Are All Rookies Monsters?

"Old Lei, don't be careless."

A hoarse, slightly deep, and magnetic voice sounded behind the old man, and the tavern owner, with a cigarette between her fingers, slowly walked out from behind him.

Kicking Bar, the former empress of Amazon Lily and former captain Shakky the Kuja Pirates!

Shakky took a drag on her cigarette, her calm gaze sweeping over her surroundings, taking in the entire scene.

She then looked up at the sky above Island 13 and instantly spotted the Blue-Eyes White Dragon soaring and circling.

"This ability to turn clay into clay, and that 'dragon' in the sky... the newcomer must be the new Shichibukai — White Dragon. It seems his [Clay Fruit] has been developed to the [Awakening] level."

The "Old Lei" that Shakky mentioned --

Silvers Pluton Rayleigh, the First Mate of the Roger Pirates and the right-hand man of the Pirate King!

"After so much time since the new era began, finally a decent 'newcomer' has emerged! [Awakening], huh...?"

Rayleigh, carrying his rapier, glanced at the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in the sky and said with a hint of speechlessness.

"Sculpting a flying dragon out of clay... that's a bit of an exaggeration, isn't it?"

"And if I remember correctly, that dragon in the sky also seems to have a bounty?"

"To be precise, it's 9,500 Beli, less than 10,000 Beli."

Shakky's intelligence-gathering skills were outstanding; she immediately revealed the bounty on the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"I don't know what those people in the Navy were thinking... actually setting a bounty on a Devil Fruit creation."

"If bounties are required for this, then shouldn't Napoleon, Zeus, and Prometheus of Big Mom also have bounties on their heads?"

Big Mom, the Queen of Totto Land, used her unique [Soul-Soul Fruit] to create three powerful soul clones.

"Napoleon" as a weapon;

Zeus, the wielder of thunder;

"Prometheus" who manipulates fire.

The strength of these three soul clones far surpasses that of many Great Pirate in the New World.

"While I also think the navy people are a bit off, it seems like we're focusing on different things..."

Rayleigh sighed and said seriously.

"What I mean is—such a handsome dragon, yet its bounty is only 9500 Beli, don't you think that's a bit strange?"

"... I think the problem is with you!"

Shakky rolled her eyes in annoyance.

It's just a dragon; it's not like I haven't seen them before.

Is it really necessary to be so conflicted?

"Even in old age, people are still so childish!"

Shakky said a few words, then turned and walked towards the bar counter of the Kicking Bar.

"You should deal with the real 'White Dragon' first!"

"Judging from his demeanor, he seems to have come specifically to find us. I wonder where he got this information from."

Who knows?

Rayleigh tightened his grip on the rapier, a sharp glint flashing behind the oval lens.

"I haven't been a pirate for many years, but..."

Even if a fight breaks out, I won't lose to any of the Shichibukai!

Pluton Rayleigh, hadn't finished speaking.

Another cheerful voice came from the fountain-like white clay.

Does the pirate profession also have a 'retirement' option?

Storm strolled leisurely across the undulating white clay to the front of the Kicking Bar.

"Pluton Silvers Rayleigh?"

Rayleigh's pupils involuntarily contracted slightly when his name was revealed by the White Dragon.

But outwardly, he pretended not to know what the other person was saying.

"Pluton Rayleigh?"

Rayleigh said in a fake tone.

"My name is 'Old Lei,' just an ordinary coating shipwright in the Sabaody Archipelago."

"The Pirate King's right arm, doesn't even have the courage to admit his identity?"

Storm waved his hand and instantly created a Clay Doll that looked seven or eight parts like Rayleigh.

The most striking resemblance between this Clay Doll and Rayleigh is undoubtedly its oddly shaped mustache!

"Can you find another beard like this in the entire ocean?"

"I'm a little curious, is this fence-like beard something you were born with, or did you deliberately trim it?"

While asking questions, Storm also manipulated the Clay Doll to launch an attack on Rayleigh.

The Clay Person Rayleigh moved with incredible speed, covering a distance of over ten meters in the blink of an eye, and arrived in front of the real Pluton Rayleigh.

Clay Person Rayleigh raised his right foot and kicked forward with tremendous force. The powerful whip kick even ripped through the air, making a crisp "snap" sound.

Rayleigh frowned slightly. He slowly raised the rapier in his right hand and parried, the Clay Person blade blocking the path of Rayleigh's right leg attack.

Puff--

Rayleigh's rapier cleaved through the Clay Person Rayleigh's right leg with unstoppable force.

Rayleigh, the Clay Person had lost half of his lower leg, kicked at nothing and spun several times in mid-air.

Rayleigh didn't take it seriously, took a step forward, and swung his sword.

