Some say that Conqueror's Haki is an extraordinary gift possessed by only one in a million—a mark of a true king.
Others claim that in the New World, those who wield Conqueror's Haki are as numerous as fish in the sea.
Which of these statements is true? There's no way to verify it.
It's much like how a group of pirates who have mastered Moonwalk might scoff at the technique, declaring it a mere party trick—something anyone could easily learn.
Yet in truth, pirates capable of using Moonwalk freely are still rare.
The same holds for Conqueror's Haki.
They say it's common, yet only a select few have ever truly witnessed it in action.
One thing, however, is certain—
Those who stand at the pinnacle of the New World all possess Conqueror's Haki.
Thus, anyone who wishes to thrive in the New World must cultivate the strength to withstand its overwhelming presence.
Otherwise, they'll end up like the Marines under Chaton's command—collapsing over and over again under Maude's Haki, unable to accomplish a thing.
For Maude, Conqueror's Haki was a highly convenient tool for clearing the field. No matter the situation, his first response was always the same—unleash a burst of Haki.
And once he did, all eyes in the vicinity were immediately drawn to him.
"To the death, right here and now? Zehahaha!!"
Blackbeard threw his head back and roared with laughter, veins bulging around his eyes. When he looked at Maude, his gaze was that of a beast poised to devour its prey.
"Forget it. I didn't come all this way just to fight some pointless battle."
A man of immense patience, Blackbeard had come here for one thing—
The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Any battle unrelated to that goal was, in his eyes, utterly meaningless and a complete waste of time.
Even when he encountered Ace and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates at sea, Blackbeard had avoided conflict whenever possible.
That was simply how he operated.
Some might call it knowing when to advance and when to retreat.
Others might call it cowardice.
Hearing Blackbeard's words, both Fujitora's forces and the Whitebeard Pirates turned their attention to him.
Lafitte and Gaya, having just finished their battle, dragged the unconscious Jack and Ulti to Maude's side.
A freezing chill radiated from Aokiji as he watched Blackbeard in silence, deep in thought.
Maude looked at Blackbeard and smiled. "How could this be meaningless? Whether by fate or chance, since we're all gathered here, this moment… is the perfect opportunity to send 'enemies' off the stage of this bloodstained era."
He paused for a moment, then added in a completely casual tone:
"What? Don't tell me I'm the only one thinking this?"
"..."
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Every gaze fixed upon Maude, carrying an inexplicable gleam.
In stark contrast to Blackbeard's hesitance, Maude's words were spoken with absolute dominance, making his overwhelming presence even more striking.
On the rocky outcrop above—
Ace, Marco, and Vista, three core members of the Whitebeard Pirates, watched Maude with grim expressions.
"If we stay, we'll only be helping Blackbeard shoulder the risk. It's better to withdraw for now."
Flower Sword Vista, always level-headed, quickly assessed the situation and leaned toward an immediate retreat.
His judgment wasn't merely about playing it safe.
With four factions converging here, a chaotic battle was inevitable. And with only three of them, the odds were hardly in their favor.
Most importantly, with Marco's incredible mobility, they could leave at any time, shifting all the danger onto Blackbeard.
"I'm not leaving."
Flames flickered in Ace's eyes as he declared in a low voice, "Like that guy said—this is an opportunity."
Even after experiencing Marineford, the son of the Pirate King still did not understand the meaning of retreat.
This was the same man who, years ago, had recklessly stormed Onigashima to challenge Kaido alone.
Had Kaido not been away on an expedition, Ace's head would have been reduced to pulp beneath the Yonko's kanabo.
"Ace, Vista's right. If we stay, we'll only be helping Te—Blackbeard."
Marco placed a firm hand on Ace's shoulder, his stance aligned with Vista's.
Given the current situation, their greatest advantage over Blackbeard was the ability to leave whenever they wished.
The moment they did, Blackbeard's crew—left alone—would become the prime target of Fujitora and the Marines.
Ace wasn't blind; he could see that for himself.
But the thought of retreating without a fight left him unwilling.
Clenching his teeth, his gaze locked onto both Maude and Blackbeard. "Old man's body… is still in Maude's hands!"
"..."
Marco and Vista's faces darkened slightly.
At the harbor—
Fujitora's Marines looked on in astonishment at Maude's bold declaration.
Blackbeard's crew shared their reaction.
Yet Maude's own crew remained completely composed.
They had attacked Mary Geoise and slain Celestial Dragons—
At this point, no matter what Maude decided, they would follow without hesitation.
"Why so quiet?"
As the atmosphere grew heavier, Maude smiled.
From the moment Blackbeard and the remnants of Whitebeard's crew arrived, Maude's first reaction was surprise.
But that quickly gave way to an idea—
This was the perfect opportunity to eliminate not just Blackbeard's crew, but Whitebeard's remnants as well.
This wasn't mere overconfidence in his own strength.
No—
He had Aokiji on his side.
Moreover, given Fujitora's sense of justice, he would prioritize taking down the more dangerous pirates first—
Which meant Blackbeard's crew and Whitebeard's remnants.
Shing—
With the entire battlefield's threads now within his grasp, Maude unsheathed Shusui without hesitation.
The whisper of steel reaching Blackbeard's ears was grating.
"Well then," Maude said, his voice calm but resolute, "I'll take your silence as consent. Here and now—
"No one leaves alive."
Each word, laced with unshakable dominance, carried an overwhelming force.
Everyone present could sense it—
This wasn't bluster.
The man who had shaken the world time and time again wasn't joking.
He was dead serious.
Madman.
Blackbeard's bloodshot eyes reflected his thoughts.
But he had no intention of playing along with Maude's insanity.
A life-or-death battle here would be nothing but a disaster—
For him.
