In the end, Barrett never learned the secret of Conqueror's Haki Infusion from Roger. He was crushed instantly in their final duel. Even when he was twenty-two — ambushed by a Demon-Slaying Fleet and captured after sustaining fatal injuries — he still hadn't mastered that overwhelming power.
Roger and Rayleigh had never taught him that technique.
Perhaps they both understood Barrett's nature too well — they knew this mad challenger would never stay loyal to the Roger Pirates.
Barrett had destroyed nations and armies, consumed entirely by his obsession with becoming stronger. That alone was enough reason for Roger and Rayleigh to withhold the most dangerous form of power from him.
"You never learned it?" Souta Kiryuu asked, surprised to see the shock in Barrett's eyes. "Huh. I suppose it makes sense… if no one teaches you, even the most gifted person might never figure it out."
Honestly, Souta had always doubted the rumors that the seventeen-year-old Barrett had once fought Dark King Rayleigh to a draw.
After all, Rayleigh — like Crocodile — was a "fifty-fifty" fighter. Even back when Marco the Phoenix was just a brat, Rayleigh could force a stalemate. The idea that Barrett and Rayleigh were evenly matched sounded… suspicious.
And of course, that rumor came from Buggy's big mouth. With Buggy's tendency to exaggerate, even a simple spar could easily turn into "a life-or-death battle that shook the seas."
The most ridiculous part? When Barrett left Roger's crew at nineteen, he supposedly fought Crocodile to a draw.
Which would mean… Crocodile was equal to the Dark King himself?
That made absolutely no sense.
Crocodile's fight with Barrett was how he earned his invitation to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea — but that same year, he challenged Whitebeard and was instantly defeated, losing a hand in the process.
If Rayleigh ever found out that his so-called "equal," Crocodile, had been one-shotted by Whitebeard… would he go looking for Whitebeard just to test if he could be "one-shotted" too?
Souta couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity.
Barrett's expression darkened under Souta's teasing tone. From another cell nearby, a white-haired old man in a black-and-white striped prison uniform slowly opened his eyes.
"There aren't many on this sea who've mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion," the old man said in a low voice. "Whose crew are you from?"
It was Redfield, the Red Count — a living legend of the old era.
Conqueror's Infusion wasn't like merely awakening Conqueror's Haki; it wasn't something that could be done just because you "willed it." Without proper guidance, or without fighting someone who already possessed the power, it was almost impossible to learn.
Roger, Rayleigh, and their generation had only mastered it after countless life-and-death battles against the Pirate Kings who came before them.
"I was never part of any crew," Souta replied casually. "As for my Conqueror's Infusion… I learned it from Monkey D. Dragon and Kaido of the Beasts."
He turned toward the neatly groomed old man, speaking as he shattered the massive block of ice beside him with a single Haki-wrapped punch.
The frozen prisoner inside was revealed — Byrnndi World, the World Destroyer. Souta immediately pulled out a syringe and began drawing the man's blood.
After being sealed in ice for thirty years, World's consciousness and body were quickly reawakening — but with seastone cuffs and shackles still binding him, he was too weak to resist.
"Dragon… Garp's son. And Kaido… one of Rocks's crew," Redfield muttered, his face tightening as unpleasant memories stirred.
Just hearing Garp's name made his blood boil.
He had once defeated Fleet Admiral Kong in a grueling battle, only for that bastard Garp to swoop in and steal the victory. Exhausted and drained, Redfield hadn't been able to fight at full power — and Garp had taken advantage of it, capturing him and sending him straight to Impel Down.
Now, seeing Souta Kiryuu wielding Conqueror's Infusion flawlessly, Redfield couldn't help but acknowledge his strength.
"Wh… who are you?" croaked Byrnndi World, his voice hoarse and weak. He hadn't expected that the moment he was thawed out, someone would stab him with a needle and drain a vial of his blood.
Was this the World Government's doing? Were they going to turn him into another experiment?
"Oh, right — I forgot introductions." Souta grinned. "The name's Souta Kiryuu. People call me the God-Slayer, or just Dragon Emperor. I'm the captain of the Dragon's Wrath Crew — bounty: three billion Berries. I've killed dozens — no, hundreds — of Celestial Dragons."
He bared his teeth in a wild smile. "Even the Commander of the World Government's Holy Knight Order — Figarland Garling — fell by my hand."
"What!?"
Redfield's eyes widened in disbelief. He despised the Celestial Dragons, but even he had to admit — Garling was monstrously strong.
"You killed a Celestial Dragon?!" World gasped. He'd destroyed naval fleets and attacked Celestial Dragon convoys himself — a record he took pride in — yet this man's words made him sound like a child playing at rebellion.
"Captain Souta," Shiryu of the Rain exhaled a puff of cigar smoke and said lazily, "Haven't you read today's paper? Your bounty's been updated — eight point eight billion Berries. You've surpassed even the Four Emperors… and the Pirate King Roger himself."
"What!?"
Even Redfield, Barrett, and World were stunned — and for once, Souta himself froze in genuine shock.
But after a brief pause, he laughed. "Heh… actually, that sounds about right. Maybe even a bit low, if you ask me."
After all, he had slaughtered countless Celestial Dragons and personally executed Figarland Garling, leader of the Holy Knights.
"It's true," Shiryu said, flicking his ash. "There's a fresh paper and bounty poster in the Level Four office. When I first saw that number, even I was speechless."
"Damn! The World Government and Morgans' news network move fast!" Souta roared with laughter. "I barely made it back to the Grand Line from the New World — even with the Float-Float and Paw-Paw Fruits helping me, that took two or three days. Those damn news birds are faster than me!"
Shiryu chuckled under his breath. "The World Government's press agencies and Morgans' World Economic Journal have branches and news coops everywhere. You don't really think every paper flies across the ocean from the New World, do you?"
"Oh right — I forgot about the Transponder Snail Fax system," Souta said, smirking. "They can transmit the newspaper's contents instantly to branches across the Four Seas and the Grand Line for local printing and distribution. Makes sense — faster than any bird."
He shook his head, amused. "These damn snails really are the most ridiculous inventions in the world."
He remembered how Bartolomeo had once sailed without even a navigator — yet somehow made it safely to the New World, all thanks to an old lady in Loguetown guiding him over the line through a damn Transponder Snail.
"Eight-point-eight billion…" Redfield muttered, eyes narrowing. "You really did kill Garling and all those Celestial Dragons, didn't you?"
This time, even the cynical Red Count believed it.
After all, Shiryu had no reason to lie — and these were facts anyone could verify.