Chapter 204: [204] : [BONUS] – The Remnants of an Old Era! This is the New Age! The World-Shaking Conqueror’s Haki!

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“Mihawk…” Rowen murmured, his gaze calm as he watched Mihawk effortlessly parry the combined attacks of Luffy’s Haōshoku Haki-infused strikes and Vista’s slashes.

Rowen wasn’t surprised by Mihawk’s strength in the slightest.

As a swordsman superior to Shanks, and the true Emperor-level combatant of the Cross Guild in the original story—it would be strange if Mihawk didn’t possess such power.

In the original Summit War, he was held off by a commander of Vista’s level simply because, in that specific situation, doing so was sufficient.

But the current battle was entirely different.

With Aokiji killed by Rowen, if Mihawk continued to just go through the motions and let Luffy advance on the execution platform—his Warlord title truly would be at risk.

Under these circumstances, when Mihawk acted, he had to achieve his strategic objective: stalling Luffy.

His swordsmanship, combined with his fully mastered Haōshoku Coating—Luffy’s own preliminarily mastered, almost amateurish Haōshoku Coating—simply couldn’t break through Mihawk’s sword defense.

However…

Sensing the aura and emotions emanating from Zoro, Rowen smiled.

He completely agreed with Zoro’s assessment—Mihawk, having lost his ambition, seeking only a quiet life, was no longer worthy of sitting on the throne of the World’s Greatest Swordsman.

Sitting in the number one position meant being the target of all challengers—

—To desire a quiet life in such a position, to lose one’s ambition—the only possible outcome was to be cut down from that throne.

Rowen then looked towards Rayleigh, now panting under Kizaru’s assault, and Whitebeard, struggling to fend off Akainu, and sighed inwardly.

In the One Piece power system, powerhouses inevitably declined in old age. Not just in physical stamina, but in Haki as well.

Old age—was the cruelest reality everyone had to face, even in a world like One Piece with its miraculous Devil Fruits and Haki.

Just like on Earth, where so many brilliant and heroic historical figures became muddled and foolish in their later years. With old age came the decline of physical and mental energy. And ’mental energy’ was, in essence, spiritual power.

This was Rayleigh’s situation now—his initial Haōshoku Coating was incredibly powerful, but under Kizaru’s all-out, life-or-death assault, Rayleigh, due to his age, was weakening in both stamina and Haki.

Even with Haōshoku Coating, he couldn’t gain the upper hand, and as his energy depleted, he would gradually fall into a disadvantage.

Whitebeard, his physical functions rapidly deteriorating, had been severely wounded by Akainu and was now in a crisis.

“Remnants of a bygone era…”

That phrase wasn’t just self-deprecation; it was the truth.

The era had changed. It was no longer Rayleigh’s and Whitebeard’s time…

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“Hah…” Rowen exhaled slowly.

The Munch-Munch Fruit’s ability had been working at its peak within the Door-Door Fruit’s alternate dimension.

Pirate lunchboxes prepared by Sanji were already stored there.

Relying on the alternate dimension’s smoke constructs, combined with the Munch-Munch Fruit’s ability, he rapidly consumed and digested the food’s energy, replenishing his own stamina.

Though Rowen’s Awakened Human-Human Fruit and Rumble-Rumble Fruit granted him immense stamina—among the best on the seas—his expenditure on this battlefield had been too great.

First, using the Door-Door Fruit to arrive and deploy his comrades; then, using the combined power of Munch-Munch and Door-Door—Kamui—with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to instantly kill Doflamingo.

The Magnet-Magnet Fruit’s power, combined with the Munch-Munch Fruit’s full-power burst, nearly collapsing Marineford, and the construction of the Super Electromagnetic Cannon—all consumed massive amounts of stamina.

To use power exceeding a Devil Fruit’s normal limits came at the cost of unimaginable stamina.

Especially the Super Electromagnetic Cannon… whose attack power surpassed even the Magma-Magma Fruit’s—the stamina drain was immense, almost too much even for Rowen.

The recovery rate simply couldn’t keep up with the consumption.

He had to rely on the Munch-Munch Fruit to eat within the alternate dimension to ensure stamina recovery—and even that, with his Superhuman Demonic Physique Trait, required time.

But since arriving on this battlefield, Rowen had primarily used his Devil Fruit abilities.

