The change in the sky lasted for more than ten minutes. During that time, the huge hole in the sky did not close at all; on the contrary, the clouds grew larger and darker.
Clearly, the Conqueror's Haki that tore the sky was still intensifying alongside the battle between the two powerhouses, whose clash was growing more furious.
In reality, Shusui, sheathed in Conqueror's Haki, did not remain in a stalemate with Rayleigh's sword for long, as El took the initiative to break it, repeatedly swinging his sword at Rayleigh.
Unlike El, Rayleigh—who had begun evenly matched—gradually tilted the advantage to his side, each strike sending El skidding back a certain distance.
El, now at a disadvantage, curled his lips helplessly and complained, "As expected of a legend from the previous era, catching up to you is really no easy task."
"You're only thirteen this year. In Observation Haki, you can already see the future; in Armament Haki, you can already use Emission and Internal Destruction; and in Conqueror's Haki, you can already use Conqueror's Coating. That far surpasses everyone from our era at your age."
Hearing El's words, Rayleigh replied, a bead of sweat forming on his temple. "With your talent, once you're fully familiar with Conqueror's Coating, I believe it won't be long before you can use Conqueror's Coating and advanced Armament Haki simultaneously."
"Senior, your killing intent… where did it go?"
El suddenly showed a playful smile as he looked at Rayleigh and joked.
"Did you realize you can't kill me anymore?"
After another sword clash forced El back several steps, Rayleigh finally showed a helpless expression. "Clearly at a disadvantage, yet still so relaxed and indifferent. You brat, you're hiding another trump card, aren't you? Like a Devil Fruit?"
After being forced back again, El didn't rush forward this time. Instead, he rested his sword on his shoulder, gave Rayleigh a thumbs-up with his other hand, and said with a smile, "You guessed right!"
Seeing the worst-case scenario materialize, Rayleigh was speechless, but his heart grew even heavier.
Now that El had mastered Conqueror's Coating, the gap between this brat and himself lay only in experience, Haki capacity, and refined skill.
Even with superior combat experience, Haki capacity, and Haki application, it was difficult for Rayleigh to kill this brat with his monstrous physique. That was the reason Rayleigh's killing intent toward El had vanished.
That El still concealed his Devil Fruit ability could mean only two things: First, it was useless and wouldn't aid in battle; second, it was tremendously powerful and served as his final trump card.
A powerful fighter would never eat a useless Devil Fruit. Therefore, it could only mean his Devil Fruit was extremely potent. Combined with his physique, it could narrow the gap between them, or even turn the tide of battle. Not only could he not avenge that child, but he might have accelerated this monster's development by several years.
Rayleigh suddenly felt a sense of helplessness, like lifting a stone only to drop it on his own foot.
El held his sword in one hand and slightly raised the other, smiling meaningfully.
"Senior, let me show you something good. Don't blink…"
"El!"
Just as El was about to use his Float-Float Fruit ability, an anxious voice suddenly intruded upon the battlefield.
His hand paused slightly. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw a girl with long, pink curly hair, wearing a black gothic-style dress, floating toward them.
"Perona, why are you here?"
Looking at Perona in her ghost state, a sudden heaviness settled in his heart.
Rayleigh, witnessing the scene, did not seize the opportunity to attack but remained still.
"El, something's happened!"
Perona, in her ghost state, floated over and shouted anxiously. "Carina and the others are fighting a Navy Admiral! Sister Robin and I are evading pursuit by CP agents. There are too many of them, and my ghosts can't handle it all. Please hurry and help!"
"Earth Roll!"
Hearing this, El's expression changed dramatically.
Without the slightest hesitation, El sheathed his sword, and his figure soared into the air. Seeing this, Rayleigh's face shifted slightly, as if foreseeing something. He swung his sword.
The ground on the small island El had taken control of two days ago began to vibrate violently. The earth within a radius of unknown miles seemed endowed with spirit by its creator, suddenly coming to life.
The land of the island, along with numerous tree trunks and even the giant numbered mangrove trees, suddenly liquefied and merged together, forming a hundreds-of-meters-high tsunami of earth that sought to drown Rayleigh below.
"So it's the Float-Float Fruit…"
Looking at the rising earth that made him seem ant-like in comparison, Rayleigh spoke with a complicated expression. "Shiki, you're gone too?"
Just as the earth was about to engulf and crush Rayleigh, a flying slash a hundred meters tall easily cleaved an opening in the 360-degree, seamless earthen enclosure.
By the time Rayleigh emerged from the breach, El had already left the island. Rayleigh did not give chase.
He, who had nearly been killed by Shiki before, knew all too well that the move just now was merely a casual act by El. (The Battle of Edd War)
If the other party hadn't been in a hurry to leave—just like with Douglas Bullet's Devil Fruit—he could have coated the earth with Armament Haki, making it immensely difficult to break free.
After so many years, the Float-Float Fruit had reappeared on the seas, and its new host was that monster, El.
Rayleigh, his hope already slim, now saw no hope for vengeance at all.
If this kid hadn't been rushed, with his physique, he might have been able to tear this small island from the main body it was connected to, lift it thousands of meters into the air, and smash it down—or use his aerial superiority to wage war from above.
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