"Sabaody is the Celestial Dragons' playground. Aren't you afraid of them holding you accountable for all this destruction?" Rosinante said calmly.
"Ahh, guess I did go a bit overboard." Borsalino glanced at the broken trunk of the Yarukiman Mangrove he had just kicked apart.
But his expression didn't match his words at all — he spoke of going too far, but his face was full of amusement, his eyes bright with excitement.
"If your face showed even a shred of sincerity, I might actually believe you," Rosinante replied.
"None of that matters. I heard your Devil Fruit awakening is particularly effective against my ability. I'm very curious — why not show me?" Borsalino tilted his head and grinned at Rosinante.
"Compared to that, I think you'd rather see the scar that still aches whenever you think about it." Rosinante's tone turned sharp as he raised his head.
At those words, Borsalino's trademark sleazy expression vanished. His face became cold, serious, and frighteningly focused.
"You really do love sprinkling salt on an old wound. But I'm not the man I was two years ago. That cut won't work on me this time." His voice softened again, almost casual.
"Is that so?" Rosinante stepped forward.
And in that single step, he vanished — no sound, no trace, as if he had simply ceased to exist.
What? Where did he go? Even Borsalino couldn't locate him.
"So this is the rumored 'Hidden Breath Acceleration,' huh? This could be tricky." Borsalino's eyes narrowed slightly.
He'd heard the rumors — that Rosinante could erase his presence and move at terrifying speed. Back then, Borsalino hadn't thought much of it, even after seeing that silent strike two years ago.
If he hadn't been careless that day, that blade wouldn't have touched him.
But now, witnessing it again, Borsalino realized just how terrifying this ability truly was.
Rosinante had reached a level where not even a hint of his presence could be sensed. To Borsalino's Observation Haki, it was as if Rosinante had truly ceased to exist — a state of absolute nothingness.
And Borsalino's Observation Haki was no joke.
Because of the blinding speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit, he had devoted himself to honing his Observation Haki just to better control his powers.
Among the elite, his Kenbunshoku Haki was considered exceptional.
Yet even he couldn't sense Rosinante's presence now — not a whisper, not a flicker.
Alarm bells rang in his mind. Then — without warning — a flash of light streaked from the side, a sword slashing toward him.
This strike was so fast, so silent, that not even the air made a sound as it was cut.
Normally, the faster a blade moves, the more resistance it meets, the more it disturbs the air — a disturbance easily "seen" by those with strong Observation Haki.
But this sword strike was different. There was no resistance, no friction, no disturbance. It was as if the very air stepped aside, letting the blade pass.
It was Rosinante's Soul-Reaping Slash, unleashed for the first time in years!
Two years ago, this very strike had wounded Borsalino. Now, it was back, cutting toward him once more.
Just before it landed, Borsalino's body flared with blinding light — and he vanished.
The blade sliced through where he had been, striking nothing.
Drip.
A single drop of blood slid down the sword's edge, falling to the ground.
When the light reformed, Borsalino stood there again, but the fabric around his waist was stained red.
"What a pity. I thought I'd open you up like I did two years ago. Looks like I only nicked you this time." Rosinante said lightly.
"Terrifying, truly terrifying. To combine such a soul-stealing strike with speed that defies all sense… you'd make one hell of an assassin," Borsalino chuckled, though his eyes were glacially cold.
It was just a scratch, one that stopped bleeding almost immediately thanks to his admiral-level physique — but the fact that Rosinante had gotten this close at all made Borsalino's heart pound.
If not for his instinctive last-second escape, that strike would have done far more than graze him.
Even now, the thought made him uneasy.
He took a deep breath and focused, no longer underestimating his opponent. From this moment on, he knew — a single mistake could cost him the fight.
Hardening his body, he layered his Armament Haki over his vital points.
As a monster of the Marines, he could easily coat his whole body, but he knew better than to spread his haki too thin.
Against Rosinante, diluted defense would only get him killed.
Instead, he concentrated dense, powerful Armament Haki over his most vulnerable spots, ready to block any sudden fatal strike.
The rest of his body? He'd react in time.
"Light-Speed Kick!"
Borsalino knew he couldn't just stand there waiting to be struck. Before Rosinante could vanish again, he lashed out.
"Heaven-Shattering Slash!"
Rosinante's blade met the light-speed kick head-on, detonating into a violent explosion.
He could've stayed hidden and kept striking, but Rosinante knew this tactic wouldn't last against someone of Borsalino's caliber.
Against an ordinary vice admiral, sure — this would've been a nightmare.
But against someone at admiral level?
Maybe the first strike would land. Maybe even the second.
But eventually, a fighter like Borsalino would adapt, and then the advantage would be gone.
Better to keep the threat of the unseen blade as a looming menace — more frightening when held back than when spent.
Sometimes, a nuclear warhead is scarier when it stays armed and ready rather than being fired.
"Vice Admiral Borsalino, cease combat! There's a call from Admiral Sengoku!"
A major appeared in the distance, shouting the order.
.