Silvers Rayleigh

"What's wrong, are you used to kneeling?"

Cifer glanced sideways at the slave kneeling helplessly on the ground.

"Sir, please leave quickly! You killed a Celestial Dragon—the Marine Admirals will be mobilized!" The slave finally came to his senses, his expression overflowing with emotion. "I can't escape anyway. There's a Celestial Dragon's explosive collar around my neck, and the key is with another Celestial Dragon!"

A mere explosive collar—Rayleigh's bomb-disarming methods were nothing more than a certain application of Haki. Cifer's Spiritual Pressure could do the same.

He placed his blade against the collar around the slave's neck and gave it a light flick. The collar came loose, then exploded in midair.

The slave touched his neck and found that the collar was truly gone. He rose to his feet in delight, wanting to say something to thank Cifer, yet choked up and could not get the words out.

"Get going. You said it yourself—the Marine Admirals are coming." Cifer casually tossed aside the long blade in his hand. "By the way, do you know where Shakky's Rip-off Bar is?"

The slave shook his head, and Cifer prepared to pass him by and continue asking for directions somewhere more crowded.

Seeing how calm and composed Cifer was, the slave suddenly dropped to his knees. "Sir, please allow me to follow you!"

"Talk to me when you can stand on your own two feet."

Cifer shook his head. With only that casual remark, he walked past the slave and headed toward the place where he had sensed the most people.

The slave froze, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face. He slammed his head against the ground and shouted:

"My name is Yute Bligh! One day, I will stand before you and become a man who can truly help you!"

Cifer ignored him. With a light tap of his feet, he vanished from the slave's sight.

After half an hour and the use of his money-making abilities, Cifer finally found Shakky's bar in Area 13.

Pushing open the bar's door, he found the place empty. Aside from Cifer, the only person inside was a seemingly young woman with short black hair, wearing a top decorated with a spider pattern and a cigarette between her lips as she wiped a wineglass.

"You're Shakky, right? I heard you're well-connected. I want to ask about something." Cifer walked over and sat at the counter.

"Little brother, killing a Celestial Dragon is a huge problem. If you stay here, you'll bring trouble to my bar." Shakky stopped wiping the glass and took a deep drag from her cigarette.

"I want to know the whereabouts of the Small-Small Fruit."

Cifer had not forgotten his promise to help Shirahoshi solve her size problem. The Small-Small Fruit was a good option. Of course, he needed to prepare for every possibility, so he also intended to find time to have a chat with Dr. Vegapunk.

"What an overbearing little brother," Shakky said. Though she could not gauge Cifer's strength, his complete lack of fear toward an Admiral told her enough. "And what about payment? Don't tell me you expect me to look into it for free. Information doesn't come cheap."

"One year." Cifer held up an open hand to Shakky. "Find the fruit's whereabouts within a year, and I'll give you 500 million Belly."

Shakky frowned slightly. She could earn 500 million just for the whereabouts of such a useless fruit? And he did not seem to have any intention of paying a deposit.

Just as Shakky was about to ask for one, laughter accompanied by the sound of slippers came from the back door.

"500 million? I'll accept on Shakky's behalf. But let me make this clear first—we might not be able to find it." A middle-aged man with graying hair, old-fashioned glasses, and a flask in hand ambled in.

Since Rayleigh had already accepted, Shakky naturally would not embarrass him. Using the excuse of going out to buy something, she strode out of the bar.

Because she knew it was time for the men to talk.

"Young man, that sword aura from your earlier strike gave this old man quite a scare." Rayleigh smiled. It had been a long time since he had seen a young man so powerful and sharp. "I'm Silvers Rayleigh. What's your name?"

"Ulquiorra Cifer, just a traveler." Cifer looked with interest at the Pirate King's former right-hand man. "But you—the legendary Pluton—have become such a scruffy old man?"

"Hahaha! What Pluton? I'm just an old man discarded by the times. The future belongs to you youngsters." Rayleigh took a swig from his flask. "So, what are you planning to do next, now that you've killed a Celestial Dragon?"

"The world is vast; there is nowhere I cannot go and nothing I cannot do. A mere Celestial Dragon, a fat pig—so what if I killed one?"

Cifer spoke lightly, but to Rayleigh, his words overflowed with domineering confidence. That air of looking down upon the world was something Rayleigh had not even seen in Roger.

At that moment, Rayleigh truly began to wonder whether he had really grown old.

"What a formidable young man!" Rayleigh could not help lamenting that time spared no one. "Marineford is close by. The Marine Admirals are surely already on their way. You're strong, but you're still not enough to face an Admiral."

"But aren't you here? What is there to fear with the Pirate King's right-hand man around?" Cifer sprawled in his seat beside him, teasingly.

"Spare me. At my age, if I really start fighting, my whole body will shake." Rayleigh shook the flask in his hand, but not a single drop remained inside.

"Bring out a bowl of good liquor. It would be rather out of place to come to a bar and not drink."

Cifer's calmness left Rayleigh somewhat puzzled, but he did not try to persuade him further. Without the slightest regret, he took out the fine bottle from behind the counter that he had long been eyeing. In any case, it would be charged to Cifer's tab.

He filled a large bowl for Cifer, then poured all the rest into his own empty flask. The two clinked bowls and drank, neither mentioning leaving, as though Cifer had not just killed a Celestial Dragon.

Elsewhere, in the area where the Celestial Dragon had died.

"This is the blade that killed a Celestial Dragon! It cut such a terrifying sword mark—it must be a Supreme Grade Sword!"

The Celestial Dragon's corpse had long been taken away by the World Government. Only the bodies of those nameless armored guards remained scattered across the ground. At that moment, a bold pirate picked up the long blade Cifer had casually discarded, his face full of excitement.

"The blade that killed a Celestial Dragon, huh~? I can't let you take it away just like that."

A chill swept through his heart. When the pirate tried to turn around, he found that his entire body had already become unable to move.

"Area 13, Shakky's Rip-off Bar? Sounds like a troublesome place~" The tall man scratched his head and walked straight toward his destination. A gust of wind blew past, making the word "Justice" on his cape shine brilliantly beneath the sun.

"A truly formidable fellow is coming!" Rayleigh no longer had any mood to drink or chat. His Observation Haki had given him a powerful warning.

Cifer said nothing. The aura around him only grew deeper, and in the blink of an eye, Rayleigh beheld Cifer after his Resurrección.

"What tremendous power. No wonder you could sit here so leisurely." Rayleigh was not frightened by Cifer's transformation. As a powerhouse from the old era, he had seen far too many unbelievable things.

"Ara ara~ I've found you. The criminal is sitting here drinking so leisurely!"

The door was pushed open, and a tall man with a head full of curly hair walked inside.