First, Raleigh was highly proficient in Observation Haki. He could sense the "intent" behind every punch and kick before it was even thrown.
Second, Raleigh had mastered the abilities of the Storm Fruit.
As long as they were not in a windless zone like the Calm Belt, every minor disturbance in the air currents told him exactly where his opponent was moving.
Every shift in weight, every twitch of a muscle—it was all laid bare in Raleigh's perception.
Bessermer Reginald was sweating profusely.
He was trying his hardest, using his unpredictable "War Dance" style, but Raleigh blocked or dodged everything with his eyes half-closed.
'Has Raleigh-sama already reached the level of foreseeing the future?' Reginald thought, panting.
He felt a sense of despair.
It was like fighting a ghost. If Raleigh's Observation Haki had advanced to the point of predicting the future, then what was the point of fighting? It was impossible to win.
Raleigh noticed Reginald's hesitation. He chuckled, easily slapping away a kick.
"What are you thinking so hard about?" Raleigh asked. "Don't give up. I can't see the future."
"Then how?" Reginald gasped, flipping backward to create distance.
"I'm just somewhat familiar with this War Dance of yours," Raleigh explained to reassure him. "I've seen similar combat techniques before. It relies on rhythm. Once you break the rhythm, the dance is over."
Hearing this, Reginald's competitive spirit returned. His lips curled upward, revealing a mischievous smile.
"Is that so? Then try this!"
Reginald pretended to retreat. He swiftly retracted his leg, but instead of stepping back, he used the momentum to launch a surprise attack.
He crouched low, spinning like a top. His long right arm, coated in black Armament Haki, thrust upward like a spear.
"Got you!"
The target was Raleigh's abdomen. It was a vicious, fast strike meant to knock the wind out of him.
Raleigh didn't dodge. He didn't block with his hands. He simply stood there.
"Tekkai!"
Raleigh chose the simplest response. He tightened every muscle in his torso, combining his physical conditioning with Haki.
CLANG!
The sound was loud and metallic, like a hammer hitting a church bell.
Reginald's eyes widened.
His palm felt as if he had struck a sculpture forged from solid steel. There was no "give" at all.
A sharp pain shot up his arm.
"Ouch..."
If not for his own Armament Haki protecting his hand, his fingers might have fractured from the impact.
"How can Iron Body be this powerful?" Reginald muttered, shaking his throbbing hand.
He was deeply perplexed. Reginald was no novice; he was a veteran fighter.
When Vice Admiral Sakazuki was present in the North Blue, he had trained some officers in the Navy Six Styles.
Among the techniques, Iron Body was tricky.
Initially, rookies loved it because it made them feel invincible. But eventually, it became the most despised and least utilized move.
Why? Because when you use Iron Body, you usually can't move.
You become a sitting duck. If your opponent is strong enough to break your defense, you just stand there and take the damage.
But Raleigh was different.
"The same technique wielded by different individuals produces different results," Raleigh said calmly, brushing dust off his shirt.
Raleigh's gaze locked directly onto Reginald's eyes.
"You relied too much on the surprise, Reginald. You stopped moving."
"Uh oh," Reginald thought.
Before he could react, Raleigh's right hand shot out like a viper.
"I won't let you succeed!"
Reginald attempted to retract his right arm and dance away, but it was already too late.
Grab.
Raleigh's broad hand clamped firmly onto Reginald's wrist. It felt like being caught by a hydraulic clamp.
"Fly," Raleigh said.
An immense force erupted from Raleigh's body. He swung his arm upward, lifting the tall, lanky Captain off the deck as if he weighed nothing.
"Whoaaaa!"
Reginald was propelled upward into the night sky, spinning uncontrollably.
"What astonishing strength!"
"Did you see that? He threw Captain Reginald like a ragdoll!"
"As expected of Raleigh-sama. He seems to have getting stronger again in such a short amount of time."
The observing Marine soldiers murmured among themselves excitedly.
They had been gathered on the deck since the start of the battle, cheering and placing small bets on how long Reginald would last.
Raleigh's composure and adept application of various skills were highly instructive for them. It was like watching a textbook come to life.
Meanwhile, Reginald's combat dance sparked new insights for the soldiers who favored agility.
"Captain Reginald is quite impressive too," a Sergeant noted. "Watching his attacks gave me several ideas. He attacks from angles I never thought possible."
