"Hey! Marine guy, how about just letting me go?"
Rayleigh asked tentatively.
It's not that he's incapable of walking, but the prospect of the Marine catching up to him is causing him great distress. After all, he has witnessed the formidable extent of Atlas's terrifying Observation Haki.
"Alright, just stand there and let me take a swing at you."
Atlas recalled that the slash from Rayleigh had been almost deep enough to reach the bone. If not for the Horse Talisman's power, he would likely be lying on the ground in agony at this very moment.
"That's truly humiliating. I can't bring myself to do such a thing!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rayleigh's figure vanished in front of Atlas.
The red light in Atlas's eyes swiftly faded, and a self-assured smile played on the corner of his mouth. "Hey! Don't underestimate my Observation Haki, old man!"
"Marine buddy, don't get too cocky with your Observation Haki."
The voice emanated from behind Atlas, but he showed no surprise. Swiftly turning around, he preemptively thrust the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand forward!
Clang!
The two were ensnared in a deadlock, sparks ceaselessly erupting from the point where their swords clashed.
"Not bad, it seems the strength hasn't waned."
Atlas smiled fiercely at Rayleigh.
"Thanks for the compliment. I'm not so old that I lack the strength to show you a lesson or two."
Clang!
Seeing that neither gained an advantage in the skirmish, the two of them, with unspoken agreement, took a step back, turned around, and resumed their slashing!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
After several more clashes, Atlas didn't incur significant losses in terms of Haki or strength, but he found himself somewhat subdued.
"The 'sprouts' of the new era won't withstand your annihilation!"
Rayleigh's expression gradually turned serious, and his eyes became sharper. At this moment, he resembled more the Dark King Rayleigh, renowned as the 'Pirate King's right arm,' rather than a smiling retired old man.
The sword's blade descended naturally, also enveloped in Armament Haki. Conqueror's Haki gradually enshrouded it as well. Black and red lightning danced incessantly on the blade, exuding a colossal sense of oppression that permeated the space.
"That move again... Conqueror's haki Infusion?"
Atlas's eyes took on a solemn gaze, and the Armament Haki covering his entire body began to surge rapidly. Simultaneously, the Observation Haki shifted into its ultimate state!
If he intends to forcibly endure this attack, based on his perception, the power of this sword would undoubtedly surpass the previous strike. Only by personally experiencing the Infusion of Conqueror's Haki can he expedite his understanding of this technique.
Furthermore, relying on the formidable self-healing prowess bestowed upon him by the Horse Talisman, he can swiftly recover as long as it's not the type of attack that instantly overwhelms him. As for the necessary physical strength, it's merely a trivial matter for him at this point.
Poof!
Atlas's Armament Haki was abruptly torn asunder after putting up a brief resistance. Despite his thorough preparations, accurately predicting the impact point of the blade and fortifying his armor to the utmost, under Rayleigh's blade, all defenses only withstood for a moment before swiftly crumbling like paper!
While the impact of Conqueror's Haki is significantly stronger than before, it has minimal effect on Atlas, who possesses the Sheep Talisman and also wields Conqueror's Haki.
"That's the feeling!"
Atlas appeared somewhat excited. It seemed he had grasped some of the techniques employed by Conqueror's Haki, and the massive gruesome wounds on his body vanished instantly under the influence of the Horse Talisman.
'Chance!'
Rayleigh's eyes flashed as he witnessed this, and a sudden notion of escape crossed his mind. This guy was nothing short of a monster among monsters. It appeared that regardless of the extent of the injury, he could heal instantaneously. Although Rayleigh had always been in control, if this guy clung to the concept of exchanging injuries as before, even Rayleigh might incur substantial losses.
After all, he is now 63 years old, and his recuperative capabilities are undoubtedly not as robust as they were in his youth.
...
"Hey! Marine, where are the slaves?"
Upon returning to the warship, Atlas found himself confronted by CP0's inquiries. He furrowed his brow and replied nonchalantly, "Ah~ they escaped. Dark King Rayleigh was helping them. There was nothing I could do!"
"Run away!? Who are you talking about? Rayleigh?"
CP0, beneath the black and white mask, initially erupted in anger, but upon hearing Rayleigh's name, his demeanor shifted to shock. The name Rayleigh was familiar to him. Only nine years had passed since the death of Roger, the Pirate King, and Rayleigh hadn't entirely faded from the awareness of the formidable figures on the seas. The right arm of the Pirate King remained one of the premier powerhouses in the world.
'Can he truly survive in the clutches of someone like that...'
Observing Atlas stride towards the cabin, CP0 couldn't help but feel a tad bewildered.
...
Marineford, Sengoku Office.
"What? You're saying that old man Rayleigh was also involved in this incident?"
Upon hearing the information relayed by Atlas, Sengoku's face contorted with anger. Roger had used his surrender as a bargaining chip, securing the chance for everyone on his ship to retire peacefully. Unexpectedly, that man Rayleigh had resurfaced, stirring up trouble once more.
"By the way, you didn't intentionally let those slaves go, did you?"
Suddenly, Sengoku cast a suspicious gaze at Atlas. He was well aware that the individual before him possessed a vastly broader range of Observation Haki than ordinary individuals.
"Hey, hey, hey! Old man Sengoku, how can you doubt me? I bled for the Marines!"
Atlas immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, and as he spoke, he pretended to lift up his clothes to show Sengoku.
"Okay, okay, it's Dark King Rayleigh after all. It's normal that you couldn't stop him."
Upon witnessing this, Sengoku swiftly intervened, putting a halt to Atlas's impending indecent display. If someone were to witness it later, it could lead to another misunderstanding. Did he still care about preserving this old face of his?
Knock...Knock...Knock
A deliberate and steady knock on the door interrupted the conversation between the two. A peculiar expression crossed Atlas's face. His knowledge already informed him of the identity of the person standing outside the door.
"Come in..."
"Hey~ Sengoku-san! Brother Canos is here too!"
What comes into view is an image with pursed lips and a wrinkled face. Who else could it be besides Vice Admiral Borsalino?
"Why didn't Tokikake come back?"
Sengoku gazed at Kizaru, who was alone, and asked with a hint of confusion.
"Brother Tokikake is still handling follow-up matters in the Holy Land, including sorting out some issues with the docking process..."
Atlas glanced at the laid-back Kizaru and was left speechless. Here he was, engaged in a life-or-death battle with Rayleigh, and Kizaru strolled off to Marie Joie for a casual walk, returning later than him. Truly a master of timing!
When it comes to laziness, I, Atlas, declare you the strongest!
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Bonus chapter for a review by Daoist210502. Thank you for your feedback.
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