Chapter 76: Conqueror's Haki!
All the pirates stared dumbfounded, looking at Sarquiss lying motionless on the ground. Even Bellamy stood with widened eyes, shocked speechless.
"Sar... Sarquiss..."
"Hey! Stop joking around, Lord Sarquiss! Get up!"
All the pirates wore expressions of disbelief, seemingly unable to accept this outcome.
Their crew's second-in-command, Sarquiss "Big Knife" with a bounty of 38 million! How could he possibly be taken out in a single punch!?
Looking at the unmoving Sarquiss on the ground, wood splinters tearing at his face, blood continuously seeping out, they slowly shifted their gazes to the figure standing ramrod straight beside him, utterly silent.
Gulp.
So strong... Unparalleled strength... Unheard-of power...
Fear gradually crept onto the pirates' faces. Those who were about to surround them moments ago didn't dare breathe loudly.
They stood frozen in place, motionless, even their breathing growing faint, terrified of drawing the figure's attention.
"Boss, this booze of yours is excellent."
"Th-thank... thank you," the owner stammered in reply.
Thump.
The wine glass was placed gently on the bar counter. The slight sound seemed amplified in the now silent pub. Reiner spoke coolly:
"That Straw Hat kid you mentioned just now... is my captain."
Hearing this, Bellamy whipped his head around to look at the blond man before him. He had to admit, for that brief instant, he had been intimidated.
But...
"What the hell did you bastards do!?"
Roaring furiously, Bellamy's wrists transformed into springs, coiling tightly with a piercing frictional sound. He grinned savagely, "Spring Snipe!"
"There it is! The Spring-Spring Fruit ability!"
"Any part of his body can turn into a spring, compressing and storing kinetic energy!"
"That's a punch that can smash through houses!"
Bellamy braced one hand on the bar counter, launching himself forward forcefully, his right fist aimed at Reiner who had provoked him.
Slap!
A hand reached out, caught his arm, and held it fast. The explosive force of Bellamy's launch was completely clamped down, rendering him unable to advance a single step!
"When!?" Bellamy looked back at the Blue Ogre in shock. Such speed... no, this terrifying strength!
He had used his ability in that punch, yet the opponent caught it casually, making it look so easy.
"Listen properly when someone is talking. Don't be so impatient, ant," Reiner picked up the wine bottle himself, poured some into his glass, and continued speaking coolly:
"The New Age is indeed arriving. This surging sea will begin to boil. Right now, new rookies are rising to fame all over the world."
"New heroes are emerging like bamboo shoots after spring rain, wantonly displaying their power across the seas, indulging their ambitions and dreams."
"The established powerhouses of the New World are still at their zenith, continuing to reign supreme over the seas with invincible might."
"And we... we will ride the tides of this era, soaring upwards, continuously challenging the thrones of the Emperors of the Sea."
"As for you, Bellamy... you are not standing on the crest of this era's wave. Your perspective is far too small."
"Like a frog trapped in a well, thinking the sky is only so big. Talking nonsense everywhere about strength, about the new age, yet ultimately huddled away here in a tiny town like Mock Town in the first half of the Grand Line."
Reiner drained his wine in one gulp, turned his head to look at Bellamy, and said flatly, "The one being eliminated by this era... is you."
"What nonsense!!" Bellamy roared, his face twisting ferociously.
"Stop spouting crap here! You know nothing about power! You've never witnessed true strength! The only one who can ascend to the summit of this sea in the future is Doffy!!"
Bellamy's feet transformed into springs. Pushing off hard, he pulled his arm free, bounced off the wall, the springs coiling tightly with a piercing 'creak'.
The next instant, his entire body shot out like a cannonball towards Reiner!
Bellamy's expression was grim as he glared furiously at Reiner. This man!
This man actually said he'd been eliminated by the era!
Veins bulged on his arms as he gathered all his strength into his fist, roaring savagely, "Go die! Spring Death Punch!!"
Reiner stood up. Centered on him, a berserk aura exploded outwards!
A majestic, stunning presence swept through the entire bar!
Like the roar of a demon!
Like the downward gaze of a monarch!
Like bearing the shackles of heaven and earth yet refusing to be bound!
Breaking free from all constraints, the Haki of supreme arrogance – Throughout Heaven and Earth, I Alone am the Honored One – fiercely impacted the spirits of everyone present!
All the pirates, including the owner behind the bar, rolled their eyes back white and collapsed onto the floor!
BANG!!
A scarlet glint flashed in Reiner's determined eyes. His entire body tensed. Bellamy's Spring Death Punch landed solidly on his chest, yet Reiner didn't yield a single step!
"How is this possible..."
"Why impossible? Your roar was loud enough, yet I see no resolve in your eyes."
"Having witnessed strength, have you extinguished your own ambition to press forward fearlessly? If you can't even trust yourself, how can you firmly believe Doffy is the one who will reach the summit?"
Reiner reached out, grasped his opponent's face firmly, and slammed it violently into the ground!
"The future King of the Pirates!"
"Will be Luffy, of course!!!"
BANG!!
The ground instantly cratered beneath the impact. Blood and broken teeth flew from Bellamy's mouth. The wooden floorboards shattered, cracks spreading outwards to engulf the entire pub!
"Cough cough cough..."
