"Ding—"
"Ding—"
"Ding—"
Three crisp sounds reverberated like thunder in Mike's ears, as if unlocking the gates to some mysterious power.
Three gold items in a row!!!
Mike's heartbeat accelerated abruptly, his eyes gleaming with unconcealed excitement.
How long had it been since he last saw a gold item?
Too long—he couldn't even remember the last time.
But now—finally, luck had turned his way.
Today, he was the king of gacha!
"Let me see what gold items dropped this time!"
Mike's gaze locked onto the golden-glowing items.
Every second of waiting seemed to pluck at his nerves.
[Conqueror's Haki Talent: Only through supreme dominance can one reign above all!]
The system's voice echoed in Mike's mind, steady and powerful, like the reverberation of an ancient horn, stirring an irrepressible awe in his heart.
The voice seemed to carry an invisible pressure, freezing the very air around him.
[Gold-tier item. Current rank: Three Stars (Max: Five Stars)]
[One Star: The host awakens Conqueror's Haki Talent. At this stage, the host remains unaware of this power.]
[It often manifests during intense emotions like rage, capable of knocking out those nearby but lacking precise control.]
[Two Stars: As mental strength improves, the host gains conscious control over it.]
[From timing to intensity and range of effect, everything falls under the host's command.]
[In battles against numerous foes, its power becomes immense.]
[Three Stars: A true ruler of mind, skill, and body. Merely by elevating his presence, the host can unleash Conqueror's Haki in all directions.]
[Can activate Conqueror's Haki at will.]
[Its oppressive force can shake massive warships, and even veteran warriors may collapse upon crossing paths with the host.]
[Four Stars: Conqueror's Haki ascends to God-tier.]
[The host masters Conqueror's Haki Infusion, coating weapons or physical attacks with it to enhance their power, allowing tangible strikes against enemies without direct contact.]
[Five Stars: Conqueror's Haki reaches its pinnacle, surpassing all—]
[At this level, even the Yonko will bow to you!!!]
With each line from the system, a sharp glint flashed in Mike's eyes.
Joy surged within him.
"Not bad! The Conqueror's Haki I've been longing for has finally been pulled."
"And all three gold items were for Conqueror's Haki, boosting me straight to Three Stars!"
From the initial vague awakening to now reaching Three Stars, Mike could feel his connection to this world growing stronger.
The Conqueror's Haki surged within him, an invisible force flowing through his veins.
"Three Stars… just one step away from the Four Stars."
"For now, this is more than enough,"
Mike murmured to himself, "After all, I'm just a headquarters captain. What kind of tough missions could I possibly face?"
"If there's trouble, i could just call Kizaru!"
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"If the sky falls, Admiral Kizaru will hold it up."
But the next moment, his expression turned serious.
"Time to test this new power."
Mike's gaze sharpened slightly and the surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly, the pressure skyrocketing.
A powerful aura erupted from his body, shaking the air itself.
The overwhelming pressure even stirred the ocean's surface, creating ripples.
"This is an indiscriminate Haki attack."
Mike took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let his mind settle.
His energy rapidly gathered in his chest like a storm, a tremendous force swelling within him, devouring everything around him.
"Next, precision strikes."
Mike clenched his fists slightly, his arm muscles tensing as the Conqueror's Haki inside him surged out like raging waves, spreading rapidly.
Under his conscious control, the Haki sliced through the air like an invisible blade, gliding along his will, cutting across the distant sea, exuding an intangible sense of oppression.
The energy swept through, vibrating every inch of space, as if nothing could escape its reach.
Mike leisurely lit a cigar, took a deep drag, and exhaled slowly as the smoke curled upward in the air.
He had tested both indiscriminate and precision strikes.
Now… it was time to try a Conqueror's Haki clash.
Coincidentally, he was planning to teach Dragon a lesson—to keep him and his Revolutionary Army at a distance.
He had long heard that the Monkey D. family was a lineage of Conqueror's Haki users.
So…
Mike stomped hard against the air, his figure darting forward like lightning, tearing through the wind as he shot straight towards the Grand Line.
His body merged with the wind, his speed akin to a beast sprinting through the night.
"Dragon, I'll test you—let's see whose Conqueror's Haki is stronger."
...
Near the Grand Line in the East Blue.
Dark clouds rolled, lightning flashed, and thunder roared.
The Going Merry struggled through the storm, its hull rocking violently, sometimes swallowed by towering waves.
Yet each time, it stubbornly broke through, charging courageously toward the Grand Line.
Behind the Going Merry, the sound of another pirate ship echoed from afar.
A vessel flying the Jolly Roger of a clown followed closely in pursuit.
As a former apprentice on the Pirate King ship, Buggy couldn't stand being so easily defeated by a straw-hat-wearing brat.
In his eyes, there was no reason for such a humiliating loss—even after returning to the nostalgic Grand Line, he would personally crush the Straw Hat crew and make Luffy pay for calling him "Red Nose"!
Further out at sea, a three-wheeled motorcycle sped through the storm, kicking up waves as Smoker cut through the turbulent waters, rapidly closing in on the Going Merry.
"Just ahead is the entrance to the Grand Line!"
Nami raised her telescope, her sharp eyes gleaming with excitement, her lips curling into a smile as if she couldn't wait to explore the more mysterious waters ahead.
"Awesome!"
Luffy threw his hands up, shouting with exhilaration, "Grand Line, here we come!"
"Whoo-hoo!"
Usopp grinned widely, clapping his hands in excitement.
"Nami-swan, how about a glass of my specially brewed love juice?"
Sanji emerged from the kitchen with a brightly colored drink, skillfully dodging the rain as he presented it to Nami, his eyes filled with adoration for the girl.
"The Grand Line… there'll be stronger opponents, right?"
Zoro leaned against the cabin door, his gaze steady, a faint smirk on his lips.
"Only by facing true power can I become stronger."
Mihawk!
Mike!
"I will grow stronger!"Zoro silently swore an oath in his heart.
High above the sea, Dragon, clad in a green cloak, quietly observed the Going Merry's voyage.
Amid the storm, the Going Merry appeared minuscule yet resolute under his gaze.
Standing in midair, he watched calmly, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.
That smile carried profound expectations, as well as unspoken determination and conviction.
'Luffy, your adventure is about to begin.'
'If this is the path you've chosen, then go forth—chase your own future.'
But suddenly, Dragon sensed an aura stealthily approaching, like an undercurrent hidden within the storm.
His eyes sharpened as he tilted his head slightly, his brow lifting in mild surprise.
The aura surged forward with overwhelming pressure, as if intent on obliterating all obstacles in its path.
Dragon's instincts told him this was no ordinary foe—it was immense power, closing in rapidly to his position.
...
In the distant storm, waves and lightning seemed to part before an invisible force.
A figure, sharp as a blade, sliced through the sky.
Emerging from the tempest, the man stood tall, his demeanor steady and commanding.
Clad in a crisp suit, his posture remained unshaken by the gales, as immovable as a mountain.
Kusanagi no tsurugi swayed gently at his waist, their edges exuding a chilling demonic aura.
Their faint clinks, barely audible in the wind, seemed to herald an impending storm.
The "Justice" cloak billowed fiercely behind him, radiating undeniable authority and resolve.
Marine Headquarters Captain—Mike!!!
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