Rayleigh was sent flying by a powerful blow, flipping twice mid-air. Drawing on his vast combat experience, he dispersed the impact, landed on his feet, and took several steps back to steady himself.
But before he could say a word, the crazed Ortoren was already charging at him, war hammer in hand, roaring like a wild beast!
Just then, Shanks drew his sword and shouted, "First Mate, I've got your back!"
Without hesitation, he rushed straight toward Ortoren.
"No, wait!" Rayleigh shouted in alarm, trying to stop him—but it was already too late.
Ortoren, having lost all rationality, didn't pick targets. He simply attacked anything within reach!
The moment Shanks approached, Ortoren let out a deafening roar, his beast-like aura crashing down on him. Shanks swung his sword to meet the incoming hammer.
But with a single strike, the overwhelming brute force knocked the sword from his hand. Blood burst from his palm as the hilt flew from his grip!
Then came a loud crack—the war hammer slammed straight into Shanks' arm. His small frame was sent flying like a ball kicked with full force. He tumbled through the air, completely overwhelmed.
Fortunately, at the last second, Shanks managed to coat his arm with Armament Haki, blocking the hammer head. And luckily for him, Ortoren, in his frenzied state, wasn't using Haki at all.
Even so, his arm twisted unnaturally from the impact. It was clear—the bone had snapped. His arm was shattered from just one hit!
Gaban, quick on his feet, leapt up and caught the airborne Shanks. "Damn brat, you alright?" he asked.
Shanks, tough as nails, grit his teeth and growled, "It's nothing serious!"
Meanwhile, Ortoren, after smashing Shanks, turned his bloodshot gaze back toward Rayleigh—his nearest target—and let out another roar, swinging the massive hammer once more.
A cold glint flashed in Rayleigh's eyes. He drew his sword in an instant, his body becoming a blur. With speed far beyond Ortoren's ability to react, he darted past him in a flash.
Earlier, Rayleigh had been caught off guard by the surprise blow and Ortoren's absurd strength. But now, as his blade cut across Ortoren's body, his expression shifted once again—this time with doubt.
Something felt off.
The man in front of him fought with reckless fury, no technique, just wild hammer swings like a mindless beast—and he clearly wasn't using any Haki.
So logically, Rayleigh believed his slash should have been enough to inflict serious damage—maybe even a fatal blow.
But the moment his blade connected, it felt like it had struck steel—or stone.
Even though his strike managed to break the surface, the result wasn't as effective as he'd expected.
This man's body was like a living weapon. Even in a berserk state, Ortoren's physical toughness was monstrous.
At that moment, a wound stretched across Ortoren's torso—from his waist to his upper left chest—sliced open by Rayleigh's blade. The injury wasn't minor, but it wasn't life-threatening either. Even so, the torn flesh revealed exposed ribs, raw and glistening in the open air.
But right now, Ortoren seemed completely numb to pain. The wound didn't stop him—in fact, it made him even more frenzied, even more enraged. The scarlet glow in his eyes grew deeper, more ferocious.
Driven by instinct, Ortoren spun around and swung his war hammer downward at Rayleigh's head.
Rayleigh wasn't one to lose focus over something as trivial as an odd sensation in his hands. The moment Ortoren made his move, Rayleigh was already ready to counter.
But someone beat him to it—Roger.
Roger vaulted over the small hill and landed right in line with both Rayleigh and Ortoren. It was clear from his expression—he wasn't here to fight Charlotte Linlin. He was here to escape.
The moment his eyes locked on Ortoren, Roger unsheathed Ace and slashed!
"Don't waste time—run!" he shouted as his blade cut through the air.
The slash struck Ortoren's shoulder with brutal force. The blade tore through muscle and smashed against bone, and with that, Ortoren was knocked to the ground.
At the same time, the hill behind them exploded as Gaban burst out from the rubble, clutching Shanks in one arm and a wailing Buggy in the other. "What the hell are you standing around for?! She's coming!" he shouted.
There was no time to respond. Charlotte Linlin charged out of the dust cloud, Napoleon in hand, its blade burning with flames, her eyes radiating deadly intent.
Rayleigh didn't hesitate. "You guys go—I'll hold her off!"
The status of the Road Poneglyph was still unknown, and Roger—essentially the group's radar—was irreplaceable. Gaban, carrying two deadweights, couldn't possibly hold Linlin off. Rayleigh had no choice but to take the fight himself.
That was fine. As long as he could keep Charlotte Linlin busy here, the others could move faster.
To Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban, Charlotte Linlin was the only true threat in the entire Big Mom Pirates. The rest didn't even register as obstacles.
As soon as Rayleigh spoke, Roger and Gaban didn't argue. With full trust and sharp coordination, they immediately understood his intent.
They turned to flee without hesitation.
But just as Roger was about to dash off, he felt something latch onto his ankle. Looking down, he saw the same monstrous man he had just knocked down—Ortoren—struggling to rise, his hand locked tightly around Roger's leg!
That momentary delay gave Charlotte Linlin the opening she needed. She was already on them, Napoleon blazing with fire as she brought it down toward Roger's face!
Roger reacted quickly, raising Ace to block the incoming strike. As blade met blade, a powerful aura exploded from him.
Conqueror's Haki!
But it wasn't aimed at Charlotte Linlin—it was directed at Ortoren.
In that brief struggle, Roger had already felt the monstrous strength in Ortoren's grip. He knew brute force wouldn't be enough to break free in time. So without a second thought, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki to overwhelm Ortoren's will and create an opening.
Everything happened in an instant. From Rayleigh's decision to cover them to this very moment—it was all over in a flash.
The overwhelming Haki surged into Ortoren's mind.
And for the first time since the madness began, a flicker of pain crossed Ortoren's face. The scarlet gleam in his eyes dimmed, and his grip loosened just enough for Roger to slip free.
Using the force of Charlotte Linlin's own slash, Roger launched himself backward, flipping dozens of meters through the air before landing—and without looking back, he ran.
Charlotte Linlin prepared to give chase, but Rayleigh was already there, blocking her path. The two clashed immediately, locking into fierce combat.
Normally, a flash of Conqueror's Haki wouldn't be enough to snap someone out of their madness. But combined with the searing pain from his injuries, the shock reverberated through Ortoren's body, nearly splitting his head open.
In that moment, his vision cleared for just a second.
The pain, the chaos, and the echoes of his berserker rampage all hit at once.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I even doing?
This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
Can someone please explain—why the hell am I getting beat up by Charlotte Linlin, Rayleigh, and Roger all at the same time?
Isn't this world just a little too damn violent?
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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