c14: Advance To The Great Swordsman
"Is this the legendary vice-captain of the Pirate King, Silvers Rayleigh? He's like a walking monster," Moran muttered as he stared at Rayleigh, who sipped his sake with a calm smile.
"Hehe, don't joke like that. You two look like monsters yourselves. To reach this level at such a young age..." Rayleigh laughed, his eyes still sharp despite his age.
At this time, Shakky walked over and placed several glasses of sake in front of Moran with a grin.
"We're not about to get scammed by this wine, right?"
"Relax. I told you, my place is just an honest bar. Why would I cheat my guests?" Shakky smiled warmly.
If not for the unconscious pirates piled by the door, maybe I'd believe her, Moran thought, eyeing the bruised bodies twitching near the entrance.
"Rayleigh, would you be interested in a little spar? I want to measure how far I am from the top of the world."
"I've long since retired—I'm no longer a pirate. You'll have to find someone else. This old man just drinks these days," Rayleigh said with a nostalgic sigh.
"Fair enough... but I also happen to have some news about the son of Gol D. Roger."
Rayleigh raised an eyebrow at that. "Come with me," he said, rising from his seat and walking outside toward Grove 14.
"Come on, young swordsman."
Moran unsheathed Shusui, its blade humming with black Haki, and disappeared with a Soru-like blur, reappearing above Rayleigh, sword raised high overhead in both hands as he brought it down.
Rayleigh shifted his body just slightly Clang!—the ground beneath him shattered in a spiderweb pattern from the shockwave. Moran was flung backward and flipped through the air before landing on his feet.
Before he could recover, Rayleigh dashed forward, only inches above the ground, moving with Kenbunshoku Haki-enhanced precision.
Ping ping pong
(After an hour)
The two clashed endlessly, blades striking with such force that shockwaves burst outward in all directions. A whirlwind of sword aura surrounded them like a storm.
The ground was cratered with holes from overflowing sword energy, trees were sliced in half, and the battlefield looked like a war zone.
A growing crowd gathered around to watch in awe.
"Oi oi... this is insane! Are they even human?"
"Isn't that one of the new Seven Warlords? And the other... that's Rayleigh, the Dark King?!"
People who recognized them were speechless with awe and fear.
Moran's clothing was torn to rags, though his body had no wounds—his Busoshoku Haki blocked every slash. Rayleigh, on the other hand, fought with only pure swordsmanship and precision, avoiding deadly force, or they'd both be drenched in blood.
Such is the way of the sword. In a true duel between great swordsmen only one walks away.
Moran noticed the murmuring spectators and grew irritated. He suddenly launched a flying slash toward them not lethal, but definitely frightening.
"Oi oi oi what the hell?! Run!!"
The crowd screamed, diving to the ground, rolling and scrambling as the slash shredded through a nearby tree.
"Hey, little guy... you've reached the level of a Great Swordsman, haven't you?"
It turned out that when Moran sparred with Chitong and the others, they always held back he never felt real pressure, and so stayed stuck at the peak of a normal swordsman.
But Rayleigh gave him no room to slack.
With another clean clash, Moran was pushed back.
"Thanks, Rayleigh. That was the pressure I needed."
"You really are a monster... a teenager with the power of a master swordsman."
"I still couldn't beat you though... and you ruined my outfit. That was a 100 million Berries suit, you know. You owe me!" Moran joked, brushing dust off his chest.
"Ahahaha, looks like little Moran has the makings of a real rip-off artist!" Shakky said with a smirk as the two walked back into the bar.
"The fight's over let's talk," Rayleigh said, his face returning to seriousness.
"Portgas D. Ace he's now one of the Supernovas," Moran said.
Rayleigh's eyes flickered for a moment.
"You know... your captain didn't even trust me enough to raise his son. He gave him to his rival, Garp."
Rayleigh's expression darkened with playful irritation. He suddenly kicked Moran square in the chest, sending him crashing into a mangrove tree.
Boom!
"Ugh cough cough! Rayleigh, you old bastard, that's a sneak attack! No honor!"
"Itachi, beat him up!" Moran shouted dramatically, wiping blood from his mouth with exaggerated flair.
Itachi looked over, expression blank. He could tell Moran was playing around again and didn't move an inch.
At this time, a squad of Marines strode over their leader was Vice Admiral Momonga, nicknamed Flying Squirrel, whose patrol zone officially included the entire Sabaody Archipelago, though Moran had almost forgotten that fact.
"Yo… Vice Admiral, been a while how have you been? I almost missed you," Moran said with an exaggerated grin.
"Here's the ransom can we release Rob Lucci now?" Momonga asked, setting a lock-box of neatly banded bills on a crate.
The Flying Squirrel's eyes stayed wary as he spoke to Moran with a complicated expression.
"Van Augur verify the amount," Moran ordered.
"Captain Momonga, that old gentleman beside me hardly resembles an ordinary tourist he looks exactly like Silvers Rayleigh, former first mate of the Pirate King." Moran pointed straight at Rayleigh, speaking loudly enough for every sailor to hear.
Momonga and Rayleigh exchanged silent looks both had planned to pretend they hadn't noticed each other, but Moran's pettiness ruined the façade.
This kid holds grudges, Rayleigh mused with a sigh.
Obliged by regulations, several Marines lunged at Rayleigh; the old man merely tilted his head, and the troops sailed past, skidding on bubble-coated pavement. Momonga did not pursue; after a token chase, the soldiers trotted back, embarrassed.
"Tch bullies who pick easy targets," Moran commented, folding his arms.
"Captain, the total is exactly one-hundred million Berries," Van Augur confirmed.
"Itachi hand them Lucci. CP9 pays in real cash," Moran said.
Next time we meet, I'm taxing him double, Moran muttered under his breath.
(rip-off bar)
"What became of Moran's group, Rayleigh?" Shakky asked, polishing a glass.
"They're no pushovers especially the fellow in the black cloak with red clouds. He radiates lethal intent. And that's only a fraction of their strength: rumor says a girl on Moran's ship put Admiral Kizaru in the infirmary last week. Outrageous talent, wherever he found her."
(the other side)
Moran lounged in the sun on deck as Chitong, Acedes, and Robin climbed the gangplank, bags in hand.
"Was the playground fun, Chitong?" Moran asked, pushing up his straw hat.
"Fun!" Chitong beamed and skipped over.
Moran patted her head seeing three girls with such tragic pasts laughing freely now filled him with quiet satisfaction, and their genuine smiles had become far more common.
(Everyone is here—set sail)
(Target: Naval Headquarters, Marineford)
"It's the captain!" ×5
"The system—open personal page."
"Summoning Lottery System—display."
Host: Alphad Moran
Identity: Captain, Wanjian Pirates
Age: 18
Ability: Intermediate Observation Haki (3200/4000)
High Armament Haki (4200/8000)
Advanced Conqueror's Haki (4600/8000)
Advanced Physical Skills (4500/8000)
Marine Six Styles: Moonwalk, Shave (3800/4000)
Great Swordsman (4200/8000)
Overall Strength: Junior Admiral tier
Bounty: 330 million Berries
(Naval Headquarters—Marineford)
From afar they spotted an elderly man with cropped purple hair standing at the port.
Without a greeting, the veteran executed Moonwalk, rocketing skyward—his right arm, wrapped in Armament Haki and tipped with Seastone knuckles, crashed toward Moran in a meteoric punch.
…