The gourmet among pirates

When the smoke and dust cleared, Rayleigh, who was in the middle of it, slowly emerged from the smoke and dust.

At this time, Rayleigh was half-kneeling on the ground, covering his chest and breathing heavily.

Blood continued to flow from the cracks in Rayleigh's palms.

Gradually, a small pool of blood gathered on the ground in front of Rayleigh.

Bright red blood continued to flow out from the narrow gap on Rayleigh's chest that covered the entire chest.

Rayleigh used a special technique to continuously squeeze the blood vessels on both sides of the wound to reduce bleeding.

Looking at Morin who was blasted hundreds of meters away by a sword, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

“I’m really old! I didn’t expect that now I can’t even handle a few short moves, cough... cough cough cough..."

Apart from the time when Rayleigh was tricked out of the downtown area by Morin using [Sound Mirror: Whisper], the time that Morin and Rayleigh actually fought was not very long.

In a real fight, it only takes a few moves.

Morin seized the moment when Rayleigh's domineering aura was defeated and his mind was in turmoil, and cut through his armament aura, severely damaging him with one sword.

Looking at the wound that was still bleeding after being blocked by his secret method.

Rayleigh's expression quickly turned ugly.

“That slash…”

As a great swordsman, Rayleigh is very familiar with the situation of bleeding from his wounds.

This is the breath left by the mystery of "cutting" on the wound, preventing the wound from healing.

For a great swordsman, it is not difficult to inflict such a wound.

However, it was a little hard for Rayleigh to believe that after his armament haki was cut through, he, a great swordsman, could still be left with such a wound.

Because this means that the other party's understanding of kendo and comprehension of the mystery of "killing" are superior to that of this great swordsman.

Otherwise, it would not be so easy to leave such a bleeding wound on a great swordsman of the same level.

"Damn it, this is trouble."

He felt the injuries on his body and the elusive aura of danger surrounding him.

Rayleigh's expression became even uglier.

It seems that it will be difficult to bring Ace with me today.

Rayleigh, who was injured by Morin in just a few moves, now has no confidence in taking Ace away from the End Fortress.

Originally, Rayleigh planned to sneak into New Log Island first, find out the situation on the island, and then try to take Ace away.

But who would have thought that he had just arrived and hadn't even met the real owner yet, but he was discovered by Morin.

Not only was his infiltration discovered, but he was also injured.

In this situation, Rayleigh, a veteran pirate, did not think of resisting head-on.

Having made the decision in his heart, Rayleigh covered his chest with his hands and rushed towards the place closest to the sea.

In just a few takes and falls, he had covered a distance of hundreds of meters, rapidly approaching the sparkling sea in the distance.

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Watching Rayleigh fleeing at high speed.

Maureen raised her eyebrows:

"Run away if you can't win? That's not that easy."

Looking at the "Pluto" Rayleigh who was about to disappear from his sight in a few flashes, Morin was not in a hurry at all. After putting the "Kitetsu" into the scabbard, he slowly walked towards the direction where Rayleigh escaped.

He looked so relaxed, as if he wasn't worried at all that Rayleigh would run away.

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the other side.

Rayleigh constantly used the surrounding trees to hide his tracks.

After feeling Morin's slowly approaching figure, he breathed a sigh of relief with barely perceptible intensity.

"Fortunately, that guy didn't chase us, otherwise it would be troublesome."

"But, does he look like he doesn't want to pursue me in the first place, and only wants to expel me from the country?"

Rayleigh, who had just sensed Morin's breath, was running across a small river four or five meters wide.

A green sword light like a piece of silk.

It broke through the air in an instant and slashed at Rayleigh's vital point with a sword.

Ding!

After a deafening sound of metal clashing.

Leaping up, Rayleigh, who was deep in the air, was blasted backwards by the dark green sword energy.

Click.

Click, click...

After breaking countless trees in a row, Rayleigh, who was blown away, covered his chest and slowly crawled up from the ruins of the forest in a panic.

puff!

After spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Rayleigh looked at Hawkeye Mihawk who blasted him back from the middle of his escape with a sword.

His eyes changed: "The world's greatest swordsman? It really lives up to his reputation."

Without time to sigh, Rayleigh changed direction without hesitation and ran.

Facing Rayleigh who turned around and ran away again, a sharp light flashed in Hawkeye Mihawk's eyes.

He raised his sword and slashed out without hesitation.

A green slash blocked Rayleigh's way again.

"Now that you're here, don't leave... Be my sparring partner here!"

When Rayleigh heard this, he thought Hawkeye Mihawk was loyal to Morin, but who knew that Mihawk revealed his true purpose in the next sentence.

This situation almost made Rayleigh choke on his breath.

Okay?

You want me to stay and be your sparring partner? That’s wishful thinking!

Even if I am old or injured, you cannot keep me here just because you want me to.

[Gravity Blade: Hell Brigade]

Just as Rayleigh wanted to get rid of Hawkeye Mihawk and escape from this increasingly dangerous island.

