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As Sengoku raised his right hand in his Buddha form, an incredibly blinding light burst forth, illuminating the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
Even the nearby sea surface was dyed with the brilliant golden radiance.
Similar to Garp, Sengoku's overall power had begun to decline at this stage, but he still retained the terrifying strength of a top-tier warrior! Red lightning surged, enveloping the area with a heart-pounding Conqueror's Haki.
Despite sensing the immense power of this strike with her keen perception, Aqua remained calm in her standoff with Smoker, the smile on her lips widening rather than fading.
In the corner of the steel ruins, Meowth, standing behind King, also straightened up.
It acknowledged the formidable power of the upcoming attack but felt a strong sense of security seeing the tall figure standing in front of it.
King's hands were still crossed over his chest, showing he didn't take the opponent seriously.
If Meowth knew that King was actually paralyzed with fear, silently praying for a miracle, it would likely be quite a sight...
Aqua and Meowth's reactions were understandable; they had both been humbled by King in the past (in games).
Curiously, even Zyhark, surrounded by lightning, stayed put with Garp and Kuzan, showing no intention of aiding King.
His calm, handsome face expressed the same absolute trust as Aqua and Meowth.
"Ah, isn't this a bit too arrogant? That's Sengoku's full-power attack."
Kuzan, slightly dirty, dismissed his elemental form, his eyes slightly widened, watching King with fluttering clothes in the shockwave.
"Now, it's time to see if my intuition was right…"
Garp's expression was serious, his right fist clenching slowly on his justice cape.
He glanced at the calm Zyhark and quietly released the Haki gathered in his fist.
Additionally, the pirates who had crawled out of pools of blood also stared at King in a daze.
Influenced by the thunderous heartbeat, they had momentarily forgotten to flee.
To these arrogant rookies, witnessing the battle of peak powerhouses was far more important than escaping.
Perhaps this was a historic moment to witness the rise of another legendary warrior! Click, click.
In an inconspicuous corner, a journalist with a camera eagerly pressed the shutter, capturing this awe-inspiring scene for his boss.
As the photo developed, Sengoku's aura reached its peak.
The violent Conqueror's Haki gathered in his golden right hand, circles of shockwaves radiating outward.
"Take this, Buddha's Shockwave!"
Sengoku shouted sharply, swinging his golden palm with tremendous force.
The super shockwave, filled with destructive energy, shook the void, turning the world black and white.
All that remained was the terrifying attack rushing towards King!
Yet the man remained unflinching, calmly facing it.
Everyone thought King was excessively arrogant, but no one knew that he was inwardly panicking, even considering where he'd be buried.
No, this strike would obliterate me, leaving nothing but ashes…
It's over, my beautiful journey in this otherworld is over…
King, full of despair, stared at the golden shockwave. Just as he imagined his life flashing before his eyes, he saw Saitama-sensei's humble cloak.
"Divine Avoidance!"
With a loud shout, a ferocious Conqueror's Haki shattered the black-and-white world, restoring its vibrant colors.
A terrifying slash like an abyssal rift appeared, colliding fiercely with the golden shockwave, exploding into a storm of dark red lightning! As the energy from the clashing Haki attacks blasted his face, stinging his skin, King finally saw the clear figure of the cloaked figure before him.
The cloak bore a few black spots, similar but not the same as Saitama-sensei's cloak!
"Phew, it seems I can't deny age. Using Roger's move is quite straining."
The casual shorts, the dense leg hair, and the slippers were conspicuous beneath his fluttering robe.
His simple glasses covered his Haki-filled eyes, and the famous sword at his side glinted coldly, red arcs dancing on its surface.
Seeing who it was, the Marines and rookie pirates were shocked, their eyes bulging, mouths agape, tongues trembling in disbelief.
"That, that man, could it be Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King, Roger's first mate?!"
"No way, right? Hero Garp, Buddha Sengoku, and now Dark King Rayleigh? All these legendary figures appearing at once?!"
Shocked voices echoed.
"You old coot, you can't stay hidden, huh? If you choose retirement, you should stay hidden!"
Sengoku reverted to his human form, gravely watching Rayleigh standing before King.
As a fellow top-tier warrior of the old era, Sengoku had clashed with Rayleigh several times, knowing him well.
"Rayleigh? It's been over a decade since we last met."
Garp's gaze was full of nostalgia as he looked at Rayleigh.
Seeing this old friend reminded him of the days chasing Roger around the world.
Though tiring and troublesome, those were his most passionate and treasured memories! "No choice, you guys were too noisy and disturbed my nap."
Rayleigh adjusted his sword's stance, a confident smile on his face.
His eyes turned slightly, falling on King, whose heartbeat was gradually calming.
Deep in his mind, he recalled his conversation with Zyhark in the auction house's underground cell.
"Kid, completely overturning the world is something even Roger couldn't achieve. Words alone are not convincing."
"Individual power alone isn't enough. I want to rally the era's strongest, starting with the Celestial Dragons at the auction!"
"Is it world domination you seek?"
