Figo's Conqueror's Haki

As the Hell Pirates' ship drew closer, more people could see Miya lying unconscious on the deck railing not far behind Rebrus, bound with Seastone chains.

Besides her, several Marine captains and lieutenants were in the same predicament.

They must have had the misfortune of encountering the Hell Pirates during their voyage. Even though Miya was a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, she had little room to resist against the Hell Pirates—and what's more, she hadn't even managed to escape...

Including Doug, five Vice Admirals and Figo all stood on the bow of a warship, watching this scene from afar. Doug's fists clenched tighter, his body trembling faintly.

"Xiaoya... you bastards..."

Figo, who had activated Doug's Character Event, knew the hatred between Doug and the Hell Pirates. He kept his composure, observing the enemy ship's situation.

"It's not just Rebrus."

The other four Vice Admirals also shared their observations: "Almost all the Hell Pirates' executives are on that ship!"

"Both First Mates are there—Arlong Jackson, the Spear of Hell, with a bounty of 780 million, and Tony Toa, the Shield of Hell, with a bounty of 735 million!"

"The Four Beasts of the Underworld are also there, all Great Pirates with bounties over 400 million..."

"And..."

"Did they send their entire force?"

None of the Vice Admirals were fools. Seeing this formation, they could tell that the information had been leaked from the very start of the Buster Call's deployment—otherwise, the Hell Pirates wouldn't have come out in full force!

As for who leaked it, they didn't want to dwell on it now. That could only be investigated if they made it back.

Just exchange prisoners, no fighting?

Those who trust pirates' words don't live long!

The Hell Pirates had mobilized completely and shown themselves openly. Would they really just save a single Blind Witch and leave?

Obviously, this was a war!

On one side, the elite Marine forces of a Buster Call. On the other, the Hell Pirates—one of the two strongest pirate crews in the New World!

The four Vice Admirals looked at Figo. Ordinary Marine soldiers, lieutenants, and captains didn't know Figo, but as Vice Admirals, they naturally did. They knew Figo had once defeated Admiral Raul.

Whether this war could be fought, and how it would be fought, hinged on one key point: did Figo have the strength to contend with Rebrus, the Hell of a Man?

"Teacher Doug, stay calm," Figo said. "Let's try exchanging prisoners first."

Doug took a deep breath. "Xiaoya's safety is in your hands, Figo."

Figo nodded and called out, "Hell Pirates, we agree! Let's exchange prisoners!"

On the other ship, Rebrus tilted his head slightly and asked his bizarre-looking subordinates behind him, "Who's that guy?"

As the pinnacle of pirates, he knew every opponent worth mentioning in the Marines—the Fleet Admiral, the three Admirals, the sixteen main Vice Admirals—he'd even met them all. But Figo was a completely unfamiliar face.

His subordinates exchanged glances. No one recognized Figo. Someone speculated, "The two old-timers among the Marine Admirals are about to retire. Is he an Admiral candidate about to be promoted?"

"Who cares who he is? The boss brought us all out. Unless all three Admirals show up, no one's stopping us!" a pirate cackled.

"Boss, are we really exchanging prisoners?"

Rebrus lightly hooked his oddly shaped gray nose with his finger, grinning. "Jackson, you go. Use that female Vice Admiral to bring back the Blind Witch. Don't hurt her—she'll become our third First Mate."

Behind him, a gray-haired man with a sharp, chiseled face replied solemnly, "Yes, boss!"

The pirates understood and snickered. "First Mate, that female Vice Admiral is pretty good-looking. Be gentle, hahahaha..."

Jackson didn't respond.

Soon, a small boat was lowered from the Hell Pirates' ship. Miya and several captured Marines were all placed on it. Jackson brought only two apprentice crew members and rowed forward.

On the other side, Figo also boarded a lifeboat, bringing Sapphire, and personally rowed to meet them... The moment the Hell Pirates appeared and proposed the prisoner exchange, Figo had quickly put Seastone handcuffs on Sapphire.

The two small boats left their respective sides, gradually drawing closer. Countless eyes followed them from both ships. Though Miya, the Flower of the Marines, was 37 years old, her appearance hadn't changed much. She had many admirers, and countless Marines were furious and tense for her.

The captured and uncaptured Revolutionary Army members were all kept under tight surveillance to prevent accidents.

The cannons of ten warships—enough firepower to annihilate an island—were already aimed at the pirate ship opposite. At the slightest sign of trouble, that island-destroying barrage would be unleashed!

Rebrus stood at the bow with his arms crossed, paying little attention to the cannons. Instead, he kept staring at Figo. Suddenly, he said, "That guy gives me a bad feeling. Tony, be ready."

"No way, boss. You don't think the First Mate can't handle him?"

"Is he really the next Admiral?"

"Never seen him before. Where did he pop up from? Is he an Ability User?"

"Looks like a swordsman..."

The second First Mate, Tony Toa, a fat man nearly as wide as he was tall, replied, "I feel it too, boss. Look at the Blind Witch—she shouldn't be easy to deal with, but there's no visible injury on her. How did she get caught?"

