103. Divide The Sea With One Sword! Rayleigh's Terror

Tobu Shigan Bakuhatsu (Flying Finger Explosion)

Atlas unleashed a relentless and powerful barrage of rays from his hand, resembling a meteor shower descending upon Rayleigh with immense force!

Poof!

Rayleigh, drawing upon his formidable Haki prowess, skillfully evaded the oncoming burst of flames. However, the singed hair, scorched beard, and tattered clothes betrayed a momentary lapse, revealing a hint of embarrassment.

...

CP0, stationed on the warship, had a faint awareness of the ongoing skirmish in the distance. Yet, cautious and apprehensive, he refrained from venturing alone to witness the battle. His fear stemmed from the possibility of Atlas seizing the opportunity to eliminate him and orchestrating a scenario that would implicate him with the pirates.

"Marine, advance the ship slightly to gain a better view of the ongoing battle."

CP0 ordered Marine next to him.

However, what slightly embarrassed him was the Marines' complete indifference to his words. They showed no signs of acknowledging his CP0 status and remained unfazed.

"It's so frustrating..."

He muttered with some dissatisfaction. Ever since he got on the ship, he had been annoyed.

The more he pondered, the more his anger intensified. CP0 nonchalantly took a seat on the deck, displaying a complete lack of concern for the unfolding situation involving Atlas.

...

Unaware of the inner turmoil within CP0, Atlas focused solely on the intense confrontation with Rayleigh. His gaze remained fixed on his opponent, eyes filled with seriousness, muscles taut, and fists poised for action.

Tekken Kudaku (Iron fist shatter)

Atlas's arm muscles bulged, and the shadows of his fists surged, swiftly overpowering Rayleigh. Yet, curiously, most of these fist shadows didn't land directly on Rayleigh's body. Instead, they struck the air beside him in an unusual manner.

"Um?"

Seeing this situation, Rayleigh abruptly stopped evading.

"Future Vision"

While the ability to foresee the future through sight, hearing, and color is undeniably potent, it's crucial to recognize that the future is dynamic and ever-changing. What Atlas predicts is merely a glimpse into potential future events, not an absolute certainty.

Atlas hadn't anticipated that his foresight would completely subdue Rayleigh. As the right-hand man of the Pirate King, Rayleigh had undergone countless battles, surpassing Atlas in both combat experience and adaptability to unforeseen circumstances.

Ittoryu Raikiri

Unsheathing the Sandai Kitetsu at his waist, a glint of cold light flashed, and a blood-red slash descended upon Rayleigh with an irresistible force.

"This is..."

'It's so fast!'

Rayleigh sensed the inevitability of the situation; in the blink of an eye, his field of vision was engulfed by blood-red slashes.

Unexpectedly, Rayleigh swiftly raised the sword in his hand, its surface enveloped in a shroud of weapon-colored energy. Black and red lightning danced merrily along the blade, emanating a menacing aura that subtly distorted the surrounding space.

Conqueror's Infusion

Atlas's slash was swiftly nullified, and in an instant, a slash, more than twice the size of the previous one, cleaved towards him with undiminished force!

The soaring slash nearly cleaved the sea in two, unleashing its terrifying sharpness on Atlas with the distinct intimidation of Conqueror's Haki!

Puff!

A substantial spurt of blood gushed forth, and the armor on Atlas's chest was forcefully shattered, revealing a sizable gap from top to bottom. The cascading flesh and blood continued to spray vivid red, momentarily rendering Atlas's mind blank for less than 0.001 seconds. However, the recuperative abilities of the Horse Talisman instantly eradicated all wounds on his body!

'Shit'

'I used only a single technique; why are you giving me with the ultimate move?'

Atlas expelled the lingering foam of blood from his mouth and grumbled in a despondent tone.

"Oh? Even the healing prowess is reaching monstrous levels."

Observing Atlas instantaneously heal the wounds inflicted by his own attacks, Rayleigh was astonished and nearly speculated that this individual had consumed a Devil Fruit with healing properties.

You know, in this world, despite the existence of individuals with monstrous physiques, none possess the instantaneous recovery ability exhibited by Atlas. Even the current Kaido of the New World can't achieve such a feat!

"Darn it! Old man, it looks like you're itching for a serious bout, huh?"

Atlas felt a twinge of anger. Aside from the humiliating encounter with Kaido, no one had ever put him in such a situation. He ripped off his tattered clothes, exposing his muscular upper body, and firmly gripped the Sandai Kitetsu in front of Rayleigh.

"The secret of Ittoryu: One snap of the finger contains twenty moments; One moment contains twenty thoughts; One thought contains ninety instants; One instant contains nine million births and deaths!"

"Um?"

Rayleigh sensed a momentary freeze in the surrounding time, accompanied by a eerie sensation coursing through his body.

Senkiri Issen

Atlas' figure appeared disconcertingly displaced, transitioning from being in front of Rayleigh to suddenly being behind him!

Poof! Poof! Clang! Clang!

The sound of blades densely clashing with flesh and blood echoed, intertwined with the mournful cries of metal and iron.

"With a mastery like this, you can rightfully be hailed as a great swordsman!"

Rayleigh, indeed, was incomparable to Marco. Despite enduring the majority of the slashes, his profound understanding of Haki prevented him from sustaining any serious injuries. Instead, he only bore minor wounds that were gradually healing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the leisure to offer commentary on Atlas's swordsmanship at this moment.

"Appreciate the compliment! But it doesn't do much for me!"

Atlas materialized behind Rayleigh like a ghost, and Sandai Kitetsu, already entwined in haki, trailed behind him like a shadow.

A cold gleam sliced from the upper right to the lower left of Rayleigh!

Slicing through the cassock!

If this strike landed accurately, Rayleigh would undoubtedly suffer a substantial gash from his shoulders to his waist and abdomen. However, Rayleigh was evidently not so defenseless.

Clang!

On the trajectory that the Sandai Kitetsu must traverse, a long sword strangely manifests, intersecting the path!

Rayleigh didn't even pivot his body; he simply twisted the hand holding the sword, intercepting Atlas's reverse slash in the opposite direction!

However, such a drawn sword posture inherently lacked substantial power. Rayleigh merely felt the back of the sword connecting with his body, the force causing him to stagger and nearly teetering towards the sea.

Boom!

Naturally, Atlas couldn't pass up on such an opportunity. The muscles of his right leg abruptly bulged, delivering a powerful kick to Rayleigh's waist with a resounding whoosh through the air!

"You truly have no respect for me as an old man, do you?"

Rayleigh, recovering from the kick, seized the moment to create some distance. He rubbed his waist in a somewhat helpless manner, seemingly questioning Atlas if he was familiar with the concepts of respecting the elderly and caring for the young.

"I apologize. An elderly gentleman like you should be laid to rest as soon as possible!"

Atlas, lacking any courtesy, aimed directly at the crux of the matter!

"Hey! Old man, mind teaching me your Conqueror's Haki infusion technique?"

Rayleigh gazed at Atlas, who had been hurling curses at him just a moment ago but was now requesting to learn about Conqueror's Haki infusion techniques, and responded with a wordless smile.

"Alright, if you quit the Marines and join the ranks of pirates!"

"Oh, forget it then..."

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