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Jack stared at his fallen subordinates, his expression incredibly grim.
The disposition of a King—Conqueror's Haki!
In their Beasts Pirates, besides Kaido himself, only the imprisoned Yamato possessed it.
Though he had heard the Pirate Hunter possessed Conqueror's Haki, he hadn't expected it to be this strong.
But, he was one of the Three Calamities—Jack the Drought.
Did they think a blast of Conqueror's Haki would make him retreat??
"OHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Jack roared, infusing his elephant trunk with Armament Haki and slamming it towards Zoro.
"Hmph!!!" Zoro roared back, the muscles in his arms bulging grotesquely as he met the horrifying attack head-on.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A horrifying shockwave exploded instantly!
Jack, being a Giant Grouper Fish-Man, possessed astonishing strength.
In the original story, Jack was called the 'Shame' of the Three Calamities partly because his head wasn't very bright; he always picked fights with opponents he absolutely couldn't win against.
But in reality, Jack's combat strength was considerable. Especially his physical power; due to his innate racial talent and the Mammoth Fruit, his strength was top-tier even among Yonko Commanders.
And Zoro, unlike Mihawk's sword style that blended hardness and softness, walked the path of absolute, ferocious power.
Combined with his Asura Aura, which could channel a portion of Conqueror's Haki's might, his attack power was frighteningly strong.
The clash between them immediately caused the ground in the area to crack and splinter.
The violent shockwaves formed intense gales, uprooting all the surrounding vegetation.
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"So strong..." 'Water Buffalo' Atmos, who had retreated to a safe distance, wiped blood from the corner of his mouth as he watched the terrifying battle.
Jack is worthy of being one of the Beasts Pirates' Three Calamities; that strength is no joke.
In their earlier clash, Jack hadn't even used Armament Haki—yet he had shattered Atmos's Armament Haki with just his raw physical strength and the power of his Mammoth form!
Now, with his full-power Armament Haki added, his strength and destructive power had reached a new level.
But—
Atmos looked at the man who was not at a disadvantage at all, meeting all of Jack's attacks head-on, his eyes filled with immense admiration.
As expected of the man acknowledged by Sky Sovereign Rowen.
So young, yet possessing such strength, able to fight evenly with a full-power Jack. And this man also possessed Conqueror's Haki.
His future potential was limitless.
However... Atmos's brow furrowed slightly.
The power of both fighters was frightening. This area was beginning to be unable to withstand their clashes, starting to collapse.
If it were before, it wouldn't matter.
But now, this place was Sky Sovereign's territory. Even the destruction of a single area was unacceptable.
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"ZORO. STOP!"
After the two had battled for a while, a voice sounded.
FWOOSH!
A sandstorm appeared. As the elementalization subsided, a beautiful figure emerged.
"Desert Princess," Jack's expression turned grim.
"Don't destroy this place too much. It needs to be developed in the future," Vivi said, looking at Zoro.
Dressrosa would be providing funds to Rowen in the future; all this was considered Rowen's asset.
If Zoro fought Jack to the death, Zoro wasn't afraid of Jack. But the environmental and topographical damage would be too absurd.
"Sorry. This guy's strength is greater than I expected," Zoro replied, understanding the point, and sheathed his three swords.
"Desert Princess, your Sand-Sand Fruit ability is useless against me," Jack roared, glaring at Vivi.
What did this mean??
The Pirate Hunter actually sheathed his swords.
Did Desert Princess think she could take him down alone??
The Sand-Sand Fruit was strong, yes. But he was the Drought. User of the Ancient Zoan, Model: Mammoth!
The Desert Princess's Sand-Sand Fruit couldn't break through his defense. And a sandstorm couldn't possibly topple his massive beast form.
"Who said you're my opponent?" Vivi replied, not angered, looking calmly at Jack.
"JACK-SAMA! LOOK OUT!" A terrified shout echoed.
"Huh??" Jack looked up in fury and shock.
He saw a figure rapidly flying towards him from a distance.
"GOMU GOMU NO..."
The signature attack name echoed.
"YOU ARE—!" Jack's eyes turned completely bloodshot.
"—PISTOL!"
No Gear Fourth, not even Gear Second. The technique used was the simplest Gomu Gomu Pistol, enhanced by his rubber body.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Incredibly violent and tyrannical crimson-black lightning wreathed this unremarkable fist!
The next moment—
BANG!
A single punch slammed into Jack's body.
This fist, which seemed so insignificant before Jack's mammoth beast form, directly caused Jack's body to cave in violently.
The horrific power instantly broke through Jack's proud defense, his eyes even rolling white!
WHOOOOOOSH!
Jack's massive mammoth body, like a giant cannonball being fired, was sent flying towards the coastline. The numerous giant rocks on the coast were directly shattered by his massive body!
"JACK-SAMA!" Some of the Beasts Pirates' members who hadn't been knocked out by Zoro's Conqueror's Haki screamed in terror.
"Th-That man is!" Looking at the man who sent Jack's mammoth body flying with a single punch, the Beasts Pirates were utterly terrified.
"The man with a 2,855,000,000 Beri bounty! Straw Hat Luffy!"
Terrified screams echoed continuously.
Sky Sovereign—sent this man to Dressrosa??
GOOD HEAVENS!
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On an island in the New World.
A pirate flag fluttered in the wind.
A majestic Golden Dragon coiled around a skull.
On these seas, all who saw this flag would have their faces fill with fear. Because it represented the man hailed as the Strongest Emperor.
Sky Sovereign Rowen.
VMM!
Rowen casually trembled his hand, and a horrifying crimson-black lightning surged. Rayleigh and Ace's figures were directly sent tumbling back by this frightening lightning.
