The fight between Goenitz and Rugal would not happen now.
There would be plenty of opportunities after the Swordsmanship Tournament ended.
As long as he could keep Rugal under his thumb.
Rugal would not betray Ignis.
Rugal's forces were certainly formidable now, but that was all they amounted to. Ignis could easily strip him of everything he owned.
Aside from Ignis himself, NESTS had other powerful fighters, including Zero Garp and True Zero.
A few years were enough for them to mature, especially Zero Garp. His genes contained Garp's combat instincts, effectively giving him a template of Garp in his prime from the outset. His growth was astonishing.
He also had access to abundant resources and the gravity room inside the Sky Mother Nest, allowing him to quickly realize his tremendous potential.
A man like Rugal would not betray you as long as you were stronger than him.
Goenitz also wanted to see just how capable Rugal had become.
He had to admit that Rugal's physical gifts surpassed his own.
After drinking the Monster Blood, Rugal must have undergone some kind of transformation.
But physical strength was not the deciding factor in a fight.
Over the years, Goenitz had also grown stronger, and his mastery of the Weasel Fruit had even reached awakening.
His terrifying destructive power and windlike speed gave him a fighting chance against any powerful opponent.
Within the Flying Pirates, Goenitz seemed less famous than "Tyrant" Gurado and "Godspeed" Xiaer.
But the truly strong all knew how terrifying Goenitz was.
Goenitz simply kept a lower profile. He had not made much effort to expand his fleet, either, and seemed to have no intention of forming his own pirate crew.
"Godspeed" Xiaer's speed offered no significant advantage against Goenitz.
With his speed and the Weasel Fruit's ranged abilities,