Even after Tesoro had leveled up, the gap between him and Koala remained vast.
The kick cracked his arm, bones nearly breaking. He gritted his teeth, seized a nearby stone statue, and hurled it toward Koala.
With a thunderous crash, the statue struck the ground, but Koala had already vanished.
Then, Tesoro's faint Observation Haki tingled, warning him.
He rolled forward instinctively, trying to dodge an unseen attack from behind but it was too late.
Koala had appeared silently behind him, punching his spine.
Tesoro fell forward, spitting a mouthful of blood, struggling to rise.
The force of Koala's strike was overwhelming; he writhed but could not stand.
Koala approached, her foot glinting with golden light. She glanced at Black.
"Your Highness, should I finish him?"
Black looked toward Stella, who slightly averted her gaze from the fight.
Satisfied, he nodded. Stella had made her choice.
After all, the two had encouraged each other through music in their hardest times, becoming close friends but even in the original story, their relationship had never reached that of lovers.
Tesoro had risked everything to rescue her, yet Stella had long lived in Black's manor, considering herself part of it, even as housekeeper.
Here, aside from Black, Stella wielded the greatest real authority. She needed no rescue.
Tesoro's actions today were a serious offense to Black. Stella would not intervene.
Just as Black prepared to imprison Tesoro and send him to Kyros's cell, a figure sped from afar.
In an instant, a thousand meters vanished. The newcomer arrived before Koala, raising his foot toward her face.
Koala's Observation Haki was sharp; she disappeared in a flash. Retreating ten meters, she glared at the newcomer.
He wore a white trench coat, leopard-print capri pants, flip-flops, and his grizzled curly hair resembled a basketball player's style. A scar ran over his right eye, and round-rimmed glasses framed his face.
Black slapped the table, pointing at Koala, and laughed.
"Hahaha… I told you to keep one foot raised for half an episode, and look, Rayleigh came."
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. But the scene mirrored Rayleigh saving Zoro from Kizaru's foot Black couldn't contain himself.
After laughing, he stood:
"I didn't expect Dragon would even bring you out. Number two on Roger's ship Silvers Rayleigh. Instead of chasing the God's Knights or the Gorosei, you came to me. For Hancock, isn't it? Did you gain experience stealing back at God Valley?"
Rayleigh's relaxed face stiffened.
"It seems you know quite a lot…"
To him, this was simple: a mission likely to proceed smoothly unless unlucky. Yet this Celestial Dragon before him was no ordinary opponent.
Black, patient, replied:
"Which part, Mr. Rayleigh? God Valley? Hancock? Or Dragon? It doesn't matter I can answer all. You are, after all, an old high-seas senior. A small wish before death, I can grant."
His words dripped with mockery, but Rayleigh, seasoned, smiled:
"I want to know all. Could this young Celestial Dragon enlighten me?"
For a moment, Black froze at Rayleigh's shamelessness, then smiled:
"No problem. Their battle won't end soon; we have time." He traced the Celestial Dragon emblem on his armchair.
"With Mr. Rayleigh and Ms. Shakky so open on Sabaody Archipelago, it's hard not to hear news. Honestly, if I were Garin, I'd have killed you long ago. Knowing this, I also know the link between you and Amazon Lily. At such a sensitive time, I can't imagine any reason the Pirate King's First Mate would risk coming here. As for Dragon's Revolutionary Army…"
Black glanced at Ginny, biting her lip, pale. He chuckled:
"It's shameful, but I contributed a little, insignificant bit."
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed behind glasses. Ginny swayed, stunned, realizing the intelligence she believed hidden was perhaps planned. She fumbled for her transponder snail, but it slipped to the floor.
"Oh? Sister Ginny, you dropped it," Perona said, picking it up and grinning. Ginny felt ice seep through her.
Rayleigh fell silent, standing in shadow, unreadable. After a long pause, gleam reflected off his glasses:
"It seems this young gentleman's schemes are not small. The old man still doesn't know your name?"
"Hilbert Black. Call me Saint Black."
His relaxed smile hid confidence. His strength now made him prepared for anything. Not just Rayleigh even Imu would struggle to trap him. Rocks escaped Imu; he was stronger.
With Mary Geoise in chaos tonight, and Observation Haki limited, no one would notice the manor.
Rayleigh, no matter what, was doomed today.
Black paused, a thought creeping in: Was he about to fall into the classic villain trope—dying because he talked too much?