As Rhett had predicted, after that brief stalemate and exchange of looks, the atmosphere in the field shifted dramatically.
The goofy smile on Joy Boy's face slowly faded, replaced by an expression of pure joy and freedom.
His body began emitting faint white steam. His hair rose like flames, turning white. His clothes seemed to melt into the same white, cloud-like texture.
His grin became enormous, his eyes curving into crescents. His entire presence became playful, yet carried a vitality beyond imagination.
"Hahahahaha."
"That's... Nika," Rhett muttered under his breath, a flicker of seriousness in his crimson eyes. Barely a year since setting sail, and he was already at this level. What were his peers supposed to do?
It was like being a trainer going on a journey with a Gyarados. Level 20 was still a baby, wasn't it?
Meanwhile, Gale also stopped holding back.
A sharp hawk cry pierced the air. His arms were instantly covered in obsidian-like feathers, his fingers becoming razor-sharp talons, his pupils shifting into cold raptor slits.
Even more striking — a powerful wave of dark red Haki, carrying an overwhelming sense of justice and absolute dominance, erupted around his half-transformed body. It stood in stark opposition to Joy Boy's liberating, laughing will.
Conqueror's Haki. Coating.
"Haha! Here it comes! This is it!" Nika-form Joy Boy laughed, his voice light and infectious.
"Hmph!" Gale snorted, his battle spirit boiling.
In the next instant, both vanished from their positions.
They reappeared high above, colliding violently beneath the clouds.
"Rubber Rubber — Giant God Spear!" Nika's attacks became even more unpredictable. The massive white rubber fist seemed to ignore distance entirely, carrying both the rhythm of joy and devastating power straight toward Gale.
If you looked closely, his power even affected the sea below. That was the weight of being the only fruit never recorded in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia.
"Black Hawk — Sky-Rending Claws!" Gale's talons tore through the air, each strike wrapped in Conqueror's Haki. Every swing seemed capable of splitting the sky, meeting the massive rubber fist head-on.
"BOOM!!!" "CRASH!!!" "THUNDER!!!"
The impacts echoed like thunder high above. Each collision sent shockwaves spreading wildly, pressing down on the sea with immense force.
The sea was in chaos. Giant whirlpools formed. Towering waves rose one after another. There was no avoiding it — this was the nature of clashes between the strong.
The two ships, caught in the storm of aftershocks, swayed like leaves in a hurricane, on the verge of being swallowed.
But that wasn't going to happen.
Just as the devastating waves were about to crash down, Rhett sighed. His blood mist exploded outward.
The Navy warship's commander shouted, "Move closer! Get closer!"
The thick crimson mist spread rapidly, forming two massive, resilient barriers that encased both the rubber ship and the Navy warship. Outside, the waves raged and shockwaves howled. Inside the mist, everything was eerily calm. Not even the water in a cup trembled.
Rhett didn't mind them taking shelter in his mist. In fact, he almost welcomed it.
The Navy soldiers seemed used to this. Some even breathed sighs of relief.
"Quick! Now!" an officer called out.
Soon, several Navy soldiers carried large food boxes across a makeshift gangplank between the ships, placing them on Rhett's deck with practiced ease. Inside were steaming roasted meat, grilled fish, and fresh fruit.
"Thanks." Rhett waved casually at the soldiers.
"Our pleasure, Mr. Rhett." They saluted and hurried back to their ship. After all, the two outside were tearing each other apart up there. Even with the mist barrier, watching was still nerve-wracking. No matter how many times you saw it, it was always awe-inspiring.
This custom started the first time Gale and Joy Boy fought. The Navy soldiers had refused to enter Rhett's mist, even as their ship was about to capsize. Gale had called a pause, used his wing to push his ship into the mist, and said coolly, "Protect them too. Thanks."
It helped that piracy was still a new profession — not yet filled with the most ruthless criminals. Rhett and Joy Boy were more like adventurers on paper. Gale was relaxed. Rhett was relaxed. Joy Boy was confused about why they'd stopped.
A-Yang and A-Xing looked at the food boxes, then at the apocalyptic scene outside. Their faces were still pale, but they understood that this level of battle was beyond their comprehension. Rhett had warned them many times.
"Alright, stop watching," Rhett's voice came through. "That kind of fight won't help you right now. It'll only shake your resolve. Eat."
The two kids obeyed, sitting down to eat, though their movements were stiff. Their minds were still on the terrifying sounds outside.
The girl sat down quietly too. She wasn't scared or shaken. She was just keeping the kids company, making sure they weren't alone, and preventing them from sneaking a look. She took small bites of fruit, her ice-blue eyes occasionally glancing at the lightning-lit sky beyond the mist, silently sensing and analyzing the clash of powers beyond common sense.
Rhett chewed his roasted meat, watching the two figures in the sky through the mist. His crimson eyes glowed with thought.
Inside the mist, the aroma of grilled meat filled the air. Everything was peaceful.