The next round begins now!" Fang Yi narrowed his eyes, mounted on Wangcai's back.
"Come on then! My blood is burning already!" Barrett growled, fresh blood running down his forehead and across his cheek as he glared at Sengoku.
His body was now even larger than before—so large he was only a little smaller than Sengoku in his Great Buddha form.
"I never imagined… we'd end up fighting an admiral to the death here. But… let's test it—see how far we still are from the world's top powers!" Shanks wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, excitement in his eyes.
The three of them moved into a triangle, surrounding Sengoku's Great Buddha form, ready to strike at any moment.
Sengoku, however, remained perfectly calm. He merely observed them in silence. On his chest, a slash-mark still bled faintly—Shanks' handiwork. On his back, a scorched patch of blackened flesh still smoldered—Fang Yi's doing.
"Heh…" Barrett moved first, charging straight at Sengoku. Shanks immediately followed, while Fang Yi stood back, bow raised, gathering energy without releasing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shanks and Barrett coordinated their strikes. They couldn't overwhelm Sengoku, but together they were able to restrain him, at least a little.
Out of the corner of his eye, Sengoku glanced at Fang Yi, clearly intending to break through and disrupt his charge. But the moment he tried, both Shanks and Barrett threw themselves in his path, blocking him at all costs.
Several times, Sengoku tested their defenses, seeking to break through. But each attempt meant taking their combined attacks head-on. In the end, he never committed.
But as Fang Yi's arrow continued to gather more and more power, Sengoku knew he couldn't wait any longer.
He understood—if he wanted to take Fang Yi out, he'd first have to deal with the two standing in his way.
So, when Sengoku shifted his stance, both Shanks and Barrett reacted instantly, moving to cut him off.
"Not good!" Shanks realized too late as Sengoku's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Great Buddha: Thousand-Hand Shockwave!"
Just as Shanks moved left to intercept, Barrett following, Sengoku's body erupted in a dazzling golden light. Behind him, countless radiant arms seemed to manifest, sweeping down toward both of them at once.
Barrett knew immediately they had taken the bait. But his endurance was greater than Shanks', and without hesitation, he threw himself in front.
"Armament: Heavy Strike!" His arms swelled monstrously, slamming forward at Sengoku.
Boom!
The collision lasted barely a second before exploding violently. Barrett was hurled away, his massive form scattering debris. Sengoku's golden aura dimmed somewhat, but he still stood firm.
"Slash!" Shanks had anticipated it—just as Barrett was blasted back, a flying slash of sword-light hurtled toward Sengoku.
But before it could land, Sengoku's colossal body vanished.
"Shanks! Above you!" Fang Yi's voice rang out. Shanks' head snapped up—Sengoku, glowing gold, loomed overhead.
Boom!
A titanic palm smashed down, cratering the ground where Shanks had stood. At the last moment, Wangcai dashed in under Fang Yi's command, carrying Shanks to safety.
But with Wangcai gone, Fang Yi lost his mobility. Still drawing power into his bow, he was now a sitting target.
"It ends here!" Sengoku ignored Shanks and drove a palm straight toward Fang Yi. Behind it, countless golden hands surged forward like a tidal wave.
"Damn it, no choice! Charged Shot—Flame Dragon Burst!"
Though his charge wasn't complete, Fang Yi knew he couldn't wait another second. If he hesitated, he'd never get the chance to fire at all.
Rooaar!
The arrow loosed from the Sun-Shooting Bow burst into flame, twisting into a long, serpentine dragon of fire, its snarling head lunging straight for Sengoku.
Screeeech!
BOOM!!!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flaming dragon clashed with Sengoku's massive palms, sparks shrieking like blades on steel. The golden hands did not retreat—on the contrary, they seemed to be pressing the fire-dragon back.
For a moment, they locked in a stalemate—then exploded in a thunderous blast. The shockwave hurled Fang Yi away, closest to the detonation.
"A fine ability… but this ends now!" Fang Yi had just staggered to his feet when Sengoku appeared before him, palm already poised over his skull.
"Captain!" Shanks shouted desperately, hoping to draw Sengoku's attention.
Barrett, too, forced himself upright, eyes narrowing as he stared at Fang Yi's imminent death.
Bang!
