Mid-January 1493 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Grand Line, Sabaody Archipelago.
"I told you, you're the one who got us lost, you idiot Kaido!!"
"Shut up! I just happened to be drawn to something new and interesting!"
"Drawn? You just wanted to go have fun, didn't you?!"
Grove 1, walking in the middle of the main road, Bazel said with a deadpan expression.
"We were supposed to arrive here a month ago. It's all because you ran off and got us lost in the Calm Belt!"
"The entire plan is completely ruined now. How did someone like you even become a captain!?"
"Stop nagging like an old woman, Bazel!"
Kaido held his head in pain.
"It's normal to make mistakes occasionally. Besides, I'm the captain here!"
Just as Bazel was about to say more, a fire dragon suddenly soared into the sky at the edge of his vision.
"Kaido, that presence... it's Arber, right?"
The drunken look on Kaido's face vanished instantly, replaced by a flash of crimson light in his eyes.
"It's King. Seems like he's fighting someone. Let's go check it out!"
Bazel picked up Toki and slung Enel over his shoulder.
"Perfect timing. Finally, a chance to stretch my legs~"
…
Grove 16.
"You're no match for me, King."
Standing in front of the fish-man Tom, Silvers Rayleigh sheathed his sword, a playful smile on his face.
"Young man, the seas aren't ready for your generation to roam freely yet. Us old-timers are still in our prime."
"If you want to fight the Roger Pirates, bring your captain here!"
"Hey hey, Rayleigh, you're being way too full of yourself~"
Not far away, sitting and watching the spectacle, Scopper Gaban cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone, booing loudly.
"Bullying a 17-year-old kid, woo~~~ Rayleigh, you're the worst~!"
The other members of the Roger Pirates joined in, loudly heckling.
"That's right, that's right, Rayleigh is the worst!"
"Rayleigh sucks!"
"The worst~~!"
Veins bulged on Rayleigh's forehead, "Hey, you guys! I'm the vice captain!!"
"Hey, Roger, stop sleeping over there! Control your crew! You're the captain, aren't you!?"
Pop~
The bubble in his nose burst, and Roger opened his drowsy eyes, "Now you remember I'm the captain? You never remember I'm the captain when you're hitting me!"
"Ahahaha~~~"
The Roger Pirates erupted in laughter, their carefree atmosphere fueling King's frustration.
"Return Tom-san to us! Are the Roger Pirates declaring war on the Beast Pirates!?"
Before Rayleigh could respond, Roger stood up.
"Kid, Tom is a good friend of the Roger Pirates. Leave now, and I'll pretend you never tried to kidnap Tom."
"Huh? Wait, Roger, Rayleigh, that's not what…"
Tom anxiously tried to explain, but Rayleigh raised a hand to stop him.
"I understand. No need to explain. Our captain is even bold enough to take on Rocks himself. A mere Beast Pirates crew isn't something we need to fear."
"A mere Beast Pirates crew?"
King lowered his head, his features behind the mask twisting into a grimace.
"You humans are truly arrogant. Fine, I'll show you the true power of this 'mere' Beast Pirates crew."
'You humans?'
Roger, observing the fight, raised an eyebrow. His ability to hear the voice of all things instantly activated.
"So that's it. No wonder your voice sounded strange. You're a special race…"
"Andon!"
Amid the surging flames, countless fireballs the size of half a person shot out.
Rayleigh merely shifted his footing, casually swinging his sword a few times to slice the fireballs apart.
"Not enough, not enough. Is this all the power you have?"
"If that's the case, don't expect us to be impressed!"
"Karyudon!!"
King's unwavering conviction gathered on his flame-wreathed blade as he transformed into a fiery dragon and shot forward.
"Die!"
Multiple fire dragons split from the main body, attacking the enemy from different directions.
Rayleigh's eyes widened sharply as an overwhelming burst of Haki erupted from his body.
The incoming fire dragons were slashed apart by his Haki-infused blade.
"I told you..."
Whoosh…
Rayleigh moved faster than the eye could follow, appearing in front of King and preparing to deliver a slash.
But at that moment, another figure wreathed in flames shot over from the distance. The black-red lightning coiled around its fist was more conspicuous than anything else.
"Hey hey hey, what do you think you're doing to my adorable otouto?!"
