Douglas Bullet was a wild man who spent his life in the pursuit of ultimate power. A monster born for battle, fighting was his only hobby. His greatest desire was to kill every strong person on the seas and prove that he was "the strongest, surpassing even Roger." To this end, he had been practicing in silence for 20 years in Impel Down's Eternal Hell, in a state of extreme concentration. He was an uncompromising powerhouse and a certifiable lunatic.
At this moment, this mountain of a man was standing at the exit of the Blazing Hell on Level 4, as if he were waiting for something. Soon, Adrian and a pale Betty slowly walked down from the floor above. The formerly fiery "flag-waving girl" was now as docile as a lamb. If she hadn't been using her Pump-Pump Fruit to motivate herself to keep going, she would have had a nervous breakdown by now. Her new boss was too bloodthirsty. It left her with no room for a shred of disobedience.
"You're the one who started all the killing above us," Bullet said, an excited, ferocious smile spreading across his face as he saw Adrian. Although his Observation Haki was far inferior to Adrian's, it was still a genuine advanced grade. In the movie, after he transformed into his ultimate "Great Bullet" form, he could accurately sense the enemy's location from the far side of the island. This showed a hint of his strength.
When Bullet had reached Level 4, he had sensed the carnage above. Anyone else would have chosen to flee Impel Down first, but for the bloodthirsty and battle-hungry Bullet, challenging the strong was the only meaningful thing in his life. So, he had chosen to stay and wait for Adrian's arrival.
"Douglas Bullet, I came here just for you. Join me," Adrian stated bluntly. He knew that for a powerhouse like Bullet, ideals and dreams were worthless. You just had to beat him first. Then, in his pursuit of transcendence, Bullet would follow. A brute like him, who purely sought power, was actually the easiest to control. Adrian had no intention of wasting time. He would just act.
"Heh ha ha ha! What an arrogant guy. If you want to be my captain, you'll have to beat me first!"
If it had been anyone else, Bullet would have punched him right away. He was never one for talking. But this time was different. Bullet sensed a terrifying aura from Adrian—one that was no less formidable than Roger's. The feeling excited him.
Hmph!
In the next second, a terrifying pressure erupted from Bullet's body, surging violently toward Adrian. A visible, green-purple ripple formed in the turbulent air. This was the unique Conqueror Haki of a man who had killed countless people.
"Get behind me," Adrian said, pulling Betty behind him. With her strength, she couldn't withstand this top-tier Conqueror Haki.
Clang!
At the same time, a monstrous pressure, like the wrath of a god, poured out from Adrian's body. This time, Adrian's Conqueror Haki was drastically different in both color and aura. The last time he had clashed with Rayleigh and Whitebeard, his Conqueror's Haki was the common dark red. But now, it had inexplicably upgraded to a more sacred and majestic golden yellow. The pressure it contained was like a king's fury, making people want to kneel and surrender. This was likely a direct result of Adrian's growing ambition. He didn't have time to delve into it now though.
Boom!
Adrian's Conqueror Haki immediately pushed back Bullet's green-purple aura. The clash between the two top Conqueror Haki created a terrifying, annihilating shockwave. The mere aftermath completely destroyed everything in the Blazing Hell on Level 4. Many prisoners didn't even have time to be amazed before they were obliterated by the expanding shockwave. All the prison cells instantly collapsed, and the ground shook violently, with large areas sinking. The entire floor became precarious.
"The aftermath alone caused such terrible damage... is this what a duel between two powerhouses with top-tier Conqueror Haki look like?" Betty, hiding behind Adrian's broad back, had a fine line of cold sweat on her forehead. The scene before her was far beyond anything she had ever known. It made her wonder if such terrifying power truly existed.
But she was sure of one thing: if Adrian hadn't shielded her from Bullet's demonic like Conqueror Haki, she would have suffered the same fate as the other prisoners. Thinking this, Betty looked at Adrian with a mix of gratitude and adoration. Even though she knew his real target was the Pump-Pump Fruit inside her, seeing his strength up close made her feel an inevitable love and admiration.
Like the Empress, Betty was also affected. The extreme fear had activated a hidden "Stockholm Syndrome" within her. Like a hostage who falls in love with her captor, Betty had developed an almost pathological dependence and surrender to Adrian on a spiritual level. If this man needed her power to dominate the world, then she, Bello Betty, would be willingly to become the sharpest weapon in his hands.
Adrian had no idea that Betty's brain had come up with so many insights in such a short time. He had simply thought it would be a hassle if she fainted, when he had pulled her behind his back. Women surely love to fantasize, he would've thought had he known her thoughts.
"A person's ambition and destiny can be seen in their Conqueror's Haki. So I'm curious, what exactly is your ambition?" Bullet asked, slowly retracting his aura. He looked at Adrian with a hint of respect. "Is it to become Pirate King?" He was truly surprised seeing that this young man, who looked no older than 20, had such powerful Conqueror Haki. The power contained within Adrian's presence had even moved Bullet.
"Bullet, your vision is too small. Is the title of mere Pirate King the end of your dreams?"