Hanafuda, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, stood in the distance, the morning star in his hand ceasing its swing.
"We're late. I didn't expect a fight to break out here."
"Captain, do we charge?" Costa asked.
"Charge my ass! Can't you see even Captain Kaido isn't making a move?"
Hanafuda stopped Babanuki and the others, who were about to launch their assault.
"Hey, you lot, hold up! Even if we're going to keep fighting, we have to wait for Kaido-sama's orders!"
The group jogged forward, stopping behind King.
"King, what's the situation? Full-on declaration of war?"
King shook his head, then nodded.
This response left Hanafuda confused.
"Wait. Judging by the current situation, it seems we've just had a fight, that's all."
King pointed at the two colliding balls of light.
"Bazel pushed himself ahead of time, probably to gain the capital to fight true monsters in the shortest time possible."
"He's different from me. He's just a human. Even if he's awakened the Conqueror's Haki, it doesn't change the fact that he's human."
"If he wants to join the top ranks of combatants in this era as quickly as possible, he has no choice but to go all out."
Hanafuda stared at the two fighting figures, "That red human-shaped light is Bazel?"
King nodded in affirmation.
"You can use your Observation Haki to take a closer look. That cluster that looks like a red halo isn't light at all."
"It's condensed blood mist crystals constantly evaporating under high heat."
"This fight won't last long. Bazel needs more time to adapt to this mode."
"Babanuki, how's the task I assigned you earlier coming along?"
Babanuki straightened up and stood at attention, "The coating work is all ready!!"
"Good. Prepare to…" Before King could finish, the ground at his feet was suddenly pierced by a blade tip.
King: "???"
"Aneki, is this the place?"
"Probably? I'm not really sure either. Let's go out and have a look~"
"... Toki-san, why are you underground?"
The corner of King's mouth twitched as he reached out to pull Toki and Enel out of the ground.
"I'm not sure either, but it was probably Bazel's doing."
Toki brushed the dirt off her clothes and took her katana back from Enel.
"Earlier, the entire Grove 16 was filled with poison mist. Enel and I were swallowed by the rising earth and have been underground the whole time."
"Tom-san was there too, but before we could dig our way out, he was carried away by the earth again."
"We waited for a long time but got no response, so we decided to climb out and see what was happening. Where's Bazel?"
King's eyes flickered, hesitating for a few moments before deciding not to lie, "He's still fighting. Hanafuda, take Toki-san and Enel back to the ship. Set sail immediately after the battle over there concludes. We'll enter the New World through Fish-Man Island."
Hanafuda silently agreed. If the fight continued, Bazel might survive in the end, but his body would undoubtedly be in a terrible state.
It was better for Toki not to see that kind of scene.
"No need, I'll wait for him here."
Contrary to everyone's expectations, Toki didn't show any worry. Instead, she wore a smile.
"I know what you're concerned about. I'm not some fragile vase."
"During my travels alone over the past hundreds of years, I've seen scenes I should have seen, and even those I shouldn't have."
"This is a man's fight, right? I am Bazel-kun's lover. No matter what he becomes, I won't be shocked."
"I will support him until the day we grow old and die."
Her pupils reflected Bazel's mad, grinning face. Toki then murmured, "We've already promised to spend our lives together. I believe he won't stop here."
"Bazel often tells me that it's not terrible for a man to fail once, or even lose countless times. What's terrible is losing the courage to clench his fists and charge again after failure."
"He also said…"
"That if one day he becomes a coward who dares not fight, I should kill him with my own hands."
"He doesn't want to live on in such a state. The weak and the cowardly have no right to change this world."
'The weak and the cowardly…'
'No right…'
Hanafuda stopped in his tracks and suddenly shouted, "Men!!"
"Do you believe in Bazel?!"
His loud cry was like a thunderclap, instinctively drawing everyone's attention.
"Of course, Hanafuda-sama!!"
"Captain, we absolutely believe in Bazel-sama!!"
"That's right, Captain! Bazel-sama isn't a man who would stop here."
"Good!!"
Hanafuda tore off a strip of cloth and tied it around his forehead, hot breath snorting from his nostrils.
"Then shout it out loud!"
"Let Bazel see our conviction! He's not fighting alone!"
