Between Two Worlds: Nen and Haki

With the scale of the two warships—especially a behemoth like the New Riding the Wind and Waves—it was inevitable.

As soon as they appeared, every eye at the harbor was drawn to them.

"What massive ships... where did they come from?"

"There are no pirate emblems. Could they be warships built by some kingdom?"

"Wait, that ship looks familiar... Right! That's the flagship of the Three-Eye Pirates!"

"What? The Three-Eye Pirates? You mean the Supernova making the biggest waves this year?"

"'Three-Eye' Zane... is he finally making his move on the New World? It makes sense. They say two of the Seven Warlords have already fallen at his hands."

"

Even though the New Riding the Wind and Waves didn't fly a pirate flag or display any specific emblem, its unique design and sheer size were quickly recognized by those at the port, sparking a wave of exclamations.

Some watched with fear, others with fervor, and a few were already itching to make a move.

"Boss, we've arrived!"

The Hunting Team paid no mind to the commotion on the docks.

The two warships glided to a smooth halt at the pier.

Manlong, standing guard at the bow, saw that the crowd was behaving themselves and no attacks were forthcoming. He turned back to face his leader.

Click!!

Seated upon his golden throne, Zane accepted a cigar from Baby 5. He took a long drag, exhaling a plume of smoke, and with a calm expression, he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

CRACKLE!!!

Above the Sabaody Archipelago...

The clear sky was suddenly choked by thunderclouds that blotted out the sun.

Bolts of lightning danced through the churning mass, swirling violently.

Within just a few breaths, thousands of thunderbolts roared down from the roiling clouds.

In that instant, the thunderous peals echoed across the heavens and the earth.

The brilliance of the lightning cast the Sabaody Archipelago in a haunting new light.

"Aaaaargh!!!!"

Screams erupted from every corner of the islands.

As the thousands of bolts struck, a countless number of people across the archipelago were instantly reduced to charred remains.

Groves 1 through 29 were hit particularly hard.

Not only were there heaps of blackened corpses, but every human auction house and slave shop was reduced to rubble by the strikes.

This sudden catastrophe left the survivors in a state of absolute terror.

In contrast, the slaves stood amidst the ruins, blinking in dazed confusion.

"

"We're free! Quick, run!!"

After a brief moment of daze, joy exploded.

Realizing they were finally free from their cages, the slaves scrambled to escape in all directions.

"Damn it! You slaves, don't you dare—!"

A well-dressed man who looked like a noble yelled in a fit of rage, immediately attempting to order his subordinates to recapture the escapees.

He had come to Sabaody specifically to buy high-quality slaves.

If they all ran away, he'd have nothing to show for his trip.

CRACKLE!!!

Before the noble-looking man could even finish his command, another bolt of lightning snaked down from the churning clouds, striking him with pinpoint accuracy and turning him into a heap of charcoal.

'I have to admit, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit really lives up to its reputation for being invincible, covering the entire Sabaody Archipelago like this.'

'However, such precise targeting can only come from a high level of mastery and development of the ability.'

'Tsk, kids these days are truly terrifying. It's no wonder an old dog like Garp lost to him.'

Rayleigh also stepped out from the ruins of a human auction house.

But unlike the other slaves who were fleeing for their lives, he stood there with a look of nostalgia, watching the charred remains left by the lightning.

As a retired pirate...

With a decent face, the famous Right Hand of the Pirate King had long since settled into a life of being a kept man.

Occasionally, he would even mix in with a group of slaves to get himself sold just to scrounge up some pocket change.

And so it was.

Rayleigh had been up to his old tricks again, but he hadn't expected the arrival of such a formidable young man before he could even be put on the block.

'I can't stay here forever, but since I've arrived, I might as well sweep away some of the dust.'

Aboard the New Riding the Wind and Waves.

Zane silently sensed the death and oversight he had brought with the snap of his fingers.

With his mastery over the Door-Door Fruit, he didn't actually need to stop at Sabaody to cross the Red Line and reach the New World.

But he had come anyway.

His reason was simple: to take the opportunity to clean out the rampant slave traders on the islands.

If there is no trade, there is no harm.

And for those arrogant buyers, he felt they deserved a heavy-handed lesson of their own.

'Is that Rayleigh? His swordsmanship is likely even beyond Gion's...'

Using the majesty of thunder to purge the world's filth.

With his increasingly powerful Observation Haki, certain individuals couldn't escape Zane's perception.

Rayleigh, for instance.

To Zane's Observation Haki, a master of that caliber...

Was as conspicuous as a firefly in the pitch black. It was impossible to miss him.

This world was essentially a contest of who was the least rotten.

Even among pirates...

The Roger Pirates' way of doing things could be considered a moral gold standard compared to the rest of the lot on the high seas.

After a brief thought, Zane temporarily removed Rayleigh from his list of hunting targets.

"Temporarily," of course, depended on whether the man chose to become his enemy.

It was the same for Gion and Garp.

If those two hadn't insisted on opposing him, he never would have hunted them in the first place.

Regardless of how the world perceived him, Zane remained firm in his belief: he was just a hunter—a professional hunter with a valid license.

Of course, removing someone from the list didn't mean ignoring them entirely.

It was hard to overlook someone like Rayleigh, who had made such a name for himself as the Pluton using nothing but Haki and swordsmanship.

With the insight of his God's Eye, Zane wasn't just a professional hunter; he was the ultimate Copy Hunter of the pirate world.

With the cleanup complete.

The Hunting Team made a powerful landing at the port.

Under Nico Robin's arrangements, some went to restock supplies while others went sightseeing.

That's right.

Despite having just caused a massive incident.

The Hunting Team—much like Zane—didn't treat it as anything significant, proceeding with their activities as if it were a normal day.

This calm...

Wasn't born of arrogance, but of absolute confidence.

Confidence in their own strength, and even more so, confidence in their leader, Zane.

The subordinates went about their business.

Zane didn't stay on the ship either.

Accompanied by Baby 5 and Manlong, Zane made no effort to hide his presence as he headed straight for Grove 13.

This move immediately alerted a certain old man who had been secretly monitoring things with Observation Haki.

Grove 13—Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

"You got back pretty quickly!"

Climbing the long flight of stairs to the bar's entrance, Zane saw a figure who had clearly been waiting for a while. He offered a casual greeting with a smile.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Rayleigh replied, matching his casual tone. He looked resigned as he tossed a bottle of liquor toward Zane. "When a young man as formidable as you shows up, I have to hurry back, or I'm afraid I won't have a home left."

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