Chapter 88: Only Haki, Transcends All! (6k)

Chapter 88: Only Haki, Transcends All! (6k)



It was only natural that Logia users could utilize Armament Haki, but compared to that, Observation Haki was truly the priority.

Otherwise, dodging that simple thumb flick wouldn't have been so difficult.

An opponent who doesn't use Observation Haki...

"That's all there is to it!"

Just as Ace was still reeling from shock, he felt a shadow engulf him, and immediately after, a gust of wind blew in front of him.

He had just started to lift his eyelids when he saw a huge fist, already at his face.

Even though he subconsciously blocked with his arm, the moment the fist made contact, a surge of immense power caused Ace to open his mouth reflexively, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Boom!!

The ground caved in from the impact, and Ace was ruthlessly slammed into the depression, sending stones flying. As his body hit the ground, he instantly transformed into a ball of flame, freeing himself from the punch's strike.

The flames quickly gathered into his form behind the indentation, but his arms were still trembling, and his body was bent over as he panted heavily, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth.

The intensity of the Haki was still terrifying, and compared to before, the speed and strength were clearly on a whole new level!

This guy...

Ace glared at Sage, who was almost wearing a hideous armor, and gritted his teeth, "Monster!"

"You blocked it."

Sage glanced at the faint Haki color fading from Ace's arm and asked, "What about the second punch?"

Whoosh!

His figure disappeared again, moving at a speed so fast that it created a gust of wind that blew off Ace's hat, leaving the hat string hanging around his neck.

Boom!

Just as Sage vanished, a huge flame erupted from Ace's body, turning him into a spiraling inferno that soared into the sky. As the flames ascended, the bottom of the fireball broke open, sending sparks flying in all directions.

Sage retracted his fist and, in the same motion, flicked away the burning flames on his hand, then looked up at the sky.

The spinning flames detached from the ground and swept upwards, and Ace's figure appeared at the very center of the flames, allowing them to swirl around him.

"Flame Commandment."

He raised his hands high, and the flames around him gathered into his palms. With a fierce downward strike, he shouted, "Fire Pillar!!"

The massive spiral of flames took on a columnar shape and slammed downward with his attack, turning the sky crimson in an instant.

The intense heat had already driven residents living nearby to evacuate, and now they watched from a distance as the sudden appearance of the enormous fire pillar filled them with terror.

If it fell, the city would likely become a sea of flames!

"Hey, what's this? Is this guy that awesome?" Renetia exclaimed in surprise.

Malika smiled and said, "After all, he's a 550 million berry pirate. He's a big shot on the high seas, with a bounty twice as high as Sage's, although..."

"...He's no match for Sage."

Lily continued, "This level of strength has no chance against Sage."

Indeed, the flames were fierce and exuded a scorching, destructive aura, but it didn't give them a sense of being on the brink of despair.

Compared to the overwhelming oppression they had felt from Garp and Zephyr, this fire pillar seemed manageable for Sage, at least from what they could discern so far.

The fire pillar descended directly toward Sage, like a heavenly punishment, bathing his body in a crimson light. The intense heat caused the already desert-like city to ignite, expanding the nearby flames.

"As the most primitive form of destruction, flames are indeed powerful, but on the vast ocean..."

Sage looked up at the descending fire; the pillar had already reached above his head, and the intense heat had even caused the ends of his white hair to curl slightly. Unfazed, he opened his hands and brought them together in front of him.

"Haki—it transcends all else!"

A stream of black flowing fire emanated from his palms, reaching the spot where his hands met, and gradually condensed into a black sphere.

"Wave Fist!"

Sage thrust his hands forward, sending the black sphere, now transformed into a jet-black flame, toward the descending fire pillar.

"Heaven's Judgment!!"

Boom!!

"Wow!"

At the other end of the city, Luffy, who was being pursued by the Navy, turned his head and grinned, "What a spectacular firework!"

"That's terrifying. What is that? Luffy, don't look! Didn't you say Smoker was catching up to us?"

Next to him, Sanji also saw the giant flame blossoming in the sky and, after a moment of surprise, quickened his pace toward the port.

Right behind them were the pursuing Navy soldiers.

"They're here!"

Just as they were about to run out of the city, another group of Navy soldiers emerged from a nearby street, weapons drawn and aimed at them.

"Straw Hat, and Roronoa Zoro, you won't get away!"

Tashigi appeared with a group of soldiers from another direction, forming a triangle with the rear pursuers and surrounding them.

The group halted, instinctively forming a protective circle around Vivi.

Sanji clicked his tongue and took out a lighter to ignite the cigarette between his lips. Exhaling a puff of smoke, he said, "Guess we have no choice."

"Ah!"

Zoro unsheathed the Wado Ichimonji and clenched it between his teeth before drawing two more swords. "We haven't found Chopper yet, but we have to deal with these Navy soldiers first."

