At the Sabaody Archipelago...
Akainu was the first to reach Island 13, his gaze blazing with fiery determination as he locked eyes with Kuke, who stood calm and collected.
The tension in the air was palpable as their auras clashed fiercely.
"The last time you slipped away... today, let's see how you plan to escape," Akainu sneered, his voice thick with contempt.
For the past year, his situation had been even worse than Sengoku's.
While Sengoku had endured harsh scoldings, at least he remained Fleet Admiral. Akainu, on the other hand, had not only been scolded but also demoted from admiral to vice-admiral, an unprecedented humiliation in the history of the Navy.
This demotion was Akainu's greatest shame.
"Your so-called 'invincible defense'... let's see how long you can last this time, and just how far you think you can run."
Last time, Kuke had used his flight and speed to evade pursuit. Akainu, unable to fly or chase him across the ocean, had been outmaneuvered.
But today was different. This time, Akainu had help.
"Look! The pirate ship is running away," Kizaru pointed out, gesturing toward the rapidly retreating Radiant Eclipse.
"Seems like it's my turn," Kuzan muttered, ice forming at his fingertips.
"I never thought I'd see the admirals gather like this. What a lively day," a booming, carefree voice echoed.
The sound caught the attention of the three admirals.
Rayleigh, wielding his long-sealed sword, approached them, his expression grave, though his tone remained casual.
"In all these years, this is the first time I've seen three admirals act together. Kuke, you sure do command some respect," Rayleigh remarked as he walked up to Kuke.
"The Dark King, Rayleigh?"
The faces of Akainu, Kizaru, and Kuzan changed dramatically.
Rayleigh's sudden appearance cast a dark shadow over Akainu's mind. Their perfectly orchestrated plan now had a glaring flaw.
"Quick, inform Fleet Admiral Sengoku—we've got another terrifying monster on our hands," Kizaru said, his usually relaxed demeanor giving way to a serious expression.
He had thought this would be an easy day, perhaps a simple task of taking it easy, but things had just gotten far more complicated.
Pointing at the retreating Radiant Eclipse, Kizaru added, "I'll go after the pirate ship. You two can handle things here. Sengoku's orders were to leave none of the Sun and Moon Pirates alive."
With that, Kizaru prepared to leave, preferring the seemingly easier task of chasing the ship rather than facing Kuke and Rayleigh in battle.
"My abilities are better suited for this," Kuzan chimed in, eyeing the Radiant Eclipse as well.
Kizaru's lips twitched—was Kuzan seriously trying to steal this job from him?
"Enough!" Akainu snapped, glaring at his fellow admirals.
"You two want to run off? You think you can still joke around? You're faster than me, especially you, Kizaru."
"We all set off from the same place at the same time, and yet I was the one who arrived at Island 13 first."
Akainu had had enough of their laid-back attitudes.
"Our primary target is Kuke. Taking him down is what's important."
Akainu wasn't about to let them leave, knowing full well that they'd likely return empty-handed if he let them go.
Kizaru might rough up some of the Sun and Moon Pirates, but whether he'd actually capture anyone was another matter entirely. As for Kuzan, he'd probably just goof off for a while and then come back.
Akainu knew exactly what they were thinking.
"We need to work together to ensure Kuke and Rayleigh are eliminated," Akainu demanded, determined to leave no room for failure.
"Alright," Kizaru and Kuzan agreed, realizing they couldn't slack off too much under Sengoku's and the World Government's watchful eyes.
"Sacrificing yourself to buy time for your crew to escape—what a noble captain you are," Akainu taunted Kuke. "Too bad your crew doesn't seem to care about you at all. They've already fled without a second thought for your life."
Akainu's mocking voice echoed across the sky, reaching all the way to the distant Radiant Eclipse.
It was a ploy to lure Gion and the others back. If he could wipe out the entire Sun and Moon Pirates crew, it would be the perfect outcome.
But his efforts were in vain.
"Idiot," Gion and the women aboard the Radiant Eclipse muttered, paying no attention to Akainu's provocation.
What a fool, they thought, utterly ignorant of the reality of the situation.
The Radiant Eclipse sped up, disappearing on the horizon.
Akainu's face turned green with frustration.
His taunt hadn't worked.
He tried to console himself—at least Kuke would be eliminated.
"Poor thing," Akainu said, looking at Kuke with feigned sympathy. "You've been abandoned and betrayed."
"Idiot," Kuke responded flatly.
Akainu's face flushed a deeper green with anger. Had he been wrong?
"They'll have their moment, but it's not today. Their time will come soon enough," Kuke said, a confident smirk on his face.
The world would see the power of the Sun and Moon Pirates soon enough.
"You won't live to see that day," Akainu growled, magma swirling around his clenched fists.
There was no point in trying to provoke the Radiant Eclipse any further. The time for words was over.
Rayleigh gripped his sword tightly, leaning over to Kuke.
"Kuke, I'll take two of them, you take one. Don't try to fight them head-on. We just need to hold them off for an hour. Once the Radiant Eclipse gets far enough away, we'll look for a chance to escape," Rayleigh advised.
Rayleigh had no idea how strong Kuke truly was, but he suspected that Kuke still wasn't a match for the admirals.
As the older veteran, Rayleigh was prepared to bear the brunt of the battle, ready to fight two admirals himself to buy time.
But inside, he was unsure if he could pull it off.
He didn't want to let Kuke face two admirals alone—that would be a death sentence.
"Rayleigh, this is my battle. You should go. I can handle it," Kuke said, unwavering in his resolve.
Rayleigh, however, saw the danger.
"What?" Rayleigh's eyes widened in disbelief. "You want me to leave? You're going to face all three of them on your own?"
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even at his peak, Roger would never have said something so reckless.
"Kuke, are you planning to throw your life away just to buy time for your crew to escape? You're not only trying to save them, but also me, aren't you?"
Rayleigh straightened, his fighting spirit rising.
"There's no need to worry about me. I'm the Dark King! If we work together, we'll stand a chance of getting out of here. But if I leave, you'll die. Don't feel like you owe me anything. Protecting the new generation is what we old-timers are supposed to do."
"Rayleigh, go!" Kuke said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Rayleigh met Kuke's eyes and saw the seriousness behind them. He wasn't being polite—he truly wanted Rayleigh to leave.
"Kuke... you really intend to fight them alone?" Rayleigh asked, incredulous.
"I'm not dying here," Kuke replied with a smile, turning to face the advancing Akainu.
For a moment, Rayleigh stood frozen, staring at Kuke's fearless grin.
He looked at the young pirate's back as he faced the three admirals without hesitation.
"I understand."
Rayleigh sheathed his sword, turning to leave. In an instant, he became a blur, racing away without looking back or hesitating.
"When a man faces his fate with a smile, you don't interfere," Rayleigh thought, his speed increasing.
As he fled, memories of his final moments with Roger filled his mind.
"Kuke, I'll share a drink with you after this," Rayleigh called out from the distance.
"Sounds good!" Kuke's voice echoed in response.
Rayleigh, now far from the Sabaody Archipelago, didn't dare glance back at the battlefield he left behind.
Hearing Kuke's reply, Rayleigh's eyes welled with tears.
Just like with Roger, he knew Kuke was lying to him. But this was the path Kuke had chosen—the path of a true pirate.
Rayleigh couldn't find a reason to refuse him.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 95+ at patreon.com/Emik01.