One Piece: Starting With Flame-Flame Fruit

Before long, Tony and his group arrived at the entrance of "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar." The surroundings were eerily quiet, with not even the faintest sound breaking the stillness.

"Could the Marines have really made a move on Rayleigh and the others?"

Tony's expression grew heavy with worry. Although the chances of this were slim—after all, the Marines usually left those in retirement alone—but there was no guarantee that some higher-ups weren't bent on erasing all traces of those connected to Gol D. Roger.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Tony suddenly felt a familiar presence rapidly approaching from behind.

His lips curved slightly upward, and the tension in his chest eased.

With a sharp whoosh, Rayleigh shot toward them with astonishing speed, aiming a powerful flying kick directly at Tony's head.

Nami's Observation Haki instantly picked up on the attack. Reacting swiftly, she clenched her fist, channeling lightning through her arm. A crackling sound filled the air as visible arcs of electricity enveloped her limb.

At the same time, Vivi drew Tony's Ryūjin Jakka, coating the sword in Armament Haki. The blade turned an ominous jet-black, radiating an even sharper aura.

Both Nami and Vivi launched themselves toward the incoming figure, their attacks meeting Rayleigh's strike head-on. The force of the kick was overwhelming, sending painful shocks through their arms as they struggled to block it.

Nami's eyes widened in shock as she called out to Vivi.

"Be careful, Vivi! This guy's no ordinary fighter!"

"Even with my Logia abilities, I actually felt that. I didn't see him use Haki directly, but it's clear—this guy's a proficient Haki user!"

"Understood, Nami! Let's work together and take him down!" Vivi replied with determination.

The two unleashed their full strength. Vivi extended her Armament Haki to her arms, reinforcing her power. In a sudden burst, she managed to suppress the force of Rayleigh's kick.

"Now, Nami!" Vivi shouted.

Their teamwork, honed over nearly a year of training, was impeccable. Without hesitation, Nami disappeared from Rayleigh's sight in a flash.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Nami transformed into a streak of lightning, moving at lightning speed. Sparks danced along the ground, leaving a trail of electric currents in her wake. To the naked eye, her movements were almost impossible to follow.

In an instant, she reappeared behind Rayleigh.

"30 Million Volts!"

A terrifying charge of electricity surged into her palm as she prepared to strike Rayleigh's back.

Simultaneously, Vivi reversed her grip on the blade and attempted to pierce Rayleigh's leg, aiming to pin him to the ground and prevent him from dodging Nami's attack.

Their coordination was flawless, their combined efforts showing the fruits of their rigorous training.

But unfortunately for them, their opponent was none other than the man known as the "Right Hand of the Pirate King."

Rayleigh's sharp eyes narrowed as a serious expression crossed his face.

BAM!

With his left hand, he firmly caught Vivi's blade without even turning around, relying solely on his Observation Haki to sense her move. With his right hand, he effortlessly blocked Nami's devastating lightning strike.

Electricity crackled and burst in all directions, scorching the nearby grass and leaving multiple blackened scorch marks on the ground.

"Haha, impressive indeed. Armament Haki, a Logia Devil Fruit user, and such seamless teamwork—you've clearly put in a lot of effort."

Rayleigh chuckled as he looked over at Tony.

"Tony, in just a year, you've managed to find yourself some remarkable companions."

Nami and Vivi froze, their expressions filled with confusion.

He… knows Tony?

It wasn't until now that they took a good look at their opponent.

The man's silvery-white, wavy hair and the unique air of authority surrounding him were unmistakable. Combined with his overwhelming strength…

"Could he be…?"

A cold chill ran down their spines as realization dawned on them.

"Haha, Rayleigh-sensei, surprised to see me?" Tony said with a grin, stepping forward.

Originally, he had intended to stop Nami and Vivi from attacking, but they had acted so quickly that there was no time.

Even so, Tony wasn't worried. He knew Rayleigh wouldn't harm them. As for the two women managing to harm Rayleigh? That was completely out of the question.

