Chapter 98: Conqueror's Haki?!
Chapter 98: Conqueror's Haki?!
A full array of Weapons surrounded Kuro, and the crowd wore expressions of shock.
Including his own men.
"No matter how many times I see it, it's still awe-inspiring", Lida murmured, shaking her head. Though she’d grown accustomed to Kuro raising tidal waves and islands from time to time, the sheer number of Weapons orbiting him still sent chills down her spine.
"A Devil Fruit user", the Prince of Pleasure muttered, stunned. And not just any user—this one had mastered their ability.
"What kind of power is this?!" the Prince barked.
In response, a saber hurtled toward him.
Siva lunged to intercept the blade, aiming to seize its hilt. But the weapon twisted upward midair, dodging his grasp, then pivoted and resumed its assault on the Prince.
Kuro could’ve handled this without his Float-Float Fruit powers, but after training so hard, he wanted to test his limits. This was the perfect opportunity.
The guards grinning below were clearly under the influence of Happiness Pills. Their hallucinations probably prevented them from seeing Kuro’s actual techniques.
Same for the citizens.
As for Kuro’s subordinates, they were either resting at the hotel or stationed at the warship.
Only a handful of people here could witness this battle.
And every figure across from him was already marked for death.
The saber aimed at the Prince of Pleasure finally clattered into Siva’s grip. Twisting his wrist, Siva hurled the blade like a javelin toward Kuro perched atop the streetlight.
But the moment it left his hand, the saber spun midair and returned obediently to Kuro’s side.
"So you can control Weapons remotely?" the Prince’s face darkened. He snapped his fingers. "Fire!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The rifle-toting guards opened fire in unison. A barrage of lead bullets streaked like meteors toward Kuro.
The blades surrounding him surged forward, forming a swirling wall of steel. The bullets sparked violently against the impromptu defense.
But such mundane projectiles posed no threat.
With a flick of Kuro’s wrist, the Weapons scattered like autumn leaves, all aligning toward the Prince.
Yet when he glanced up, the Prince had vanished from his windowsill perch. A split second earlier, he’d dropped down into the crowd of guards below, now a human fortress.
"You control Weapons brilliantly", the Prince called, fingers snapping again. "But these people are my shields. What will you do, Navy?"
He snapped a third time. "And behind them? Even more."
At the signal, figures began emerging nearby—citizens wearing chef’s tall hats and cloaks, their faces frozen in puppet-like grins. Like a river converging, they flowed toward the castle.
"Morgant’s population numbers in the hundreds of thousands", the Prince declared. "To kill me, you’d have to slaughter them all."
Beyond the fanatics, Kuro spotted the amusement park tourists and his own subordinates. The soldiers with lingering rationality wore expressions of confusion and horror at the surreal scene.
"Kuro Ensign, what are you planning?!" a Navy sergeant shouted from below, his voice trembling as he glared at Kuro atop the streetlight.
Kuro remained silent. The Prince pointed at him, his tone turning theatrical with feigned outrage.
"Help! This man wants to murder me!" he cried to the crowd. "Because I failed to meet the Navy’s demands, he seeks my life!"
On the ground, the untouched suitcase of Beri coins sat as perfect evidence. The sight combined with his words ignited suspicion in the onlookers—many began nodding as if realizing the truth.
"Kuro!" the sergeant spat, raising a fist. "Never thought you’d be this despicable—refusing bribes and trying to kill such a great Prince!"
Under normal circumstances, a low-ranking officer wouldn’t dare confront Kuro like this. Corruption wasn’t unusual, and Kuro’s reputation wasn’t exactly pristine. But with the crowd’s worshipful fervor fueling their outrage, the man boiled with righteous anger.
And he wasn’t alone in that sentiment.
A smirk curled the Prince’s lips.
This wasn’t just his own subordinates watching. Among the tourists were dignitaries from other Kingdoms. If they collectively filed reports, the Navy’s career would end in disgrace—prison guaranteed.
If Kuro wanted to silence them, he’d have to kill everyone here. Slaughtering a hundred citizens would give the Prince all the leverage he needed.
Either way, his trap was sprung. In Morgant, no one could oppose him—especially not a rule-bound Navy officer.
"You really are despicable", Kuro sighed, glancing at the crowd below. His hand drifted to his hilt. "I wanted to test my abilities a bit more, but... forget it."
Shing!
His blade flashed.
"Single Sword Style!"
A wave of Killing Intent erupted, manifesting as a tangible pressure that crushed the air. The first to collapse was the white-coated doctor still standing on the windowsill. No one else faltered.
The Prince staggered backward, his mask of composure cracking.
This Killing Intent... It felt like Conqueror’s Haki!
"Nobody fell", Kuro muttered, surprised. His Killing Intent rivaled even Conqueror’s Haki—yet not a soul had collapsed.
Could his mental attacks be neutralized?
"Got him!" Klah sprang forward, his Moonstep carrying him above the Prince. A claw blade slashed toward the Prince’s neck.
If they eliminated this man, everything would end.
Clang!
The claw stopped dead against the Prince’s throat, blocked by an invisible force.
The Prince smiled. "Too weak! I’m no pushover, boy!"
Boom!
Klah flew backward, struck in the gut by a punch coated in black energy.
Haki?! The Prince could use Haki?!
As the Prince’s fist recoiled, Lida transformed into her human form, appearing above him with a hand reaching down. Her speed dwarfed Klah’s.
The Prince barely reacted, stunned as her fingers neared.
But suddenly, an overwhelming presence erupted from him—Lida froze mid-motion.
A fist encased in Armored Haki shot upward, seizing her wrist and hurling her away like trash.
"Avoiding touch seems wise", the Prince dusted off his sleeve. "You’re formidable. You don’t seem like ordinary Navy officers."
"Conqueror’s Haki?!" Lida staggered to her feet, eyes wide with fright.
Kuro’s expression turned grim.
He’d felt it too. That unmistakable aura of Conqueror’s Haki.
(End of Chapter)
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