Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who arrived shortly after, was momentarily stunned when he saw Roy standing beside Rayleigh.
He clearly had not expected that the one who dared to attack a Celestial Dragon would be such a young brat, yet the faint traces of Haki and the aftermath of battle around him made it impossible to treat him lightly.
“Kid, you’ve got guts,” Sengoku said in a deep voice as he stepped forward, his gaze sharp and oppressive.
Walking toward the massive sphere that had sealed Borsalino moments ago, he raised his palm as a golden radiance gathered within it.
With a simple motion, the telekinetic construct collapsed instantly, crumbling into fragments and revealing Borsalino’s intact figure within.
“Get serious, Borsalino,” Sengoku ordered without looking back.
The current Borsalino had not yet developed the laid-back, clock-watching attitude he would later become known for.
As a rising Marine officer fresh out of training and serving under Sengoku, there was still a trace of discipline and ambition in him, even if his personality already leaned toward indifference.
“Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku,” Borsalino replied, adjusting his posture slightly before adding, “but that kid is no ordinary opponent.
He awakened Kenbunshoku Haki at such a young age, and it feels like he can even touch upon people’s thoughts.
On top of that, his ability resembles Shiki’s Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.
He’s quite troublesome.”
Seeing that Sengoku had not immediately attacked, Roy took the initiative instead, his grin returning despite the tense atmosphere.
“Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I’ve long admired your reputation.”
“Oh?
You know me?” Sengoku narrowed his eyes, his gaze becoming even more dangerous.
“State your name.”
“Roy, Ronamir Roy.”
“Roy…” Sengoku repeated softly.
“A name I haven’t heard before.
Becoming an outlaw at such a young age… what a waste.”
Turning his head slightly, Sengoku looked at Rayleigh again.
“Dark King Rayleigh, are you telling me this wasn’t orchestrated by the Roger Pirates?”
Rayleigh waved his hand helplessly, a wry smile on his face.
“I’ve said it already.
I just happened to be passing by.
You Marines always like to complicate things.”
“Then it works out perfectly.
I can deal with all of you at once,” Sengoku said as golden light erupted from his body.
In an instant, he transformed into his massive Daibutsu form, radiating overwhelming pressure.
A powerful shockwave condensed in his palm as he kicked off the ground and vanished from sight.
“Kid, focus.
Don’t get careless,” Rayleigh warned calmly as he drew his blade and met Sengoku head-on.
With a deafening explosion, their attacks collided, releasing violent shockwaves that blasted apart the surrounding terrain, tearing up mangrove roots and scattering debris across the battlefield.
Roy immediately retreated from their clash, knowing that staying within range of such monsters would only get him killed.
At the same time, Borsalino stopped holding back.
Golden light flickered everywhere as beams of lasers rained down from multiple angles, forcing Roy into a defensive state.
Although his Kenbunshoku Haki allowed him to sense incoming attacks, Borsalino’s speed made it impossible to evade everything perfectly.
A beam pierced straight through his abdomen, and the searing pain disrupted his concentration, momentarily breaking his Haki flow.
“Kid, you’ve left an opening,” Borsalino said as he appeared instantly beside him, his leg coated in Busoshoku Haki before striking with a devastating kick.
Roy’s chest caved in under the impact as blood burst from his mouth, his body sent crashing into the ground and forming a deep crater.
He lay there for a brief moment, struggling to breathe as he realized the gap between them.
“So he wasn’t even serious before… without Busoshoku Haki, dealing with a Logia user is still impossible at this level.”
Using his telekinesis, Roy forcibly reset his broken ribs and suppressed the bleeding, though the strain was immense.
Gritting his teeth, he forced his body to rise and began flying toward the sea.
“Trying to escape?” Borsalino’s figure flickered as he formed a glowing sphere of light between his hands.
“Yasakani no Magatama.”
He instantly appeared above Roy, unleashing a barrage meant to finish him in one decisive strike.
At that moment, Roy ignored his injuries and pushed his telekinetic power to its absolute limit.
Raising both hands, the seawater below surged violently, forming a towering column that twisted into a massive dragon-like torrent.
The water engulfed Borsalino mid-attack and dragged him straight into the sea.
Without Busoshoku Haki, seawater remained the most effective counter against Devil Fruit users.
As Borsalino was pulled under, Roy’s strength gave out completely.
His body dropped heavily onto the ground, his face pale and drenched in sweat.
Both his mental and physical energy had been nearly exhausted.
Still, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Whether it was elegant or not didn’t matter the fact was, he had taken down a Logia user, even if only temporarily.
Meanwhile, Sengoku, who had been clashing with Rayleigh, noticed Borsalino being dragged into the sea.
His expression changed instantly.
With a powerful palm strike, he forced Rayleigh back and charged straight toward Roy.
At that moment, an overwhelming Haoshoku Haki erupted from Sengoku, his intent clear to eliminate Roy immediately.
Seeing Sengoku approaching, Roy could only lie there helplessly, a bitter smile forming on his lips.
He had no strength left to resist.
Facing an Admiral-level powerhouse in his current state was simply impossible.
Just as Sengoku’s attack descended
A flash.
Rayleigh appeared instantly, his blade already coated in Haoshoku Haki as he intercepted the strike.
“Sengoku, I won’t let you kill a youngster of the new era in front of me,” Rayleigh said calmly.
Their Conqueror’s Haki collided violently, black and red lightning exploding outward and tearing through the surroundings as if the very air itself was being split apart.
Roy, lying on the ground, felt the crushing pressure of their Haoshoku Haki.
His consciousness blurred under the overwhelming force.
This was the pinnacle of power in the world Haoshoku Haki, a force possessed only by those with the disposition of kings.
Even the aftershocks alone were enough to crush him in his current state.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Roy truly felt fear.
From escaping Boin Archipelago, to surviving and growing stronger, to reaching Sabaody and recruiting Tesoro, seizing a Devil Fruit, saving Stella, and securing resources from Shakky everything had gone too smoothly.
That smoothness had dulled his sense of danger.
Now, faced with the overwhelming will of two top-tier powerhouses, Roy felt the instinctive fear of death rising from deep within him.
The clashing Haoshoku Haki carried the unyielding spirits of Sengoku and Rayleigh, pressing down on him, trying to force him into submission.
If he gave in, he could simply let go, sink into unconsciousness, and escape everything.
But Roy refused.
As fear gripped him, he still forced his head up, his eyes burning with defiance.
In his previous life, he had been nothing more than an ordinary man, buried under the weight of mundane existence, finding fleeting joy only in stories of adventure.
Now, in this world, he had been given a chance.
A chance to truly live.
He wanted to sail across this boundless sea, to experience freedom, to gather companions, to challenge the strongest, and to stand at the very peak of the world.
He refused to bow here.
Never.