"Next time, we will definitely fight alongside him! That's a man's promise!!!"
"Ooooh!!!"
"Bazel-sama, kill that arrogant pirate!"
"That's right, Bazel-sama! Go for it! We're still waiting for you to throw a huge banquet!!"
"Bazel~~~"
"Invincible!!"
"Bazel!!"
"Kill him!"
The sudden roar of shouts snapped Bazel out of his absorption in the power of Gear 3.
After exchanging another punch with Rayleigh, Bazel glanced sideways at the group shouting.
The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile as he scolded them, "Shut up! You guys aren't embarrassed, but I am!"
"Your style is too low! Have you forgotten how I taught you to do it?!"
The former Lizard Pirates looked at each other in confusion, but the pirates behind Babanuki had gleaming eyes.
'That's right!'
'Bazel-sama had taught us how to shout properly before.'
"Hey, hey, listen to my command!"
Babanuki had been wanting to take charge like this for a while. Last time, under Bazel's direction, it was absolutely thrilling!
"Bazel-sama…!"
The pirates: "Peerless under heaven, ever-victorious, invincible in battle!"
"Yes, that's it! Let's do the oath from last time again!!"
Under Babanuki's direction, the Beast Pirates' faces flushed with excitement as they raised their arms and cheered.
The solemn atmosphere of the life-and-death struggle vanished completely in that instant.
Roger, who had already walked back to his crewmates, clutched his stomach and laughed uproariously.
"Hey, hey, Gaban, these guys... are super interesting~~!!"
Gaban wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, the smile never leaving his face, "You're right, Roger! Right now, I almost want Rayleigh to lose. If such an interesting guy died, the seas would become a lonelier place!"
"Right, right, Booo~ Rayleigh, lose!"
"Rayleigh sucks~"
"Rayleigh's bullying a newbie, just admit defeat already~~"
The members of the Roger Pirates booed and laughed loudly.
Babanuki: "This is the last sentence! Bazel-sama…"
Beast Pirates: "Step on the Celestial Dragons, punch the Five Elders, may Bazel-sama enjoy eternal blessedness and live as long as the heavens!!!"
Kaido walked over to King, covering his face, gritting his teeth.
"These guys are beyond saving. Look at the mess that bastard Bazel has made!!"
King quietly took off his support headband, his face slightly red behind his mask.
He cleared his throat lightly, pretending he hadn't joined in the chanting just moments before.
"Well, it's not bad occasionally. If pirates can't laugh freely, then there's no point in us setting out to sea."
Kaido was taken aback, looking at King with a suspicious gaze.
"You're not acting right, Arber. This isn't like you."
King didn't explain much, just said softly, "Because I believe in Bazel. Like you, he has the qualification to change the world."
...
At the battlefield…
Bazel and Rayleigh came to a stop at that moment.
"Bazel, I'll remember that name."
Though his body had many wounds, Rayleigh was smiling now.
"The next move should be your last one, right?"
Bazel nodded, the fighting spirit in his eyes still blazing.
His cracked lips parted, a hoarse voice emerging from deep in his throat.
"I'm not your match. Even forcing myself into this mode, I still can't kill you."
"Isn't that normal?"
The two chatted as if they were old friends.
Rayleigh lightly shook his blade, Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki once again coiling around it.
"At our level of combat power, if we truly want to decide life and death, it's very difficult."
"Otherwise, why do you think that bastard Shiki is still alive today?"
"We're pirates, not heroes."
"Running if you can't win is the pirate way. People like you are a rare sight."
"If you told me you were a Marine, I wouldn't even be surprised."
Rayleigh's casual joke made Bazel's heart skip a beat.
'That's right. The pirate way was to run if you couldn't win.'
'Where there's life, there's hope.'
'Fighting to the death was something mostly done by Marines and a select few true heroes...'
"A Marine, huh? Heh heh, maybe next time I'll get myself a Marine's justice cloak to wear."
"It might look surprisingly cool."
"Enough small talk, this is the final blow."
Bazel walked towards Rayleigh, and Rayleigh did the same.
Their steps quickened, and after seven paces, they once again transformed into two streaks of light, charging at incredible speed.
"...Bazel, I'll look forward to fighting you in the future!"
"Get stronger, rookie!!!"
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