The bright blade flashed across the Clay Person's neck, and its head flew into the air.

It only took two moves.

This Clay Doll, which bore a striking resemblance to Rayleigh, "died" right in front of the real Rayleigh.

Rayleigh had thought so too.

However.

First his right leg was severed, then his head was cut off.

Any normal human being would have died on the spot if they were here.

But Clay Person aren't normal people!

"Hey, Lao Lei..."

The Clay Person of Rayleigh, lying on the ground, spoke softly to the real Rayleigh.

"Have you ever had your head cut off? It must have hurt terribly..."

Seeing this clay head that looked seven or eight parts like himself, spouting incomprehensible words, Rayleigh's face darkened.

He gripped the rapier, twirled it in his hand with a delicate flourish, and then thrust the sword straight down, piercing the Clay Person's head like a string of candied hawthorns!

Pfft!

The Clay Person, its skull pierced by a rapier, appears to be truly "dead."

Its surface rippled with waves, then melted away like spring snow, disappearing into the earth.

Rayleigh drew his undamaged rapier.

But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, a sudden change occurred.

It only took half a breath.

Clay Doll emerged one after another from the earth.

Each of them bore a striking resemblance to Rayleigh.

Especially the fence-like "four-stripe beard," which is almost a perfect replica of the real Pluton Rayleigh.

Looking at the endless Clay Person Rayleigh figures, the real Pluton Rayleigh finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Have you had enough fun, kid?"

Rayleigh gripped his rapier tightly and swung it heavily forward. A bright, white, crescent-shaped Flying Slash roared out, carrying the terrifying power to rout a thousand armies, and struck the Clay Doll army in front of him.

Hiss hiss hiss--

Wherever Pluton Rayleigh's Flying Slash passed, all the Clay Doll were cut off like weeds, their bodies scattered everywhere, creating a horrifying scene.

The Flying Slash, its momentum still strong, continued its forward flight, reaching right in front of Storm, seemingly intent on severing him as well.

But Storm calmly raised his right fist, and jet-black [Armament Haki] instantly wrapped around the surface of his fist, violently blasting it towards the Flying Slash that was coming from the front.

Boom!!

The moment Storm's right fist made contact with Pluton Rayleigh's Flying Slash, a deafening roar erupted.

The crescent-shaped Flying Slash was instantly blasted apart, and the fierce sword energy transformed into a violent shockwave that shot out in all directions, leaving one deep, penetrating mark after another on the surrounding earth and buildings.

"With this level of 'Flying Slash'..."

Storm looked up at Pluton Rayleigh of the Underworld, and with his feet planted heavily on the ground, his figure vanished instantly using the force of the earth's reaction.

"You still say you're not 'Pluton'?"

In the blink of an eye.

Storm had already approached Pluton Rayleigh.

He raised his right hand, and his fist, still wrapped in Armament Haki, swung forward with great force.

The jet-black iron fist magnified continuously in Pluton Rayleigh's pupils.

'It's actually [Haki]?'

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes slightly, his opinion of the strength of this Shichibukai White Dragon, rising slightly.

At this critical moment.

Rayleigh raised his rapier once more, attempting to deflect Storm's "iron fist."

Clang--

With a crisp clang, Storm's Armament Haki- Haki-enhanced fist clashed with Rayleigh's rapier.

But it was in that brief moment...

Rayleigh then felt a powerful force emanating from the blade of his rapier.

'This power... how is this possible!'

Rayleigh ultimately paid the price for his contempt.

He thought he could easily block the White Dragon's fist by simply swinging his sword to parry.

However.

Storm's [Strength] attribute has already reached Eight-Star!

Even if it were Pluton Silvers Rayleigh at his peak, he wouldn't dare say he could reliably withstand that punch.

Not to mention the nonchalant "Old Lei" at this moment!

Storm's terrifying power struck the blade of the rapier directly.

The rapier, which had been with Rayleigh for who knows how many years, suddenly bent into an astonishing arc.

The next moment.

Rayleigh was sent flying by that punch.

He flew through the air like a cannonball, smashing half of the Kicking Bar, and continued flying backward.

Boom! Boom! Boom! --

With a deafening roar.

Rayleigh crashed into and destroyed several tall buildings, some several stories high.

Building debris flew everywhere, and smoke and dust billowed into the sky, forming a dusty fog that filled the surrounding area.

In this mist.

Rayleigh managed to steady himself, his right arm trembling uncontrollably, and a trickle of glaring blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Are all newcomers monsters?

Second update.

I had something to do tonight, and it took a long time...

Judging from the situation, it seems I won't be able to update four times today.

I don't want to stay up late.

It's the third watch today.

There will be more tonight.

--

I'll make it up to you at dawn tomorrow.