"Clang!!!!"
"Clang!!!!"
"Clang!!!!"
Li Yuan and Rayleigh, both powerful great swordsmen, engaged in a fierce battle at incredible speeds on the island, their intensity rivaling that of Shiki and Roger in the skies above.
Rayleigh's swordsmanship was a combination of Haki, with each strike infused with compressed, dark Armament Haki.
At that moment, Li Yuan truly understood why Rayleigh was known as the Dark King!
"This Li Yuan is indeed a monster! At just seventeen years old, he can hold his own against Rayleigh. If he grows stronger in the future, he might even surpass Rocks!"
Jaba watched Li Yuan and Rayleigh's fierce exchange, marveling at the spectacle.
"I should go help the captain; Shiki's Float-Float Fruit is too flexible for him to handle alone."
As the third strongest member of the Roger Pirates, Jaba was one of the few qualified to participate in such high-level battles.
The other members of the Roger Pirates didn't even have the qualifications to step in.
"Captain, I'm coming to help you!"
With that, Jaba brandished his dual axes and leaped into the air, joining Roger in battle against Shiki.
"Hahahaha! Jaba, you've arrived just in time! Let's take down this arrogant Golden Lion together!"
Seeing Jaba join him, Roger laughed heartily.
"Die for me!!"
The proud Shiki did not back down even in the face of more enemies. As a dual-wielding swordsman, he swung his blades, targeting both Roger and the newly arrived Jaba.
"Then bring it on!"
Jaba swung his axes, blocking Shiki's strike.
Jaba was no slouch; as Roger's right-hand man, he was only slightly weaker than Rayleigh, and even against Shiki, he could hold his own for a while.
"Big news, big news! I can't believe the Roger Pirates are this strong, able to contend against two of the Rocks Pirates' top officers!"
While Li Yuan and Shiki clashed, two news birds appeared in the sky, carefully avoiding the battle's aftermath as they recorded the fight.
Meanwhile, Morgans, controlling the news birds from a distance, was thrilled as he watched the battle unfold, recording and backing up the video while drafting a news article, ready to release this big scoop.
"Gulp!!!"
"Should we retreat first, or go help?"
The other members of the Roger Pirates exchanged nervous glances as they watched the two fierce battles.
Although they were elite members of the sea, they were still unqualified to intervene in this level of combat.
"Since we can't help in the sky, how about we assist Vice-Captain Rayleigh?" someone suggested.
"No way! The Infinite Great Swordsman's attacks are too fierce! Even Vice-Captain Rayleigh was injured; we wouldn't last a second!"
Seeing the terrifying sword intent emanating from Li Yuan, accompanied by those hundreds of meters long slashes, everyone shook their heads vigorously.
"Do you think that the age of the Infinite Great Swordsman is a lie? Who could be so powerful at seventeen? Even Captain Roger was just becoming a swordsman at that age!"
"Why are you asking me? Why don't you go ask the Infinite Great Swordsman yourself?"
"I think it could be true; after all, the sea is full of monsters. Rocks is a pirate phenomenon that hasn't appeared in centuries, and Li Yuan is also a swordsman phenomenon that hasn't appeared in centuries. It makes sense."
As the members of the Roger Pirates chatted and observed, Li Yuan and the others continued their fierce battle on the island for four days and nights, unable to best one another.
Both sides were top-tier powerhouses with similar strengths, resulting in a war of attrition.
It became a test of who could conserve their stamina better during the fight.
Li Yuan had no issues; his physique and Haki, though inferior to Rayleigh's, provided enough stamina for him to fight for four or five days.
Meanwhile, Shiki, despite holding the advantage in the sky, was being worn down by the combined assault of Roger and Jaba.
If this continued, Shiki would eventually be defeated due to exhaustion.
"Shiki, since the Roger Pirates refuse to join, our mission has failed. Let's head back."
After forcing Rayleigh back with a strike, Li Yuan soared into the sky and approached the battlefield of Shiki, Roger, and Jaba.
Shiki, being the proud warrior he was, might continue to fight if Li Yuan didn't give him an out.
"Hmph, I'll let you go this time."
"However, since you rejected our invitation, you should prepare for the consequences of the Rocks Pirates' retaliation."
"Don't expect that Rocks won't be petty; if he decides to act personally, your pirate crew will be finished!"