Nami and Usopp took up positions to his left and right, with Nami holding her slingshot and Usopp brandishing the Clima-Tact, both tense as they faced the Navy soldiers.

"Then let's fight!"

Luffy leaned back, his fists clenched so tightly they made cracking sounds, a mischievous smile on his face. "I won't let you arrest me!"

Tashigi gripped the handles of her swords and charged forward, leading the rest of the Navy soldiers who surrounded the Straw Hats from three sides.

"Let's do this!"

Luffy shouted and was about to extend his arm when a figure suddenly leaped down from a nearby building. With a loud clang, the figure struck Tashigi's blade, causing her to lose her grip, and a staff with an iron ball attached to it was now resting on her shoulder.

Boom!!

The ground shattered from the impact, sending a shockwave toward the Navy soldiers behind her, knocking the leading ones off their feet.

The staff, with its iron ball, smashed into the ground, causing the tiles in front of them to shatter and fly apart, leaving a gaping hole.

On the other side, the Navy soldiers had just fired their bullets, but a sudden figure appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

Clang, clang, clang!

The bullets struck the figure, creating sparks as they ricocheted away.

It was a man with a shield on each side of his body. He turned around and flashed a toothy grin at them, his teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"How's that? I'm pretty awesome, huh? I'm not just a Shield Man, but a Handsome Man as well, and now an Iron Block Man too! I'm the invincible Mr. Paulie!"

"You're..."

Sanji's eyes widened in surprise.

"Everyone!"

Chopper appeared from the side and called out, "I've found you all!"

"Chopper!" the group exclaimed in unison, their eyes then turning to the figure who had blocked Tashigi's attack.

The figure wore a gray-blue striped headscarf and a gray coat. With his back to them, he picked up the staff that had fallen to the ground and, in a fluid motion, slung it over his shoulder as he slowly turned around.

As he turned, Sanji's eyes widened further, and he exclaimed, "You..."

"Mr. Sanji, I told you," Mr. 11 flashed a grin, "we would meet again on the Grand Line!"

...

The spiraling pillar of fire, under the relentless pounding of the thick black firelight, continued to retract, and the intertwining layers of Haki seemed to burn like the black fire, resisting the scorching power of the red fire.

In the clash, the fire pillar was even pushed upward, forced back by the black light to the center between the two fighters, sending sparks of flame in all directions.

This was what was commonly known as a clash of equal forces.

The intensity of Sage's Haki was such that if he had simply tried to defend against this thick fire pillar, he wouldn't have been able to stop it.

Even if he had forcefully deflected it, causing an impact, it would have only been a momentary defense.

However, the recovery speed of his Haki was almost infinite!

By combining countless moments, he could continuously counter the attack.

This move, Heavenly Will Blast, didn't have the same intensity as when he had attacked Zephyr earlier. That previous attack had been an extreme release of power, and even his recovery speed had momentarily stalled due to the exertion.

But by slightly reducing the power to around 80% and combining it with his incredible recovery speed, he could create an endless Haki shockwave.

No matter how much of the initial Haki was diminished, as long as it could be replenished afterward, it was, in essence, infinite.

On the other hand, the attacking fire pillar was not infinite. It was more like a projectile, a finite entity with a set amount. Finite against infinite, even if the power was equal, it would inevitably be worn down and exhausted! Moreover, after continuously dodging and taking hits from Sage's punches, Ace's stamina had significantly diminished.

"So, how could you possibly be my match? Hahaha! Get lost!!"

Bang!!

Like a balloon popped by a black needle, the massive fire pillar suddenly dissipated into scattered sparks, and at its center, the black flowing fire remained undiminished, extending upward to strike Ace, who was still in the air.

Bang!

The black light pierced Ace's chest, turning him into an exploding ball of flame that fell toward the ground before quickly reforming into his human shape.

"Puh!"

Before he even landed, Ace clutched his chest and vomited a mouthful of thick blood, his entire body bleeding profusely.

"Oh, I hit a vital point." Sage chuckled.

"You..." Ace gritted his teeth and growled.

Despite his best efforts to dodge, the Haki impact had still struck him, and with that hit, his chest felt like it had been destroyed. It wasn't the feeling of internal damage, but an intense pain that spread throughout his body, as if his veins were bursting.

Aside from the strange sensation caused by the Haki, the sheer amount of Haki was astonishing. Despite releasing such powerful Haki, Ace couldn't sense any signs of weakness from Sage.

If not for the fact that he knew Sage hadn't eaten the 'Haki Fruit,' he would have believed that this man before him had indeed eaten the 'Haki Fruit' and become a 'Haki Human'!

"Heavenly Destruction!"

Before Ace could land, Sage swung his palm, and Haki shot out, striking Ace's body.

Bang!

