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Rayleigh's expression grew serious as Byakuya's intense sword intent filled the area.
In response, Rayleigh unleashed his sharp sword, intending to counter it.
However, both of them skillfully contained the scope of their clash within the bar, preventing anyone outside from noticing the unusual situation.
Unfortunately, the bar's interior was not as fortunate; chairs, tables, and other furniture were left in tatters, much to Shakky's dismay.
She would have kicked these two troublemakers outside to fight if she weren't worried about exposing their identities and attracting relentless pursuit from the Marines.
At this rate, her bar would need a complete renovation.
Even though neither of them had drawn their weapons, the sheer intensity of their sword auras clashing revealed glimpses of each other's strength.
Rayleigh had a slight edge over Byakuya in terms of pure swordsmanship—not by much, but enough to notice.
Despite this, Rayleigh showed no signs of joy.
Instead, a look of concern crossed his face as he realized that his decades of honing his sword skills barely gave him an advantage over this young man, who wasn't even twenty years old yet.
This realization troubled Rayleigh deeply. His advanced age meant he had little advantage in stamina or physical strength.
Moreover, given their proximity to Marine Headquarters, it would only be possible to determine a victor quickly if they truly fought.
The most likely outcome would be for the Marines to detect the intense battle and send Admiral-level forces to investigate.
The final scenario would likely end with Rayleigh being defeated by the combined might of Byakuya and the Marines, resulting in his imprisonment in Impel Down.
This was a future Rayleigh could foresee.
As Rayleigh debated whether to accept Byakuya's demand, Byakuya, sensing his inadequacy in swordsmanship compared to Rayleigh, decided to take action.
Without hesitation, he spent 5,000 points of world energy to max out his swordsmanship.
After all, he had the luxury of world energy at his disposal.
Just as his telekinesis, used in his Night persona, was at its peak, his true self's swordsmanship should also be maxed out for consistency.
This allowed him to disguise his true identity better and made him a more formidable opponent.
As Rayleigh was still weighing his options, Byakuya's sword aura suddenly changed qualitatively.
His sword pressure surged, increasing several times over.
The already battered furniture in the bar seemed to be sliced into tiny wood chips by invisible sword slashes, scattering like confetti in the air.
It was a sight to behold, though none of those present had the mind to appreciate it.
After upgrading his swordsmanship to its maximum level, Byakuya felt an overwhelming surge in his understanding of swordplay, reaching a level far beyond his previous comprehension.
He was just about to test his newfound insight by engaging Rayleigh when Rayleigh suddenly withdrew his sword intent and, frustrated, muttered,
"What's the point of fighting now? Fine, I'll agree!"
"Uh..." Byakuya's hand, poised over his sword, froze.
Having just reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, Byakuya felt his mastery had reached a new level.
He had intended to use Rayleigh as a sparring partner to test his new abilities. Rayleigh's sudden surrender was unexpected.
Byakuya was taken aback by Rayleigh's decision to back down.
His initial intention had been to intimidate Rayleigh into cooperating and helping Smoker with any troublesome matters.
Now that Rayleigh had agreed to his demands, it would go against Byakuya's principles to attack him after giving his word.
As someone who prided himself on keeping his promises, Byakuya couldn't follow through with his strike, which frustrated him.
Damn, if I'd known this would happen, I would have started the fight before making any demands...
But then, Byakuya got an idea. He deliberately puffed out his chest and arrogantly said,
"You're the right hand of the Pirate King, the legendary 'Dark King' Rayleigh, one of the top-tier fighters of the Grand Line."
"Are you really afraid to face an eighteen-year-old kid like me?"
Rayleigh glanced at Byakuya with a knowing look. How could he not see through Byakuya's little ploy?
Byakuya was trying to provoke him into making the first move. But Rayleigh wasn't about to fall for it.
If Byakuya wanted him to fight, Rayleigh would do the opposite. He wouldn't lift a finger—to mess with Byakuya!
Watching Byakuya's frustrated expression, Rayleigh felt a surge of satisfaction.
No matter how talented, strong, or young this kid was, he still couldn't touch Rayleigh.
Suppose people knew that the legendary pirate 'Dark King' Rayleigh had accepted someone else's coercion and that his opponent didn't dare to attack after he agreed. In that case, they might say that Rayleigh had completely tarnished the reputation of the Pirate King, Roger.
It's true what they say: the shameless are invincible. Rayleigh put on an expression that practically screamed, "I dare you to try!"
