But when the Whitebeard Pirates saw that Akira Stone's attack was ineffective against Buggy, and that Buggy dared to continue attacking, everyone was stunned.
The Whitebeard Pirates roared in anger.
"Little Aki."
Even Whitebeard, who was fighting Roger, felt a surge of power upon seeing this, forcing Roger back. His tiger eyes glared in that direction.
A blue figure sped towards Akira Stone—Marco. Whitebeard had instructed him to protect Akira Stone, so he had been watching, and he was the first to react.
Akira Stone, having used Senbonzakura's Shikai for the first time, was exhausted.
Even though it was only Shikai, it was too much for his current body. After using it once, he was completely drained.
Even as Buggy's cutlass drew closer, he had no strength to dodge.
The blade came closer, and Akira Stone felt the suffocating grip of death again. In the six months he'd spent with the Whitebeard Pirates, he'd never faced danger, forgetting what danger felt like.
Only now did he remember the crushing weight of that suffocating death, a feeling he never wanted to experience again.
"In my past life, I cautiously avoided assassins, living a life worse than death. Why? Because I lacked power! Now, I have the Death Scythe System, the power! I will not live a life controlled by others! I will become strong! I will become strong! I will become strong!"
The blade was about to pierce his skin. An indescribable rage surged through Akira Stone's heart, a feeling of injustice, causing the anger in his chest to explode like a cannonball.
"Get lost!"
A furious roar erupted from Akira Stone. His voice, though still clear, carried an undeniable authority, like the roar of a king.
An invisible aura emanated from Akira Stone, spreading rapidly outward. All the pirates caught in the aura felt a shock. Even Marco, speeding to Akira Stone's aid, faltered.
Buggy, at the center of the storm, fared worse. Akira Stone's roar was like thunder in his ears. He seemed to lose his hearing, his senses, and all feeling.
His head felt like it had been struck. His cutlass fell from his hand, his bisected body collapsing to the ground.
Buggy's fall wasn't loud, but it shocked everyone. The Roger Pirates stared at Akira Stone as if they'd seen a ghost. The Whitebeard Pirates were equally shocked.
They heard Akira Stone's confident words echoing in their ears.
Marco returned to human form, landing beside Akira Stone. He could have easily saved Akira Stone before Buggy injured him, but he'd lost the chance.
"Conqueror's Haki! That's right, definitely Conqueror's Haki! Little Akira Stone actually possesses Conqueror's Haki, like Pops! The one-in-a-million king's qualification."
Marco was closest besides Buggy, so he felt the aura most clearly—the same aura as Whitebeard's, undoubtedly the legendary Conqueror's Haki.
"That brat is a Conqueror's Haki user?"
The Roger Pirates couldn't believe their eyes. This seven- or eight-year-old child possessed the same Conqueror's Haki as their captain and first mate. It was unbelievable.
Akira Stone, already weak, felt his strength drain after unleashing Conqueror's Haki. Dizziness washed over him. Luckily, Marco caught him before he fell like Buggy.
"Little Aki."
Marco had just softly called out when Akira Stone lost consciousness. His steady breathing indicated he was simply exhausted and asleep, not unconscious.
"Marco, take Little Akira to rest."
Whitebeard and Roger had somehow arrived. Whitebeard looked at the sleeping Akira Stone with affection and instructed Marco.
Marco nodded. "Yes, Pops." He then took Akira Stone back to the cabin to rest.
Roger also told a tense Shanks, "Shanks, take Buggy back to the ship too. You two were incredibly reckless."
Shanks looked frustrated. He had nothing to do with it. It was entirely Buggy's idea to teach Akira Stone a lesson.
He never expected this to happen, especially Akira Stone's outburst of Conqueror's Haki. He still hadn't processed it.
Shanks picked up Buggy's body and quickly ran back to the ship, uncomfortable under the fierce gazes of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Hahaha…"
Roger suddenly laughed heartily at Whitebeard. "Whitebeard, it seems you've raised a good son. Amazing."
Whitebeard snorted, resentfully saying, "It's a good thing Little Akira is alright. Otherwise, I would have made you all stay here, hmph."
Roger awkwardly smiled. They were indeed in the wrong. Attacking a child was shameful, especially since they failed and suffered a loss. Roger could only let Whitebeard scold him without responding.
Akira Stone slept soundly, waking up the next morning. He didn't immediately open his eyes but went to the Death Scythe System. He found the system interesting.
It was called a system, but it lacked features like exchange, points, or a lottery. It seemed to have only one function: to help Akira Stone unlock different Zanpakutō. He hadn't found any other functions.
Akira Stone was curious and puzzled, but even when he asked, the system didn't answer. In the system's words, it was a support system; all the initiative was in the host's hands.
Though strange, this system made Akira Stone feel more at ease. Waking up, he found another Zanpakutō had been unsealed.
Remembering the system's words, he knew this was because another Zanpakutō had been unsealed after Senbonzakura's Bankai.
"Sōgyo no Kotowari: Shikai: requires two of the twenty-one Great Swords, blood of a dual-wielding swordsman; Bankai: Unknown!"
"Sōgyo no Kotowari, the twin blades of Jūshirō Ukitake?"
Akira Stone might not remember some ordinary Zanpakutō, but he remembered the captains' Zanpakutō clearly.
More importantly, Sōgyo no Kotowari was one of the only two twin-blade Zanpakutō in Bleach, and Akira Stone remembered it well.
However, Akira Stone asked, puzzled, "System, now that Sōgyo no Kotowari is unsealed, why is its Bankai method unknown?"
The system said, "The Death Scythe System lacks data on Sōgyo no Kotowari's Bankai. To achieve Sōgyo no Kotowari's Bankai, the host must rely on their own understanding."
"Rely on my own understanding? How?" Akira Stone was astonished. He thought the system was omnipotent, that he only needed to follow its instructions.
He hadn't expected the system to be incomplete, lacking data. It seemed more like a flawed system.
The system said, "Beyond access. The system cannot provide a solution."
Akira Stone patted his head, speechless, but he didn't dwell on it. The system's ability to grant him Zanpakutō abilities was already powerful enough. He guessed the system's data was from the Bleach manga.
Zanpakutō or Bankai not shown in the manga would lack data.
Akira Stone suddenly remembered another question. He asked the system, "System, you said to unseal the next Zanpakutō, I need to complete the Bankai of the Zanpakutō I already possess. But Sōgyo no Kotowari's Bankai is unknown. Does that mean I can only complete the Bankai of other Zanpakutō to unlock the next one?"
The system said, "Special circumstances require special treatment. Though Sōgyo no Kotowari's Bankai data is unavailable, once the host completes Sōgyo no Kotowari's Shikai, the method to unlock the next Zanpakutō's Shikai will be revealed."
"Only the Shikai method, not the Bankai?" Akira Stone asked.
The system said, "Yes."
"Understood." Akira Stone nodded, understanding that the next Zanpakutō would only reveal its Shikai method.
To learn its Bankai, he would have to master the Shikai first.
Understanding this, Akira Stone exited the system.
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