Rayleigh's Rescue!

"Damn!"

Swain took the blow head-on.

His hands shifted rapidly as he blocked the attacks.

Akainu's attacks were too fierce and ruthless. Every move was a killing blow!

This left Swain retreating step by step while he was still in an unstable condition.

"Great Eruption!"

Akainu took a small step forward and thrust his hand out, sending Magma surging forth.

Swain hurriedly widened the distance between them. Fighting Akainu in close quarters was tantamount to suicide.

"Sea Waves!"

After pulling nearly ten meters away from Akainu, Swain summoned seawater like a raging flood to block the distance between them.

The moment the Magma touched the seawater, an enormous amount of steam erupted, as if water had just been boiled. It spread like smoke and completely enveloped Akainu!

Only the salt left behind by the evaporated seawater remained scattered across the ground.

"Explode!" Swain shouted.

Steam was water as well, and he could control it too.

The steam began flowing rapidly. At an incredibly high speed, it became like bullets and swept toward Akainu.

However, it only hindered him and caused no real damage.

But that was enough!

The blue halo around his body had already dimmed considerably. He needed a little time to adjust.

Meanwhile.

On the other side, the battle between Kizaru and Norton was completely one-sided.

"Yasakani Sacred Jewel!"

Kizaru retreated into the air, his hands already forming the required gesture.

"Not a chance!"

Norton shot toward Kizaru like a cannonball. He knew that this move required charging—there was a casting delay.

Knowing that, Norton would never give him the chance to use it.

A Haki-coated blade slashed toward Kizaru's head.

"How frightening." Kizaru continued to make his snide remark.

Then his body transformed into particles of light and dodged the attack.

Norton stared heavily at the seemingly relaxed Kizaru before him.

His opponent was also an expert in speed, and was only faster than him, never slower.

This directly turned Norton's advantage into a weakness. Moreover, Kizaru's strength far surpassed Norton's.

There was simply no suspense in this battle!

However, what puzzled Norton was that his opponent seemed unwilling to use his full strength at all.

Was he playing cat and mouse?

Norton reached that conclusion.

"My strength is still too weak. I have no chance against an admiral." Norton spoke in low spirits.

However.

Kizaru's next move proved his guess wrong.

He knew perfectly well that the Five Elders were watching the battle through the projection.

Although he had been holding back, he knew that all he needed was to capture Swain in the end.

As long as he kept Norton occupied and refrained from supporting Swain, he would have completed his mission.

The battle between Swain and Akainu was also nearing its end.

"Mirror Sea Moon!"

Swain once again used a technique that exceeded his body's limits.

This time, only two mirrors appeared. It was obvious that his stamina was approaching its limit.

"You're merely making a futile struggle!" Akainu said in his hoarse voice.

He truly had not expected Swain to fight him to this extent!

Swain had even inflicted serious injuries on him!

He was the first pirate since Akainu had become a senior admiral to seriously injure him.

However, all of this was about to end.

Terrifying, high-temperature Magma gathered in his hand, and he smashed the shield before him apart with a powerful punch.

Akainu caught Swain off guard.

He had not expected the shield to be shattered by Akainu so quickly.

It was already too late to widen the distance again!

Akainu used one of the Marine Six Powers, "Soru," and instantly appeared before Swain.

His right hand gripped Swain by the throat, while his left fist struck him in the chest.

The terrifying heat broke through Swain's Ryuo in an instant.

"Ah!" Swain let out a scream.

The intense heat twisted his skin together and began scorching his internal organs!

Norton noticed the commotion from afar and charged toward Swain without hesitation.

"Your opponent is me. Take care of yourself first."

Kizaru raised his right leg and unleashed a Flash Kick!

Norton blocked it with his right hand, but the force from the kick sent him flying into the Mangrove.

Swain was already having difficulty resisting. The pain in his body caused bead-sized beads of sweat to break out across his forehead.

"Die!"

