"What a troublesome opponent… I don't need your gratitude," Rayleigh said with a wry smile.
He could tell that Tengetsu Ares had comprehended something significant from that earlier exchange.
And that realization gave Rayleigh an ominous premonition.
"I need to end this quickly."
That thought flashed through Rayleigh's mind and he acted on it without hesitation.
The moment Ares revealed his Zoan transformation, Rayleigh immediately understood: this man's defense and physical attributes were monstrous.
A prolonged battle would only be to Ares's advantage.
In a split second.
The powerful muscles in Rayleigh's thighs exploded with force, transmitting it into his soles.
His entire figure launched forward like a released arrow.
The tip of his sword, wrapped in Armament Haki, aimed directly for Ares's exposed chest where his heart lay unprotected.
It was the one spot on his body not covered by those near-impervious dragon scales.
For most scaled creatures, the areas left bare by their natural armor were the weak points.
And this wasn't just any spot beneath it beat the heart, the most vital organ of all.
His black blade pierced through the air with a whistling screech, the force creating a turbulent backdraft.
It was a thrust fast as lightning.
Fast. Precise. Lethal.
Rayleigh's mastery of the sword had reached a state of effortless perfection every movement sharp and calculated.
He was a true swordmaster.
Clang!
A crisp, metallic clash rang out.
Ares glanced through the gap between his fingers at the golden-haired man before him. But before he could observe more, the black blade gripped in Rayleigh's hand began to rotate.
Rayleigh's wrist twisted fluidly, guiding the blade with expert precision.
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Clear notes rang out in succession.
Sparks erupted as blade met claw.
Even in his transformed dragon-human hybrid form, Ares felt a faint ache ripple through his scaled hands.
His dragon claws so resilient they could tear through steel were beginning to feel pressure.
But pain meant nothing to Ares.
It didn't slow him down.
Instead, he noticed something else: the force transmitted through Rayleigh's blade was continuously increasing.
It was ramping up at a terrifying rate.
Acting on pure instinct, Ares raised his right arm and curled his fingers into a claw.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind screamed as he brought the claw down in a heavy arc, aiming directly for Rayleigh's crown.
Because of the difference in their sizes, Rayleigh even in motion barely reached Ares's chest.
The descending claw came with the weight of a mountain.
But just as it struck
Rayleigh retreated.
Sword sheathed, feet pushing off the ground, he leapt back and avoided the blow with mere inches to spare.
He was well aware that while Ares might endure his slashes with brute force…
He couldn't afford to get struck by those claws.
One hit, and he'd be torn to shreds.
As Rayleigh's heels skimmed the ground, he rebounded again with spring-like force. The moment his toes touched down, he launched forward once more.
His blade arced upward at a 45-degree angle, aiming once again for Ares's chest.
That distance just over three meters vertically, plus several meters between them made this the perfect angle of attack.
But once again.
Clang!
The dragon claw blocked it.
Clang!
Clang!
Clashes echoed repeatedly.
In less than a minute, Rayleigh had unleashed a flurry of strikes so fast and relentless that the average fighter wouldn't even be able to follow them.
Even Ares found himself pushed by the sheer ferocity of the assault.
"Good thing I activated my dragon form," Ares thought, eyes narrowing.
"Otherwise I might not have been able to block these blows."
This was the Mythical Zoan: Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Form.
Ares's hybrid transformation granted him immense boosts not just in defense and regeneration, but far more than that.
The Mythical Zoan-class was unlike any other.
It enhanced reflexes, nerve response, and sensory perception.
Even without strong Observation Haki, Ares could now go toe-to-toe with someone like Rayleigh whose Observation Haki was top-tier.
"Divine Dragon Tail Whip!"
"Twin Dragons Clash!"
"Fist Art, Storm Palm!"
"…"
"One Sword Style: Gate of Hell!"
"One Sword Style: Three-Headed Hellhound!"
The two of them unleashed their full arsenals slashing, clawing, striking.
Every blow cracked the air. Every impact thundered across the battlefield.
This was not a brawl.
This was a duel between masters.
On the distant sidelines, Wang Zhi watched in awe.
"I… I can't even tell who's winning anymore."
"These two are both stronger than me."
He gazed at Ares, who seemed to thrive in the chaos of battle.
A strange feeling crept into Wang Zhi's chest.
"Have I… gotten old?"
The thought came unbidden.
One wave rises, the next crashes behind it.
The new generation… was here.
But then he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Hmph. Ares's stamina is monstrous."
"If this drags on, the one left standing will definitely be him."
He knew Ares well and he respected the man's endurance and tenacity.
If things remained evenly matched, Ares's overwhelming stamina would tip the scales.
Wang Zhi's gaze shifted.
Now he looked toward another fierce confrontation GolD. Roger versus Golden Lion Shiki.
A fight between titans.
His heart stirred.
"No wonder Captain Rocks tried to recruit Roger. To think he could hold his own against Shiki…"
"Shiki is one of the strongest pirates I've ever seen. But even he can't take down Roger quickly."
He kept watching unable to look away.
And with every second, his respect for Roger grew.
"That terrifying Conqueror's Haki… his Armament Haki… his swordsmanship…"
"He's not inferior to Shiki in any way."
In this vast sea, beyond monsters like Rocks, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Shiki…
There was yet another terrifying name:
Gol D. Roger.
The raw strength Roger displayed left Wang Zhi speechless.
"The Roger Pirates… are definitely the most powerful crew out there besides the Rocks Pirates."
He stared at Roger, eyes fixed.
And finally understood.
Why Roger had the confidence to reject Rocks's invitation.
It all came down to one thing: Strength.
And not just Roger's strength.
There was Rayleigh, Gaban, Seagull, Sunbell, and others…
As Wang Zhi recalled the first time he encountered the Roger Pirates…
His heart clenched unexpectedly.
It wasn't just the strength that stood out.
No
What disturbed him most was something deeper. Something unseen.
Something that took shape in his mind as two simple words:
"True Unity."
When those words appeared, his first reaction was to scoff.
"How absurd."
"How laughable."
But
He couldn't ignore it.
He'd seen countless pirate crews in his life. Fought beside and against all manner of cutthroat, greedy, violent, power-hungry men.
But never
Never a crew like this.
The Rocks Pirates were driven by ambition and desire. Ninety-nine percent of them chased fame and fortune, using brutal, direct methods.
They took what they wanted.
Plunder.
Seize what's yours by force.
That was the law of the sea.
But in Roger's crew…
He saw something else entirely.
A connection deeper than blood. A bond forged not from violence, but from mutual trust and loyalty.
It shook Wang Zhi.
"What kind of pirate crew is this…?"
For the first time in decades…
He was confused.
He had no answer.
But he couldn't shake the thought echoing in his heart
"Are they… different?"
"Are they truly… not like us?"
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