Rebrus shifted his gaze, his fingers lightly tapping his folded arms. A faint flame flickered at his fingertips. Tony Toa immediately stepped closer to him, and the other pirates fell silent.

In the middle of the sea, the distance between the two small boats was less than a hundred meters. Figo slowed his rowing slightly, calculating time and speed in his mind.

On the opposite boat, the Hell Pirates' First Mate, the Spear of Hell, Jackson, suddenly spoke: "Hey, I've never seen you before. Who are you? And you, Blind Witch—we came to save you. Why haven't you said a single word until now?"

Figo didn't answer.

Sapphire said weakly, "He's the Director of Impel Down, Gaston Figo. I don't need you to save me. I won't become a pirate."

"Tch," Jackson snorted. "A captured fool like you actually thinks your bounty of over 1.2 billion, higher than the boss's, is real? Director of Impel Down, huh... Gaston Figo..."

He thought for a moment, then said, "Oh, I've heard of you. Wasn't it you who caught that Worry Demon, Geld Chuck, a few years back? That guy's strength wasn't much, but his ability was troublesome and hard to guard against. Catching him isn't bad."

He looked at the sword hanging at Figo's waist, his expression like a hunter spotting prey. "Are you a swordsman? What a coincidence, so am I. I love fighting swordsmen. Want to spar a bit?"

As he spoke, the two small boats had closed to within fifty meters. Figo glanced over his body and asked him, "Is that so? Where's your sword?"

The moment the words fell, the muscles in Figo's crossed legs tensed slightly, ready to spring. But across from him, Jackson suddenly grinned savagely, lowered his head, grabbed Miya by the neck, and hurled her viciously at Figo!

The flying Miya shot through the air like a cannonball, a flash of pain crossing her face beneath her scattered hair.

Figo's eyes darkened. He sat steady and unmoving, catching Miya with a muffled thump, absorbing the force without his body swaying an inch. But from behind him in the distance, several startled shouts rang out: "Watch out!"

From diagonally behind, Jackson had suddenly appeared—faster than the Miya he'd thrown! His right arm had transformed into an extremely sharp blade, coated in flowing blood-red Armament Haki, and he slashed fiercely at Figo's spine, sword aura riding alongside the blade!

"I am the sword! The sword is me!"

Arlong Jackson, First Mate of the Hell Pirates, a Paramecia Chop-Chop Fruit Ability User, was exceptionally skilled in Armament Haki and had developed his fruit to an extremely high degree. The blades he turned his body into were sharper and tougher than any Famous Sword. In battle, he often cut both enemies and their weapons in half—he was the Hell Pirates' most powerful attacker!

Clang! A sound of metal striking metal rang out!

The blade formed from his arm successfully broke through Figo's Armament Haki and muscle, drawing a spray of blood. But Jackson's expression froze on his face. What the hell? What's with this feeling?! It's almost like the Captain's?!

I can't cut through—I'm stuck?!

"That really hurt. You broke my defense."

Figo set Miya down and stood up straight, the blade still embedded in his muscle, even lifting Jackson a small step as he rose.

At the same time, a soul-shaking power spread outward, like a thunderclap boom exploding in the minds of everyone on the sea!

The two apprentice crewmen rowing Jackson over rolled their eyes and toppled backward!

The Marines' panicked expressions froze. Vice Admirals like Doug showed looks of shock!

The pirates' excitement died down, and even Rebrus revealed a hint of disbelief!

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

How is that possible?!

Isn't he a Marine?!

Right in front of him, Jackson's mind went blank for an instant, then snapped back to clarity under the frantic warning of his Observation Haki!

Before him, Figo looked down from above, his hands clasped together in a double fist, flowing with golden Armament Haki, and smashed down toward his head. The howling wind pressure made it almost impossible for Jackson to open his eyes!

Coming at me head-on? Don't underestimate me, you bastard. Let's see who takes more damage!

He gritted his teeth, his head rapidly transforming into a cone shape like a future Chinjao, the tip extremely sharp and gleaming with metallic luster, then coated in flowing Armament Haki as he met Figo's fists head-on!

Boom!

Figo held back no force, smashing directly into that metal tip, instantly shattering the small boat beneath them!

Jackson's metal cone head was crushed back into its original form in an instant! His flesh-and-blood head wobbled like jelly, features scattering and shaking, skin and flesh loose and quivering, blood streaming from his seven orifices, saliva and teeth flying everywhere as he rolled his eyes back and plunged into the water!

Figo, meanwhile, grabbed Miya in one hand and Sapphire in the other, leaping onto the pirate boat that had been swept away by the waves. He punched the water, rode the giant wave, and swiftly returned with the Marines toward the Navy formation.

Drip. Drip.

Drops of blood fell from his fist.

Figo glanced at it.

As expected of a Great Pirate with a bounty over seven hundred million.

That second hit broke my defense too.

PS: (One extra chapter for 3000 words. Two chapters at noon as usual. New week, recharging the new book rankings. Last week I was fifth most of the time, only pushing to fourth in the last two hours. This week I hope to move up one more spot. Please give me your clicks and follows within 24 hours, please vote, please give Figo a like.)