The scene returned to the auction house.
Kong Tai gazed at the sunlight filtering down from above and glanced towards the second floor where Kuina was.
"Didn't expect that guy to be on the island too."
Disregarding the impending battle outside, with Kuina's current strength, even if Ace's talent was exceptional, he wouldn't be her match.
If he remembered correctly, Ace only possessed Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, and his Devil Fruit development must have been quite high. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to navigate the New World, a place teeming with powerful individuals, all the way to Kaido's Onigashima in Wano Country, nor would he have fought Jinbe for five days and five nights.
As for whether this guy possessed Observation Haki, it was really hard to say.
Although Ace's Vivre Card only listed Conqueror's and Armament Haki, that was in the world drawn by Oda. This, however, was the real world. Read books now.
Also, he remembered Ace displaying strong perceptive abilities in Alabasta.
He recalled that in the desert, a bounty hunter whose name he couldn't remember had come looking for Ace, and from a considerable distance, Ace had detected this bounty hunter.
Thinking back, when Chopper couldn't see, he only knew of someone's presence by smelling them. Ace couldn't possibly have that kind of olfactory sense. Moreover, he knew the specific person and even animals. In the world of One Piece, such an ability could only be Observation Haki.
Discarding the chaotic thoughts in his mind, regardless of whether Ace possessed Observation Haki, his current opponent was Kuina. Even if he did, the outcome would be the same, unless that guy had also reached the Admiral level.
Clearly, he had not.
He withdrew his gaze, shook his head, and Kong Tai's eyes swept across the entire hall, finally resting on the fish tank in the center of the stage.
He paid no mind to the pirates in the auction house, nor to the Celestial Dragon's butler who had been completely terrified into a stupor by the Celestial Dragon's death, nor to the few CP0 agents.
Kong Tai took a step forward, heading towards the stage.
As he walked, he spoke in a calm tone, uttering words of stark cruelty, "Kill everyone in this hall!"
"Of course, except for this old man. He's not someone you can handle."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kong Tai vanished from his original spot, appearing directly in the center of the stage, beside the old man.
He tilted his head, looking at the old man, a smile playing on his lips, "冥王·雷利 (Míng Wáng · Léi Lì)."
When Kong Tai left, the oppressive aura that had permeated the entire hall vanished, allowing the pirates, who hadn't been completely petrified, to instantly regain their senses.
They swallowed hard, ignoring the sweat-soaked corners of their eyes, glanced at the stage, endured the stinging sensation in their pupils, and quickly turned towards the auction house's main entrance, making a dash for it.
Although the entrance was blocked by the fallen ceiling, it was the lowest point of the hall. With their strength, they could leap out from there.
That silver-haired guy was too terrifying. He killed Celestial Dragons as if they were ants. That overwhelming Conqueror's Haki had rendered them unable to move.
If that guy wanted to kill them, it wouldn't be any easier than killing that Celestial Dragon.
Therefore, they had to escape, escape far away.
If the silver-haired guy had personally taken action, they wouldn't even have the courage to run.
But since it wasn't the silver-haired guy acting himself, but his companions, this gave them a sliver of hope for survival.
"Heh heh! Trying to escape?"
Ah Hua, along with the other two, exchanged glances, and mocking smiles appeared on their lips simultaneously.
Ah Hua adjusted his glasses, turned his head, and his gaze landed on the CP0 agents. "I'll take care of the CP0."
With that, his body instantly swelled, and he stomped his feet on the ground, a "bang" sounding as he charged towards the CP0 first.
"This guy."
A Luo shook his head, drew his冥狗 (Míng Gǒu), and pulled the trigger towards a pirate who was about to reach the hall's exit.
Watching Ah Hua's retreating figure, A Tao took a final drag of the cigarette in his mouth, then flicked away the butt.
"Brook, protect Robin and Doctor Indigo."
He said to Brook, his pupils instantly turning into orange-yellow cat eyes, then he drew the sword at his waist and turned, charging towards the pirates in the distance.
"Yohohoho~"
Brook, holding his cane, laughed heartily at A Tao's retreating back, "Don't worry! With me here, not a single pirate will get close to Robin-chan, nor Doctor Indigo."
"Hey! I don't need protection!"
Indigo was indignant. When they first boarded, Ah Hua and the others were only at the level of minor henchmen. Although he was a doctor, he was the third strongest in the team.
Now that Ah Hua and the others had become powerful, he had become the weakest in the team.
"Mmm…"
"Nine-Wheeled Flower - Waist Twist Dance!"
*Crack!*
He glanced at Robin beside him, who, with her hands crossed, had twisted a pirate behind them into a pretzel in an instant, and pursed her lips with a slight smile.
He shook his head, he truly was the weakest.
"Kakakakaka!!"
The corners of his mouth turned up, and he stood rooted to the spot, laughing heartily.
Being the weakest was fine!
He was just a doctor, after all, and didn't have any grand ambitions. His only wish now was to follow Kong Tai and sail with him wherever he wanted to go. wΑp.kanshu伍.net
In the center of the stage.
He glanced back at the hall, which had instantly devolved into chaos, and Rayleigh's eyes were filled with calm.
He felt no sympathy for these pirates and CP0 agents, because they were indeed all deserving of death.
Although he wasn't a good person, he wasn't exactly a bad one either.
As the right-hand man of the Pirate King and a top-tier powerhouse in the world, he had killed more people than Kong Tai and his companions, so he didn't have much to say about the situation in the hall.
He withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and his eyes met Kong Tai's for the second time.
Looking at this excessively young young man before him, admiration flickered in Rayleigh's eyes.
Judging solely by age, no one would believe that the young man before them had already reached the peak of world-class strength.
Sighing inwardly, Rayleigh smiled and asked, "What? Kid, it seems you didn't come to see me directly, did you?"
"Haha!!"
Kong Tai's lips curved upwards, and he nodded, "I went to the Baratie and met Aunt Xia."
"No wonder you know I'm here."
Rayleigh's expression faltered for a moment, then he shook his head and asked, "Now that we've met, tell me, what do you want with me?"
"It's nothing much."
Kong Tai waved his hand, then continued, "I just happened to be on Island 13 when I arrived, so I thought of you."
His gaze shifted downwards, Kong Tai looked at the sword hanging at Rayleigh's waist and smiled, "I heard you are a swordsman, and since..."
He hefted Zankou, Kong Tai raised his head and met Rayleigh's weathered eyes. A sharp glint flashed in his azure pupils, and he chuckled, "And I am also a swordsman."
"So, how about it, want to spar with me?"
"Spar?"
Looking at Kong Tai's beautiful eyes, he felt a sharpness in them, no weaker than that of the blue-haired young girl.
No, it was even sharper.
A sharp glint also flashed in Rayleigh's calm eyes.
It had been a long time since he had sparred with anyone. Today, encountering two top-tier swordsmen, to be honest, he was feeling a bit eager.