Bellamy, head broken and bleeding profusely, lay with half his face embedded in the floor. His eyes rolled back white as his body twitched intermittently, coughing up blood, nearly unconscious.
"How... how could this be..."
Bellamy's breath was extremely weak. Using the last vestiges of his strength, he rasped out intermittently,
"Wh-why... do you have Conqueror's Haki..."
"Could it be... you also want to be king...? Answer me..."
"No. I have no interest. Ambitious people often possess spirit, but spirit is not the same as ambition," Reiner replied, turning with the Blue and Red Ogres to leave.
"What we want is to roam freely across this sea, to enjoy this world from different heights. Though the path is long and arduous, mountains and seas can be leveled."
In a word: My will is above yours.
Reiner walked towards the pub entrance, his voice drifting back lightly.
Regarding the Conqueror's Haki he had just unintentionally Awakened...
It was unexpected, yet within reason. Reiner wasn't concerned.
According to Chinjao, plenty of people in the New World possess it; it's nothing rare. He couldn't even control it yet, let alone infuse attacks with it.
He glanced back at the stunned Bellamy. An idea suddenly surfaced.
Might as well try... just plant a seed casually. Doesn't matter if it sprouts or not.
"Bellamy. We will climb step by step to the highest point in the world. If one day, you can catch up... come follow me."
Luffy has his little fanboy; Reiner wants one too. Covetous.
Having subordinates who are all simple-minded undead... gets a little boring.
Lying on the ground, Bellamy stared blankly at Reiner's retreating back, watching the golden-haired man slowly walk out of the pub.
Soon, Reiner returned to the port where the Going Merry was docked. The crew was already prepared to set sail, just waiting for him.
"I'm back!" Jumping onto the Going Merry's railing, Reiner squatted down, pointing back towards the hoodlums and pirates lying defeated on the ground, asking puzzledly:
"What are these things?"
"You're back, Reiner," Usopp, who happened to be on deck, walked over and explained:
"While you guys were gone, those fellows tried to attack the Going Merry. The result, well..."
Usopp puffed out his chest proudly. "Before the great Captain Usopp, naturally, they were dealt with easily in a few moves!"
"Weren't they dealt with by Reiner's undead? Usopp, you were clearly hiding," Chopper stated, walking up on his little short legs, looking up at Usopp with round eyes.
"What nonsense! Just tell me, were they defeated right in front of me or not!?"
Reiner: "."
By that logic, Roger was nothing special in front of Smoker?
"Are you okay, Reiner?" Nami, hearing the voices outside, came out from the second-floor living room, asking worriedly.
Although Luffy swore Reiner could handle it, her own strength was limited. Even though she knew the four on the ship were strong, she couldn't judge who was stronger or weaker – just that they were all stronger than her.
"Easy peasy," Reiner made a pinching gesture. "Don't look down on the undead anymore. They're a strong batch."
"That opponent was a pirate with a bounty over fifty million, you know! Higher than Luffy's bounty!"
"Meh~ After entering the Grand Line, bounty is hardly a reliable standard for judging strength anymore."
Reiner jumped forward, spreading his arms wide with a smile. "Anyway, I properly vented your anger for you."
"Mm, thanks," Nami replied with a smile, pinching his cheek.
???
Something's wrong. Very wrong.
"Shouldn't this be the part where I get a hug?" Reiner stood there, arms still spread awkwardly.
"What are you thinking?" Nami rolled her eyes at him.
Still not right! Way too not right! This should be the part where I get hit! Did I board the wrong ship?
"Nami... are you on your period?"
DUANG!!!
BANG!
"Go die, bastard!" Nami roared, punching him right off the deck.
That's the spirit! Sprawled on the deck, Reiner paid the price for his actions.
"Where are the others?"
"Zoro's training at the back, Robin's reading inside, Sanji's prepping ingredients – said he can use them later, Luffy's stealing food."
Stable. Everything's correct.
"Everyone's aboard then, let's set sail!" Reiner summoned undead to lower the sails, raise the anchor, and begin steering.
"Right! Robin found something good," Nami said, walking into the cabin. "You come take a look too."
"Okay." Jumping up to the second floor, Reiner followed Nami into the living quarters.
"Reiner, ah. Good afternoon," Robin, seated on the sofa, greeted him with a smile as he entered.
Hm?
"Good afternoon, Robin," Reiner replied, feeling slightly odd inside. First time Robin called him by name. "Heard you found something good?"
"Mm, this," Robin pushed a yellowed piece of paper across the table and smiled. "Found it among the salvaged junk."
Back when salvaging the ship that fell from the sky, Robin had picked out some items from the debris pile; Reiner had bundled the rest and given it to Masira.
Walking over, Reiner picked up the paper and sat down on the sofa to look. It was a map of an island.
"What's this crooked writing?" Reiner asked, looking at what seemed like distorted English script. He scratched his head and handed it back to Robin.
"Sky Piea—Sky Island. This is a map of Sky Island. Which means... that ship that fell from the sky really did visit Sky Island."
"Sky Island... truly exists."
"Mm, I know."
"Hm?" Nami looked puzzledly at Reiner. "Aren't you surprised? This is an island existing in the sky! Isn't that amazing?"
"Are you saying this to a Devil Fruit user?"
Nami: "."
(End of this chapter)
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