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Rayleigh effortlessly removed the shackles from his neck, twisted the bars of the cage with his bare hands, and stepped out.
Looking at the young man before him, Rayleigh grinned. "I know you. Devil Noir."
Noir chuckled. "Looks like I've made a name for myself."
Rayleigh brushed off some dust. "Indeed. Kidnapping Celestial Dragons for ransom... only you could come up with something like that."
Noir smiled faintly and opened Rayleigh's talent panel:
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Name: Silvers Rayleigh
"Dark King": Gold Quality - The growth rate of all three Haki types changes depending on the user's age. At age 17, all Haki types are guaranteed to awaken and can be controlled freely. For each year older, Haki quality and quantity increase by 30%. This effect disappears after age 40, but after age 70, it declines at double the rate, dropping to the minimum standard.
"Right Hand of the Pirate King": Gold Quality - As the trusted right-hand man of Gol D. Roger, he receives the protection of fate. Wherever he goes, circumstances align in his favor; his luck is unparalleled. While Roger lived, he enjoyed a life of peace and prosperity. After Roger's death, he is destined to meet the next chosen one.
"Master Mentor": Purple Quality - Rayleigh possesses exceptional judgment and teaching skills. Any apprentice he takes under his wing receives a boost in aptitude and the protection of fate. The time it takes for his apprentices to learn new skills is significantly reduced. He forms strong bonds with his apprentices, and they will never betray him.
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It was common for powerful figures in the One Piece world to possess at least one gold talent. It was no surprise that Rayleigh had two.
Two talents, in particular, caught Noir's attention.
"Right Hand of the Pirate King" seemed to grant a kind of universal blessing of fortune, as if Rayleigh was destined to protect the chosen one.
The Haki boost from "Dark King" was beyond Noir's expectations. With this talent, one could passively grow stronger simply by aging.
However, the decline after age seventy was a problem. Noir was planning on achieving immortality…
His original plan had been to combine Shanks' Haoshoku Infusion talent with Rayleigh's "Dark King" to synthesize a mutated dark gold talent.
But this age restriction made him hesitate..
If Rayleigh wasn't suitable, other Haoshoku users he could consider were…
Lost in thought, Noir didn't notice Rayleigh staring at him, a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
Rayleigh rubbed his wrist and smiled. "Noir, your age and potential remind me of someone I used to know…"
Noir, still preoccupied, replied absentmindedly, "Someone Rayleigh knew must have been quite remarkable."
Rayleigh's gaze turned distant, a nostalgic expression on his face. "Indeed. He was very strong."
"I wonder if you've heard of him. His name was Douglas Bullet."
The name snapped Noir out of his reverie. Douglas Bullet?
Douglas Bullet, a former member of the Roger Pirates, known as the "Devil Heir".
If Rayleigh hadn't mentioned him, Noir would have almost forgotten this powerhouse from the Stampede movie.
Bullet had lived during Roger's era. In his youth, he was already capable of fighting on par with Rayleigh in his prime.
Noir even suspected Bullet could have escaped Impel Down without Luffy's intervention.
Later, at the Pirates Festival, the Marines, CP0, the Seven Warlords, the Revolutionary Army, and the Worst Generation Supernovas – all these renowned powerhouses had gathered to confront a single man: Douglas Bullet.
Bullet's strength and talents were undeniable, especially his mastery of Haki, particularly Haoshoku and Busoshoku.
One could shake an entire island, the other could encase it – utterly absurd.
Though, even he couldn't overcome the power of plot armor…
Battles weren't just about numbers and stats. If that were the case, everyone might as well just surrender without fighting.
Even the strongest could be defeated through sheer numbers or strategic teamwork.
Even an Admiral had to be cautious against a little girl.
What if that little girl was Sugar?
In any case, Douglas Bullet, the man who forced almost every major power (except the Yonko) to unite against him, was Noir's ideal target.
Noir's eyes lit up. He grabbed Rayleigh's hand and shook it excitedly. "As expected of the Dark King! What an excellent suggestion!"
Rayleigh stared at Noir, bewildered, unsure of what to say.
Did I suggest something? I don't think I did…
Rayleigh straightened his attire. "So, what did you want to see me for?"
Originally, I wanted to check out your talents and copy them after my system upgrades. But now…
Noir grinned and shook his head. "Actually, it's nothing now."
Rayleigh chuckled, shaking his head. "What a strange kid."
Just then, the System notification chimed:
"Host has encountered a significant figure. Reward issued: Universal Talent Copy Card x1, Master Shipwright Skill."
Noir nearly choked. Do you know how long I've been waiting for Rayleigh's reward?!
He'd assumed it would be something related to Haki. But…
This damn System's rewards have nothing to do with a person's strength.
Master Shipwright? What good is that to me?
Am I supposed to start a shipbuilding business to support myself?
After his usual internal complaints about the System, Noir and his crew freed all the slaves in the mansion, following their established routine of either recruiting them or sending them home.
Though tedious, Noir had found that freed slaves made excellent crewmates.
Their loyalty was unquestionable. Having endured hellish conditions, they wouldn't hesitate to protect their savior, as the Underworld Pirates had demonstrated countless times.
And those chosen for slavery, though it sounded harsh, often possessed unique skills or talents…
After settling the freed slaves, Noir decided to chat with Rayleigh, hoping to glean some insights into Haki training.
Unlike Luffy, Noir already had his own established Haki style and system, so formally apprenticing himself to Rayleigh wasn't necessary.
However, Rayleigh was a legend of the previous era. Even Noir benefited greatly from their conversation.
Taking advantage of Rayleigh's good mood, Noir finally revealed his true purpose.
He wanted Rayleigh to teach Enel and the others about Haki before they set sail again.
Though Noir's own Haki was powerful, he didn't know how to teach others. He trusted Rayleigh to do a much better job.
Rayleigh took a long swig of his drink. "So, how much are you ready to pay for my services?"
Noir sat across from Rayleigh, Enel sitting attentively behind him, like a child about to be sent off to school by his parents.
Except, in this case, it was more like pulling strings to get into the principal's good graces...
Noir, prepared for this, smiled mysteriously and clapped his hands. Several loud thuds echoed from outside.
Rayleigh raised an eyebrow and saw several large wooden chests neatly arranged outside, filled with various fine wines and valuable treasures.
Noir had done his research. Rayleigh loved gambling and drinking, but he was perpetually short on funds. These treasures would be more than enough.
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