Waves crashed against the sea's surface as Ivan's aura underwent a sudden, drastic transformation.
The suppressed state he had been in under Mihawk's Conqueror's Haki instantly vanished, replaced by an unprecedented surge of power erupting from within him.
Conqueror's Haki swept outward like a tsunami, colliding violently with Mihawk's own on the open sea.
Black and red Conqueror's Haki Lightning intertwined and crackled, invisible shockwaves continuously expanding outward.
The clash of the two Conqueror's Haki forces caused the sea to ripple in layers and brought the very winds of the world to a standstill.
On the shores of Marineford, Sengoku's body stiffened abruptly. He clenched his fists tightly, staring at the figure on the sea, his voice filled with disbelief:
"Conqueror's Haki... it's actually Conqueror's Haki! Ivan actually awakened Conqueror's Haki at a time like this!"
As a fellow possessor of Conqueror's Haki, Sengoku understood perfectly well that it was an innate quality of a king, something that could never be attained through training alone.
Every individual who awakened Conqueror's Haki possessed the potential to overturn the established order of the seas.
At this moment, immense joy filled Sengoku's heart.
After all, Conqueror's Haki Infusion was the true mark of a powerhouse on the seas.
Without mastering Conqueror's Haki Infusion, no matter how strong one might be, there remained a certain distance from being a true top-tier fighter.
Currently, none of the Three Admirals possessed Conqueror's Haki, which placed a ceiling on their potential strength.
If possible, Sengoku would have preferred to pass the Fleet Admiral position to a younger generation who possessed Conqueror's Haki.
Ivan's awakening of Conqueror's Haki now undoubtedly fulfilled one of Sengoku's long-held wishes.
Thus, the look in Sengoku's eyes as he regarded Ivan grew increasingly benevolent.
Beside him, even the usually calm expression of Vice Admiral Tsuru was broken.
Her brows furrowed tightly, her eyes first filled with shock before turning grave:
"To think this young man could awaken Conqueror's Haki in such a desperate situation. This talent, this willpower... it's terrifying."
Tsuru had witnessed countless individuals and met innumerable powerful figures throughout her life.
Yet, Ivan's performance still exceeded her expectations.
Among the crowd, Akainu's reaction was the most intense.
When he first saw Ivan awaken Conqueror's Haki, he froze in place, his face etched with utter disbelief, the corner of his mouth even twitching slightly.
He had never imagined that this young man, whom he had once held in high regard but now mutually despised, actually possessed the makings of a king.
After a brief moment of shock, Akainu's expression instantly darkened.
Akainu understood clearly that Conqueror's Haki was the symbol of a king, synonymous with restlessness.
Throughout the Navy's century-long history, those within its ranks who could awaken Conqueror's Haki could be counted on one hand.
And every single one of them was either wildly ambitious or fiercely unyielding, never the type to be bound by the Navy's rules.
Garp possessed Conqueror's Haki, refused promotion to Admiral, and lived a free, unconstrained life.
Sengoku possessed Conqueror's Haki and, though holding a high position, always maintained his own principles, never becoming a complete puppet of the World Government.
And now Ivan... he could actually awaken Conqueror's Haki. This meant his ambitions were certainly not small.
Either his goal was the position of Fleet Admiral, aiming to replace established veterans like himself.
Or he had even greater designs, seeking to stir up the entire order of the seas.
Just thinking about this made even Akainu feel somewhat uneasy.
With Ivan's current strength and status, if he truly desired the Fleet Admiral position, he would undoubtedly surpass Aokiji and become the greatest obstacle in his path to becoming the Navy's Fleet Admiral.
Not far away on the spectator stands, Doflamingo leaned against the railing, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"How is this possible?" he muttered under his breath. "This guy... he's a Marine, isn't he? Yet he awakened Conqueror's Haki while fighting Mihawk?"
In Doflamingo's view, no matter how strong Ivan might be, he was ultimately just a powerful individual without Conqueror's Haki. He could never join the ranks of the truly elite, forever destined to remain a lapdog of the Celestial Dragons, without dreams or aspirations of his own.
But the scene before him shattered that perception, leaving him momentarily at a loss.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Orange Ship, Nami cheered excitedly:
"Wonderful! Ivan really awakened Conqueror's Haki! I knew he could do it!"
Tashigi nodded vigorously beside her:
"That's right! Vice Admiral Ivan has never let us down. He's sure to win!"
In their hearts, no matter how great the difficulty or how powerful the opponent, Ivan always managed to turn the tables in desperate situations.
Unlike their excitement, Robin sat by the cabin of the Orange Ship, holding a book in her hands, her expression one of understanding.
She gently closed the book, her gaze settling on Ivan out on the sea:
"Finally revealing a portion of your true strength, are you?"
As the only person aware of Ivan's real power, Robin knew that if Ivan were willing to expose his true capabilities to the world, even Vice Admiral Garp might not be his match.
Thinking this, Robin couldn't help but marvel at Ivan's acting skills. Had she not known his true strength in advance, she too would have been fooled into thinking he was on the verge of defeat.
And even now, with his awakened Conqueror's Haki and displayed greater power, Robin understood this still wasn't Ivan's full strength. His true power far exceeded what he was showing. Only now had he finally chosen to shed some of that disguise and reveal a glimpse of his original self.
Out on the sea, Mihawk stared at the Conqueror's Haki swirling around Ivan, his hawk-like eyes once again filled with shock.
But that shock lasted only a moment before being replaced by barely concealed delight.
A smile spread across Mihawk's face—the excitement of encountering a true rival, the exhilaration of finding a worthy opponent.
He didn't continue his attack. Instead, he looked at Ivan, his tone carrying both praise and anticipation:
"I never expected you to truly awaken Conqueror's Haki... Excellent, truly excellent.
You possess exceptional swordsmanship talent, and now with awakened Conqueror's Haki, you have the foundation to become a top-tier powerhouse.
But remember—merely having Conqueror's Haki isn't enough. The greatest powerhouses, the pinnacle of swordsmanship, all require Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
Infusing your weapon with Conqueror's Haki, integrating it into your sword techniques—only then can you unleash its true power and truly stand among the elite."
With these words, Mihawk actually began teaching Ivan how to use Conqueror's Haki Infusion right then and there.
Without holding anything back, he slowly swung his sword, his movements deliberate and clear, explaining every detail to Ivan:
"Focus your mind. Gather the aura of Conqueror's Haki at your fingertips, let it flow along your arm, gradually infusing your weapon until the Haki becomes one with the blade..."
Ivan watched Mihawk's movements intently, his eyes occasionally flashing with a hint of sudden understanding.
At first, he couldn't even control his Conqueror's Haki, but as time passed, he was now barely able to wrap it around his blade.
Everyone was astonished at the sight.
Sengoku exclaimed in disbelief, "What are those two doing? Could it be that Mihawk is trying to teach Ivan how to use Conqueror's Haki in such a short time?"
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