to settle the crowd.
"Don't worry, everyone! Our coverage is professional!"
"Since the main fight hasn't shifted much, we're showing other developments for now. As soon as things change, we'll return to the peak battle!"
Flash!
The screen flickered—and the picture returned to the main duel.
"As I said—now!"
The commentator beamed. "Let's refocus on this peak showdown!"
⸻
BOOM!!
Rain splattered against the lens.
A frontline reporter reached out and wiped the water away, adjusting the camera.
Through the warped, shattered ground—amidst the heavy rain—
The camera zoomed in.
From the sky…
Rayleigh's battered body fell fast, silver hair tangled in the wind. Blood streamed from his mouth.
His sword had already slipped from his grip, falling faster than him—embedding into the earth like a cold flash of light.
In his fading eyes, reflected clearly, was the black-haired youth wrapped in red-and-black lightning—
—standing silently in the rain.