Haki… Rowen had barely used it.

And now—the spiritual power plundered from Aokiji was being rapidly digested by Born of the Sea (Apex Gold).

Killing a Marine HQ Admiral in front of the world—had an incredibly positive effect on forging one’s spiritual strength.

Now, this spiritual power was something Rowen could completely control.

——

—[Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) activated. Spiritual power digested!]—

—[Conqueror’s Haki (Apex Gold) Enhanced!]—

——

Aokiji’s spiritual power was completely assimilated.

Though the Super Electromagnetic Cannon’s attack had vaporized Aokiji’s body, losing his physical energy—conversely, Aokiji, who lacked Conqueror’s Haki and only had his spiritual and physical energy manifested as Armament Haki—after his body was completely annihilated, the spiritual power contained within his Haki became incredibly pure.

It could be directly digested by Rowen’s Born of the Sea (Apex Gold), further strengthening his own Conqueror’s Haki.

ANOTHER UNEXPECTED BOON.

Though the amplification effect wasn’t as great as from a fellow Conqueror’s Haki user of the same level—even so, Aokiji’s pure spiritual power, via the Born of the Sea Trait, had given Rowen’s Conqueror’s Haki a qualitative boost!

Rowen’s gaze fixed on the execution platform…

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“IT’S ALMOST TIME.” Sengoku looked at the battlefield, his eyes grim.

Though they had lost Aokiji, the Navy still held the overall advantage!

Mihawk was holding off Straw Hat.

Kizaru, now fighting for his life after Aokiji’s death, had Rayleigh on the defensive.

Whitebeard had been severely wounded by Akainu, without external intervention, his defeat was certain—and even with external intervention, Whitebeard wouldn’t live past tomorrow!

As a user of the Mythical Zoan, Daibutsu—Sengoku also possessed enhanced intellect, a Buddha-like wisdom. Through this Buddha-like wisdom, analyzing the situation perceived by his Observation Haki, he could deduce Whitebeard’s current physical state.

This man who had warred on the seas for a lifetime, was too old…

So old that his bodily functions were rapidly deteriorating under the strain of past injuries. As Whitebeard’s old rival, Sengoku knew very well—in his prime, Akainu would have been no match for Whitebeard.

But now, severely wounded by Akainu, his body’s deterioration had reached its limit. The man was fighting purely on his last dregs of willpower—even if this battle ended immediately, this man’s life was approaching its end.

Whitebeard would absolutely die in this war… Sengoku was confident of this.

Publicly executing the Pirate King’s bloodline, Fire Fist Ace, then killing Whitebeard, hailed as the World’s Strongest Man, still the most fearsome pirate in the eyes of many—THIS WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE VICTORY FOR THE NAVY!

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“PREPARE FOR EXECUTION!” Sengoku was already watching the time.

Seeing only thirty seconds remained, he raised his hand…

FWOOSH!

The two executioners raised their executioner’s blades.

“Ngh!!!” Garp grit his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, his spirit in terrible agony. He wanted to stop it, but the memory of his student Kuzan’s death was still fresh.

Sengoku was right. As long as the execution wasn’t completed, the pirates’ assault wouldn’t stop.

And the enemy they faced wasn’t just the physically deteriorating Whitebeard, or the aging Dark King Rayleigh—it was also that terrifying powerhouse capable of killing Aokiji…

If this war didn’t end now, more Marines would die at that man’s hands.

BUT ACE… WAS HIS FAMILY!

Garp’s body tensed.

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“GARP! DON’T MOVE! YOU BASTARD! DO YOU WANT THE NAVY’S JUSTICE TO COMPLETELY COLLAPSE BEFORE THE ENTIRE WORLD?!” Sengoku roared lowly.

In a worldwide broadcast, if Garp acted to stop the execution, the impact would be catastrophic…

The Hero of the Marines, saving the most evil bloodline would be a colossal joke. The Navy would become the laughingstock of the world!

Sengoku would absolutely not allow that to happen!

“Garp. Calm down,” Tsuru appeared beside Garp. Though her words were of concern, her actions spoke volumes. If Garp acted, she would not stand by.

If the Navy’s Justice collapsed, they would be traitors to the Navy. Traitors to Justice! Even if it meant betraying Garp’s personal feelings, Tsuru couldn’t let that happen.

