Ash changed into a fresh beach outfit from his Spatial Ring, then looked toward the bow of the Dawn Ship where Silvers Rayleigh was still locked in battle with Pini and Youki. A faint grin appeared on his face.
"Divine Departure, nothing special."
At the bow, the forest area had already been torn apart by the battle.
Because his gauntlets were his primary weapons, Youki had taken the brunt of the earlier exchange. A deep wound stretched from his right shoulder down to his left waist, blood still seeping out. If he had reacted any slower, and if Pini had not pulled him away in time, that single strike would have cut him in half.
Pini was not in a better state.
The only reason he managed to react in time was due to his superior Observation Haki. After being called out earlier for neglecting it, he had pushed it to its limit. That heightened awareness gave him a brief glimpse of the danger ahead. If they had tried to endure that attack head-on, both of them would have been torn apart.
Even so, there had been no time to warn Youki.
Pini had no choice but to act immediately, grabbing Youki and pulling him out of the attack's core.
In his Half-Beast form, his wings gave him a major speed boost, but they also made him a larger target. As a result, while he managed to save Youki, his left wing was partially severed by the slash, blood pouring out continuously.
Their injuries only fueled their aggression.
That attack had already put the Dawn Ship at risk. At this point, there was nothing left to hold back. If they let Rayleigh leave after this, it would be an even greater loss.
Their focus sharpened.
They did not fully understand it, but the overwhelming pressure behind that strike had been Conqueror's Haki coating applied to swordsmanship. If they had not trained themselves to withstand that kind of mental pressure, they would not have survived that exchange.
Ignoring their wounds, the two launched another coordinated assault.
Lightning surged around Pini's blade as he infused it with advanced Armament Haki. Youki followed closely, his gauntlets striking in rapid succession. Their attacks became faster and more relentless, denying Rayleigh the time to prepare another Divine Departure.
But even without that technique, Rayleigh remained dangerous.
Black lightning crackled along his blade as every strike carried Conqueror's Haki. Each clash left visible damage on their bodies, even with their powerful regeneration.
Although he appeared to be in control, Rayleigh had already decided to withdraw.
His earlier surprise attack had failed, and now both opponents were fully alert. While he could still injure them, their recovery rate made it inefficient. Continuing this fight would only sharpen their combat instincts while draining his stamina.
And more importantly, Ash could return at any moment.
That was a risk he could not ignore.
With a sharp swing, Rayleigh forced both Pini and Youki back, preparing to retreat into the sea. But suddenly, his instincts flared.
A powerful warning surged through his Observation Haki.
Yet when he scanned the battlefield, he found nothing.
Trusting his battle-hardened intuition, Rayleigh immediately adjusted his stance. His blade, now wrapped in black and red lightning, slashed repeatedly to keep his opponents at bay. Then he drew the sword back to his side, taking a stance to unleash another Divine Departure.
The pressure in the air intensified.
Pini and Youki broke through his attacks once more and charged forward.
Rayleigh remained still.
His target was no longer them.
Then it happened.
A figure appeared behind Pini and Youki without warning. Two hands pressed lightly against their faces, pushing them aside effortlessly.
Ash had returned.
Recognizing him instantly, Rayleigh acted without hesitation. The moment Ash stepped forward, Rayleigh unleashed his attack.
"Divine Departure!"
A sharp sound followed.
Ash had already moved.
He grabbed Rayleigh's sword arm before the attack could even be released.
"If you cannot swing, who are you planning to hit?"
His expression remained calm, but his grip tightened.
A series of cracking sounds echoed as Rayleigh cried out in pain. The sword slipped from his grasp and fell.
"The Pirate King's right hand, is that it?"
Ash lifted him effortlessly and hurled him into the sky.
"Pluto Rayleigh, is that it?"
Before Rayleigh could stabilize himself midair, Ash appeared in front of him again. The speed was beyond conventional movement, it resembled true instantaneous displacement.
"Attacking my crew, is that it?"
Ash flicked him upright with a casual motion.
"And damaging my ship, is that it?"
A devastating kick struck Rayleigh's abdomen.
The impact bent his body unnaturally as if his spine had shattered. The force sent him flying hundreds of meters away.
His vision blurred.
So this is his power…
Rayleigh's thoughts faded as unconsciousness took over.
Ash watched him for a moment, then clicked his tongue slightly.
That might have been too much.
But considering the damage done to the Dawn Ship, letting him off lightly was never an option.
With a single step, Ash appeared beside Rayleigh's falling body and grabbed him. Another step later, he was back on the ship.
Pini and Youki had already reverted to their human forms.
They watched in silence as Ash handled Rayleigh as if he were nothing more than a minor opponent. The contrast was overwhelming.
The Pirate King's right hand had been defeated in just a few moves.
Even taking into account his fatigue, the gap was still absurd.
If Ash could hear their thoughts, he would have scoffed.
He had not even used his full strength.
Opening his status panel, Ash glanced at the numbers.
5489 physique points.
By the end of the day, it would reach 5490.
At this level, even if Imu or Rocks D. Xebec returned, they would not be able to withstand a full-powered strike.
After more than two years of steady growth on Gourmet Island, the gap between him and the rest of the world had become absolute.
Ash closed the panel.
Now, he was truly untouchable.