Boom!
Rayleigh's body crashed to the ground like a cannonball, sliding dozens of meters and carving a deep trench in the earth.
In the pouring rain.
He struggled for a long time but couldn't get up.
He could only support himself with his elbows, half-kneeling on the ground. His aura had weakened to the extreme, and his breathing was heavy, like a bellows.
Shano landed gracefully, stopping right beside Rayleigh's sword. He glanced at it and casually flicked it with his toe.
Clang!
The long sword spun through the air, pierced through the rain, and embedded itself accurately in front of Rayleigh.
"Your sword, returned to you." Rayleigh heard the young male's voice coming through the heavy rain, "Stand up, continue."
Continue?
Rayleigh's trembling hand tried to grip the hilt, but he didn't even have the strength to pull it out.
He let out a bitter laugh, finally giving up, and slowly closed his eyes.
After fighting till now, the gap in their combat power was clear.
If it was a short clash, their overall strength would be evenly matched, basically unable to determine a winner, but alas, he was aging, and the longer the fight went on, the more unfavorable the situation became for him.
Holding on till now was already the limit.
"Go ahead, being outmatched, I've lost."
Rayleigh's silver hair was soaked by the rain and clung to his forehead. He took a deep breath, his voice hoarse and calm:
"But a guy like you is destined to stir up new waves, to make the Great Pirate Era even more lively. Dying at the hands of such a junior isn't a disgrace to my life."
"Great Pirate Era?"
Shano chuckled, a hint of mockery in his eyes, "It seems you're not that concerned about me, your so-called enemy who killed Hachi. Even now, you still think I'm a pirate? One of those new seedlings you wanted, those adding fuel to Roger's dream?"
Rayleigh was taken aback and looked up at the rain curtain before him.
Rumble!
High above, thunder broke through the sky, illuminating the sharp-featured face of the black-haired youth walking out of the rain.
He was already in front of Rayleigh.
"Do you know why I went to sea, Rayleigh?"
Shano's voice was particularly cold amidst the thunder, raindrops dripped from his chiseled jaw, splashing onto Rayleigh's face.
"Hmm?"
A large, defined hand reached out, clutching Rayleigh's throat, "I'm asking you, Rayleigh, why I went to sea, you should know, right?"
"Cough, cough..."
Rayleigh's face turned blue, and the suffocating grip on his throat made him instinctively want to struggle, but his heavily injured body couldn't muster any strength.
"I'm just an orchard farmer from the countryside. I could have just stayed in the country, growing oranges every day, fishing, playing around the mountains with my sisters, happily growing up together."
"But that's impossible, if I wanted to survive... that was completely unfeasible."
Shano's tone carried a hint of sadness, but his five fingers slowly tightened.
Rayleigh's breathing became more difficult, his clouded pupils reflecting the increasingly stern face of the boy.
"One word from Roger before his death drove the whole world crazy. The pirates surged into the sea like locusts, endless and relentless, plundering, killing, destroying... East Sea, South Sea, West Sea, North Sea, how many villages were burned to ashes? How many children died under pirate blades without even knowing what oranges tasted like?"
"I didn't want to die like that, and I didn't want my family to die."
"So then? I had to abandon everything else, train day and night, use all my strength to become strong, only then could I protect my family, my hometown."
"Did you know, Rayleigh, I really loved fishing before, I could fish all afternoon, I felt uncomfortable if I didn't fish for a day, but because of guys like you that started the Great Pirate Era, because of guys like your life-saving benefactor Hachi coming to the island..."
"From as far back as I can remember, for several years, I didn't even fish once, not one single time!!!"
Shano's tone rose, growing more fierce, the strength of his hand increasing as well. Rayleigh's complexion shifted from blue to purple, his eyes beginning to roll back.
"And what about you, Rayleigh."
"You think I went to sea for something like the 'romance of a pirate'? Or to look for that damn ONE PIECE, to become the Pirate King?"
"To hell with the Pirate King!!!"
"In the beginning, I just wanted to survive, so that the people I care about could survive!"
With a sudden roar, Shano fiercely released his grip, punching Rayleigh hard in the face!
Thud!
The latter, unable to resist, was heavily thrown out, landing in the mud, spitting a mouthful of blood, and coughing violently.
"As for now."
"I have power now, power that can draw the world's attention, and yet you think, I want to make the Great Pirate Era more lively?"
"How ridiculous!"
Swish! Shano drew the long sword from his back, its blade gleaming with cold light in the rain.
He walked step by step toward Rayleigh, rainwater dripping along the blade, continuously splashing tiny water droplets on the ground.
"Listen up, Rayleigh..."
"My ultimate dream has always been only one, to personally bring down the curtain on this shitty world, this shitty Great Pirate Era!"
"Whether they're pirates, lackeys of the World Government, or those self-proclaimed gods looking down from above, no one can stop me. Anyone who stands in the way is my enemy, understand, old man!"
Endgame...
Endgame!
Is that what it meant?!!!
As if thunder exploded overhead, Rayleigh suddenly looked up, his mind in turmoil.