Akainu's gaze grew increasingly resolute. He could not allow Swain to mature and realize the potential he had displayed.

That potential also meant Akainu had to snuff him out in the cradle!

Swain seemed to sense the death approaching. His heart was filled with unwillingness and grief.

I haven't fulfilled my promise to the old man yet... He tried to rally himself and fight back again.

But at this moment, he could not even raise a hand.

His consciousness gradually began to blur...

He did not want to die...

Suddenly.

The pain in his body vanished.

Am I going to die? Swain seemed somewhat relieved.

Then he fell to his knees, instinctively supporting himself with both hands against the ground.

I'm not dead?

Swain was filled with confusion.

Only then did he notice that he was hidden in a shadow.

He looked up.

The back of a white-haired, middle-aged man in a straw raincoat had appeared before him.

The man stood tall and powerful.

"You can't just let a newcomer of the new generation be killed by you." His words carried a hint of authority.

"Why the hell are you here?"

Akainu was somewhat surprised. Why had this man intervened?

"Rayleigh?" Swain asked in confusion.

The only person who could calmly converse with a Marine admiral at a time like this was Rayleigh, who had secluded himself in the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Oh? So you know me, young man."

Rayleigh's voice was gentle.

"I've seen you on a wanted poster before."

"Hahaha, so that's how it is." Rayleigh laughed.

The situation had taken one dramatic turn after another.

Now that Rayleigh had arrived, Akainu found himself in a difficult position.

Although he did not know why Rayleigh had saved Swain, as long as he stood there, Akainu would have difficulty capturing Swain today.

He was a powerhouse left over from the previous era.

Even though he was old, no one could afford to underestimate him!

"What an extraordinary person has arrived!" Kizaru also appeared beside Akainu.

"Hand him over!" Akainu said.

The two admirals confronted Rayleigh!

"Since I saved this young man, I won't let you capture him again." Rayleigh spoke indifferently.

So what if there were two admirals?

As the former Pirate King's right-hand man, what kind of situation had he not seen?

He had even witnessed two Four Emperors joining forces as opponents.

And that was not even mentioning the current situation.

"So you're determined to oppose us." Akainu spoke with displeasure.

After observing Rayleigh for many years, the Marines knew that he had never done anything to endanger the world.

He had not even gone out to sea as a pirate again. After the death of the Pirate King Roger, Rayleigh had not committed any major crimes.

He was unlike Bullet. After the execution of the Pirate King Roger, Bullet had thrown the seas into chaos.

To capture Bullet, the Marines had launched a Buster Call. It had taken both Sengoku and Garp acting together to capture him and send him to Impel Down Prison.

Akainu also had his concerns at this moment. Without Sengoku's orders, he truly could not capture Rayleigh as well.

There was only one reason.

Rayleigh's identity was too sensitive. If they really captured him too, the news would probably be everywhere the next day.

And would Shanks, a former apprentice of Roger's pirate crew, not come to his rescue?

With one of the Four Emperors involved, the Marines had no choice but to proceed cautiously!

But conversely, if they abandoned the capture of Swain halfway because of Rayleigh alone today,

the Marines would become a laughingstock throughout the world.

The headline would probably read: Marine Headquarters Admiral Frightened Away by the Former Pirate King's Right-Hand Man!

What an absurd piece of news.

"Uncle Rayleigh, thank you for saving my life." Swain expressed his gratitude.

He had not expected Rayleigh to stand up for him.

Especially when they were not even familiar with each other.

"But leave the rest of the situation to me!"

The disheveled state he had been in earlier was gone.

The two exchanged a glance. Rayleigh then asked Swain with his eyes, Can you handle it?

Swain nodded heavily.

He did not want to disturb Rayleigh's retirement or drag him into this battle.

While they were confronting each other, Swain recovered somewhat.

He had been beaten so badly that he had not even had a chance to attack.

Now.

He was going to end this battle.

He would use his final trump card and escape!