Upon hearing Li Yuan's words, Shiki quickly distanced himself from Roger and the others, returning to their ship, and didn't forget to leave a parting threat.
This behavior was typical of someone who prioritized face and was prideful!
"Hmph, if he dares to come, let him. We, the Roger Pirates, are not afraid of him!"
Roger scoffed.
In response, Shiki said nothing further, quickly piloting his ship away.
"Phew, Rayleigh, why haven't you managed to subdue Li Yuan yet? If you and I teamed up with Jaba, we wouldn't have to worry about defeating that annoying Golden Lion!"
After Shiki and Li Yuan left, Roger sheathed Ace and couldn't help but tease Rayleigh.
"Do you think I don't want to? Li Yuan is a monster! He's not even half my age but nearly matches my strength."
"I want to take him down quickly, but it's just not possible!"
Rayleigh replied, exasperated.
Although Li Yuan's physique and Haki weren't particularly strong, his swordsmanship was ferocious, and his many sword intents combined to unleash even greater power, making him incredibly difficult to handle.
Even facing such an opponent, Rayleigh found it challenging to find an opening.
"Is he really that strong?"
Roger asked suspiciously.
"Captain, that Li Yuan is genuinely powerful. You'll understand when you face him next time."
Jaba added.
"Well, I hope the next time we fight, it's with that Li Yuan and not his captain, Rocks."
"Now, let's get out of here and find a remote place to travel and lay low for a while."
Roger said helplessly.
Though he spoke boldly, claiming not to fear Rocks, he was actually quite anxious and wanted to find a low-profile location to avoid Rocks' gaze for a while before resurfacing.
"Captain, I thought you were fearless!"
Upon hearing Roger's words, Jaba couldn't help but smirk.
"Hahaha, Shiki, you really are in a tight spot."
Li Yuan laughed heartily as he looked at the disheveled Shiki, his golden mane now a mess.
"Hmph, it's just because the Roger Pirates have more people. If it were a one-on-one, I wouldn't fear him at all!"
Shiki snorted, his golden mane magically regrowing instantly.
At his level, controlling hair growth was a simple feat.
"The Roger Pirates are impressive, boasting three top-tier fighters, each comparable to the officers of the Rocks Pirates."
"What a pity! If we could recruit them, the Rocks Pirates would instantly grow stronger!"
Li Yuan lamented.
If they could truly succeed, he wondered if Rocks would actually prevail in the battle of God Valley!
However, in this world, there was no such thing as "what if."
"The one who should be worried is Rocks, not us. We're merely executing orders."
Shiki shrugged, expressing his lack of loyalty to the Rocks Pirates and hinting at his rebellious thoughts. He just didn't feel strong enough to act on them yet.
"Oh? The Roger Pirates possess three top-tier fighters?"
"That's interesting. Keep an eye on the movements of the Roger Pirates. If you discover anything, let me know. I'll personally go meet them!"
Sure enough, upon hearing Shiki and Li Yuan's words, Rocks immediately became interested in the Roger Pirates.
If he could recruit the Roger Pirates, it would be like adding three officer-level powers to the Rocks Pirates.
It was impossible for Rocks not to be intrigued. As for whether the Roger Pirates would join or betray them afterward, he had never worried about such things.
In the face of absolute strength, all betrayals would be quelled unless one was looking for death!
"However, let's first check on the Wald that Newgate invited back. I want to see if he truly deserves the title of World Destroyer."
Rocks said.
"Oh? Wald has been invited to Hive Island by Newgate?"
Li Yuan followed Rocks as they walked.
This was his first active attempt to change Wald's life trajectory.
He was eager to see how a Wald who hadn't been captured would grow after joining the Rocks Pirates and what kind of damage he would inflict on the Navy and the World Government.
At the port of Hive Island, though it wasn't a recruitment meeting, all the officers of the Rocks Pirates had gathered, along with many other members of the crew.
"The Rocks Pirates speak with strength!"
Whitebeard said as he brought Wald off the ship, then turned to walk away. His task was simply to bring Wald back, and whether Wald could secure his position within the Rocks Pirates depended on him.
"Strength-based? I like it!"
Looking at the monstrous officers of the Rocks Pirates ahead, Wald felt an intense surge of excitement.
He relished this straightforward and destructive rule.
Wald drew the flintlock from his waist and aimed it at Rocks, pulling the trigger without hesitation.
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