Rayleigh combed his soaked hair back with his hand, put on his glasses, and narrowed his eyes toward the sea.
"That ship… whose is it?"
He truly didn't recognize its appearance from memory.
And it was still too far away—his Observation Haki couldn't sense it yet.
But that wasn't important.
He didn't stay put, nor did he intend to wait to see who it was. He turned and headed toward the main battlefield without hesitation.
He hadn't abandoned the comfort of Shakky just to come to Marine Headquarters and watch a show.
He only hoped Roger's damn son wouldn't die.
As the former vice-captain, he was exhausted worrying.
Even after Roger's death, trouble like this still followed!
He quickened his pace, rushing toward the center of the war.
The ship he had seen in the distance near the port was the Blackbeard Pirates, newly assembled from Impel Down.
Standing at the bow, Marshall D. Teach spread his arms and laughed wildly.
"Zehahahahaha!!!"
"I wonder if the old man's dead yet! His Tremor-Tremor Fruit power—I'm definitely taking it!"
He could hardly wait to become the only double-Devil-Fruit user in history.
At that point, the position of one of the Four Emperors would be his—Blackbeard's.
Whitebeard was old. Blackbeard would rise!
The crew members, just freed from Impel Down and fired up by Blackbeard's grand promises, were equally excited.
If his plan succeeded, following him would be worth it.
A double-Devil-Fruit user—something unprecedented!
More than enough reason to join the Blackbeard Pirates.
With anticipation, their ship drew closer and closer to Marine Headquarters.
…
Meanwhile, at the center of the battlefield—
After Sabo successfully rescued Ace, the two were doing their best to break through toward Whitebeard.
Their goal had been to save Ace—now achieved.
Next, they had to reunite with the Whitebeard Pirates and retreat as quickly as possible.
Kizaru, Borsalino—who had been slacking off the entire war—finally appeared.
Having coasted through most of the battle, he needed to at least look "serious" for the sake of his paycheck.
Even if it was only for appearances.
Watching the two youths running, his body gradually dissolved into sparkling light.
"Speed is weight~ Ever been kicked at the speed of light, little boy?"
He abruptly appeared before Sabo, his foot enlarging rapidly in Sabo's vision.
Unfortunately, Sabo had no time to react.
A light-speed kick sent him flying.
"Sabo!" Ace cried out in shock.
He hadn't even perceived the attack.
"Don't worry, you're next."
A freezing aura swept over him.
Aokiji, Kuzan—who had been "evenly matched" with Diamond Jozu earlier—had just frozen Jozu with an Ice Capsule.
Now he stood before Ace.
"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"
"Mirror Flame!"
Ice and fire collided—this was also the moment Ace began believing he could match an Admiral.
Aokiji: I'm holding back. What are you doing?
Ace: I'm challenging an Admiral!
The battlefield split in two—one side frigid, the other blazing.
Garp, meanwhile, no longer sought trouble with Leno.
If they kept fighting, he feared he'd end up feeding Leno into an unstoppable monster.
Not only that, Leno's bizarre devouring ability was draining his lifespan.
Even if his combat power didn't weaken with age, his vitality was genuinely decreasing.
He still wanted to live long enough to see Koby personally deal with this traitor someday.
And Luffy's injuries required finding someone with the Op-Op Fruit to treat.
So for now, he would spare Leno.
"Brat, I'll let you live a while longer," Garp snorted inwardly as he searched for a new target.
Very quickly—
His gaze fell upon Whitebeard, who was fighting Akainu.
Recalling his agreement with Sengoku—if Ace was to live, a great pirate had to be left behind.
Originally his target had been Leno, but Leno's side was too strong: Leno himself, the Golden Lion, and Patton's phantom made him difficult to capture.
So the target became Whitebeard instead.
Whitebeard: So no matter what, I'm doomed today, huh?
Garp leapt high and delivered a "greeting."
"Fist Bone Impact!"
Whitebeard's eyes grew serious, yet he still laughed. "Gurarara! Garp, you're old—you can't even handle a brat!"
Garp said nothing.
He simply kept throwing punches.
…
Under such circumstances, Leno—who had just been in fierce combat—actually became idle.
He observed the battlefield while casually giving combat pointers to Domino and the others beside him.
Just then, a distinct fragrant breeze approached.
A tall, graceful figure walked toward him.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock!
Leno had slain three Celestial Dragons. To Hancock, who hated them, that was irresistibly attractive.
It was practically a perfect counter to her heart—his appeal maxed out.
She approached elegantly. Leno noticed and stopped, his gaze resting on her.
Her long black hair was smooth and glossy, her skin pale and luminous.
Her exquisite features carried both natural charm and pride in her beautiful eyes.
Her figure was striking—full chest, slender waist, and graceful curves—perfectly displayed beneath her fitted cheongsam.
Her long, straight legs appeared and disappeared through the slit of her dress, irresistibly drawing attention.
She was indeed the most beautiful woman Leno had ever seen—and not just another "Nami face."
She truly deserved the title of the world's most beautiful woman.
However—
What did that have to do with Leno?
An unfamiliar woman would only slow his draw.
Only familiar women could "maintain his blade" and make him draw faster.
His expression remained calm, his eyes unmoved by her charm.
"Pirate Empress," Leno said flatly. "Need something from me?"
Seeing Leno ignore her allure, a trace of surprise flashed in Hancock's eyes.
Her curiosity about him deepened.
Before, she'd wanted to approach him because he had killed Celestial Dragons.
Now, the fact that her beauty had no effect on him intrigued her even more.
She struck a seductive yet proud pose, accentuating her appearance and figure, glancing at him as if asking:
"Well? Have you fallen for me?"
However—
Leno merely glanced at her for less than a second before indifferently looking away.
Trying to hook him with tricks like that?
He wasn't that cheap.
Domino, Robin, and Kalifa—weren't they better?
Leno's complete indifference exceeded Hancock's expectations.
"Someone… can truly ignore my beauty entirely?"
Man, you've successfully caught this lady's attention!
Suppressing her frustration and growing curiosity, she pretended nonchalance and quickened her steps to walk beside him.
Unaware, her affected composure made her look rather like a clingy admirer.
Fortunately, the battlefield was chaotic and few lechers were paying attention.
But her behavior drew hostile glares and eye-rolls from Domino, Robin, and the others.
Had they met Leno later, perhaps they too would have been charmed by Hancock.
Now, they only found her irritating.
Hancock naturally sensed their gazes but didn't care.
"Hmph. A bunch of mediocrities—how could they compare with me? I alone am the most beautiful woman in the world!"
Yet the atmosphere around them stood in stark contrast to the brutal battlefield.
Facing two top-tier opponents, Whitebeard's condition worsened by the moment.
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