Aboard the ship, Urouge still looked exhilarated.
"Captain Ashveil, you're truly incredible! You defeated Kaido of the Beasts in just twenty minutes!" Urouge said with admiration and excitement.
Thorne Ashveil remained calm. With his current strength, defeating Kaido was nothing to boast about. To him, the Four Emperors were no more than obstacles along the way.
If he had gone all out, Kaido wouldn't have lasted even two minutes.
"Kaido, that guy… he's nothing worth mentioning," Ashveil said with indifference. "Don't concern yourself with him."
He gestured at the pile of fallen trees nearby. "These are for you. Build me a raft as quickly as possible. There's no need for you to head into Marineford. Wait outside. When we get close enough, I'll take the raft and go on alone."
His tone was casual, dismissing the existence of the so-called Beast Emperor entirely.
After speaking, Ashveil raised his hand, his will surging outward. The uprooted trees scattered across Kuraigana Island floated into the air and gently landed on the ship, carried by his overwhelming Conqueror's Haki.
Urouge's eyes lit up with admiration. To him, the Captain wasn't just strong—he was absolute. Even Kaido, one of the most feared figures in the New World, was treated as nothing more than a nuisance in Ashveil's eyes. That kind of presence… it was overwhelming.
Without hesitation, Urouge picked up hammers, nails, and other tools, quickly setting to work on the raft. The sound of clanking and hammering filled the deck.
Satisfied, Ashveil nodded, stretched lazily, and returned to his cabin.
Inside, he pulled up his system panel. He hadn't yet checked the rewards for defeating Kaido. A crimson notification flickered in his mind.
He opened it.
[Congratulations to the host for defeating a Four Emperor. Reward: 400 Conqueror's Haki points.]
[Congratulations to the host for surpassing 7000 Conqueror's Haki points. Reward: New Skill – Haki of the Supreme King Fusion.]
Host: Thorne Ashveil
Conqueror's Haki: 7208
Devil Fruit Abilities: Tremor-Tremor Fruit (Advanced), Magma-Magma Fruit (Advanced), Glint-Glint Fruit (Advanced), Ice-Ice Fruit (Advanced), Search Fruit (Intermediate), Appearance Fruit (Intermediate)
Other Fruits: Tanuki Fruit, three Artificial Devil Fruits, Hyena-Hyena Fruit
Skills: Flash Step (100 meters), Conqueror's Haki Passive Shield, Shinra Tensei (self-created), Haki of the Supreme King Fusion
Items: Healing potion, ham, hamburgers, cola, red wine, turkey, salad...
"Haki of the Supreme King Fusion?" Ashveil muttered, his interest piqued.
He read the description carefully.
[As the host's mastery over Conqueror's Haki has reached new heights, it can now merge with Devil Fruit abilities, fusing directly with their powers.]
Ashveil's usually calm expression finally shifted to surprise.
This was broken. Completely overpowered.
In his fight against Blackbeard, he had already used Conqueror's Haki to carry the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's destructive power. But at that time, the haki only acted as a medium—it didn't inherit the nature of the fruit.
Now? His Conqueror's Haki could become the Devil Fruit ability itself.
Imagine vibrations born from the haki itself, not just carried by it. The destructive force would multiply endlessly.
If fused with the Glint-Glint Fruit, the speed of his Conqueror's Haki strikes could be amplified tenfold.
If fused with the Momo-Momo Fruit, the output could increase a hundredfold.
If fused with the Phoenix Fruit, his haki could even regenerate endlessly.
Ashveil couldn't help but grin. This was devastation.
"Marineford… they'll tremble before me," he whispered, eyes gleaming.
Defeating Kaido and unlocking this new ability left him in an excellent mood. He could already imagine the faces of Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru when he unleashed it—faces filled with disbelief and fear.
Chuckling, he kicked off his slippers and dropped onto his bed.
"The war is about to begin… might as well get some sleep before the show," he muttered, yawning.
His snores soon echoed through the cabin, thunderous and unbothered. Outside, however, the world itself was bracing for chaos.
---
New World, Marineford.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
At last, Hawkeye Mihawk arrived, his late entrance drawing every gaze.
"Fufufu… I never expected even the World's Greatest Swordsman to make his appearance," Doflamingo sneered, grinning behind his shades.
Sengoku's lips curled slightly. With Mihawk present, the Marines' chances of victory against the Whitebeard Pirates had grown stronger.
By now, five of the Shichibukai—Doflamingo, Boa Hancock, Mihawk, Moria, and Kuma—stood assembled at Marineford.
The preparations were complete.
Marineford had gathered one hundred thousand elite soldiers from across the world. Fifty warships lined Crescent Bay, cannons loaded and aimed.
At the center stood the core Marine forces: Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals, ready for war.
Guarding the execution platform were the Admirals—Aokiji, Kizaru, and the temporary stand-in, Vice Admiral Tokikake.
And watching over it all, Sengoku stood alongside his old comrade Garp.
Staring out at the horizon, Sengoku clenched his fists.
"Whitebeard… I'll show you what true justice means," he said coldly. "This war—will end with victory for the Marines."
---
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