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“Well played!”
Kizaru smirked cunningly, utilizing his Elementalization to step on the Void, delivering a barrage of side kicks. His Justice cape fluttered in the fierce wind as hundreds of Lightspeed Kicks were unleashed in rapid succession, tearing through the sky and crashing into the canyon.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Rowen watched with growing dread as Rayleigh, in a sorry state, bore the brunt of Kizaru’s relentless assault. The canyon walls crumbled, leaving Rowen standing there, feeling somewhat helpless.
If I intervene now, will I end up sharing Rayleigh’s fate?
Unable to engage Rayleigh in close combat, he sought to release his frustration when his opponent was vulnerable. Like a predator eyeing a weakened prey, he waited for the perfect moment to strike.
“This guy… is incredibly cunning!”
Rowen grimaced as he made this assessment, then suddenly his gaze hardened, and he took a step forward.
Soru!
Clang! Bang!!
The clash of metal and iron rang out, causing even Kizaru, a lover of explosions, to flinch. He looked down at the two figures locked in combat less than three meters below him, his expression twitching.
Creak…
Half of the Longblade was firmly ensnared in the crescent-shaped lock of the Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd. Rayleigh attempted to wrench it free, but the blade remained stubbornly stuck, refusing to budge.
So he made a quick decision and relinquished the half of the Longblade, launching himself towards Rowen with a knee strike.
Thud!
“To rise to the top of the sea without relying on a Devil Fruit Ability, truly remarkable…”
Rowen’s arm muscles bulged as he activated Life Return, enhancing his arm strength. With this newfound power, he just managed to deflect the flying knee.
“This Cunning Bastard!”
At that moment, Kizaru snapped out of his stupor, his face darkening, his voice resonating like a cry from the depths of hell: “Ray…leigh…!!!”
“Hmm?”
Blood trickled down his forehead, his right eye swollen, his left shoulder seemingly dislocated, Rayleigh glanced over, slightly annoyed: “Apologies, couldn’t help but notice your investment in the fight.”
“You bastard!”
Struggling to maintain composure, Kizaru’s facade faltered.
For someone of his demeanor, such humiliation at the hands of Rayleigh was intolerable! No one had ever managed to provoke such a reaction from him before. His Glint-Glint Fruit granted him unparalleled speed, allowing him to effortlessly fend off sneak attacks and challengers, but Rayleigh… was an exception.
“Enough with the theatrics!”
At that moment, Rowen sensed something was off…
Since the outset of the battle, Rayleigh seemed to be deliberately provoking Kizaru.
This raised Rowen’s suspicions.
What was Rayleigh’s endgame?
To avoid being caught off guard, Rowen took action!
Without waiting for Kizaru’s response, he swung the Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd towards Rayleigh with force.
“Leave him to me, restrain him!”
“I…”
Seeing Rowen take the lead, Kizaru reluctantly halted his prepared attack, took a deep breath, and began to restrain Rayleigh, suppressing his anger.
“Understood!”
“This kid…”
Witnessing this turn of events, a chill ran down Rayleigh’s spine.
Now he understood why Shanks was wary of Rowen. With such insight, yet serving in the Marines…
Recalling the events of the thunderstorm on Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh’s resolve hardened.
Indeed, as Shanks, Whitebeard, and Dragon had warned.
The Marines, by their very existence, were the greatest threat to pirates and the era of piracy!
Heaven-Resisting Thunder Cry·Third Style·Cloud Dragon Kill!
Shua!
The thunder halberd sliced through the air, its speed compressing it into a thin white film of rapid Tremor. Before a Sound Explosion could even occur, the tip of the halberd was at his chest.
“Hah!”
With Kizaru’s distraction, Rayleigh knew his chances of dodging were slim, but he didn’t opt for evasion.
As the dawn of the New Era approached, this old man resolved to eliminate the greatest threat for the sake of the New Age!
With a glint in his eyes, to the astonishment of both observers, Rayleigh extended his hand forward, causing Rowen and Kizaru to involuntarily draw in a sharp breath, their pupils shrinking.
Puchi…
Hua La La!
The sound of sticky goo mixing with the tearing and disintegration of flesh and bones echoed simultaneously. The thunder halberd pierced through Rayleigh’s palm, all the way up, the thunderous explosion tearing his entire left hand into a pulp of minced flesh.
Sss…
Ruthless!
Despite his failed attack, the halberd lodged in his opponent’s arm bone, failing to reach the heart, left Rowen shocked and impressed by Rayleigh’s decisiveness.
“Ha!”
Without giving Rowen a chance to retaliate, Rayleigh clenched his right fist and forcefully smashed it onto the painted pole of the Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd, causing it to wrench out of his arm.
Bone fragments and splattered blood filled the air, resembling a gruesome rain shower.
Watching the blood spray, Rowen pondered.
