"So strong."
Sengoku's breathing turned rough, sweat rolling down his temples. Rakuya, by contrast, stood calm as still water.
"This ends quickly."
A war of attrition would only favor the man in front of him. Haki surged over Sengoku's palm as he struck with surgical precision.
"Shockwave."
"Repulsion: Piercing Cannon."
Rakuya lifted a finger. A needle of compressed force lanced out like a laser, punched straight through the shockwave, and smashed into Sengoku's palm.
"Tch."
Pain spiked. Even through Armament, the sting and pressure made Sengoku's jaw clench.
One exchange told him enough. The man's power exceeded expectations by a frightening margin. His shot had torn through Sengoku's technique and even nicked Haki-hardened flesh. Rakuya himself had not moved an inch.
Face hard, Sengoku flipped both hands forward and drove his Armament straight at Rakuya.
"You never learn."
Rakuya shook his head. That kind of guard would never stand up to his repulsion.
"Repulsion: Finger Cannon."
His forefinger leveled. Phantasmal fingers bloomed in the air, each one packed to the limit with force. The pressure alone made the air creak.
Crack.
A spray of red. Sengoku's palm split open, blood welling through the Haki.
One casual thrust, and the hand that wore Armament had been injured.
"Admiral Sengoku!"
Seeing him bleed, the Marines' hearts seized. Bastille's face went cold. He roared and brought his long, jagged poleblade down in a black-edged arc.
"Return Zephyr-sensei."
"Out of my way."
Rakuya's fingers came together. A blade of pale force shimmered into being, repulsion pouring off it in waves as it met Bastille's weapon.
Snap.
Steel shattered. Rakuya's left hand rose and leveled at Bastille's chest.
"Repulsion: Blast Cannon."
"Armament."
Black gloss rushed over Bastille's torso. It didn't matter. The invisible shell slammed into him, blood burst from his mouth, and he flew.
Thud.
He hit the dirt and screamed, then went limp.
"For Zephyr's sake, I'll spare you."
Rakuya's eyes slid back to Sengoku.
"Sengoku, how about we make a deal."
"A deal," Sengoku rasped, face tight. "Name it."
"A Celestial Dragon. Zephyr. Sakazuki. Borsalino. All in my custody. You want them back in one piece."
"Say what you want."
"Five billion Berries. Or there is no deal."
"You dare extort the Marines in the open. Do you not fear our hunt?"
"Save the bedtime stories," Rakuya said, bored. "If I feared the Marines, I wouldn't have hammered a Celestial Dragon. The moment I did that, your Navy stopped mattering to me."
"Enough. I will kill you here."
Sengoku's eyes flared. Power detonated off him as his body swelled.
The golden Buddha grew and grew, ten meters and climbing, a towering idol radiating fury.
"Admiral Sengoku."
Marines froze where they stood.
He had unleashed the third-stage transformation of the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Daibutsu.
Giant Buddha Form.
Attack and defense spiked again. This was Sengoku at his peak.
"Looks like you don't feel like paying ransom," Rakuya sighed, shaking his head as the giant shadow fell across him.
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