Conqueror's Haki.
The aura of kings—so rare that only one in a million is born with it.
Not every wielder of this power can become ruler of the seas, but to even aspire to that throne, one must first possess it.
Fenric's display of overwhelming Conqueror Haki shook the battlefield, forcing even the most hardened of veterans to reevaluate him. At the same time, countless naval leaders realized a dangerous truth—if this man was allowed to live, he would sooner or later rise as a true overlord of the sea.
"Mundo must not be allowed to remain!" Akainu's tone was iron. His voice carried across the decks as he barked his order:
"Kill him at all costs!"
No one objected. Even without considering Fenric's crimes, his sheer potential alone demanded his execution. Every officer present knew that if Fenric walked free today, he would soon become the Navy's greatest nightmare.
Just then, a major general stepped forward and saluted.
"Fleet Admiral! The Shichibukai have arrived!"
Akainu turned his head, eyes narrowing as four fleets approached from different directions.
Originally, there had been seven Warlords of the Sea. But one was slain by Akainu himself, and another stripped of their title. Now, only five remained—Dracule Mihawk, Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, Bartholomew Kuma, and Gecko Moria.
"They're late," Akainu muttered coldly. "Pirates can never be trusted. Spread them out—make sure Mundo has nowhere to run!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!" The major general hurried to carry out the order.
Another vice admiral frowned. "Fleet Admiral… doesn't it seem the Kuja Pirates brought more ships than expected?"
"Hm?"
Akainu looked closer. Indeed, Boa Hancock had brought a small fleet—dozens of vessels—far more than the two or three typical of the other Warlords.
"…Keep a close eye on them," Akainu ordered grimly.
The vice admiral nodded and stepped back.
On the Kuja fleet…
Boa Hancock, Empress of the Nine Snakes, stood tall on her deck, gazing toward the Sabaody Archipelago. Her beautiful brow furrowed as she took in the Navy's vast formation.
"They've mobilized everything… just to deal with Senior Mundo?"
"Sister, what should we do?" one of her sisters asked cautiously.
Hancock's expression turned resolute. "We wait and see. If Senior Mundo cannot withstand the Navy… we will intervene. At the very least, we must not allow him to fall here."
Her sisters and warriors nodded without hesitation. They knew how deeply Hancock owed Mundo—and if that meant risking their lives, so be it.
"Sister, look—on the shore! That's Senior Mundo!"
At once, Hancock's eyes locked onto Fenric's figure. A composed, commanding man stood upon the rocks, his aura burning brighter than ever.
"Senior Mundo…" Her face flushed, her hands pressing against her cheeks like a love-struck girl. "It's truly him… this Empress has finally laid eyes on you again!"
—--
On another ship, Donquixote Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses, his grin widening.
"So that's the infamous Mundo, eh?" His laughter was low and dark. "What a lunatic… I do hope he puts on a spectacular show."
—--
Back on the shore…
Akainu's gaze swept the field.
"Who among you will take him first?"
The silence was broken by a voice brimming with determination.
"Allow me!"
A figure stepped forward—the man once defeated by Fenric ten years ago. Vice Admiral Momonga. His expression was steeled, his eyes burning with a decade's worth of shame and resolve.
Back then, he had fallen before Fenric. Since then, he had trained relentlessly, sharpening his mastery of the Rokushiki to the extreme. Among vice admirals, his strength was now considered top-tier.
"Shave!"
With a sharp shout, he vanished. In an instant, he appeared before Fenric, blade flashing straight for the heart. His speed was dazzling—blinding even.
But not to Fenric.
He didn't bother to dodge. A coat of Armament Haki covered his chest as he met the thrust head-on.
Clang!
Sparks burst as steel met steel-like flesh. Momonga's eyes went wide in horror. It was as though he had struck unyielding alloy instead of human flesh.
In that moment, the gap was undeniable. Ten years of progress had meant nothing—Fenric's growth was far beyond his own.
"Moon Step!"
Desperate, Momonga kicked off the air, trying to retreat and search for a weakness.
But this time, Fenric moved.
With a flick of his hand, his fingers curled into a claw. A surge of gravitational force burst from his palm, dragging the vice admiral helplessly back toward him.
"Wai—!"
Crack!
A sharp snap silenced the battlefield. Momonga's neck broke cleanly, his body going limp in Fenric's grasp.
A vice admiral… slain in seconds.
"!!!"
Gasps rippled through the Navy ranks. Even the veterans' eyes tightened with shock.
Fenric casually tossed the corpse aside like discarded trash, his gaze locking onto Akainu across the waters.
"Akainu," he said coldly, "don't send these weaklings to their deaths. If you want to kill me… do it yourself. Or don't tell me you're afraid to die?"
Akainu's face darkened, his jaw tight with rage. Though he hadn't expected much from Momonga, the sheer ease with which Fenric crushed him still made his blood boil.
From the Navy's side, Fujitora finally stepped forward, his hands resting firmly on his sheathed blade.
"I've heard the tales," he said solemnly. "That you even bested Admiral Kizaru. Ten years have passed, and it seems you've changed greatly, Mundo."
His voice deepened, filled with quiet gravity. "Ten years ago, we both wore the Navy's colors. Allow me, then, to measure the man you've become."
With that, he walked forward, tapping his cane-sword against the ground as he made his way to the shore.
Fenric's brows furrowed. In a flash, the trident appeared in his grip, its tips gleaming as the sky above churned with wind and thunder.
"I'm sorry, Issho," Fenric declared, his voice carrying like thunder, "but I'm not interested in dueling you one-on-one!"
The trident and his powers were weapons of devastation—meant for overwhelming battlefields, not attrition fights that would only drain him. He would not be foolish enough to let the Navy grind him down soldier by soldier.
If it were Akainu challenging him directly, perhaps he'd accept.
But against anyone else? He had no reason to waste the effort.