“EXECUTE!” Sengoku raised his hand.

“ACE!”

Seeing the execution was about to happen, the Marine camp was greatly invigorated; the pirate camp went completely berserk.

“ACE!” Luffy immediately tried to unleash his Conqueror’s Haki.

Mihawk didn’t stop him, but numerous Marine soldiers immediately swarmed him—a unit composed of Marine HQ Vice Admirals, Rear Admirals, and Commodores!

Even if Luffy went all out, it would take him time to defeat them all, time he didn’t have to release his Haki.

Rayleigh was pinned down by Kizaru, also unable to release his Haki.

“DAMN IT!” Zoro and Sanji were in the same situation, intercepted by Gion and Chaton.

In the original story, Luffy successfully released his Conqueror’s Haki and knocked out the two executioners because the Navy didn’t know he possessed it.

But now, with the Navy fully aware of who possessed Conqueror’s Haki, they certainly wouldn’t give them the chance to use it to save Ace.

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“SENGOKU! DO YOU THINK I CAN’T STOP YOU?!” Seeing the execution about to commence, Whitebeard roared in fury.

“Don’t talk big, Whitebeard! MEIGO——” Akainu, seeing Whitebeard lose his composure, seized the opportunity, unleashing his strongest technique, Meigo.

SPURT!

Drip! Drip!

Blood continuously flowed. Whitebeard, struck by Meigo, suffered a terrifyingly grievous wound.

THUD!

He even fell to one knee.

“POPS!” Marco and the other commanders shrieked in horror.

Pops was severely wounded. Ace was about to be executed. What could they do??

Ace’s head began to lower.

His life… he didn’t know how to describe it.

He couldn’t choose his father; the moment he was born, he was linked to the world’s most evil bloodline.

His mother carried him for 20 months before giving birth, then immediately passed away. It was no exaggeration to say she traded her life for his.

Though Garp took him in, and few knew he was Roger’s son, the world’s propaganda endlessly condemned his bloodline. The entire world believed he shouldn’t exist.

So as a child, he was extremely rebellious.

Fortunately, he met Dadan, met Luffy, met Sabo, met Makino. Because of them, he became a polite young man.

Then he set out to sea as a pirate, chasing freedom, chasing the life he wanted. Until he met Whitebeard; here, he truly felt the warmth of family.

Family—for someone the entire world believed shouldn’t have been born—was an incredibly precious existence. So he wanted to make Whitebeard the Pirate King.

Until, because of his own willfulness, he brought about this tragic end.

Past experiences flashed before Ace’s eyes like a revolving lantern.

’My life… it was pretty good, wasn’t it?’ Ace’s lips twitched, but he couldn’t form a smile.

Legend said Roger died smiling, but why couldn’t he?

Ace grit his teeth tightly, awaiting the arrival of death.

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“HEY! SENGOKU! YOU OLD RELIC OF A BYGONE ERA SHOULD GET OFF THE STAGE! IT’S A NEW ERA NOW!”

Rowen’s powerful laugh reached Ace’s ears.

“DON’T EVEN THINK OF RELEASING HAKI, SKY SOVEREIGN ROWEN!” A group of Marines led by a contingent of Vice Admirals charged towards Rowen.

The Vice Admirals wouldn’t be instantly knocked out by this man’s Haki; they just needed to stall him for 0.1 seconds to complete the execution. And his stamina was also greatly depleted, giving them a chance to stall!

VMM!

The world seemed to fall silent…

The next moment—

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Incredibly violent crimson-black lightning tore through the sky above Marineford!

Forming a terrifying storm of Conqueror’s Haki, roaring furiously!

And all the charging Marines—including the contingent of Vice Admirals—all went white-eyed and collapsed!

They couldn’t even stall Rowen for 0.1 seconds from releasing his Conqueror’s Haki.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The entirety of Marineford was now dyed the color of the Conqueror’s Haki storm.

Countless Marines fainted.

Even Gion and Chaton fell to one knee, their faces contorted in pain.

The Roar of Conqueror’s Haki!

THUD!

The two executioners instantly collapsed.

Sengoku’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

Why… WHY WAS IT SO STRONG??

This man’s… CONQUEROR’S HAKI.

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