Chapter 200: Clash of Kings
Rhodes refused to believe Blackbeard was unaware that he'd awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Recruiting someone who possessed Conqueror's Haki was nearly impossible—unless there existed a bond like family, such as that between Whitebeard and Ace, or a brotherhood like that between Roger and Rayleigh.
Without such familial connections, two wielders of Conqueror's Haki would always remain fundamentally incompatible, and conflict would inevitably arise.
As Doflamingo had once said—in the same era, all those who possessed Conqueror's Haki would ultimately face each other at the end of their journeys, determining victory or defeat, even life and death.
Blackbeard seemed oblivious to the hidden meaning in Rhodes's tone, simply smiling as he continued:
"Why would you think that? I genuinely do want to recruit you as a crew member—"
But before he could finish his sentence—
He felt a terrifying presence suddenly surge from Rhodes's body, shaking the earth and reverberating through the vast hall. Hancock, sitting beside Rhodes, felt her hair flutter from the overwhelming pressure.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
Hawkeye, the other Shichibukai, and Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes all flashed with recognition.
"Zehahahaha! So that's Conqueror's Haki, is it?"
Blackbeard roared with laughter, unleashing his own Conqueror's Haki in response—the two forces clashing violently.
CRACK!
Two manifestations of absolute willpower collided, instantly distorting the very air and generating fierce winds. The crystal chandelier overhead rattled ominously, threatening to fall.
"What troublesome individuals..." Vice Admiral Tsuru pressed her fingers to her temples helplessly, but there was nothing she could realistically do. Blackbeard's words had been genuinely provocative—even contemptuous—a blatant challenge to Rhodes's pride.
In this situation, if Rhodes could tolerate such disrespect, Tsuru would actually look down on him.
BOOM!
An invisible shockwave echoed through the air.
An invisible boundary line, centered at the dining table, rapidly expanded outward—the result of their clashing willpower creating turbulent air currents.
Despite this, Rhodes remained utterly composed, leaning casually against his chair with an air of complete nonchalance.
Blackbeard had only recently obtained the Yami Yami no Mi. His ambitious plans remained incomplete, and he was still far from becoming a Yonko. Therefore, his Conqueror's Haki wasn't particularly strong—even somewhat immature, likely due to recent awakening.
Therefore, Rhodes felt completely at ease.
The air surged violently as the collision boundary began spreading continuously toward Blackbeard's side.
Everyone present understood exactly what this meant!
With his Conqueror's Haki being actively suppressed, Blackbeard's playful demeanor had long since evaporated. His brow furrowed, his expression turning deadly serious—he saw echoes of the young Roger and Whitebeard in the man across from him!
"With this level of strength, you dare speak so casually about recruitment? Blackbeard, did your sneak attack murder of Thatch and defeat of the young Fire Fist Ace inflate your ambitions so drastically?"
Rhodes spoke with cutting disdain.
Blackbeard was undeniably formidable. Even before obtaining the Yami Yami no Mi, he'd managed to scar Red-Haired Shanks's face. With that Devil Fruit, he became even more dangerous.
But Rhodes wasn't intimidated in the slightest.
The Yami Yami no Mi was considered the most dangerous fruit because it attracted all attacks toward the user, negated Devil Fruit abilities upon contact regardless of type, and could even steal those abilities entirely.
However, Rhodes wasn't a Devil Fruit user. While his abilities resembled fruit powers, they were fundamentally distinct. Neither seawater nor Seastone could harm him.
From this perspective, Rhodes actually possessed a significant inherent advantage over Blackbeard.
"Fufufufufu! Such an interesting spectacle—how could I possibly be left out..."
With a sinister laugh, another wave of Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted from the side—Doflamingo's presence charging directly at Rhodes's willpower from a different angle.
BANG!
Caught by the sudden two-front assault, Rhodes's overwhelming pressure on Blackbeard instantly dissipated, and the boundary returned to the center of the table.
"Two against one?"
Rhodes reached out to restrain Hancock, who was grinding her teeth as she prepared to intervene. Then, with an expression that seemed to regard everyone present as beneath him, he gently tapped the table and declared:
"So what?"