But this blow failed to connect, and Ace once again burst into flames, turning into scattered sparks that fell to the ground. The flames quickly gathered in front of Sage, materializing into a fist enveloped in violent flames.

Ace solidified in front of Sage and threw a fierce punch.

Sage bared his fangs in a sinister grin, his left fist wrapped in Armament Haki as he dodged Ace's punch, aiming a blow at Ace's forehead.

"I'm the second squad captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, and I won't lose to you!"

Ace's pupils constricted as he roared with gritted teeth.

Haki is not just limited to the Color of Armaments!!

Buzz!

The burning flames, driven by the scorching winds, froze under Ace's furious glare in that instant.

A stream of crimson energy seemed to emanate from Ace's body, swiftly surging toward Sage and enveloping the onlooking group of people.

That was

"Mio!"

Renetia exclaimed as the mute Mio suddenly collapsed, his eyes rolling back. She stared at the man with the scar, disbelief written on her face, "He also has it?"

Malika opened her eyes, which had been smiling gently, and her gentle smile turned solemn as she said, "He's a man with the qualifications."

Lily tightly gripped the hilt of her sword, her eyes fixed on Ace, "Conqueror's Haki."

"Fire Fist!!!"

Ace's fist transformed into crimson fire, and his punch landed on that hideous figure, causing a massive blaze to burst forth from his hand, about to engulf Sage.

"Hey! I hit you!" Ace cackled with a vicious smile.

But his smile quickly faded as, within the flames that had burst forth, a giant hand appeared, like a steel hoop, firmly catching his fist.

The black flowing fire emanated from that hand, dissipating the flames' assault, and the fire that had clung to Sage also gradually extinguished due to the waning momentum, with the burns on his body rapidly healing.

Sage looked down at Ace and said indifferently, "Well done."

Ace was startled, and just as he was about to actively elementalize and break free from Sage's control, Sage suddenly glared at him.

Buzz!!

The crimson energy flow that enveloped the surroundings was suddenly drowned by a wave of black-red energy, which overwhelmed and suppressed the crimson energy flow after a brief clash.

Ace's eyes widened as he stared at the black-red aura that had coated him, cold sweat trickling down his temple.

Bang!!

Before Sage could finish his sentence, he swung his right fist, embedding it into Ace's chest and then punching him into the ground, creating a deep depression.

"It's not just you who has this qualification."

A sinister light flickered in Sage's eyes as he glanced at Ace, who was lying on the ground, his entire body bleeding profusely and unable to move, "Your Conqueror's Haki is far inferior."

As the one who had been hit head-on by the Conqueror's Haki, he had almost failed to react, falling into a brief moment of shock.

But fortunately, he also possessed this qualification.

Otherwise, if he had been struck by that fist, his body would likely have been blasted with a hole, given his physical state.

Sage's Conqueror's Haki was indeed inferior in terms of finesse and control compared to the scarred man.

However, the impact of the Conqueror's Haki also caused Ace to momentarily lose his ability to elementalize, allowing Sage to land a punch.

The power of the Armament Haki, when unleashed at close range with a fist, not only caused internal damage but also struck and sealed his pressure points, rendering him unable to resist.

"Your body is too weak."

Sage shook his head, his foot pressing down on Ace's chest as he tightened his fist, ready to strike again, "Go die."

"Ace!!!"

Just as Sage was about to throw another punch, a loud and energetic shout suddenly rang out from the side of the street, accompanied by a

stretching fist?

"Hmm?"

Electric sparks crackled on Renetia's fingers as she activated her Dynamo ability, transforming her mechanical hammer into a cannon hammer, aiming it at that fist.

Malika lifted her foot, poised to take action.

Lily, too, flicked her thumb, partially unsheathing the blade within her sword's sheath, her right hand gripping the hilt as she prepared to charge forward.

Bang!

Suddenly, a figure swiftly rushed forward, slamming down and knocking the outstretched fist to the ground.

Agin held his walking stick, the iron ball at the end of the stick smashing into the ground and creating a shockwave that knocked the Navy soldiers behind her off their feet.

Agin turned to face the group that had appeared, his walking stick slung over his shoulder, silent and expressionless.

"Agin!"

Luffy shouted, "What are you doing? Let go of me! I need to save Ace! He's my brother!"

In front of Luffy, the people who had been smiling slightly one by one turned solemn.

Zoro and Sanji stood on either side of Luffy, their faces dripping with cold sweat as they stared at that terrifying and hideous figure.

Behind them, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were even more frightened by that figure, their faces draining of color.

This guy...

He's super terrifying!

"Brother?"

Agin moved the iron ball away, allowing the outstretched arm to retract and return to Luffy's side, the walking stick resting on his shoulder as he bitterly smiled, "I never expected that our second encounter would be under such circumstances again. I don't want to lay hands on you, but..."