Byakuya had no other options. He sighed and said, "Fine, you can just take it easy and enjoy your retirement here.
If anything happens around here, lend a hand. I promise you'll live out your days in peace."
Rayleigh's face darkened at Byakuya's words, but he held back from making a move.
Although Byakuya's words were harsh, they reflected Rayleigh's thoughts.
"Oh, by the way," Byakuya added, "I'll send someone to bring the ship over tomorrow. Make sure you do a good job coating it!"
With his purpose achieved, Byakuya prepared to leave with Smoker. Shakky, worried, asked,
"You've wrecked all the furniture in my bar. How am I supposed to keep the place running?"
Without turning around, Byakuya replied, "Simple. I won't collect taxes from this place for the next two years. That should cover the damage."
Do you want money from me? Dream on! As the two walked out, Shakky fumed, "That little brat! Not even a single Beli in compensation!"
Rayleigh chuckled, "Relax. Not paying taxes for two years will save you more money than the furniture is worth."
"True," Shakky admitted. "But the tax rates he set are ridiculously high! He's got a heart as black as coal!"
Shakky suddenly brightened and said, "Thank goodness you kept your cool earlier."
"If you two had fought, it would have drawn a Marine Admiral, and we'd be back drifting at sea instead of enjoying this peaceful life."
Rayleigh shook his head and said, "I don't think we'd even need to wait for a Marine Admiral. The fight would've been over before that."
Shakky was surprised. "What? You mean that kid is so weak he couldn't last half an hour?"
Rayleigh sighed. "I'm saying I wouldn't last half an hour against him. I'm getting old."
If I were ten…twenty years younger, I wouldn't have taken crap from that brat."
Shakky was stunned. "No way! You're saying…you couldn't beat him?"
"Unfortunately, it's true," Rayleigh lamented. "These young people are stronger than the monsters we faced back in the day."
"This era really belongs to the new generation."
Rayleigh added, "But maybe Byakuya's visit isn't such a bad thing."
"With his promise, we might really be able to live out our days peacefully here in the Sabaody Archipelago."
Seeing Shakky's disbelief, Rayleigh smiled and said, "Don't worry so much. He didn't attack us just now, and I doubt he will in the future."
"Since he won't attack us, why should we care how strong he is?" Shakky replied.
"Come on," Rayleigh said with a sly grin, "we need to get up early tomorrow to coat that kid's ship."
Shakky looked puzzled. "But it's barely evening. Isn't it too early to sleep?"
Rayleigh, with a mischievous smile, pulled Shakky toward the bedroom. "It won't be early once the bed's warm."
As Smoker and Byakuya left the bar, Smoker's legs felt weak.
He was usually the first to charge into a fight against any pirate, but this was the first time he'd ever faced a legendary pirate.
The thought that someone of Rayleigh's stature had lived in his jurisdiction for so long made him shudder.
If he had unknowingly crossed Rayleigh, he might not have lived to regret it.
Smoker nervously said, "Vice Admiral Byakuya, shouldn't we report this? That's Rayleigh, the 'Dark King' and Roger's right-hand man!"
Byakuya chuckled. "What's there to report? He's not causing any trouble or attacking you."
"Besides, he could help you out with some of the messes you can't handle. Isn't having such a strong, free bodyguard a good thing?"
Smoker was stunned. The only people who ever dared think of the 'Dark King' as a free bodyguard were Roger and Byakuya.
Seeing Smoker's uneasy expression, Byakuya reassured him, "Relax, nothing's going to happen."
With Byakuya's assurance, Smoker said no more.
Three days later, Byakuya stood before his ship, Nikko, now coated in a bubble membrane that reflected rainbow colours in the sunlight, making it look incredibly beautiful.
Even Byakuya was captivated by the sight, let alone the two ladies, Ain and Tashigi.
Their delicate fingers gently poked at the bubble, careful not to pop it, which made them look even more adorable.
"Don't worry, you can poke it all you want," Byakuya said. "If it breaks, the professionals can fix it."
"Thank you, Brother Byakuya!" Ain and Tashigi said sweetly.
Byakuya then turned to Rayleigh with a grin. "Right, old man Rayleigh?"
Rayleigh glared at Byakuya, wishing he could draw his sword and strike him down.
But unfortunately, that could only happen in his mind. Rayleigh grumbled, "If you break it, you'll have to pay for the repairs!"
"Oh? So you earn repair fees too?" Byakuya mused, stroking his chin. "Maybe I should raise the taxes for you coaters in the future."
Damn, this kid is ruthless!
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