In response to Naruto's almost dismissive words, neither Bullet nor Redfield showed any displeasure.
"Hahahaha, you really dare to say that, junior."
A domineering smile appeared on Bullet's face as he gently clenched his fists, producing a series of cracking sounds.
The next moment, terrifying Conqueror's Haki surged out from within Bullet, instantly enveloping Byrnndi World and Patrick Redfield.
Byrnndi World, shrouded by the Conqueror's Haki, seemed to regain some clarity, his eyes shifting uncertainly as he looked at Bullet.
"Such an overbearing aura... I almost regret not mastering this ability myself."
The Red Count, however, acted as if he couldn't feel the Haki at all, still able to speak such modest words with ease.
As a lone wolf, he had no attachments and lacked the 'resolve to become king'.
This was also why, after witnessing the determination of Whitebeard and Roger, he chose to voluntarily withdraw from the stage contending for the Pirate King title.
Of course, not having Conqueror's Haki didn't mean he couldn't withstand it.
Redfield's gaze swept leisurely over Byrnndi World, Bullet, and finally Naruto.
"Revenge... The strongest... And salvation?"
His eyes seemed to transcend physical and temporal boundaries, directly perceiving the beliefs... and memories of the three.
"Marvelous! Incredible!"
"How pure, how beautiful-"
Redfield's gaze finally settled squarely on Naruto, not moving again, completely ignoring the two other legendary pirates beside him.
After praising in a slightly exaggerated, almost recitative tone, he nevertheless stood his umbrella upright.
That was his 'sword'.
"Let me witness it!"
With that, he actually charged forward first, his speed extremely fast, even rivaling that of Byrnndi World using his Devil Fruit's power amplification.
"Old man, don't jump the gun!"
Bullet was still radiating his Conqueror's Haki. Glancing at Redfield's movement, he immediately shouted in dissatisfaction.
However, he didn't join the attack himself. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Naruto.
"What? Still holding back even now? We all felt it earlier, kid!"
Just as Bullet's words fell, Naruto's own Conqueror's Haki abruptly erupted.
Despite forcefully manifesting within Bullet's Conqueror's Haki aura, it reacted by striking later but gaining the upper hand.
Naruto's Conqueror's Haki was like a blue whale, instantly 'devouring' most of Bullet's Conqueror's Haki and continuing to encroach upon their territory.
Redfield, still covered by the Conqueror's Haki, remained unfazed, maintaining his offensive.
Clang!
"I'm serious, you'd better come at me together."
The reforged Mushoukou clashed with Redfield's umbrella, actually producing sparks like metal hitting metal.
Redfield's swordsmanship was extremely fast, even surpassing Roger's in terms of pure speed.
Its weakness was its lack of power.
Combined with his aged and weakened body, the force of his slashes and thrusts, transmitted through Mushoukou to Naruto's hands, gave him the illusion that even if he didn't block, the other couldn't break his defense.
And the moment Naruto had this thought, Redfield opposite him seemed to perceive it as if reading his mind.
"Uzumaki Naruto, don't look down on me so much!"
The Red Count sneered, then his speed suddenly increased. His entire figure turned into countless afterimages, launching tricky sword techniques at Naruto from various angles.
The umbrella wrapped in Haki seemed to have truly become a sharp sword. Wherever it passed, whether the floor or the walls, they were easily sliced open as if they were butter.
Without a doubt, Redfield was also a world-class Master Swordsman.
Unlike Naruto and the other famous swordsmen, Redfield's swordsmanship had only one characteristic.
Speed.
Extreme speed.
It had even completely surpassed the limits of what vision could capture, and one could only rely on powerful Observation Haki to track it.
But, as luck would have it, Redfield's own Observation Haki had also reached a miraculous level, to the point where even Naruto couldn't accurately predict his next move.
Even with brief 'foresight' of the future, that short time was enough for Redfield to, in turn, peruse Naruto's memories and subsequently alter his own attack.
Redfield's nearly seamless swordplay left Naruto unable to continuously emit Conqueror's Haki to contend with Bullet for the moment.
Withdrawing his aura and parrying Redfield with his sword, Naruto sheathed his blade once more.
"In that case, don't die, Red the Aloof."
Hearing this, a confident smile appeared on Redfield's face, and his figure turned into afterimages again.
But the smile on his face couldn't last long.
He couldn't sense it!
He couldn't sense anything.
The Naruto before him, who had sheathed his sword, seemed to instantly turn into nothingness, not a single trace of his aura detectable.
[Observation Killing] was the ability to completely control one's own aura, thereby completely isolating the opponent's Observation Haki prediction. It could only be mastered after training Conqueror's Haki to an extremely high level.
In the next instant, sword lights like phantoms rapidly expanded around Naruto.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto used Mushoukou to unleash dozens of slashes, completely sealing all possible positions Redfield could dodge to.
Clang!
The umbrella was knocked high into the air, even the Haki on it being sliced apart.
"Move aside!"
At that moment, Bullet's figure suddenly appeared beside Redfield, shoving the off-balance Red Count aside with one hand, then immediately throwing a fist imbued with Conqueror's Haki towards Naruto.
Facing this kind of attack, Naruto retaliated in the same manner.
Two fists continuously releasing black and red Haki lightning pressed against each other in the air, prevented from colliding directly due to the barrier of Conqueror's Haki.
Facing different types of opponents, Naruto employed different methods to deal with them.
His Observation Haki could discern the emotions within Bullet and Redfield, and he could also detect that neither held killing intent.
Their main purpose… seemed to be simply to meet him.
Because of this, Naruto didn't mind 'wasting' a little time on them.
...Anyway, those upstairs who needed to find out already had. The plan had changed, and now, he would just grab the person and force his way out.
Boom!
Boom!
The fight between Naruto and Bullet was completely different from the earlier 'sword contest'.
Against the physically aged and strength-lacking Red Count, Naruto chose to fight in the other's area of expertise: swordsmanship.
Against Bullet, who had continuously honed his body and Haki during his twenty years of imprisonment, Naruto had no objection to having a man-to-man, fist-to-flesh battle.
Thud!
Bullet's fist connected with the left side of Naruto's face, causing his head to tilt slightly to the side.
Naruto immediately returned a punch, striking Bullet's abdomen through the Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki.
Boom!!
Bullet was immediately forced back several steps.
"Not bad strength, you're really strong!"
Even though his words seemed somewhat conceding, a fanatical smile bloomed on Bullet's face.
It was the smile that only appeared after finding a strong opponent worthy of surpassing.
Back then, he had left the Roger Pirates because Roger was dying, and he feared he couldn't defeat the other party at his peak, unable to accept that reality.
For a similar reason, after learning from the World Government about the existence of Naruto, this 'successor to Roger's will', his fighting spirit had been reignited.
Casually tearing off the black military uniform damaged from the attack, Bullet's entire body, like Byrnndi World earlier, became covered in Armament Haki.
"Again!"