"Nee~ so scary, Silvers Rayleigh. Come to think of it, I’ve never kicked a pirate of your caliber before."
As he spoke, Kizaru’s right leg turned into golden light, lashing out at Rayleigh at the speed of light.
Rayleigh blocked with his sword, slicing Kizaru into scattered specks of light.
"Kizaru, you’re too slow."
After repelling Kizaru, Rayleigh flashed to a distance, throwing out a taunt.
"Rayleigh, be careful—this ‘Glint-Man’ loves to play tricks," Sunbell shouted.
"Ah, I know."
Rayleigh kept his eyes fixed on Kizaru. Anyone who could stand beside Sengoku definitely wasn’t weak.
Kizaru, now a short distance away, raised his hands in a mocking surrender pose.
"Nee~ as expected of Silvers Rayleigh. How terrifying~"
Sunbell shifted his focus back to Sengoku.
"Sengoku, I’m gonna flatten you like a pancake and toss you like a frisbee! Hahaha! Fish-Beast Impact!"
Sunbell’s four legs stomped the ground violently, cracking the earth as he launched himself like a massive cannonball toward Sengoku. The sheer speed tore through the air, creating explosive shockwaves.
"A mere pirate dares to act so recklessly in front of me?"
Sengoku transformed into his Great Buddha form, golden radiance swirling around his massive hands as he caught Sunbell’s Fish-Beast Impact head-on.
Sunbell collided with the golden palms, spinning faster and faster, sparks flying as golden light flared.
"How did this fish suddenly get so much stronger? He was already heavily injured earlier!"
Sengoku’s mind raced. If Sunbell had this kind of power before, even though we would’ve still suppressed him, he wouldn’t have been beaten so badly.
"Hahaha! Sengoku, I heard you’re quite the favorite of the Celestial Dragons. Let me see just how strong a Marine Admiral really is!"
Suddenly, long, sharp spines sprouted from Sunbell’s back—flexible yet deadly. A single horn grew from his forehead, and his tail thickened, now lined with shark-tooth-like barbs.
His appearance had turned utterly monstrous.
"Hehehehe…"
Sunbell’s laughter was deep yet unnervingly sly.
"Huh? A second transformation?!"
Sengoku’s expression darkened. Why didn’t he use this earlier when we were overwhelming him? If Linuo hadn’t shown up, he’d have been finished!
Did I… unconsciously awaken my bloodline’s inheritance because of Linuo? Sunbell wondered.
"Sunbell, even if you transform again, I will still crush you."
"Oh yeah? Let’s test that. Tekkai!"
Sunbell coated his entire body in Armament Haki.
"Sengoku, I call this move—Death Coil!"
The spines on his back suddenly lashed out like black vipers, wrapping around Sengoku’s body. All while maintaining Fish-Beast Impact, Sunbell kept spinning at high speed, leaving Sengoku no room to counter.
Whoosh! The barbed tendrils constricted violently, then extended again, aiming to pierce Sengoku’s flesh.
"Heh. Not feeling too good, are you, Sengoku? But don’t think it’s over yet. Death Eruption!"
The tips of the spines split open, spewing thick, black corrosive fluid.
Sizzle!
"What the—?! It’s eating through my defenses!"
Sengoku’s face twisted in disgust. At first, he hadn’t taken Sunbell’s Death Coil seriously, but this vile sludge clung stubbornly, reeking of decay.
"Hahaha! How’s that, Sengoku? Keep this up, and even your defenses will shatter!"
A long silence followed.
"What’s wrong, Sengoku? Giving up already? I’ll keep this Fish-Beast Impact going—let’s see you try to block my horn now!"
Sunbell kept taunting, but something felt off.
Why isn’t he saying anything? Did he really surrender?
Finally, Sengoku lifted his head, his eyes dark.
"It seems I’ve stayed at Marine HQ for too long… Now even a crewman dares to mock me like this. Do you have any idea how much I hate this disgusting slime?"
Suddenly, an overwhelming golden light erupted from his body, divine radiance illuminating the battlefield like the sun.
"Buddha’s Ultimate Secret—Buddha’s Radiance Shines Upon All!"
"AAAAAH—! HOT HOT HOT!!"
Sunbell recoiled, retracting his spines and stumbling back, his legs stomping the ground in pain.
Rayleigh, fighting nearby, glanced over.
"Oi, old man. Are you holding up?"
"Holding up?! I’m about to be grilled fish! Damn it, since when did Sengoku have this kinda—"
"Fire-based abilities now?!"
Sunbell howled in pain, spinning in place as if trying to shake off the scorching heat.
"Intense light generates heat too, old-timer. Be careful—I can’t break away to help you right now."
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Kizaru crossed his arms, fingers curling into a delicate, almost mocking gesture as countless blinding orbs of light rained down toward Rayleigh.
"Hm?" Rayleigh dodged swiftly, countering with a few sharp slashes of his sword.
"Nee~ Silvers Rayleigh, losing focus in the middle of a fight? How scary~ You’re really looking down on me, nee~"
"Borsalino, you’re plenty strong. But judging by your uniform, you’re still just a Vice Admiral."
"Heh heh heh…" Kizaru let out his signature eerie chuckle.
"Silvers Rayleigh, are you implying I’m unworthy of fighting you?"
"No. On the contrary—I’m impressed."
"Oh?" Kizaru’s eyebrow arched, his lips quirking into a lopsided smirk as he studied Rayleigh with exaggerated curiosity.
"Black Arm Zephyr is slightly weaker, yet he holds the rank of Admiral. The World Government must value his ability to train new recruits. But you—Borsalino, Sakazuki, and Kuzan… Three Admiral-level fighters appearing at once?"
Rayleigh’s mind raced.