Their strength wasn't yet enough to break through Rayleigh's defenses. The fact that he had blocked Nami's lightning attack with one hand was enough proof of that.

Rayleigh's mastery of Armament Haki had reached its pinnacle. Unlike ordinary users who needed to coat themselves in Haki, his was like an invisible armor, constantly protecting him. Its defensive capabilities were dozens of times stronger than typical Armament Haki—a detail Nami was naturally unaware of.

At this moment, Nami and Vivi were in low spirits, crouching on the ground in embarrassment, holding their heads in frustration.

"What a disgrace! To think we attacked Tony's mentor as soon as we met him..."

The two quickly stood, holding hands, and rushed over to Rayleigh, bowing deeply at a full 90 degrees.

"We're so sorry, Uncle Rayleigh! We really didn't know it was you!"

"We thought it was an enemy attacking us..."

Rayleigh chuckled and patted their head with a smile.

"Haha, don't worry about it. I was just trying to test Tony's skills."

"I didn't expect such an impressive surprise."

Rayleigh's gaze shifted to Vivi, observing her carefully.

From their brief exchange earlier, he had already noticed Vivi's hidden talent for swordsmanship.

Although Nami's Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities had also greatly impressed him, Rayleigh valued innate potential even more. To him, the power of a person's natural abilities far surpassed the reliance on Devil Fruit powers. After all, like himself, a person could still reach the summit of the world without needing a Devil Fruit.

"Your swordsmanship—Tony taught you, didn't he?"

"Yes, that's right!" Vivi replied honestly, her big eyes blinking as she nodded.

Tony, noticing the spark of interest in Rayleigh's expression, seized the moment and slyly chimed in from the side.

"Vivi, a world-class swordsman is standing right in front of you. You better not miss this opportunity."

Rayleigh laughed lightly, waving off the compliment.

"You cheeky kid, always trying to butter up your teacher."

Understanding Tony's implied suggestion, Vivi's face lit up as she quickly turned to Rayleigh with a heartfelt request.

"Uncle Rayleigh, can you teach me swordsmanship?"

"I want to become the world's greatest swordsman!"

Her earnest eyes locked onto Rayleigh, leaving him momentarily at a loss.

Faced with such a sincere request from someone with clear potential, Rayleigh couldn't help but feel a surge of appreciation for her talent.

"Haha, you sly brat. First thing back, and you're already setting me up." Rayleigh cast a mock-annoyed glance at Tony.

"Come on, Sensei. I brought you such a talented disciple. Instead of thanking me, you're planning to scold me? Not fair."

"If you keep this up, I might have to complain to Sister Shakky about you!"

The playful banter between teacher and student had everyone around them laughing.

Meanwhile, far off in the distance, Golden Lion Shiki watched intently, his sharp eyes fixed on Tony's group.

The sight of Rayleigh standing among them shocked him to his core.

"The Dark King Rayleigh! He's here... and he's that brat Tony's mentor? This complicates things..."

Having been Roger's mortal enemy in the past, Shiki naturally recognized Rayleigh all too well.

But what left him truly unsettled wasn't just Rayleigh.

He had witnessed the earlier clash between Rayleigh, Nami, and Vivi from afar. The display of strength had him feeling immense pressure.

It was hard to believe that in just one year, the two seemingly fragile girls who had been by Tony's side had grown so powerful.

One of them had learnt Armament Haki, while the other had gained control over a Logia-class Devil Fruit—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!

Shiki clenched his fists, his mind racing as he reevaluated his position.

"Do I even have any leverage left in this negotiation?"

With one of Roger's former crewmates—Rayleigh—the addition of two formidable Logia users, and another capable of wielding Haki, the odds seemed insurmountable.

Shiki knew better than anyone the terrifying strength Rayleigh possessed. On his own, Rayleigh was already a match for him. Adding two Logia users to the mix only made things worse.

If they decided to go back on their word and refused to heal his legs, there would be nothing he could do to resist them.

Shiki's eyes narrowed, a deep sense of unease rising within him as tension gripped his heart.

~-------------------------

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