"Zehahaha!!"
Blackbeard suddenly burst into laughter, his gaze flicking toward the Whitebeard remnants above.
In mere seconds, both he and Marco's group had fully assessed the situation—
And each of them knew what needed to be done.
The one thing Blackbeard feared most was Marco and the others abandoning the battlefield, leaving him to face Fujitora and Maude alone.
His mind raced—
And then, with a sudden shift, his laughter died down as he called out loudly:
"Ace, my brother! You see it too, don't you? This is the perfect chance to avenge our old man! So what do you say? How about we put our differences aside for now—
"And take down the bastard who killed him?"
When it came to status within the Whitebeard Pirates, there was no doubt that Marco held the highest position. Yet, Blackbeard called out Ace's name.
This was because Blackbeard understood Ace's personality well.
And his objective was clear—to make Ace stay.
As long as Ace stayed, Marco and Vista would have no choice but to remain as well.
"..."
Standing atop a mushroom-shaped rock, Ace's gaze sharpened upon hearing Blackbeard's words.
"Ace, don't be reckless."
"Our crew is still out at sea, and those Marines by the port won't be easy to deal with. It'd be best if we left for now."
Marco and Vista both furrowed their brows, exchanging glances before addressing Ace.
"Sorry…"
Ace took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I don't want to just run away with my tail between my legs."
As soon as he spoke, Ace raised his right hand, palm facing upward.
Great Flame Emperor!
A colossal surge of flames erupted from Ace's palm, rapidly coalescing into a massive fireball that radiated an intense heat.
This technique—Flame Emperor—was Ace's strongest attack.
Before the Summit War, he had to release flames from his entire body to generate this technique within a short period.
But now, after the battle at Marineford, his strength had advanced significantly.
With just his right hand, he could summon and condense a Great Flame Emperor in less than a second—its size and power vastly exceeding what it had been before.
The scorching fireball hovered steadily above his palm.
Its brilliant flames dispelled the gloom cast by the dark clouds, illuminating every corner of the port.
"Zehahaha…"
Seeing Ace immediately unleash his most powerful move, Blackbeard let out a deep, rumbling laugh, eagerly anticipating Ace hurling the massive fireball at Maude.
But just as Blackbeard was filled with excitement, Ace's icy gaze suddenly turned toward him without warning.
"Hm?"
Blackbeard's smile stiffened.
Without hesitation, Ace hurled the blistering Great Flame Emperor straight at Blackbeard and his crew below.
"Oi, oi! Ace, are you attacking the wrong person?!"
Blackbeard bellowed in shock, but his hands moved without pause, dark mist seeping from his palms.
Shiryu of the Rain and the others merely assumed defensive stances as the massive fireball descended upon them.
They knew their captain's ability well, so they weren't the least bit concerned.
Dark Vortex!
True to their confidence, Blackbeard raised his right hand, enshrouded in swirling darkness, and met the Great Flame Emperor head-on.
The instant it made contact, the dark mist in Blackbeard's palm devoured the roaring flames like a black hole, swallowing them completely.
The fiery glow that had illuminated the entire port vanished in an instant.
"Damn, that was close, Ace! You almost burned my eyebrows off!"
After nullifying Ace's strongest attack, Blackbeard feigned a look of lingering fear.
But anyone with keen eyes could see that he had extinguished the Great Flame Emperor as effortlessly as one might snuff out a cigarette underfoot.
A testament to the terrifying power of the Dark-Dark Fruit.
"Dark-Dark Fruit…"
Kuzan's eyes narrowed gravely.
He had once heard Garp recount the events of 38 years ago, when the Rocks Pirates terrorized the seas.
A massive pirate crew, renowned worldwide, consisting almost entirely of monsters—their strength formidable enough to threaten the world itself.
And the man who led them—Rocks D. Xebec—had wielded the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit.
Recalling history now, it seemed…
Across 800 years of history, every twenty years, a major figure bearing the initial D. would rise to shape the era.
Setting aside ancient legends, over the last forty years alone, Rocks D. Xebec was the dominant force of his time, Gol D. Roger came next, heralding a new age, and now, the next twenty-year cycle was nearing its end, with just about a year remaining.
If this pattern was real…
Then who would be next?
Kuzan silently studied Blackbeard, a D.-bearer who had consumed the Dark-Dark Fruit.
After leaving the Marines, Kuzan had intended to travel the world and seek answers with his own eyes.
Originally, he had planned to approach Blackbeard.
If he hadn't met Maude, perhaps in a few months, the name tied to him wouldn't be the Maude Pirates, but something else entirely.
"If I can take this chance to eliminate Blackbeard…"
A cold, lethal glint flickered in Kuzan's eyes.
He was not one to kill easily.
But now, his instincts told him—if he could erase Blackbeard here, it would undoubtedly be for the best.
As for why?
Even Kuzan himself wasn't entirely sure.
"Captain…"
His decision made, white frost began swirling around Kuzan's right arm. Still, he didn't forget his current allegiance—before taking action, he sought Maude's approval.
Maude glanced at the frost forming around Kuzan's arm, slightly surprised by his initiative.
Since joining the crew, Kuzan had shed the visible laziness he once had as a Marine Admiral. In its place was an unwavering focus on what lay ahead.
After a brief pause, Maude gave him a nod.
Seeing this, the icy aura around Kuzan's arm intensified in an instant.
Ice Bird!
A white mist of cold air condensed into an ice bird, flapping its wings as it shot toward Blackbeard, freezing even the air in its wake.
"Again?!"
Blackbeard's expression twisted in shock as the Ice Age Beak hurtled toward him.
Fire first, now ice.
Wasn't this supposed to be a chaotic battle?
Why did it feel like he was the only one being targeted?
A sense of unease crept over him.
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