"If I used my trump card, I could probably defeat him but it would take time. And wasting it here feels unnecessary."
Rain's eyes stayed on Bullet, yet he made no move to release that hidden power. Defeating Bullet now didn't hold much value.
"You dare get distracted in front of me?! Who the hell do you think you're looking down on?!"
Bullet's voice thundered with rage. His Haki surged wildly, pouring into his body until his muscles swelled and his presence grew even heavier.
"Devil Form!"
His speed and power spiked at once. Where moments ago Rain had been able to match him, now he was suddenly being pressed back.
"What speed…!"
Rain adjusted quickly, keeping pace step for step, but his strength and raw Armament couldn't compare. Every clash rattled his bones.
"Rain!"
Mira's voice called out. She had recovered some strength and mana, enough to stand again, though her body still ached. Her face showed worry, but no panic.
She knew Rain hadn't shown his full hand yet. And even if things turned dangerous, she could always fly.
If it came to it, she would grab him and retreat to the skies. That pride... her ability to take him away kept her steady.
Should I use it?
As Bullet's fists drove him back step by step, the thought crossed Rain's mind.
His Observation Haki swept across the island.
It was deserted. Not a single soul lived here.
"…If that's the case, then there's no problem."
His eyes hardened. His grip on Ace tightened.
"Oh?"
Bullet noticed the shift immediately, a grin spreading across his face. The fire in his eyes burned hotter.
"That's more like it. Show me what you've got, boy!"
Rain raised his blade. His voice cut through the roar of battle.
"Command T Magic!"
The earth itself rumbled. With a sharp gesture of his saber, the ground buckled and burst upward, reshaping under his control.
Jagged stone spikes erupted in waves, lancing straight toward Bullet.
"…What?!"
Caught off guard by the sudden change, Bullet leapt back, eyes narrowing.
"A Devil Fruit user?"
To him, this ability was unmistakable... floating, reshaping terrain. His thoughts snapped instantly to one man.
"…Has Shiki the Golden Lion already died?"
The idea flared across his mind. Otherwise, how could this brat possess such a power?
"...Probably not."
Bullet shook his head after a moment's thought. Then his lips curled into a savage grin.
"Why bother caring so much? Just keep fighting, and you'll find out."
What did it matter what kind of ability Rain had? Once he crushed him, the truth would reveal itself.
Even with Command T magic… if my Haki isn't strong enough, it won't pierce him at all.
Rain's eyes narrowed as his controlled earth shattered uselessly against Bullet's defenses.
Against a monster at this level, weakness in his Armament was evident.
"In that case…" Rain exhaled slowly. "I'll just use other means."
His blade cut through the air.
"Shrink!"
"What?!"
The ground beneath Bullet suddenly twisted.
The island itself compressed, shrinking rapidly until the massive landmass became no bigger than a stone.
In the blink of an eye, Bullet's footing was gone.
The sea stretched out beneath him.
"…Tch!"
Reacting instantly, Bullet kicked off the air with Geppo, halting in midair. His eyes narrowed on Rain, unsettled.
"What the hell is your ability?"
It was clearly not the Float-Float
Fruit. Shiki's power never worked like this.
Which meant… this boy's power was something else entirely. Something he couldn't place.
"Don't worry about what it is."
Rain's smile was calm, almost taunting. "Just answer me. Do you still want to continue this fight?"
Bullet's face darkened. He glanced around. Nothing but endless sea. No islands nearby.
To fight Rain here meant burning stamina just to keep himself in the air while his opponent could toy with the terrain freely.
Even if their strengths were close, the disadvantage was obvious.
"…I won't fight."
His voice carried irritation, but also resignation.
"Hahaha."
Rain laughed lightly at the answer, then released his magic.
The crushed fragments of the island swirled and reformed, expanding again until it became stable ground once more.
But this time, it was only a fraction of its original size just enough to hold their weight.
Restoring it completely would've been pointless waste of magic.
Bullet landed, his eyes narrowing as he studied Rain.
This ability…
The longer he thought about it, the colder his back felt.
It wasn't just versatile. It wasn't just dangerous.
This boy's power is practically designed to kill Devil Fruit users…
Even if they fought on land, Bullet knew the result. The island would collapse under Rain's strange power, leaving nothing to stand on.
"Maybe the only battlefield tough enough would be the Red Line itself," he thought.
Then he shook it off.
He steadied himself and glared at the pair.
"Tell me why you've come."
Bullet wasn't stupid. He knew they had sought him out deliberately, and he couldn't hide his curiosity about Rain's power that felt so much like Roger's.
Rain met his gaze without hesitation.
"How about joining us? Our organization could use your strength."
"Organization?" Bullet frowned. "Sorry. I don't join anyone's crew."
Rain tilted his head. "Didn't you once sail with Roger? Why refuse now?"
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