Chapter 92

Rayleigh held a knife in his hand, his expression blank as he watched Kizaru vanish into the distance in the blink of an eye.

He fell silent.

Was coming here all for nothing?

The son-in-law of little Shanks hadn't needed his help at all. He stood to the side, a bit awkwardly.

Weiwei noticed Rayleigh approaching.

"Are you with the Navy?" she asked, her eyes sharpening.

"Great. Then let me take you on."

Her fighting spirit was still burning hot. Seeing Rayleigh, she instinctively took him for a Navy officer. After all, they didn't know who this stranger was charging in at the last moment. He clearly wasn't with them — he could be an enemy.

But if she had looked more closely, she might have noticed that Rayleigh bore no insignia or signs of Navy affiliation. His slightly unkempt appearance was also at odds with the usual disciplined image of the Navy.

Still, this wasn't the time for details.

Without hesitation, she entered her BattleGreymon form.

"Wait—" Rayleigh finally noticed her charging toward him, claws raised. He quickly opened his mouth to speak.

But Weiwei was too fast.

He only got a single word out before her claws came slicing through the air toward him.

His opportunity to explain vanished instantly.

Clang!

He barely managed to raise his blade in time to block the strike.

The impact was dull and heavy, and the thick roots of the mangrove trees beneath his feet quaked violently.

"Are all young people this reckless nowadays?" Rayleigh muttered.

Even among the many enemies he had fought in his prime, there were few as impulsive as this woman.

"Old man, you're strong!" Weiwei exclaimed, eyes gleaming with excitement.

Even from a single clash, she could tell—he was at least on par with Kizaru if he could block her strike so effortlessly.

"Gaia..." she said, leaping into the air and charging up a massive energy bomb.

But just before she could release it—

Kairos Flint appeared beside her in a flash, calmly reaching out and catching her by the arm. He locked her wrist in a firm but non-aggressive grip, pulling her back.

"Stop it. He's not the enemy," Kairos said, exasperated.

In a blink, she had gone from calm to combat mode, and Kairos could only sigh at the chaos that followed her enthusiasm.

Maybe giving her the Dragon Fruit: Tyrannosaurus Form ability crystal wasn't the best idea. Ever since she ate it, Weiwei tended to slip into a heightened state the moment battle began.

Yes, it increased her strength dramatically, making her stronger the longer she fought — a perfect combat enhancer.

But it also made it incredibly hard for her to calm down once that fighting spirit ignited.

"...Not the enemy?" Weiwei blinked, startled. She immediately stopped struggling.

A wave of embarrassment washed over her.

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Rayleigh," Kairos said with a respectful nod. "My companion's battle instincts are a bit... difficult to suppress once activated."

After all, Rayleigh was practically an uncle figure to Shanks.

And if Shanks' daughter Uta was now considered part of Kairos' life...

Well, then that made Rayleigh his uncle-in-law, didn't it?

"I've heard Shanks speak of you," Rayleigh replied with a faint smile. "He seems quite pleased with you."

"Your companion is strong — especially at her age. You've surrounded yourself with good people."

Then he grinned, sheathing his weapon. "Kairos, since you've driven off the Buster Call and even held your own against a Marine Admiral, it looks like you're doing just fine. Want to come to my place for a drink?"

Kairos smiled. "I won't say no to that."

"But I do have a few friends still on their way here."

"Then we'll wait," Rayleigh said warmly. "No rush."

And they didn't have to wait long.

Soon, Nami and the others arrived.

When Rayleigh saw the group of women surrounding Kairos, he couldn't help but feel impressed.

This young man was something else.

No wonder Shanks gritted his teeth every time Kairos was mentioned. His daughter had chosen someone who was not only powerful, but also a bit of a lady's man.

Rayleigh recognized Kairos' strength, but he clearly wasn't fond of his playboy streak.

Then again, that was Shanks' problem, not his.

Rayleigh had lived through most of his life already. He had no interest in meddling with the younger generation's drama.

And so, he led Kairos and the others toward Xia Qi's Rip-Off Bar.

