BOOM!
The delayed shockwave turned into a visible white ring of light, sweeping in all directions.
The entire uninhabited island shook violently. The beach vanished instantly, revealing the pitch-black bedrock beneath.
The sea surface within a radius of several thousand meters was forced down by ten meters, forming a terrifying vacuum depression.
After an unknown amount of time, the dust settled.
Sunlight spilled back through the gap, illuminating the three distinct faces below.
Tatsuki still wore a smile, though his eyes held a bit more seriousness.
Roger looked thoroughly invigorated, as if he had just tasted the strongest wine in the world.
Meanwhile, Rayleigh's pupils had shrunk to the size of pinheads.
He blocked it?
He had seen that strike clearly just now.
The power contained in Tatsuki's slash was on par with Whitebeard and Shiki.
And Roger...
Rayleigh glanced at his Captain's slightly trembling right hand, and his heart sank.
Roger's illness was far more serious than he let on.
Roger shook his somewhat numb arm and grinned. "Marine brat, the aura on you is different from two years ago."
Two years ago at Edd War, Tatsuki had felt like a sharp, unsheathed sword.
But now, he felt unfathomable.
Like a sea that appeared calm but was actually filled with undercurrents, ready to whip up monstrous waves at any moment.
"People always have to progress." Tatsuki replied nonchalantly, but his figure instantly vanished from the spot.
Godspeed: Flowing Light!
"Too slow!"
Roger's Observation Haki had already locked onto Tatsuki's movements. Without even turning his head, he swung his sword backward.
CLANG!
The sound of clashing metal was deafening.
Tensa Zangetsu and Ace.
Two black blades imbued with top-tier Conqueror's Haki slammed together, separated by only a few inches.
That thick, ink-like Conqueror's Haki overflowed frantically, turning into countless thick black-red lightning bolts that exploded and roared between them.
A terrifying airwave exploded outward with the two at its center.
Debris flew everywhere, and the surrounding coconut trees were uprooted, ground into sawdust in mid-air.
Rayleigh's feet were rooted to the ground. His clothes flapped violently in the wind, yet he didn't retreat a single step. His gaze was deathly locked onto the two combatants.
Too fast!
Tatsuki's speed had already surpassed the limits of what the naked eye could capture. Every time he swung his blade, it was accompanied by sonic booms and thunder. Everywhere the blade passed, it seemed as if it would cut through all things. He followed like a shadow, his storm wings flapping behind him, each beat erupting with startling speed and power, making his attacks both unpredictable and incredibly heavy.
Roger, though slightly inferior in speed, used his back-to-basics, unadorned swordsmanship to accurately predict Tatsuki's attack trajectories with every swing, neutralizing the most violent offensives with minimal effort.
Tensa Zangetsu pressed down on Ace, sparks flying.
Tatsuki's feet were three inches off the ground, air currents weaving into translucent wings behind his back. This posture gave him an absolute pivot in mid-air, drawing pressure with every exertion of force.
"Roger-san, the era you carry is too heavy. Even your sword swings have become so sluggish."
Tatsuki pressed down with a backhand, the edge of Tensa Zangetsu sliding along the spine of Ace.
The air flow was compressed to the extreme at this moment, forming a nearly transparent arc of light.
Storm: Silent Sever!
There was no sound of an air burst, the air was sliced open cleanly.
Roger tilted his head to evade, a few strands of black hair breaking, while a thousand-meter-long rift appeared for no reason on the sea behind him.
"This age, this Haki... are the young people nowadays all this ridiculous?"
Roger wiped away the bloodstain on his cheek cut by the wind pressure, his gaze completely changing.
"For justice, I have put in effort unimaginable to ordinary people." Tatsuki answered with righteous indignation.
Godspeed: Flowing Light!
His figure completely disappeared into the atmosphere.
Roger closed his eyes as his Observation Haki issued a frantic warning. In his perception, the entire world had turned into wind.
Every wisp of air current was Tatsuki's eyes and ears, every gust of wind was Tatsuki's blade.
"There!"
Roger swung his sword backhanded, the pitch-black Conquerors Haki exploding like lightning.
Divine Departure!
The red and black slash swept through the air.
Tatsuki, however, eerily appeared at the side of the slash, his left hand making a hollow grip as the surrounding air was instantly sucked dry.
Vacuum Hell Prison!
Roger felt a sharp pain in his lungs.
In a high-vacuum environment, the human body undergoes a chain reaction of collapse. Even the Pirate King could not defy physiological common sense.
Due to the sudden drop in air pressure, Roger's already riddled lungs reached their ultimate limit at this moment.
"Pfft—"
A pool of dark red blood sprayed onto the ground, a shocking sight.
"Captain!"
Rayleigh shouted, no longer standing by.
He unsheathed his sword and charged at Tatsuki.
"Oh? Finally willing to make a move." The curve of Tatsuki's lips deepened.
He had long expected that Rayleigh would not sit idly by, which was why he had pressed on step by step to trigger Roger's illness.
Facing Rayleigh's charge, Tatsuki remained unhurried, flapping his wings vigorously to pull away from Roger.
He turned to Rayleigh, his gaze showing no fear, but rather a playful look as if a hunter had spotted his prey.
"Silvers Rayleigh... it is truly an honor to personally bury two legends."
He swept his blade across, it lacked the overbearing power of Getsuga Tenshō but possessed even greater speed.
As the blade passed, the surrounding air shrieked, wind elements wrapping around the edge to increase sharpness and impact.
Rayleigh swung his sword to parry, the collision of the two blades making his arm go numb.
This Marine brat's strength and speed had both reached their peak, and he possessed an untamable, wild explosive power.
"I can't hear a shred of honor in your words." Rayleigh responded, his eyes deep.