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"Lu En? You... are that 'Heavenly King' Lu En?"
Buggy looked at Lu En, his expression abruptly changing.
Recently, the hottest topic on the seas was the World Economic News' report about the imminent birth of a new king in the East Blue.
"Heavenly King" Lu En.
That was the man's epithet.
"Ye-yes, Captain Buggy, this guy, he's that 'Heavenly King' Lu En!
And that green-haired one, that's 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro!"
A subordinate of Buggy's, holding a newspaper, compared it to Lu En's face and swallowed hard.
"A Conqueror's Haki user."
At this moment, even Buggy's forehead was slick with cold sweat.
While "Pirate Hunter" Zoro had a considerable reputation among pirates in the East Blue,
Buggy, having eaten the Chop-Chop Fruit, didn't fear any swordsman.
But Conqueror's Haki was different.
As a former crewmate on the Pirate King's ship ā except for not making it to the Final Island, Laugh Tale, due to a sudden illness ā
Buggy had followed the Roger Pirates and could be said to have almost conquered the entire Grand Line.
In the East Blue, no one understood better than Buggy what Conqueror's Haki truly signified.
That was theĀ King's Disposition!
Anyone who awakened it, even in the New World, was considered a powerhouse.
Such a man, appearing in the East Blue?
Wait!
Buggy suddenly thought of something, looking incredulously at Luffy, who was still in the cage.
This Lu En, he's this brat's... crewmate?!
Could the title "Heavenly King" be taken to parallel Vice-Captain Rayleigh's "Dark King" title, because this brat wants to become the Pirate King?!
Does this mean that this Conqueror's Haki user also believes this brat can become the Pirate King in the future?!
What in the hell kind of joke is this?!
An arrogant, pompous brat who claims to be the Pirate King, and a man who is acknowledged by a Conqueror's Haki user as one who will become the Pirate King, are not the same concept at all.
But why?! Why would such a brat be acknowledged by a Conqueror's Haki user?!
Buggy's eyes were bloodshot.
"'Heavenly King,' Lu En?"
Nami murmured the name, looking at Lu En with disbelief.
These past few days, Nami had been completely absorbed in the Grand Line's sea charts, without time to buy the latest newspapers.
Although she hadn't seen the report, the domineering epithet "Heavenly King," and the tension and fear in Buggy's demeanorāa pirate with a bounty of 15 million Beri, considered a prominent figure in the East Blueāupon hearing Lu En's name, was enough to explain everything.
Nami also understood the significance of "Pirate Hunter" Zoro's name in the East Blue.
But when Buggy heard Zoro's name, he was merely surprised; upon hearing Lu En's name, he was incredibly tense and wary.
Just his epithet alone could make the great pirate Buggy so nervous.
Could this man truly be that strong?
Nami stared blankly at Lu En, who was standing in front of her.
"Inner strength increased, Conqueror's Haki strength increased."
A light screen appeared.
Lu En looked at Buggy, whose forehead was sweating from hearing his epithet, and at Nami's shocked gaze behind him. A faint smile touched his lips.
The reactions of those small-time pirates to his epithet were no longer enough to boost his inner strength.
But the reactions of important plot characters like Buggy and Nami to his epithet still felt very satisfying to Lu En, thus increasing his inner strength.
The process of Haki improvement in theĀ One PieceĀ world was akin to a selective breeding process,
Using the blood and failures of enemies to forge one's own stronger Haki.
And the epithets of strong individuals in theĀ One PieceĀ world were also built upon the blood and failures of enemies; the principle was the same.
Therefore, to improve inner strength and Haki through epithets,
One's epithet must continuously become more renowned to continually increase inner strength and Haki.
The best way to display a pirate's epithet was naturally through their bounty. No wonder pirates valued the height of their bounties.
Of course, this method was too uncertain. A more convenient and stable way to improve inner strength and Haki was theĀ Born for the SeaĀ (Super Gold) Trait on Buggy's body right now.
"You!"
"Buzz!"
Just as Buggy was about to speak, he saw Lu En's eyes flicker fiercely with a reddish-black hue.
The next moment.
"Boom!"
A terrifying aura instantly swept out, washing over the Buggy Pirates.
"..."
The numerous Buggy Pirate subordinates froze in place, then their eyes rolled back, and they fainted.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
The Buggy Pirate subordinates fell one after another.
Conqueror's Haki, activated!
The weak, in the presence of a King, didn't even have the right to remain conscious!
"Sugoi! Lu En!"
Luffy bared his teeth and roared, providing ample emotional value.
"Amazing."
Zoro sheathed his sword, also impressed.
This power, no matter how many times he saw it, felt terrifying.
"Wha-what happened?"
Nami looked at the scene before her in disbelief.
From Luffy and Zoro's reactions, Lu En was responsible for this.
But Lu En hadn't even moved; at most, he had just narrowed his eyes, and the Buggy Pirates were almost completely wiped out.
What... what kind of power was this?!
Arlong's power was terrifying, but at least it was tangible.
Everything that was happening now was beyond Nami's comprehension.
Nami looked incredulously at Lu En, who had a faint, arrogant smirk on his lips.
"Conqueror's... Haki..."
Buggy's forehead was drenched in cold sweat.
Although he already knew Lu En possessed Conqueror's Haki, experiencing the impact of Conqueror's Haki firsthand was no joke.
If he hadn't already become accustomed to such impacts during his time with the Roger Pirates, he probably would have instantly fainted too.
Conqueror's Haki, and a Conqueror's Haki user who could precisely control it...
Such a man, appearing in the East Blue, and choosing such an insignificant, arrogant brat as a captain?!
What kind of ridiculous joke was this?!
"As expected, he didn't faint."
Lu En looked at Buggy, who was sweating but hadn't fainted, feeling a slight regret.
After all, Buggy had been a cabin boy on the Roger Pirates, a man who had even experienced the clash of Roger's and Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki.
Although Buggy hadn't awakened his Conqueror's Haki yet, trying to make him faint with just a Conqueror's Haki burst was still somewhat unrealistic.
In that case, he'd have to use another method.
Buggy absolutely had to lose consciousness.
"Zoro."
Lu En looked at Zoro.
"Got it!"
Seeing Lu En's gaze, Zoro instantly rushed towards the unfired cannon.
Before coming here, Zoro had learned from Lu En that Buggy possessed the Chop-Chop Fruit, and his swordsmanship would have no effect on him.
"Hah!"
Under Buggy's terrified gaze, Zoro redirected the cannon, aiming it at... Buggy.
"St-stop! There's a Buggy Ball in there!"
Buggy screamed in terror.
"Boom!"
The next moment, fire flashed, and the Buggy Ball slammed into the ground at Buggy's feet.
A violent explosion of fire instantly erupted.