A terrifying gravity suddenly descended from the sky.

The powerful gravity directly pressed Rayleigh and the surrounding ground into a large pit seven or eight meters deep.

Beside the big pit.

Hawkeye Mihawk held the supreme sword, Black Blade Night, with the tip of the sword pointing directly at the Hades Rayleigh at the bottom of the pit. The sword, which was more than a person's height, seemed to be able to emit a deadly sword light in the next second and cut Rayleigh in half.

"Either stay and serve as my sparring partner, or die! You choose one!"

At the bottom of the gravity pit, Rayleigh covered the wound caused by the sudden avalanche under the pressure of gravity and straightened up little by little.

Just about to answer.

Suddenly, a slightly panicked figure, wearing slippers, hurriedly ran over from a distance, shouting, "Show mercy, Lord Mihawk, Governor Morin, don't do it yet, don't do it yet! Let's talk it over..."

On the side, Morin, who was leisurely walking to the pit, saw the figure with a flap of feathers on his bald forehead.

He shook his head silently and said, "Kurokas, are you going to plead for this guy?"

That's right.

The one who came running over in a hurry was Crocus, the former ship's doctor on Roger's pirate group, who had received the news and rushed over upon hearing the news.

Now, on the entire Rogue Island, I am afraid that only Kurokas will plead for Rayleigh, his former companion.

Kurokas ran to the pit panting, took a look at Rayleigh who stood up at the bottom of the pit, and then pleaded with Morin, "Governor Morin, please talk to him nicely. Rayleigh is getting old and confused, and his brain is not working well. Don't worry about it."

"He came here because he was worried about Ace's safety. For Ace's sake, don't bother with this old guy who is about to be buried."

"correct."

Kurokas turned to look at Hawkeye Mihawk and said, "Mr. Mihawk, you want old man Rayleigh to be your sparring partner, right? I'll accept the offer on his behalf. As long as you want, I promise that this old man will be there whenever you call..."

With the arrival of Kurokas.

Hawkeye Mihawk glanced at the stunned "Pluto" Rayleigh at the bottom of the pit, and silently put the Black Blade Night back on his back.

For Hawkeye Mihawk, he may not give face to other people on this island, but he still has to give face to Crocus.

After all, the medicinal oils that Kurokas had prepared for him to relieve muscle soreness, reduce hidden injuries, and speed up the body's recovery were really good.

With the restorative effect of the medicinal oil, Mihawk has more time every day to exercise.

and.

The effect of practicing to the same degree in one day is a little stronger than before.

Don't underestimate it if it's just a little bit more every day.

But as time goes by, this is also a big improvement.

Therefore, Mihawk still has some respect for Crocus.

After seeing Hawkeye Mihawk put away his weapons, Crocus felt a little relieved.

Then he glared fiercely at the stunned "Pluto" Rayleigh at the bottom of the pit and gave him a warning look.

Kurokas looked at Morin apologetically again and kept apologizing.

Looking at Kurokas's apologetic smile, Morin sighed softly.

Morin has always been very generous to his own people.

Although Kurokus originally came to the End Fortress because of Ace.

But after coming to the Fortress of the End, Kurokas has been working diligently.

In addition to climbing over Upside Down Mountain every once in a while to see his pet little whale and check the body of the whale Lab.

Kurokas spent all his remaining energy on the Fortress of the End.

He never kept any secrets from Tao Yao or the interns that Mo Lin arranged to work beside him.

From time to time, he would also prepare some specially prepared medicinal oils and potions for Morin and the others.

While allowing Morin and the others to improve their strength more smoothly, it also reduced the hidden injuries on their bodies.

He avoided the tragic fate of being plagued by various hidden diseases in old age, like White Beard.

After spending more than a year together, Morin had already regarded Kurokas as a member of the End Fortress.

Therefore, although Morin wanted to teach Pluto Rayleigh a lesson to serve as a warning to others, he finally gave up the idea.

After looking at Kurokas helplessly, Morin said to Rayleigh at the bottom of the pit: "You are lucky. I was planning to send you to the west with my own hands."

"But you can escape the death penalty, but you can't escape the punishment of life. For the next few years, you will be Mihawk's sword tester. You should practice swords with him and learn from him!"

After hearing Morin's decision, Kurokas' eyes lit up and he wanted to thank him.

Morin grabbed his shoulders and said softly, "Okay, don't thank me. For your sake, I can let him go, but if he has any bad ideas next, I will say sorry first."

Upon hearing this, Kulokas patted his chest and assured, "Don't worry, I'll be watching. I will absolutely ensure that old man Rayleigh behaves himself. Otherwise, you won't even need to do anything. I will beat him up myself."

After saying that, Kurokas did not forget to glare at Rayleigh again.

At the bottom of the gravity pit, looking at the extremely familiar figure of Kurokas.

Rayleigh opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

··········

After ordering people to leave some tracking signals on Rayleigh's body.