Over the past several days…
Romu had absorbed more than a hundred Sea Kings.
Compared to when he fought Zephyr, his physique had grown dramatically stronger.
And for him, a stronger body meant stronger Haki — automatically.
Observation Haki had always been his weakest of the three.
But it was also the one that improved the fastest during this period.
With full focus, Romu could now glimpse three full minutes into the future.
Its detection range had expanded massively too — nearly comparable to Rayleigh's island-scale sensing.
And just moments ago…
He felt it.
Three kilometers away.
A life force of terrifying intensity rushing toward him.
"…Who could that be?"
Romu murmured.
He closed his eyes.
Observation Haki surged to its limit.
Instantly—
The colorful world faded.
Everything washed into a pale crimson haze.
Sound warped.
Time loosened.
His consciousness slipped into a still, empty state.
Because what he was seeing…
…was the future.
Inside that red world—
The calm sea rippled.
A shadow burst upward from the surface—
And when he saw who it was…
Romu's expression shifted.
"…Him?"
He withdrew from the state immediately.
The crimson dissolved.
Color returned.
Reality resumed.
He had just previewed five seconds of the future.
In real time, less than a blink had passed.
The energy cost?
Noticeable — but trivial.
For most fighters, it would matter.
For Romu?
His life-essence regeneration made it irrelevant.
"…Wonder what he wants."
Romu turned toward the sea.
Three minutes later—
The ocean's stillness shattered.
A dark figure cut across the water, throwing up massive waves.
Then—
It leapt skyward…
…and landed before him exactly as foreseen.
"Gol D. Roger."
Romu spoke calmly.
Yes.
The man who had swum here after getting intel from Garp…
…stood before him now.
Roger shook seawater from his hair and studied Romu carefully.
Monster.
He looks even younger than the bounty poster…
"I'm Roger," he said.
Romu nodded once.
"I know."
"I don't have much time."
"Say what you came to say."
His tone was flat.
No awe.
No reverence for the future Pirate King.
Titles meant nothing.
Only strength mattered.
And deep down, Romu was already cautious.
He knew Roger and the Marines had… arrangements around the God Valley era.
Roger grinned.
"Interesting guy."
Then—
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
The sky churned.
Wind screamed.
He stepped forward.
"No time to talk?"
"Then we'll use fighting time."
No hesitation.
Roger attacked immediately.
At the exact same instant—
A deep hum rippled around Romu.
Crimson light flared from his body.
His Conqueror's Haki surged outward and slammed into Roger's.
BOOM.
Two dark-red waves of willpower collided—
And blanketed the entire island.
Every creature collapsed.
Even the giant Sea Kings beneath the water lost consciousness.
So strong…
Romu felt the crushing pressure and his heart jolted.
This was the real peak tier of the era.
Whitebeard and Shiki were monsters…
…but still young, not yet at absolute apex.
Roger?
He was already there.
Yet the shock turned into exhilaration.
Perfect.
Time to test my training.
Treating Roger — of all people — as a practice dummy…
Only Romu would dare.
His aura surged again.
Conqueror's Haki erupted at full force.
The pressure warped the air into shimmering ripples.
"Let's see what you've got…"
"Roger!"
He clenched his fist.
Black-red energy coated his arm.
Advanced Armament — Ryuo — locked in place.
Then—
The surrounding Conqueror's Haki condensed.
Compressed.
Focused.
And layered directly over the Ryuo-coated arm—
A second sheath of dark-red power.
Yes.
Romu had mastered…
Conqueror's Haki Coating.
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