BOOM!
Like a thunderclap descending from the heavens—
Hawkeye and the others felt their very souls tremble, an involuntary sense of reverence and awe welling up from deep within.
"How is this possible?!"
Hawkeye and the others immediately dismissed those instinctive feelings, but the profound shock remained.
Hawkeye even felt as though he were facing Red-Haired Shanks himself!
Rhodes, having unleashed his Conqueror's Haki to its absolute limit, managed to overwhelm both Blackbeard and Doflamingo simultaneously—even while outnumbered—forcing both to stand and confront him with exponentially greater force.
Throughout his battles with Garp and his stalemate against Kizaru, Rhodes's Conqueror's Haki had been steadily growing stronger.
While the increases were modest and fueled primarily by his indomitable willpower, they were sufficient to place Rhodes definitively above both Blackbeard and Doflamingo.
CRACK!
Under the chaotic three-way clash, the epicenter finally gave way—the dining table shattering completely into splinters!
Both Blackbeard and Doflamingo gritted their teeth, pushing their Conqueror's Haki to absolute extremes. Simultaneously, they unconsciously exerted tremendous force with their feet, creating massive craters in the hall's marble floor.
This was due to their stubborn refusal to retreat even an inch.
At that precise moment, a raspy yet strangely magnetic voice suddenly echoed from the distance:
"That's enough. Stop this immediately."
Before the words had fully finished, Rhodes felt a spiritual force—distinctly different from Conqueror's Haki—suddenly pierce through the air, striking all three combatants simultaneously. With an abrupt jolt, the conflict ceased entirely.
"Hmm?"
Rhodes retracted his Conqueror's Haki and turned to observe a figure dressed in CP0 captain attire, who had silently materialized outside the hallway entrance.
His eyes were a pair of abyssal black voids—completely devoid of white—giving him an incredibly unnerving appearance.
"What kind of power is this? Some Devil Fruit ability similar to the Soru Soru no Mi, involving willpower and spiritual manipulation?"
Rhodes suspected this figure was one of the top three CP0 captains Betty had mentioned previously.
However, Rhodes remained completely unfazed, calmly meeting the man's disturbing gaze without flinching.
After successfully stopping the conflict, CP0 Squad Captain Carlos said nothing further. He gave Rhodes one final, measuring look before turning and departing silently.
"Alright, Rhodes. Let's end this here."
Vice Admiral Tsuru interjected diplomatically.
"Understood."
Rhodes nodded slightly, showing appropriate respect for the veteran Marine—Momousagi's elder sister figure.
He cast one final glance toward Blackbeard and Doflamingo before turning to leave with Hancock.
Visits to Mariejois were exceptionally rare, and he wanted to explore this so-called Holy Land properly—see if there were any unique delicacies worth trying, and also help Hancock continue adjusting to this fundamental change in her mindset and social standing.
After the two departed, both Blackbeard and Doflamingo visibly relaxed, though their expressions gradually darkened with suppressed fury.
This had been a genuine humiliation.
For Blackbeard especially, it represented an unexpected and devastating blow to his pride.
Since betraying the Whitebeard Pirates, he'd assembled his crew, defeated Ace, become a Shichibukai, and practically single-handedly triggered the outbreak of the Marineford War. His meteoric rise had been smooth sailing, and his confidence had soared accordingly.
But now he'd been overwhelmingly suppressed by Rhodes—a fellow Shichibukai who was significantly younger.
Without Doflamingo's intervention, he would have been completely crushed.
However, Blackbeard—with his naturally ambitious and adaptable personality—was more concerned with Rhodes's exceptional natural talent and strength.
At such a young age, yet he already possesses such overwhelmingly powerful Conqueror's Haki...
And it's rumored this guy's combat ability already rivals that of a Marine Admiral!
"This man may become my most formidable rival in the future."
A ruthless, determined glint flashed across Blackbeard's eyes. He absolutely must achieve his ultimate goal during the upcoming war!
After Rhodes and the others waited in Mariejois for an extended period, notification finally arrived from the World Government.
All Shichibukai were to proceed immediately to Marine Headquarters.
Because the war was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/Soulforger (30+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01