_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Bzzzzzz!"
The air trembled. Reality itself seemed to twist, rippling outward like water, as the violently roiling sea suddenly fell eerily still.
An overwhelming, suffocating, tyrannical aura surged forward, spreading at impossible speed. It blanketed the area ahead, stretching outward endlessly, like it might swallow the world.
"Crack… crack…"
The sound of shattering metal echoed. Tiny fractures snaked across the once-impenetrable hulls of the warships.
Satori, Koby, and the other officers froze in shock. Their expressions said it all—horror, disbelief, and fear.
They stared, wide-eyed, at the boy standing before them, his white cloak of justice fluttering behind him. For a moment, no one could react.
Beyond Kyle, the five pirate ships were frozen in a surreal moment. Moments ago, the pirates had laughed arrogantly. Now, their faces were pale, eyes rolled back, unconscious.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
One by one, armed pirates collapsed like wheat before the scythe.
The wind died. The thunder above went silent. And around Kyle, the clouds above twisted violently, forming a massive, churning vortex.
"What… is this?!"
"Conqueror's Haki!"
Koby's voice trembled.
Every Marine aboard the warship fell silent. Every eye was locked on the boy ahead.
"Ha…"
Kyle exhaled slowly, his gaze razor-sharp, lethal.
Facing a vast, endless fleet, he only possessed Conqueror's Haki. It was far from enough. Unlike the movies, this was real. If a full-scale battle erupted, he would face the truly unstoppable Golden Lion and his elite New World pirates. Conqueror's Haki alone wouldn't suffice. Retreat might have been the wisest choice.
Yet, against these five pirate ships, he was confident.
A silent, invisible authority radiated across the sea.
Nearly maxed-out Conqueror's Haki—its power was unimaginable. Even weaker Marine officers would crumble before it.
But Kyle's heart sank when he noticed a dozen figures still standing on the pirate ships, resisting the onslaught of his Haki.
"This kid…?"
"He actually awakened Conqueror's Haki!"
A pirate captain, long sword in hand and wearing his captain's hat, gawked in disbelief. The terrifying aura reminded him, for a split second, of Shiki himself.
Looking around, the rest of his crew had already fallen unconscious, utterly incapable of fighting.
Then, in the next instant, two massive auras swept across the battlefield, carried by the sea wind, shocking everyone around them.
"Captain Shiki! Roger's in our sights!"
The pirate captain tightened his grip on his sword, eyes locking onto the black-haired boy ahead.
"This might get tricky…"
"But I'm no weakling either!"
He swung his hand. His gaze sharpened.
"Take them down!"
Those who could resist the Conqueror's Haki were unquestionably elite—officers, veterans.
As the pirate ships closed in within tens of meters, both sides roared and charged.
At the same time, the Orleckson came to a slow halt, its massive hull rising and falling with the waves.
"Roger… things are about to get really messy," Rayleigh said grimly.
"The Sky Pirates are mobilizing everything. They're going all-in!"
"Hahaha!"
"Don't worry, Rayleigh. We'll be fine!"
A man with a captain's hat and a sharp mustache laughed, stepping onto the bow, gazing up at the golden, lion-like figure in the sky.
"Shiki, it seems we meet again!"
The Golden Lion himself peered down and laughed. "Kehehehe! Roger, join me! Together, the world would be ours!"
Roger smiled faintly, shaking his head. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
"Roger!"
"You don't understand the situation. You have only one choice—obey me!"
Shiki bellowed, releasing a violent aura that rippled in every direction.
At the same time, Roger's aura exploded outward as well.
"My goal has always been one. I answer to no one!"
"Shiki, your ambition is too big!"
Their gazes locked. Their auras clashed, splitting the surrounding space in two.
Suddenly, a surge of aura erupted from the distant sea. It collided with the split zones of their energy with a sharp crack, forming a third area.
Almost immediately, both of them turned toward Kyle.
Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and others looked on, astonished.
This Conqueror's Haki was just as strong as the legendary duel unfolding before them.
"Hahaha!"
"Seems we've just stumbled upon an interesting young man!" Shiki laughed, his eyes landing on the black-haired boy aboard the warship.
"But my true target… has always been you, Roger!"
Shiki's eyes sharpened. He leapt downward in a single, fluid motion.
"Then come, Shiki!"
Roger roared, springing into the air.
Lightning cut through the sky as the two figures collided.
"God Dodge!"
"Slash Wave!"
The violent shockwaves radiated outward, whipping the wind into a frenzy. The force was so intense it carved depressions into the sea, making nearby ships tremble violently.
Someone looked up, stunned.
"Good heavens!"
"The sky… it's splitting!"
Fear, awe, and shock painted every face.
"Hahaha! Only you, Roger! In this era, you alone command my respect and make me want to conquer everything!"
Shiki's twin blades clashed against Roger's, ringing with metallic fury.
"Thanks for the compliment," Roger replied with a grin.
Their battle turned the entire sea into chaos.
Soon, crew members and officers joined in, clashing across the waters.
"Shh!"
Even the lingering aftershocks of their blades sliced through dozens of pirate ships, leaving screams and carnage in their wake.
The scale of this fight was unimaginable, spreading rapidly across the sea, even affecting Kyle and his allies.
"Boom!"
A warship exploded, flames licking the sky. Decks creaked, the vessel rocked violently, and the wind roared like a living beast.
Kyle watched from afar, his heart pounding at the terrifying destructive power of these fighters.
Then he fixed his gaze forward. He bent his knees, coiled, and launched into action.
Boom!
Like a spring, he soared into the air. A black-and-red aura of Conqueror's Haki flared around him. A faint, almost imperceptible energy swirled around his arms, condensing into his fists.
Black-and-red electricity crackled across his fingers and forearms.
Buzz!
At the apex of his jump, he clenched his fist. Bones snapped audibly.
Then he slammed downward.
"Fist… Meteor!"
Black-and-red lightning erupted in a blinding flash.
"..."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________