Chapter 250: Old Geezer, You Actually Dared?
"BOOM—!!!"
Luffy's Conqueror's Haki erupted abruptly, tearing through the air like a violent storm, sweeping across the entire battlefield!
The oppressive force surged like a tsunami, even scattering the clouds in the sky with invisible shockwaves.
The ground cracked, thick tree roots snapped. Ruins and wreckage turned into flying debris in the airwaves. The entirety of Grove 13 fell into a suffocating silence.
In front of the kneeling, broken Hachi, Rayleigh turned his head sharply. A red light flashed in his pupils, as if he had seen something defying logic.
"Another one... a Marine with Conqueror's Haki?!!"
He stared deathly at the semi-dragonized figure in the center of the battlefield. Dragon pupils crimson, Haki exploding around him like thunder.
Rayleigh felt his heart beating like war drums in his ears, and even the saber in his hand trembled slightly.
In his mind, words once spoken by Roger surfaced involuntarily:
"Rayleigh, one day, the storm on the sea will herald a new era..."
"But that is not now."
Rayleigh took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, yet his fists clenched uncontrollably, knuckles turning white.
"What is going on with the Marines... to produce such monster-level geniuses one after another?!!"
"Of these two brothers, one is a Logia, controlling flames; the other a Mythical Zoan, controlling the power of dragons, and now both have awakened Conqueror's Haki..."
"In a few more years, who in the entire sea... can stop them?!!"
Rayleigh's gaze moved slowly from Luffy to Ace, finally landing on the expressionless Kuma nearby.
His originally peaceful eyes gradually became cold and sharp as a blade.
"Royal Shichibukai, Bartholomew Kuma... appearing suddenly on Sabaody now..."
"Most likely a hidden pawn of the World Government, used to disrupt the situation in this sea."
Fingertips caressed the hilt of his saber, cold glints flashing quietly on the blade.
"If I act now and forcibly kill one..."
"Even if Roy intervenes, I might still have a fighting chance."
"Besides, I don't believe the Marines would fight me to the death for a potential stock that hasn't fully grown yet!"
Rayleigh's breathing steadied, but the aura around him became increasingly dangerous.
Like a lion king awakening after a long slumber, poised and ready to pounce on its prey at any moment.
"It seems, before this new era truly arrives, some obstacles must be cleared in advance."
He looked at the battlefield shrouded in flames and Haki, his eyes turning cold bit by bit.
"Otherwise..." Rayleigh murmured, a shadow crossing his face.
"When that new era truly arrives..."
"There might be no place left for free pirates on this sea."
...
Kuma saw Luffy erupt with Conqueror's Haki to protect his nakama and felt gratified inwardly, but the act had to continue. He waved a large hand to attack Nami.
The air was compressed to the limit, rushing forward like a storm wave!
"NAMI!!!"
Usopp screamed hoarsely, so terrified he could barely speak.
At the critical moment—
"SWISH!"
A blazing line of fire tore through the air, fast as lightning, piercing straight toward Kuma's head!
Kuma's gaze focused. Turning his palm to touch himself, he vanished instantly like a shadow!
"BOOM!!!"
The fire line pierced through where he originally stood, hitting a distant mangrove tree and exploding instantly. Flame shockwaves swept the surroundings.
Usopp seized the chance to lunge forward, grabbing Nami's wrist tightly. "RUN!!!"
The two stumbled and ran wildly toward Luffy's direction, faces pale, breathing rapid.
Luffy bypassed the two and attacked Kuma directly.
"BANG! BANG! BANG—!!!"
The ground trembled. Dragon claws and paw pads collided madly. Every impact was accompanied by terrifying shockwaves and repulsive force, echoing across the battlefield like thunder!
"GAAAH—!!!"
The repulsive force penetrated the dragon claws, shattering the scales on Luffy's entire arm. Blood dripped onto the ground from the cracks.
Even so, the battle intent in his eyes burned brighter, dragon pupils flickering with flame-like light.
"GIVE SANJI... BACK!!!"
Kuma remained expressionless, air compressing abruptly in his palm.
"PAW-PAW STRIKE: HEAVY PRESSURE!"
"BOOM—!!!"
The shockwave was earth-shattering. Luffy was blasted directly into the ground, smashing a crater over ten meters in diameter, dust soaring into the sky!
"LUFFY!!!"
Nami's scream was heart-wrenching, tears gushing out instantly, but her body was forcibly dragged back by Usopp.
"ALL WE CAN DO NOW IS NOT BE A BURDEN TO HIM, NAMI!!!"
In the distance, Ace knelt on one knee, arms stained with dust and blood, flames at his fingertips still unextinguished.
His chest heaved violently, breath rasping like broken bellows, yet he stared deathly at Kuma.
"Huff... that strike just now..."
Ace looked up, gaze cold. "...barely forced him back."
He gritted his teeth, supporting himself on the ground to stand with difficulty, blocking in front of the running Usopp and Nami.
Eyes burning like fire, his mind flashed through the current battle situation: "This guy's strength... is clearly off the charts."
"Logically, Big Brother Roy should have intervened long ago, but he hasn't shown up until now..."
Thinking of Luffy's Conqueror's Haki awakening just now, Ace's heart trembled suddenly, eyes lighting up abruptly:
"Could it be...?!"
...
Scorched earth churned, smoke filled the air.
In the deep crater, Luffy lay broken, panting like old bellows. Dragon scales shattered, blood flowing down his shoulders.
Kuma stood by the crater, staring silently for a moment, a deeply hidden relief flashing in his eyes.
"Aptitude for Conqueror's Haki... and that heart that values nakama, as well as an unyielding will."
"What Roy said was indeed correct."
He slowly raised his giant paw-padded palm. The air oscillated violently, airflow seemingly turning into a turbulent tsunami, crushing everything around with creaking sounds.
"But the current you..."
"Is still too weak."
Just as this crushing palm was about to fall—
"SWISH!!!"
A silver light broke through the air!
The ground beneath Rayleigh exploded. Tyrannical Haki burst like thunder. His saber thrust down, carrying terrifying killing intent, cutting through the air straight for the weakened Luffy in the crater.
"The World Government won't let a Shichibukai kill such a potential monster, at most heavily injure him..."
"I must deliver the finishing blow personally!!!"
The blade edge carried fatal sword energy, piercing through the dust, approaching Luffy's chest like the reaper's scythe!
"PAW-PAW STRIKE!!!"
Kuma's eyes turned cold instantly. His paw palm turned abruptly, firing the long-charged shockwave!
"BOOM!!!"
The air cannon compressed to the limit hit Rayleigh instantly. The powerful impact sent him flying!
Rayleigh hurriedly swung his sword to block. The saber emitted an ear-piercing whine under the violent tremors, webbing of his hand splitting, blood spraying.
"Wh... What?!!"
Rayleigh's pupils shrank. Flipping in the air, before he could understand why Kuma protected Luffy, a whisper came from extremely close, extremely cold.
"SWISH!"
A pitch-black figure appeared silently behind Rayleigh.
That tall figure seemed to be born from the void. His right fist was wrapped in a cross-star-like dark vortex, the Haki around him deep enough to swallow light.
The voice was low, cold, like an echo from the abyss:
"Old geezer..."
"You actually dared to act."
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