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Chapter 46 - Rayleigh — Ace’s Death Deserves a Toast

Kizaru shook his head.

His salary wasn't high enough to justify fighting all three of them.

After he left, the three clashing waves of Conqueror's Haki inside the bar gradually subsided.

Rayleigh and Shakky withdrew their Haki in tacit understanding.

They had no intention of continuing to serve as Leno's sparring partners and helping him grow stronger.

As for why they didn't simply kill him to eliminate a future threat—

It wasn't just because this strange young man wasn't someone they could confidently finish off.

Kizaru was still wandering the island.

The two of them only wanted a quiet retirement. They had no desire to escalate matters beyond control.

Besides, Leno had only asked about some old secrets. He hadn't actually done anything.

In short—

Not worth it.

"Tch." Leno clicked his tongue, clearly unsatisfied.

"Why stop? I wasn't done having fun."

Even that brief clash had significantly condensed his Conqueror's Haki.

And that didn't even include what his fruit had absorbed.

Once fully refined, he'd be able to use advanced Conqueror's coating with ease.

"Enough," Shakky said, lighting another cigarette.

She took a drag and exhaled slowly. "Cut the nonsense. What do you actually want?"

"Nothing much." Leno shrugged.

"Just curious."

"If Roger's child were killed… would you, as his old crewmate, seek revenge?"

Silence.

Shakky's fingers paused slightly around her cigarette.

Rayleigh stopped pouring his drink.

"…Roger had a child?" Rayleigh's voice carried something complicated.

Shakky looked away. "No idea."

Whether they truly didn't know, or were pretending not to—

Leno couldn't tell.

Roger, after all, hadn't exactly been a saint. Obsessively chasing Shakky back then.

Didn't win her over.

Then before dying, found some random woman, had Ace.

And when Ace later died—

Rayleigh hadn't shown much grief.

He'd even poured a drink.

Ace's death… deserved a toast.

Hard to say there wasn't some buried resentment there.

"Interesting." Leno studied their subtle expressions, then said no more.

He left the bar with his crew, who had just recovered from the Haki clash.

The trip wasn't pointless.

His Conqueror's Haki had grown significantly.

And after seeing Shakky in person—

This so-called "ultimate femme fatale" wasn't that stunning.

Maybe it wasn't her beauty—

But her "legend" that captivated men.

Elsewhere on Sabaody—

Chaos erupted.

"Oooh~ scary~ Supernovas~"

Kizaru's annoying voice echoed through multiple districts.

"Scary" on his lips.

One kick per Supernova.

One laser per pirate crew.

"Such troublesome work~"

He complained lazily while dismantling the so-called "Worst Generation."

Most of the Supernovas he encountered were crushed.

When it came to Bonney—

Her crew had already been scattered by Marines.

She herself was cornered.

Kizaru raised a glowing finger.

"What a pity~"

Just as the laser was about to fire—

A lazy voice cut in.

"Kizaru. Do me a favor."

Leno appeared not far away with his crew.

The Face-Face Fruit user, Leno.

Kizaru paused.

Then naturally dispersed the light.

"Oh~ the other Supernovas might escape~"

He turned into light and vanished.

Even without Leno, he hadn't intended to go all out on Bonney.

With Kuma involved—

Better to leave it.

One less, one more—didn't matter.

Bonney stared at Leno, shaken.

Her expression complicated.

Meanwhile—

The Straw Hats were suffering.

Beaten by Leno earlier.

Barely breathing.

Now—

An Admiral.

"Gomu Gomu no—!"

Luffy was kicked away at light speed.

Zoro and Sanji couldn't even touch Kizaru.

Without Armament Haki—

They were helpless.

"Go catch Leno, you bastard! Why us?!" Usopp cried while running.

"What did we even do?!"

"You're weak," Kizaru replied casually.

At that moment—

A figure appeared.

A kick deflected Kizaru's strike.

It was the Dark King, Rayleigh.

He might not acknowledge Roger.

But he acknowledged the straw hat.

After all—

The hat is the main body.

"Oho~ quite the troublesome figure~" Kizaru muttered.

Rayleigh drew his sword.

"Young pirates shouldn't fall here."

"Borsalino, your opponent is me."

"Oh dear~ how troublesome~"

"Ama no Murakumo!"

Golden blade met steel.

Light and sword clashed.

Impressive.

But mostly performance.

Unfortunately—

Even with Rayleigh holding Kizaru—

Sentomaru and the Pacifistas overwhelmed the Straw Hats.

They were too weak.

Completely outmatched.

Then—

The original Pacifista.

Bartholomew Kuma closed his Bible.

"Dragon… this is the last thing I'll do for you."

He vanished.

Appeared before the helpless crew.

"If you were to travel… where would you like to go?"

Pop.

"Nami!"

Pop.

"Zoro!"

Pop.

"Sanji!"

One by one—

They vanished under Luffy's desperate screams.

"Stop it! Let them go!"

Luffy tried to charge.

Sentomaru knocked him down.

He had already been crushed repeatedly by Leno.

The frustration of weakness burned inside him.

He was trying his best.

But still—

He couldn't protect anyone.

His scream was raw.

Kizaru watched.

"Hey hey, Bartholomew~ what are you doing~"

But made no move to stop him.

Kuma said nothing.

He stood before Luffy.

Pop.

Luffy disappeared.

The Straw Hat Pirates—

Annihilated.

Kizaru immediately stopped fighting.

"Oh my~ no pirates left~ why continue~"

He dispersed his blade.

No raise coming anyway.

Two Dragons were dead.

Might as well slack.

Thus—

The rising Supernovas were taught a brutal lesson on Sabaody.

Especially Kid.

After recovering from his depressive state and learning what happened—

He nearly tore the harbor apart again.

"Leno Pirates! I won't forget this!"

Utter humiliation.

Meanwhile—

The man Kid cursed—

Was standing in a quiet corner.

Staring down at a pink-haired little girl.

Eye to eye.

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