“So he planned a surprise attack with his left hand…”
The kick he delivered likely caused more than a dislocation; a fracture was probable. This led Rowen to assume Rayleigh’s left hand was incapacitated at the moment.
“If Kizaru rushes in provoked, Rayleigh, with his close combat skills comparable to ‘9.1AD Survival Status’, could severely wound even Kizaru.”
When a master like Rayleigh prepared to unleash his full power, even Rowen, with his self-healing ability, didn’t dare to be complacent.
Just as Rowen thought this, he noticed Rayleigh raise what remained of his right hand toward him.
“This is my final Haki, Soryu (Azure Dragon)!”
Targeting Kizaru?
Not anymore.
The reason for Rayleigh sacrificing his arm had shifted. By enduring this attack to maintain proximity, Rayleigh shouted explosively, thrusting his right palm forward.
“Meet your end heroically!”
Buzz! !!
“Oh no, it’s Haki Awakening!”
A sense of imminent danger surged, and Kizaru focused on seeing, but instead of the familiar Haki bullets, a thick barrier materialized.
Then he realized, his expression shocked, unable to contain his exclamation.
“This is!!”
It wasn’t that the Haki bullets vanished; instead, what emerged was a formidable wall!
Knowing Rowen, now freed from the Thunder God Seal state, could easily evade his ordinary Haki bullets, Rayleigh concentrated all his Haoshoku into his body, elevating its potency, aiming to overwhelm Rowen completely.
Among the three Haki types, Haoshoku’s Awakening application was the most enigmatic and defensive. Even a small amount wielded tremendous power.
Lightspeed Kick!
Without hesitation, Kizaru resorted to his usual tactic, unleashing golden flashes, trying to push Rowen away before Rayleigh’s onslaught.
Such an attack lacked substance; when one’s own Haoshoku proved insufficient, evasion was the only recourse.
But it was too late…
“Accept your fate!”
Bang!
Like a tangible wall of air, the imposing force dwarfed the previous mere dot.
Faced with this onslaught of terrifying aura, Rowen felt his very soul tremble!
Such overwhelming dread was beyond comprehension without experiencing it firsthand.
“Haki Awakening, I must decipher its mysteries upon my return!!!”
Resolving internally, Rowen’s thoughts accelerated, his gaze icy, entering a state of absolute calm and heightened perception.
Dodge?
Impossible!
Every movement required time to prepare, and with the distance so close, time was a luxury he didn’t possess.
Block?
Experience showed conventional means were futile against this elusive Haoshoku confrontation.
Unable to dodge or block, what other option remained for Rowen?
Awaiting Kizaru’s Lightspeed Kick?
Casting a sideways glance at the leisurely advancing laser beam, Rowen couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Too sluggish!
Allowing himself to be knocked away would spell doom.
For the first time in his life, Rowen found Kizaru’s speed lacking!
So…
There was but one course of action!
With thoughts racing, the icy determination in Rowen’s eyes ignited into a fervent flame as he made a bold move.
In a slow-motion spectacle, the panic on Kizaru’s face and the resolve in Rayleigh’s eyes underwent a transformation, akin to tossing a pebble into a tranquil pond, creating ripples.
“Unbelievable! This lunatic!”
Rayleigh’s eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed Rowen spreading his arms wide as if welcoming an incoming tide of life, towards the unseen barrier of air.
Since evasion and blocking were futile… then let him witness, this Haki Awakening that Kizaru had so adamantly emphasized.
What exactly was it?!
In death, what was the harm?!
The very purpose of my existence is to embrace death amidst the brilliance of life!
Rowen’s grin widened suddenly, a flash of pearly whites on display.
The ferocious aura exuded mirrored his unwavering spirit of self-challenge. Scenes from his past life flickered before his eyes like a fleeting montage.
From the mundane routine of student life to the reckless abandonment of youth, from the despair of discovering a heart condition to the ensuing darkness. From the longing and inspiration drawn from a whimsical manga to overcoming adversity and ultimately defying death’s grasp.
Those conquered perils, those pivotal moments of triumph, the suffocating brush with death, the echoes of muscles straining with effort.
These memories, long dormant, surged to the forefront of Rowen’s mind, enlightening him…
“Oh, so I’ve been here before?!”
Experiences from two worlds merged, inundating his consciousness with a wealth of knowledge, causing Rowen to disregard the shifting world around him.
And then, all abruptly ceased!
The world plunged into darkness, silence enveloping everything.
Bang!
Kizaru watched in horror as Rowen was swallowed by the unseen, ethereal wall of air, his heartbeat stilled, his very breath snatched away, collapsing like a sack of potatoes.
Simultaneously, the golden laser found its mark, hurtling Rowen through the air in an instant.
Boom… Bang rumble!!
(The end of this chapter)
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