Suddenly, Aeridar stepped forward and stood before Rayleigh. To everyone's surprise, he bowed deeply and said, "Rayleigh-san, I came here hoping to ask you something, would you be willing to teach me about Conqueror's Haki?"
The others gasped and turned their eyes to Rayleigh.
As Aeridar's most trusted officers, many of them had already been taught the ways of Haki—some had learned Armament or Observation, or even both. The only exception was the newly joined Backan. But even so, not a single one of them, Aeridar included, had ever awakened Conqueror's Haki.
"Oh?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow and asked directly, "Do you think you have what it takes?"
"I don't know," Aeridar replied honestly. "That's why I'm asking you to test me, to see if I have the potential."
"Conqueror's Haki is something only those born with the spirit of a king can awaken. It's said only one in a million has that gift," Rayleigh said, his gaze sharpening as he locked eyes with Aeridar. "Alright then. Let's see if you have that kind of will."
Rayleigh never minded sharing his knowledge with promising pirates from the next generation, especially if it was only to test whether someone had the potential for Conqueror's Haki.
"Thank you," Aeridar said, his face lighting up. He straightened and met Rayleigh's eyes head-on.
The air turned heavy once again. Even Shakky fell silent as everyone watched the pair in the center of the clearing.
Suddenly, Rayleigh opened his eyes.
A wave of terrifying pressure exploded from him like a gale, sweeping over the entire area. The sheer force of his will seemed to rattle the air, blowing back hair and clothing.
At that moment, Aeridar felt as though a monstrous beast had set its sights on him. His body trembled involuntarily, and sweat instantly soaked his back. That oppressive force didn't just crush the body, it clawed into the mind, an overwhelming presence that screamed at him to yield.
It reminded him of his past life, standing helpless before a domineering CEO in the heart of New York, paralyzed by the sheer weight of another's presence. That same pressure bore down on him now, suffocating, as if carrying an unbearable weight on his shoulders. Every fiber of his being screamed: Just bow your head... it'll all go away...
"No... I won't bow. I can't bow!" he roared inside his mind. "I'm not that powerless failure anymore! My fate is mine to command, I will never bow again!"
Bit by bit, a bloody crimson glow welled up in his eyes.
Aeridar stared straight into Rayleigh's eyes, his voice low and fierce.
"I... am Chris T. Aeridar... of the Golden Ring!"
And in that instant, an equally terrifying surge of Haki erupted from Aeridar's body, clashing with Rayleigh's like a collision of titanic wills. The sheer intensity made the very air feel heavy, as if their spirits had taken physical form and were battling for dominance.
Behind him, Millie and Mina collapsed, eyes rolling back in a faint.
Dimitri and Gorbo were drenched in sweat, their expressions pale as they looked at Rayleigh in disbelief.
What... kind of monstrous pressure is this...?!
Though it felt like an eternity, only two or three breaths had passed when Rayleigh finally withdrew his aura. He gave Aeridar a warm smile.
"Well, well... looks like you've got the potential after all."
"Thank you..." Aeridar let out a deep, shaky breath, his shoulders finally relaxing.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he straightened up. The fierce tension in his expression faded, replaced by a faint smile. "Rayleigh-san, I'm truly grateful."
"No need for thanks. The coating process will take ten days anyway," Rayleigh said with a casual wave of his hand. "In the meantime, I'll teach you how to control and unleash your Conqueror's Haki."
"Then I'll be in your care," Aeridar said respectfully.
He turned to check on the others—
"Oi! Millie?! Mina?! Damn it—!"
Aeridar and Rayleigh later sat cross-legged on a patch of grass beneath the clear sky.
"Rayleigh-san, I assume you knew of Black Rhino Borar Tori?" Though it sounded like a question, Aeridar's tone was more than certain.
"Black Rhino Tori... now that takes me back." Rayleigh raised his brows. "He was from my era. You knew him?"
Aeridar nodded. "He's dead now. I found what was left of his ship, and within it, his captain's log. That's also where I discovered the Impact-Impact Fruit."
He pulled a worn black notebook from his coat and handed it to Rayleigh.
Rayleigh looked genuinely surprised but took the logbook anyway. Flipping through it for a moment, he muttered, "So that's how you knew Haki and the Six Powers... It's all written here."
"And to think, the so-called Pirate King actually surrendered to the Marines..." Aeridar scoffed. "The Navy sure knows how to spin their narrative."
"Roger was already terminally ill at the time," Rayleigh recalled, his voice heavy with memory. "He knew he had little time left. That's when he made his decision, and disbanded the Roger Pirates. We all went our separate ways. I drifted alone for a while until I crossed paths with Tori."
He leaned back slightly, lost in thought.
"Tori was shocked to find me adrift, but he didn't attack. Instead, he invited me aboard. He'd already heard about the disbandment, and about Roger surrendering. He was furious. Sad, too. He hated Roger, you know. They'd fought before, and Roger had beaten him. Ever since, Tori had sworn to surpass him."
Rayleigh paused, then added, "He even went to witness Roger's execution. After that, he just disappeared. I never saw him again. The next time I heard his name... was in the papers. Challenged Whitebeard. Lost. Fled the New World. And then... killed by Garp in the East Blue."
Rayleigh closed the journal with a sigh, his face clouded.
"There aren't many of us left from that era..."
Paradise, Grand Line.
A fleet of over a dozen Marine warships floated silently in the waters.
Among them were three colossal warships, each towering over 350 meters long.
On the deck of the largest, at the very front, stood Admiral Borsalino, still wearing his signature yellow-striped suit and orange-tinted shades, as if he were simply enjoying a sea breeze.
Just then, a middle-aged officer in a checkered black-and-white suit rushed up, clutching a Den Den Mushi and draped in a Justice coat.
"Admiral Borsalino! We've received a message from CP0!"
"Ohhh~? A message from those guys? Took them long enough~" Borsalino turned his head lazily, his voice drawn out with exaggerated slowness, his hand reaching out to take the Den Den Mushi receiver.
"Moshi moshi, this is Kizaru."
"Ah~~ got it. I'll take it from here."
"Oh, and by the way... your efficiency is really lacking. Terrible service~ I'll be filing a report with HQ."
With the line cut, Borsalino puckered his lips in mock annoyance, letting out a slow sigh.
"Destination: Gourmet City—Puqi. What a pain... now I've gotta head back."
The middle-aged officer offered a crisp salute, then turned on his heel and strode off.
Moments later, the Marine fleet anchored on the open sea began to mobilize once more...
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