"What a powerful Haki. These old bones are about to be shaken apart by you," Rayleigh said, his forehead beaded with sweat, gasping for breath, looking at Rowen with a smile.
"Hah... Hah... Too strong... this Haki," Ace was directly on the ground, panting heavily.
"Finally... completely mastered this Haki," Rowen looked at the Conqueror's Haki he could now freely control and smiled.
After obtaining Whitebeard's Emperor 'Fortune', his Haki had grown outrageously. From Shanks's level, it had directly skyrocketed past Roger's, reaching a new height—a level on par with Joy Boy and Imu.
This overwhelming increase—even Rowen couldn't control it well at first. Fortunately, after this period of training, with the help of Born of the Sea, Rowen could now control it.
"But the stamina consumption is incredible," Rowen murmured, assessing his physical condition.
Conqueror's Haki, if simply released, like the Island-Shattering Haki over Dressrosa—didn't drain any stamina.
This was why Joy Boy, even after death, with his physique energy supply gone, could still release his Conqueror's Haki on Egghead after 800 years.
Conqueror's Haki, as a manifestation of pure spiritual power, didn't require any stamina for a simple release.
But if Conqueror's Haki was used for infusion—for enhancing speed, defense, and attack—then controlling this incredibly violent and tyrannical power required immense stamina as support.
Ending the Summit War prematurely was also partly for this reason. The stamina consumption was huge.
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"Don't be too hasty. Strengthening your physique isn't an overnight affair. Besides, you're still young—your body's functions haven't reached their peak yet," Rayleigh chuckled.
"Time waits for no man," Rowen replied, looking out at the sea.
To quickly increase his physical strength, the best way was to defeat those two whose physical power was at the absolute pinnacle of this sea.
Emperors Kaido and Big Mom.
Previously, Rowen was busy completely mastering his Haki. Plus, his comrades also needed to train, and his territories and forces needed to be reorganized.
Kaido and Big Mom were just episodes on Rowen's path to kingship.
The one Rowen truly wanted to defeat—was Imu. Naturally, he needed to make these preparations before taking on Imu with full force.
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During this period, Usopp and Chopper were sent by Rowen using the Paw-Paw Fruit ability to the islands from the original story for their training.
Franky also went to Vegapunk's research institute to strengthen his arsenal.
Nami was accompanied by Rowen to a small Sky Island to study its climate knowledge. Afterwards, Nami would only go there when she had questions she didn't understand, usually staying by Rowen's side to study.
With the Paw-Paw Fruit's ability, such distance crossing was no problem.
And for the others' training...
Unlike in the original story, Zoro didn't go to Mihawk to learn swordsmanship. Rayleigh taught Zoro his swordsmanship.
Zoro's sword style, unlike Mihawk's, walked the path of absolute power. Learning swordsmanship from Mihawk mostly involved life-or-death battles with sword-wielding monkeys.
This wasn't entirely Mihawk being secretive; mostly, Zoro at that time was too weak, not even qualified for Mihawk to draw his sword. And compared to those monkeys, Rayleigh's swordsmanship was completely superior.
Besides, to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, you couldn't just walk someone else's path.
Zoro had to become the World's Greatest Swordsman with his Three-Sword Style. Under these circumstances, being able to fight with a powerhouse like Rayleigh was the best training.
And for Brook and Ace's training... Rowen personally handled it.
He had already Awakened the Revive-Revive Fruit and the Flare-Flare Fruit.
Through the constructed spiritual power channel, he could transmit the 'Desire' needed for Devil Fruit Awakening to Brook and Ace for them to consume.
Ace's Conqueror's Haki had just been re-mastered; the time needed to achieve infusion was unknown. So, fully mastering the Flare-Flare Fruit, completing its Awakening, would provide the greatest combat power increase.
And Ace's training speed was extremely gratifying—he was only one step away from Awakening.
Rowen's arsenal would soon have another Admiral-level combatant.
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"Rowen." At this moment, a figure walked over.
"Let's go," Rowen said, looking at Sanji, not asking anything, just stating it directly.
"Mm," Sanji also nodded, not surprised at all.
Rowen's Observation Haki had already been trained to its peak, and with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's amplification, everything happening in this sea area couldn't escape his perception.
FWOOSH!
Rowen draped a cloak over his shoulders.
The cloak was pure black. On its back, the Sky Sovereign's Jolly Roger was depicted—a majestic Golden Dragon coiled around a skull, very lifelike.
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Inside a Magnificent hall.
BOOM!
Accompanied by a thunderclap, Rowen's figure appeared here.
The lightning gradually subsided from its elemental form, and Rowen's figure materialized on a seat on the high platform of the hall.
Sanji and Ace emerged from the shadows, walking to either side of Rowen, looking at the figure in the hall who, upon seeing Rowen appear, immediately knelt respectfully on one knee.
Looking at this beautiful figure, Sanji's expression was incredibly complex.
"Vinsmoke Reiju," Rowen stated, looking at the kneeling beautiful figure with an interested smile.
Sanji's sister, and the princess of Germa 66, Vinsmoke Reiju.
"Greetings, Sky Sovereign. Thank you for granting me this audience," Reiju said respectfully.
"What is the matter?" Rowen asked, looking at Reiju with a faint smile.
"Reiju," Sanji murmured, looking at his sister, his expression incredibly complex.
Reiju was the only one he considered family.
Sanji, knowing what kind of bastard his father, Judge, was, had a vague idea of why Reiju was here...
'DON'T MAKE ME ANGRY, JUDGE!' Sanji clenched his fists.
"I wonder if Sky Sovereign would be open to forming a marriage alliance with our Vinsmoke family?" Reiju asked, lifting her beautiful face, biting her lip.
"A marriage alliance? With whom?" Rowen asked, looking at Reiju.
"With... me," Reiju replied, biting her lip.
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