Crackle! Sizzle!
The instant the system chime echoed in his mind, an overwhelming current of power surged through Arthur's body.
Countless bolts of thunder roared across his consciousness—
techniques, instincts, and every ability once wielded by Enel himself poured into his mind in a blinding rush.
Before anyone could blink, Arthur vanished from his seat—
leaving only a jagged streak of lightning crackling across the air.
By the time the others had registered what happened,
he had already zipped out the door, circled the block,
and returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.
The entire bar went still.
The Dawn Crew had long since grown used to their captain's unpredictable habits,
but the rest of the patrons?
They were completely dumbfounded.
A moment ago, the man had looked perfectly normal—
and then his expression started shifting wildly,
grinning one second, frowning the next,
like an actor rehearsing ten emotions at once.
Then—
He suddenly screamed.
Half the bar jumped out of their seats.
One poor guy who'd just taken a sip of whiskey ended up spraying it all over the counter.
And before anyone could demand an explanation—
BOOM!
Lightning erupted.
The air buzzed, glasses rattled, and Arthur vanished in a flash.
The crowd froze, wide-eyed.
"Wh–what the hell just happened?"
A few of them drew their weapons out of sheer panic.
After all, this was the man who dared to stand up to Marine Admirals and provoke the World Government—
no one wanted to be caught in the crossfire if he snapped.
But before anyone could say a word, Arthur reappeared right back where he'd been sitting.
The silence that followed was deafening.
A bead of sweat rolled down someone's cheek.
"Right… just showing off, huh?" another muttered under his breath.
"Fine, you win. You're amazing. Please don't blow up the bar."
One by one, the nervous patrons paid their tabs and bolted.
Even Shakky, who'd seen more chaos than most pirates alive, stared at him in wary confusion.
A power display? Or a warning?
Her expression hardened slightly.
Arthur coughed twice, realizing just how ridiculous he'd looked.
"Ah… apologies, Miss Shakky. That was rather… impulsive of me."
Shakky's polite smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Dare I ask, Flying Thunder God—what brings someone of your caliber to my humble bar?"
"Ah, nothing nefarious," Arthur said, waving a hand casually.
"Just here to borrow a bit of money—and maybe ask a few questions."
Her eyes narrowed.
Borrow money?
Ask questions?
That sounded a lot like extortion.
Her body straightened, the relaxed pose gone.
"Old man," she called coldly, "we've got trouble."
Whoosh!
The bead curtains leading to the back room fluttered violently.
A tidal wave of killing intent rolled through the air—
Conqueror's Haki, raw and overwhelming, crashed toward Arthur like a storm at sea.
So strong that even the air seemed to tremble.
But Arthur was ready.
The moment Shakky spoke, his instincts screamed.
He knew exactly who her "old man" was.
As the pressure hit, his own Conqueror's Haki burst forth to meet it head-on.
The two invisible forces collided in midair—
BOOM!
The entire bar shuddered.
Glasses shattered, furniture creaked, and the roof nearly lifted off.
But just as suddenly as it came, the clash subsided.
Neither side had gone all out—just a mutual test, a flash of respect.
And for experts of their level, that brief exchange said everything.
"Rayleigh," Arthur said calmly, "I meant no offense.
This was all a misunderstanding.
But if you truly wish to fight—let's take it to the sea."
He didn't back down an inch.
He never did.
From the back room came a booming laugh.
"Hahaha! A bold young man indeed!"
The curtains parted, and an elderly man with silver hair stepped out—
his sharp eyes gleaming like blades,
his presence heavy enough to make the air thrum.
The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh.
"You flatter me," Arthur said lightly, meeting his gaze.
"Tell me, young friend," Rayleigh said, folding his arms.
"What business do you have with us?"
"Borrow money. Coat a ship. Gather intel."
Rayleigh's eyebrow twitched.
He'd heard every word from the back room earlier,
but hearing it repeated so bluntly in person made his jaw tighten.
"So you come to the Dark King's bar… to extort him?"
He almost laughed at the absurdity.
Silvers Rayleigh—former first mate of the Pirate King—
had spent decades collecting protection fees from pirates across the archipelago.
Never once had anyone dared to walk in and demand money from him.
Until now.
"You've got guts, kid," he said, eyes glinting.
"Let's see if your strength matches your arrogance."
He stood, the faintest grin curling his lips.
"It's been years since I've stretched my muscles.
Let's have a little warm-up, shall we?"
Arthur sighed inwardly.
So much for diplomacy.
"If it's a fight you want," he said, standing, "then so be it."
Moments later, they'd moved to the docks.
Even Shakky closed up shop just to watch.
She wanted to see whether the man whose bounty shook the seas
was truly as powerful as the rumors claimed.
At the pier, the sight that greeted Rayleigh stopped him mid-step.
A group of pirates—dozens of them—were kneeling on the ground, trembling, their captain groveling before Arthur's crew.
The man looked up as Arthur approached.
"Ah! Great One, you're back! We were just—uh—"
Arthur waved him off impatiently.
"You did fine. You can go."
The man's eyes widened in joy.
"Thank you, Great One! Thank you!"
He scrambled to gather his crew and fled like the wind.
Shakky raised an eyebrow.
"You certainly make an impression wherever you go," she said dryly.
"Do you always knock people flat before introductions?"
In the blink of an eye, Arthur vanished from where he stood—
reappearing right in front of her.
Lightning crackled faintly around him.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a woman," he said quietly.
"Next time, watch your words."
And then he was gone again—appearing aboard his ship, the Golden Scale.
He looked down at Rayleigh.
"Shall we?"
Both Shakky and Rayleigh stood frozen for a heartbeat.
That speed—
it was almost absurd.
Even Shakky, who prided herself on keeping her composure,
felt her pulse quicken.
"It's been… a long time since I've seen someone that fast," she whispered.
Rayleigh, however, grinned.
"Now this… this is interesting."
Without hesitation, he stepped aboard the ship.
One glance around, and he couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship.
"A fine vessel," he said approvingly.
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Glad you noticed."
With that, Waldo raised his hand and shouted.
"Set sail! Full speed ahead!"
The Golden Scale surged forward, waves splitting beneath its hull,
the engines roaring to life as the crew steered toward the open sea.
Excitement buzzed through the air.
After all—
it wasn't every day you got to watch the Flying Thunder God
duel the Dark King.
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