'Conqueror's Haki?!'
Rayleigh's expression changed drastically. He quickly retracted his blade and held it in front of his chest.
In the next instant…
Bazel arrived!
His fist collided with the blade mid-air, and the clash of black-red lightning sent shockwaves rippling outward in layers.
"Bazel!" King's eyes lit up with surprise.
"King, step aside. I'll handle this guy. Big Bro Kaido is here too."
"Oh~ The real enemy has arrived."
Roger quickly stood up, brushed the dirt off his pants, and suddenly drew his sword, slashing toward the sky.
"You..."
"I remember you. You were an apprentice on the Rocks' ship, right?"
"Worororo, I'm Kaido!"
Kaido, descending from the sky, pressed down hard with his kanabo, the black-red lightning on it clashing with Roger's Conqueror's Haki.
The ground exploded with a deafening crash!
Half of Roger's body was buried in the earth, yet his expression showed no trace of gravity… only sheer excitement.
"If you're the captain, then it's not bullying for me to fight you! Get lost, Gaban!"
"This guy is my prey!!"
"Tch..."
Gaban curled his lip and stepped back a few paces.
"Dammit, too slow. But it's fine. That special race guy, I'll take him on for Rayleigh!"
"King, you handle him. I'll deal with this one."
Their Conqueror's Haki was still locked in a contest of wills. Bazel glared at Rayleigh, his fighting spirit ignited.
"Big Bro Kaido and I have been lost for ages. This is a hard-won chance to fight, and against monsters from the old era to boot."
"Hahaha~~ I've been dreaming of going all out against the Roger Pirates!"
Bzzt…!!
Conqueror's Haki erupted.
"My name is Bazel! You're the 'Dark King' Rayleigh, right?!"
A slight smile touched Rayleigh's lips, his eyes filled with appreciation.
"Knowing who I am and still daring to challenge me... Young man, I admire your courage."
"But..."
His expression shifted, a murderous aura suddenly emanating from him.
"Courage alone won't keep you alive. Let me show you what true Haki is!"
Sensing the opponent's Haki was even more powerful than his own, Bazel's eyes grew increasingly excited.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"This is it!"
"Let's fight!"
He took two steps back, his hands moving out from his clothes, crossing above his head before separating and sweeping down in front of his chest.
Crimson-gold scales surfaced all over his body.
"Gear 2: Blazing Molten Body!"
Seven phantom serpent spirits were swallowed into his abdomen, while the remaining three burrowed into the earth beneath his feet.
Facing the famously powerful Rayleigh in his prime, Bazel didn't dare show the slightest carelessness.
"Arise, Yamata's Phantom!"
The earth emitted several heart-like throbs before falling silent again.
Rayleigh frowned, looking down at his feet.
He had a feeling something had changed in the ground, something he couldn't quite grasp.
"Kaido!"
Kaido, still fiercely trading blows with Roger, replied without looking back.
"What now? I'm in the middle of a fight! Stop nagging, you're as bad as the old granny from my hometown!"
"It's not that!"
Bazel stared intently at his enemy, a manic grin splitting his face.
"Let's have a huge fight before we head to the New World!"
"Win or lose, we fight first and talk later!"
Nearby, Kaido's eyes lit up, "Just what I was thinking, Worororo! Raimei Hakke!"
…
"If you know you're going to lose, why start a challenge?"
Rayleigh wasn't in a hurry to attack, looking at Bazel with curiosity.
"You don't think I'll go easy on you, do you?"
"The reason I have the title 'Dark King' is because I killed everyone who ever dared raise a hand against me."
"They believe I deliver tickets to the Hell, hence the epithet."
"Going easy? I have no need for such things."
Bazel clenched his fists, sparks flying amidst the mist of his exhaled breath.
"I need fights to become stronger. That's all."
"The New World is a place where men eat men. If my fists aren't hard enough, I'll definitely be turned into fish paste and rotten meat, then devoured by scavengers sniffing around for a meal."
"This is our Beast Pirates' last stop in Paradise. So..."
The muscles in Bazel's right leg tensed. He stomped forward heavily, his entire body transforming into a blur of fiery light as he shot forward.
"Don't disappoint me, Dark King Rayleigh!"
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