"Exactly," another soldier nodded. "I never used to attack while defending, but after observing Reginald's fighting style, I've figured out what I was doing wrong."
A few soldiers showed great interest in Reginald. He was quickly becoming popular among the crew.
"Regardless," the Sergeant laughed, "Reginald is bound to lose."
"Without a doubt," the others agreed. "After all, Raleigh-sama is the man who defeated Byrnndi World. This is just a warm-up for him."
Up in the air, Bessermer Reginald was in trouble.
He was soaring higher than the ship's mast. The wind rushed past his ears.
He strained to maintain his balance mid-air, flailing his long limbs.
"This is bad!" Reginald realized. "I haven't mastered Moon Walk yet! I can't change direction!"
He was a sitting duck in the sky.
"Where are you looking at?" A calm voice whispered right behind his ear.
Reginald's blood ran cold. A chilling breeze swept over his scalp.
He tried to turn his head, but it was too late. Raleigh had used his wind speed to vanish from the deck and appear instantly behind him in mid-air.
Raleigh pulled his fist back. It was coated in black Haki.
His fist shot out unimpeded.
THWACK!
The sound was satisfying, like a professional golfer driving a ball off the tee.
"GAAAAH!"
Bessermer Reginald's body folded in half from the impact.
He was sent flying like a golf ball struck by a club. He streaked across the sky like a shooting star, swiftly clearing the ship's sails and soaring toward the distant, dark sea.
"I still haven't learned Moon Walk, Raleigh-samaaaa!"
Reginald's fading scream echoed in the night air.
SPLASH!
A massive pillar of water erupted in the distance as Reginald hit the ocean.
Raleigh hovered in the air for a second, then floated gently back down to the deck. He scratched his head, looking at the ripples in the water.
"Oops. Maybe a bit too hard," Raleigh muttered.
He decided to wait there, leaning on the railing and enjoying the breeze until Reginald was fished out.
He wasn't worried.
The Marine retrieval team had already set out on a small speedboat the moment Reginald went airborne.
They knew the drill.
Although that punch was forceful, Raleigh had held back enough so that Reginald hadn't lost consciousness.
He would just be soaking in the cold seawater for a while to cool off.
As a Devil Fruit user, Raleigh couldn't casually dive into the sea to rescue others.
He would sink like a stone.
"Besides," Raleigh thought lazily, "I can't be bothered to get wet. Unless it was Gion who fell overboard. Then I might consider it."
Splash—splash—
The sound of wet boots squishing on the deck announced Reginald's return.
The speedboat had returned, and Reginald climbed back onto the warship.
He was dripping water incessantly, looking like a drowned rat. Seaweed was draped over his shoulder.
He shook his head like a dog, spraying water everywhere.
"Hiss..." Reginald rubbed his back. "You're too strong, Raleigh-sama. That fight was incredibly satisfying!"
Despite being thrown into the ocean, Reginald was grinning.
He had a bit of a battle junkie.
The reason he had chased the pirate Humphrey Don earlier was simply because he wanted a strong opponent to test his skills.
Getting beaten up by Raleigh was, in his eyes, a great lesson.
"I yield, I yield!" Reginald laughed, wringing out his wet coat. "Raleigh-sama's strength, speed, and reactions all exceeded my expectations. I suspect you already possess the power of a Vice Admiral now. Maybe even higher!"
Hearing Reginald's assessment, Raleigh smiled faintly.
He didn't confirm or deny it. He didn't wish to reveal his true capabilities fully.
"You did well," Raleigh said. "Your Haki is solid. You just need to work on your aerial mobility."
Reginald nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I will start practicing Moon Walk tomorrow!"
"Whew," Reginald sighed, sitting down on the deck floor. "Venting my battle lust feels great. But you know what would make it even better?"
"Rum?" Raleigh guessed.
"Exactly!" Reginald snapped his fingers.
"We have some," Raleigh said. "I've already asked the cook to bring a bottle."
The cook arrived with a tray, two glasses, and a bottle of high-quality North Blue rum.
Raleigh took a glass and sat on the warship's railing, gazing out at the pitch-black sea.
The ocean at night was a mysterious beast.
It was calm now, but the deep darkness nurtured countless terrors beneath the surface.
The sea breeze filled the white sails above them, pushing the ship forward.
Bessermer Reginald imitated his idol.
He grabbed his glass and seated himself on the railing next to Raleigh, looking at the same horizon.
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