But no miracle came. Sengoku's palm slammed Fang Yi square in the forehead, blasting him like a ragdoll into a distant hillside.
"Captain!" Shanks' eyes went bloodshot as he glared at Sengoku.
"Heh… now it's your turn." Sengoku smiled faintly as he dismissed his Great Buddha form.
In his mind, the most troublesome one—Fang Yi—was finished. As captain, his death would shatter the others' will.
As for defense? Sengoku had no doubt—no one could survive such a blow.
But the truth was different. Even as Sengoku released his Buddha form, Fang Yi crawled out of the rubble—looking battered, but completely uninjured.
"What a bizarre ability…" Sengoku frowned in disbelief. He was certain his strike had landed clean.
"Damn it, Admiral Sengoku… were you trying to kill me with that one?" Fang Yi dusted himself off, looking more ragged than hurt.
"Captain, you're okay?!" Shanks shouted in relief.
Barrett, too, exhaled a long breath.
But only Fang Yi knew the truth. That strike had consumed the last charge of his Divine Protection skill for the month—and on top of that, one of the Substitute Dolls stored in his inventory had vanished.
Substitute Doll: When the host suffers a fatal blow, it automatically takes the hit instead! (Active while stored in inventory).
If not for those safeguards, he would either be dead or gravely wounded.
"Captain!" From the Dragon Wolf, Tiffany signaled—they were ready to set sail.
"Oi, oi… seriously, Captain? You're not a monster? Surviving that kind of hit?" Lucky Roux called out, hopping off the ship to rejoin them.
"Monster, my ass! Tiffany, set sail! Lucky Roux, take Barrett and Shanks aboard—the admiral is mine to deal with!" Fang Yi shouted, sheathing his bow and drawing a dagger from his thigh.
"Heh heh heh… Sengoku, aren't you an admiral now? Bullying kids, really?"
A familiar voice rang out just then.
"Rayleigh-san!" Shanks cried in surprise and joy.
The newcomer was none other than Rayleigh, who had slipped free from the slave auction and followed them here.
"Dark King Rayleigh?" Sengoku narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here?"
Rayleigh chuckled. "Heh… I've been living in seclusion here. Don't worry—I'm no pirate anymore! But these kids… they're my juniors. Watching them die in front of me wouldn't sit right. So how about it? Let them leave, hmm?"
"Rayleigh-san!" Fang Yi called, a little helpless.
He had deliberately tried to provoke Sengoku earlier, hoping Rayleigh's identity as a recluse wouldn't be exposed. But Rayleigh had given it away himself.
Rayleigh just waved it off. "The Buddha Sengoku is no ordinary man. He'll make the wise choice."
Sengoku glanced between Barrett and Shanks, both wounded, then at Fang Yi, still mounted on Wangcai. His voice was low. "It seems Headquarters underestimated you lot."
"Hmph!" Fang Yi snorted, while secretly signaling Lucky Roux to hurry and get the others aboard.
Seeing Barrett and Shanks return to the Dragon Wolf, Sengoku didn't move. He stood still, calm as stone. Rayleigh, too, remained where he was, smiling faintly.
"Uncle Rayleigh! Then we'll take our leave. If my teacher sends word, please tell him I'm doing fine! I'll visit when I can!" Fang Yi called, backing away toward the ship.
But just as Rayleigh opened his mouth to reply, Sengoku suddenly blurred from sight. Rayleigh's face hardened, vanishing in turn.
Clang!
Sengoku's fist stopped a hair from Fang Yi's skull—blocked by Rayleigh's blade.
At the same time, Fang Yi's dagger was poised to stab Sengoku—yet Sengoku caught it easily in one hand.
"Heh… Admiral Sengoku… why bother? You know you can't hold me here." Fang Yi slowly withdrew the dagger. Sengoku didn't resist, simply releasing his grip.
"Unless I try… how would I know?" Sengoku replied softly—echoing Fang Yi's own words from earlier.
"Hahaha! Then until next time, Admiral Sengoku! I'm sure we'll meet again—and when we do, it won't be like today!" Fang Yi laughed, patting Wangcai as they dashed back toward the Dragon Wolf.
In truth, when Sengoku had first moved, Wangcai had darted toward Rayleigh's side as well—otherwise Rayleigh might not have intercepted in time.