His eyes turned fierce as he continued, "I won't let you offend my captain a second time!"

Sage's eyes glanced over, and among that group of people, he noticed the young man with a straw hat, his legs planted firmly apart, his teeth clenched as he glared back with clear battle intent.

"Monkey D. Luffy?"

Sage withdrew his gaze from Ace and turned to Agin, "What is he doing with them?"

"Captain Sage, Chopper, one of their crew, treated our men, and I was planning to invite them over so you could meet them," Agin quickly explained.

"Damn it! Let go of Ace!!!" Luffy shouted.

The expression on his face as he yelled caused Sage to pause, vaguely reminding him of something.

Wasn't he the grandson of Garp?

And this one called Ace seemed familiar too.

"Hasn't the sea taught you anything about respect?"

Sage let out a cold laugh, and with a quick flick of his thumb, he sent a 'bang' through the air, striking Luffy on the forehead and sending him tumbling to the ground.

The sudden attack caused both Zoro and Sanji to narrow their eyes, instinctively shielding Luffy.

"Hey, what was that? Did he just flick the air?" Zoro asked, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "This doesn't look good, Curly Brows."

"I know!" Sanji's eyes clouded with concern. "A bounty of 70 million berries, is he that terrifying?"

"Ouch, that hurts!!!"

At that moment, Luffy finally reacted, clutching his forehead and crying out in pain.

"You're in pain?"

Sanji looked at him in disbelief. "But you're made of rubber!"

It was just the movement of air, similar to a bullet, but only a strike, so why did it hurt?

After flicking his thumb, Sage's monstrous form suddenly shrank back to its normal state, and he glanced at Ace, who was still catching his breath in the pit. "The Whitebeard is just an old man on his deathbed; it's inevitable. No matter who it is, everyone will eventually grow old and weak. If you want to uphold his dignity, then prove yourself to the sea, don't howl at me."

It was just a normal comment, and he didn't even say it in front of them. They had already left, but this guy had to overhear and pick a fight. Was he expecting an apology?

He was a pirate, after all!

Sage stepped out of the pit and glanced at the panting Ace before shaking his head. "Forget it, since you treated my men.

And also because of that damn Garp."

Sage walked over to Lily, who sheathed her sword, leaving only the tip of the blade exposed. She then draped the cloak over his shoulders.

He adjusted the cloak and said, "If you want to come to the banquet, I'll welcome you since you treated my men. But if you want to fight, then prepare to die."

With that, he began walking deeper into the street.

Renetia pouted and glanced at Ace, who was still in the pit, baring her small fangs. "You're pretty tough, Scarface, but Sage is even tougher. You don't stand a chance against him!"

"Alright, at least he's alive." Malika's smile returned.

Lily followed behind Sage and suddenly remembered something. She turned back and added, "It's 270 million berries, not 70 million. His bounty has increased."

"Ah~~!"

Only then did Sanji notice Lily and the others, his eyes sparkling with hearts as he exclaimed, "Wow, they're all such beautiful ladies!"

Agin bit his lip and heaved a sigh of relief. Smiling at the Straw Hat crew, he said, "Mr. Luffy, Mr. Zoro, I hope you'll come to the banquet. Captain Sage is very generous, and since he's called it off, he won't continue the fight."

At least

He wouldn't let Luffy die.

In that situation, if this Straw Hat kid had landed a hit on the captain, he would have definitely died.

Luffy rubbed his forehead, which seemed to be smoking, and stood up, looking at the departing group with a tilted head. "They seem like good people."

But then he glanced at Ace, who was still in the pit and not moving much, and his expression changed. "No, they're bad people!"

However, as he looked more closely, he saw that Ace was still breathing, and he didn't seem to be dead. "What kind of people are they?" Luffy wondered aloud.

"Never mind what kind of people they are, hurry up and save him! Isn't he your brother?" Nami shouted.

Chopper had already rushed over and was now shouting, "Two injured people here! We need help!"

"Who is this guy?"

Zoro noticed the tattoo on Ace's back as Chopper carried him out of the pit and recognized his face. "He's the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates?"

"The Whitebeard Pirates?" Sanji was also surprised.

Sheathing his three swords, Zoro continued to stare at Ace intently before speaking again. "I was a bounty hunter for several years, and I've seen his bounty poster. It's 550 million berries; he's a formidable opponent."

"Are all bounties in the Grand Line this high?"

Usopp cried out in fear, "Didn't that woman say that Sage guy also has a bounty of 270 million berries?!

"We've entered the Grand Line now."

Zoro's fighting spirit ignited. "Those guys are with us, and we'll meet them again sooner or later! Luffy, you have to be prepared!"

"Ah!"

Luffy stood up, pulling his straw hat down, his lips curled into a grin. "They're all strong, but I won't lose. I will become the Pirate King!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end