"I seek freedom and a united world."
Hearing those familiar words, Rayleigh's pupils shrank.
That was Roger's lifelong dream! Rayleigh's long-buried emotions surged. For some reason, he saw endless possibilities in this young man.
"This path is harder than becoming the Pirate King…"
"Is it youthful arrogance or true confidence? I'll be watching."
"Cough, if possible, please protect us young seedlings of the new era."
"…You're quite the impudent kid."
"Yes, one of my companions is rather unique…"
Facing Sengoku's Conqueror's Haki attack without any combat ability yet remaining unflinching, King was indeed a perplexing man.
After a heartfelt sigh, Rayleigh refocused on Sengoku and Garp.
"For certain reasons, I want these youngsters to leave Sabaody safely. Can you grant me that favor?"
His playful tone was met with Sengoku's stern rebuke: "Are you kidding, Rayleigh? They attacked a Celestial Dragon!"
Even Garp, who often contradicted Sengoku, rolled up his sleeves, showing a firm stance: "There's no way we'd give an old pirate that kind of favor."
If they were on a remote island, they might have honored Rayleigh's request and even chatted.
But here, on the crowded Sabaody Archipelago, with countless Marines behind them, they had no reason to cooperate with a legendary pirate!
"I thought so. You've had it tough."
Rayleigh sighed, his old eyes filled with battle intent.
At the same time, a calm voice came from behind: "It's been a while. The meal is getting cold."
A lit cigarette wafting smoke, Shakuyaku, in her black widow long-sleeve, arrived!
The former Empress of Amazon Lily, previous captain of the Kuja Pirates…
Another legendary pirate! The crowd was again deeply shocked.
Shakky didn't question Rayleigh's aid to the Endless Dream crew. She simply extinguished her cigarette and stood beside him, facing Garp, Sengoku, and Kuzan.
Fighting two legendary pirates would bring immense disaster to Sabaody and its residents.
This should be enough to explain to Fleet Admiral Kong, right?
Sengoku's eyes glinted behind his glasses. He had been worrying about how to handle the aftermath if he captured Zyhark's righteous crew.
Rayleigh and Shakky's appearance provided a perfect solution.
Things became much simpler.
Cause a commotion, then this unexpected situation could end.
Sengoku felt weary.
Justice under the Celestial Dragons was too constrained and challenging.
Yet, it was the World Government's existence that maintained the world's relative balance and peace!
"Garp!" Sengoku called.
Garp immediately understood, smiling brightly, he and Sengoku rushed at Rayleigh and Shakky.
Following them, Kuzan and Smoker readied their elemental attacks, creating impressive but harmless displays.
Rayleigh and Shakky stood in front of Zyhark's group, Haki flowing within, ready for the upcoming "friendly fight."
Zyhark looked at them deeply, expressing sincere gratitude.
Without them, escaping Sabaody with Aqua and the others would have been impossible without revealing his trump card and summoning new allies!
Though Garp and Sengoku were inclined to go easy, without sufficient reason, capture was still a risk.
After all, Zyhark wasn't a Monkey D.!
Now, breaking through the Marine encirclement would allow them to leave the island.
Unfortunately, the Dream Mk. I was destroyed. Otherwise, they could have left openly by air…
Just as Zyhark pondered, the skies above Sabaody changed.
Whoosh, whoosh! A fierce wind roared, a visible cyan hurricane covered the Yarukiman Mangrove gaps, enveloping the entire coast battlefield, bursting soap bubbles in the air!
Everyone, including Garp, Sengoku, Rayleigh, and Shakky, was surprised by the sudden wind.
When the startled Marines opened their squinting eyes from the sandstorm, Zyhark's group had already left on the wind, disappearing with the Endless Dream over the distant horizon!
...
"What a strange wind, especially on such a sunny day…"
On the Endless Dream's deck, Meowth leaned on the railing, watching the exploding Sabaody coast, puzzled by the recent wind.
"Heh, that's just the Grand Line's extreme weather. With the goddess's blessing, of course, the weather favors us!"
The dumb goddess, hands on hips, shamelessly praised herself.
Classic Aqua.
"What a disastrous island trip," King said blankly.
"I completely understand, King."
Aqua raised her hand high, "Getting interrupted by an old man ruins anyone's momentum~"
Speaking of Rayleigh, Aqua turned to Zyhark, asking, "Hey, Zyhark, you seem familiar with that old man with leg hair. I heard he's the Dark King. Is he an emperor of the sea too?"
Zyhark, considering the wind's origin, coughed and was about to introduce Rayleigh when his eyes flashed red.
He looked up at the Endless Dream's mast, seeing a large shadow looming.
There, unnoticed, stood a tall man with a Bible!
Before anyone could react, the man appeared among Zyhark's group.
He slowly removed his black gloves, revealing a red paw on his palm.
"If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?" he asked in a deep voice.
Recognizing the newcomer, Zyhark grinned, startling Aqua with his greasy smile:
"To your heart."
Prepared for his next line, Bartholomew Kuma: "…"
(End of Chapter)