As they walked, Kairos quietly took stock of the incredible haul he'd earned from the battle.

It was beyond belief.

This wasn't just a victory — it was a full-on harvest.

Ability Crystals Collected:

Physical Crystals:

Excellent: 14,588

Rare: 1,212

Perfect: 672

Legendary: 21

Soul Crystals:

Excellent: 16,794

Rare: 1,327

Perfect: 591

Legendary: 24

Talent Crystals:

Excellent: 15,713

Rare: 1,424

Perfect: 621

Legendary: 29

Taijutsu Crystals:

Excellent: 16,271

Rare: 1,123

Perfect: 666

Legendary: 20

Kendo Crystals:

Excellent: 15,361

Rare: 1,090

Perfect: 578

Legendary: 23

Haki Crystals (Armament):

Excellent: 44

Perfect: 32

Legendary: 11

Haki Crystals (Observation):

Excellent: 41

Perfect: 43

Legendary: 16

Rokushiki (Six Powers):

Shave: Excellent (123), Perfect (33), Legendary (12)

Iron Body: Excellent (113), Perfect (55), Legendary (13)

Tempest Kick: Excellent (142), Perfect (41), Legendary (11)

Finger Gun: Excellent (128), Perfect (38), Legendary (13)

Moonwalk: Excellent (131), Perfect (30), Legendary (14)

Paper Art: Excellent (119), Perfect (31), Legendary (16)

Legendary Life Return Crystals: 12

Even Kairos was amazed at the sheer volume of rare materials. The synthesis potential was staggering. He could craft a plethora of top-tier abilities.

But for now, heading into Xia Qi's bar took priority.

He could refine the crystals later. No need to rush.

Meanwhile, on the Marine warship, Kizaru wasn't looking quite so elegant.

"Old man, did you go begging?" Zhan Taomaru asked as Kizaru climbed aboard, looking worse for wear.

Kizaru: "…"

If he didn't know Zhan Taomaru's blunt personality so well, he might've kicked the guy into next week.

Still, as his superior, it was his duty to properly train the young man.

Zhan Taomaru suddenly felt a chill.

Why did he feel like death was knocking at his back? He was perfectly healthy a moment ago.

"Sir, what about the criminals?" he asked.

Zhan Taomaru hadn't seen the battle himself — their warship had approached from the opposite direction. All he saw were the massive mushroom clouds rising from the Chambord Islands.

Surely, with all that destruction, the Admiral had captured the enemy.

After all, Kizaru was one of the Navy's top three. Not bringing down one enemy would be a joke.

"I couldn't beat him," Kizaru said flatly. "We're returning to Marine HQ. I'll report the mission's failure myself."

He sounded tired, but his orders were clear.

The ship turned and began heading back.

"…Old man…" Zhan Taomaru started to say something.

"If you've got time to talk, how about some combat drills?" Kizaru interrupted with a smile — the kind of smile that sent chills down spines.

"No thanks!" Zhan Taomaru declined immediately. He wasn't about to get kicked across the deck just for talking back.

As the ship sailed away from the battle site, Kizaru couldn't shake a strange feeling.

Had he forgotten something?

He paused, then shook his head. Nothing important, surely.

He let the feeling pass.

Back at the Chambord Islands, two Marine Vice-Admirals — Flying Squirrel and Burning Mountain — were among the few who survived Kairos Flint's devastating attack.

They were badly injured, but alive.

Clinging to shattered planks of wood, they swam to shore, shouting to the remaining soldiers:

"Grab whatever floats! Help the injured! Head for the coast!"

Their commands were sharp and timely.

Thanks to them, those who survived began organizing, helping comrades onto floating debris and swimming to the island's shore.

Eventually, a ragged group of Marines — led by two bleeding Vice-Admirals — staggered onto the beach.

There, they ordered the uninjured to form search teams to retrieve medical supplies and call reinforcements from the nearby base.

"The explosions have stopped. Did the battle end?" the Flying Squirrel wondered aloud. "It looks like General Kizaru must've won…"

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Little did he know, Kizaru had already admitted defeat — and left.