Rayleigh raised his head with some difficulty. He looked at Carl with a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"Why does your slash feel so familiar to me?"
The sheer force behind Carl's attack far surpassed that of ordinary swordsmen. But what unsettled Rayleigh the most was the feeling—the presence—carried by that slash. It reminded him of someone he once knew.
A golden figure flashed through Rayleigh's mind like a bolt of lightning.
"Could it be… Shiki?!"
Rayleigh knew that old lion all too well. Back then, alongside Garp, they had brought the era of the Rocks Pirates to an end. What followed was a new world order—three great forces dominating the seas: the Roger Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Golden Lion's Flying Pirates.
As an old rival, Rayleigh had crossed swords with Shiki too many times to count.
His gaze sharpened. "Are you… his heir?"
The idea seemed absurd. A man like Shiki the Golden Lion, who despised the World Government and the Marines, choosing a Marine as his successor?
"Hey! Don't talk nonsense!" Carl quickly waved his hands. "That old guy has nothing to do with me. If there's any connection, it's only that I sent him to the depths of the sea."
Before Rayleigh could respond, a sudden roar echoed through the battlefield.
"What have you done to my companions?!"
Bartholomew Kuma had already sent Nami and the others flying, leaving only Luffy on the ground. The Straw Hat captain had just regained consciousness and was glaring at the massive bear-like figure.
"Oops."
Both Carl and Kizaru reacted at the same time.
But their meanings were different.
Kizaru was lamenting the fact that the Straw Hats had escaped.
Carl, on the other hand, was frustrated—if he didn't act now, he would lose his chance to take control of Kuma!
Kizaru pouted, looking at Kuma with mild curiosity. "Bartholomew Kuma, are you planning to betray the Marines?"
Kuma paused for a moment before answering in his usual calm, emotionless tone.
"I am a Shichibukai, not your subordinate. I act at my own discretion, except when ordered by the World Government."
The Shichibukai were officially sanctioned by the World Government, but they were not under Marine jurisdiction. Strictly speaking, they had no obligation to cooperate with the Marines.
However, this situation was different.
Kizaru feigned exaggerated surprise. "Oh my, oh my~ This involves the Celestial Dragons. The old man will have to report this."
In the blink of an eye, Kizaru's body turned into light, and he instantly appeared in front of Kuma.
Kuma remained silent, his expression unreadable. "Don't get in my way."
"That won't do~" Kizaru's lazy tone didn't change, but his gaze flickered toward Luffy. "As long as he's here, this isn't over yet."
Carl was growing impatient. Why is the old man still fighting over the target?!
Time was running out. If Carl didn't act fast, he would lose his chance to gain control of Kuma. He braced himself to charge—
But before he could move, a figure leaped from the ruins!
Boom!
Rayleigh's blackened fist collided with Carl's Sakura Ten.
Even in his heavily injured state, Rayleigh grinned. "I may be an old man, but I can still stop you."
The situation was turning in Rayleigh's favor.
Kizaru was busy handling Kuma.
Rayleigh only needed to keep Carl occupied long enough for Luffy to escape.
Carl clenched his teeth. His eyes twitched with frustration. "Damn old man, get out of my way! I'm not even after Luffy!"
"That won't do." Rayleigh panted slightly, but his Haki-coated hand continued to erode Carl's blade.
Carl's face darkened. "Then don't blame me for being rude!"
The black lightning surging around Sakura Ten flared wildly.
"Slash Wave!"
Boom!
The ground shattered beneath the impact. Rayleigh barely managed to dodge aside.
His expression grew serious. "This level of destruction… Even Shiki wasn't this extreme."
Carl wasn't interested in compliments. He turned to Kizaru and shouted:
"Dad! Let's swap opponents! Rayleigh's a pain in the ass!"
Kizaru, mid-air, dodged Kuma's paw with a flicker of light. A laser beam shot from his finger, only to be deflected by Kuma's Nikyu Nikyu no Mi.
He glanced at Carl's situation. "What are you talking about, Carl? You're handling him just fine~"
His words were casual, but the battlefield told a different story. Carl had indeed been holding his own against Rayleigh.
Kizaru's laser ricocheted off Kuma's palm, shooting into the sky.
Kuma closed his book, freeing both of his hands.
Kizaru's lips curled. "Oh~ Now things are getting serious."
Carl gritted his teeth. These old guys are too much!
If Kizaru would just switch, Carl could take Kuma while Rayleigh was forced to retreat. It would be a win-win.
But no—
Crack!
Rayleigh's fist came flying toward Carl's face.
Clang!
Carl raised Sakura Ten, blocking the punch.
Rayleigh's leg swept toward his waist.
Carl's red eyes flickered. He raised his own leg to counter.
Boom!
The impact echoed. Rayleigh was sent flying backward.
Carl exhaled sharply. "Damn old man…"
Rayleigh was growing weaker.
He had already sustained serious injuries. Now, the black lightning from Carl's blade was steadily eroding his strength.
Carl could tell. If this fight dragged on, Rayleigh would end up just like Shiki—defeated and broken.
For a top-tier fighter, battles could last for days without a clear victor.
But Rayleigh was already wounded.
And Carl's black grudge energy was draining him further.
"Is it really worth it?" Carl asked, frowning.
Rayleigh coughed, blood dripping from his lips. But he still smiled.
"A young fire can't be extinguished so soon…"
Carl's face hardened. "Then there's no choice."
A terrifying sword aura erupted from his body.
Rayleigh's pupils shrank. He could feel it from afar—the sheer sharpness of the coming attack.
"If this lands… I won't survive."
Behind Carl, billions of invisible swords seemed to materialize.
Five sword wings unfolded from his back.
"All Swords Return to the Sect!"
The space itself trembled.
Rayleigh tensed.
Sa!
Carl waved his hand. The five sword wings shot out.
Rayleigh braced himself—
But instead of attacking, the swords formed an invisible domain—locking him in place!
Rayleigh's face went stiff.
Carl grinned. Gotcha.
He ignored Rayleigh and charged at Kuma.
You thought I was fighting you… but my target was Kuma all along!
This wasn't "thinking three steps ahead."
Carl had been on the fifth floor the entire time!
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