Rhett's blood mist suddenly surged. The dark red mist spread like a tide, instantly enveloping the two of them.
"If you're going to be vice captain, you'll have to show me what you can do." Rhett's voice echoed in the mist.
He wasn't sure of her strength. So he used his standard pre-battle pressure, mixed with his Conqueror's Haki. In this blood-red world, the mist seemed filled with countless watching eyes. Oppressive and dangerous.
Witte chuckled. She raised her fingertip lightly.
"As you wish, Captain."
In an instant, ice-blue roses bloomed beneath her feet. They spread quickly, carrying a piercing chill. Ice crystal vines grew and spread freely through Rhett's mist. Roses and blood mist intertwined. Beautiful and eerie.
Their figures appeared and disappeared in the mist and the sea of flowers.
"Roses?" Rhett raised an eyebrow. "Pretty."
"After all —" Evil Witte tilted her head, her smile mischievous. "Roses have thorns, don't they? And Captain, these flowers are very fragrant. Won't you try smelling them?"
"My mist is good for clearing the mind. Try it." Evil Rhett answered with a grin.
They both took a few deep breaths at the same time.
From the sidelines, BT analyzed: "Analysis: Feint. Air did not enter the lungs. The air contains corrosive elements and toxins. This action is highly not recommended."
"Captain, you're not being honest~"
"Right back at you."
Evil Rhett spoke again. "Let's have a fair and square fight."
"I'd be delighted, Captain."
......
The crimson blood mist and the ice-blue roses intertwined in the moonlight. They formed an eerie and magnificent domain. Rhett's right hand formed a fist. The blood mist instantly condensed into a pitch-black greatsword. Dark red mist wrapped around the blade, flowing as if alive.
"Mist God Style: Dragon's Wrath." Rhett twisted his wrist. The blade slashed. The blood mist surged. A ferocious dragon's head roared and shot toward Witte.
Witte was in no hurry. Her silver sword glinted coldly in the moonlight.
"Floral Language: First Bloom."
She touched the tip of her sword to the ground. Ice-blue roses immediately burst through the ground, forming a wall of flowers that split the dragon's head in two.
A glint of appreciation flickered in Rhett's eyes. His figure flashed and he appeared in front of Witte.
"Mist God Style: Blood Dragon's Calamity."
Nine blood dragons circled around Rhett. His figure suddenly disappeared. He reappeared in front of Witte.
"Floral Language: Full Bloom." Witte retreated lightly. With every step, a blooming rose appeared in the air. Her blade precisely blocked each attack. The sound of metal clashing was crisp and pleasant.
"Mist God Style: Blood Devour!" Rhett suddenly changed his technique. The black blade turned into countless thin strands of blood mist that attacked Witte from all directions.
"Floral Language: Thorn Dance." Witte spun. Her silver sword traced a perfect circle. Ice-blue roses instantly grew sharp thorns that deflected all the blood mist.
The fight grew more and more intense. Rhett's black blade and Witte's silver sword clashed repeatedly. Sparks flew.
"One final strike." Rhett suddenly withdrew his sword.
"Mist God Style: Twin Dragons Playing with a Pearl."
The entire space seemed to freeze. All the blood mist instantly contracted to the tip of his sword. Two blood dragons roared, one on the left and one on the right.
Witte took a deep breath. She held her silver sword level. "Floral Language: Eternal Promise."
Ice-blue roses bloomed all around her. Petals fell one by one. Time seemed to stand still.
Just as the two forces were about to collide—
You thought they would crash into each other? They didn't. They just shattered like glass. It had been a battle of illusions from the very beginning. Inside the domain of blood mist and roses, the real battle had already been fought on another level.
Rhett: "I told you. People who use illusions are very sneaky. There are fewer and fewer bright, honest, open, handsome people like me."
"Interesting." Rhett's voice came from all directions. "Your illusions are quite something."
"Right back at you~" Witte's laughter drifted through the mist. "The captain's were very impressive too."
Laboon: "Woo???" (When did they start? I didn't notice anything at all!)
Tesoro patted Laboon's head. These two were clearly out of Laboon's league.
Suddenly, all the illusions shattered at once. Rhett appeared behind Witte. The Black Tide Greatsword pressed lightly against her back.
"But," Rhett's voice was a little mocking, "in the face of absolute strength, illusions are just parlor tricks. And I'm very good at illusions too."
Witte blinked.
Rhett's brow furrowed. Uh oh. She blinked. Evil Witte blinking was no different from the Dragon King's smirk.
"Oh, you noticed~" She turned around, completely unconcerned about the blade against her chest. "But Captain, are you sure you're not in my illusion right now?"
Rhett raised an eyebrow. He was about to speak when he noticed that the black sword in his hand had somehow turned into a rose. And the environment around them had completely changed. They were standing in an endless rose garden.
"Floral Language: Mirror Flower, Water Moon." Witte gave an elegant bow. "This is my ultimate illusion."
Rhett looked around. Then he smiled. "Not bad. Really not bad." He snapped his fingers. "But—"
"CRACK." The entire rose garden shattered like glass. They were back on the deck. Rhett's sword tip was still steadily pointed at Witte's heart.
"—I saw through it long ago. From the first word you spoke."
Witte pouted. "No fun. Can't you let me win just once~"
"When you truly become vice captain, maybe." Rhett turned and walked toward the cabin. But the corners of his mouth curled up. "But... your illusions are indeed impressive."
Rhett: I look absolutely cool right now. Great, Rhett! Keep it up! Don't let the corners of your mouth curl up. Just walk slowly back to your room. Leave them with the image of a reliable family head.
Witte ran after him. "Does that mean I passed the test?"
"Barely qualified."
Rhett: Yes. That's right. The class. It's so high. Rhett, you're a genius.
"Yay!" Witte happily made a victory sign. She turned to the others watching. "Did you hear that?! I'm now officially a vice captain!"
Perona floated over and hugged her. "Congratulations, Sister Witte!"
Tesoro pushed up his glasses. "Captain, the repairs will still come out of your allowance."
"WHAT??!!!!"
Rhett instantly appeared in front of Tesoro, their foreheads touching. "Not you too, old Tesoro. What do you mean by that? Are you targeting me? We fought together. You want me to pay for everything myself?"
Tesoro wasn't swayed by Rhett's act. He pointed at the large hole in the deck. It was still being corroded by the blood mist.
Rhett's silence was deafening. Evil Rhett was now thinking about slapping himself. Why did you come back?