The Mysterious Straw Hat

Evening.

The battered and bruised Wang Shi and his group sat limply on the ground, being tended to and treated by Nojiko and Kaya.

Earlier that afternoon, while Wang Shi and the others were undergoing special training, people sent from the Goa Imperial Capital had arrived with food and medicine, and even Nami and the other two girls had tagged along.

"Hahahaha, that was a satisfying thrashing today."

Garp stuffed his face with the food brought from the Goa Palace, showing not a shred of guilt, which earned him eye-rolls and complaints from Nami and the others.

This so-called Hero of the Marines looked nothing like a hero; instead, he acted like a bandit scoundrel, actually beating their heroic King into such a miserable state.

Even Makino and the village chief Slap glared at the "inconsiderate" and "tactless" Garp with annoyance.

What possible benefit could there be in beating and offending Wang Shi so brutally?

Village Chief Slap's face was etched with sorrow, filled with worry for the future of Foosha Village.

He was truly afraid that Wang Shi might one day settle old scores and launch a retaliation against the village.

Meanwhile, the little guy Straw Hat Luffy, drawn by the aroma of the food, seized the chance to sneak into the banquet and eat his fill.

As he stole bites, he kept his eyes on the black-haired young man who had been pummeled by his grandfather.

He felt this guy was incredible for being able to take a beating from his grandfather for so long.

If it were him, he would have surrendered and begged for mercy long ago.

Once he set sail, he was determined to find a crewmate as tough as this guy—someone who just wouldn't stay down no matter how much they were hit.

Moreover, whenever Straw Hat Luffy looked at the orange-haired girl and the Mosshead youth, he felt a very strange sensation.

However, he was still a long way from setting sail, and his single-track mind hadn't yet considered the idea of recruiting crewmates.

Right now, he only wanted to eat until he was stuffed; it had been a long time since he had been able to eat to his heart's content like this.

Wang Shi accepted Kaya's medical treatment and Nojiko's feeding.

He watched Straw Hat Luffy sneaking food.

He hadn't expected the main cast to meet in such a way today.

Perhaps he should call Sanji over tomorrow to help with the cooking.

He could also have these Marine officers teach Sanji some martial arts and leg techniques.

Wang Shi had noticed that among the Marine officers on Garp's ship, quite a few Commanders and Captains had mastered the Six Powers.

One had to remember that Sanji had spent two years being chased by okama on the Kamabakka Kingdom island just to learn Geppo; thinking about it was truly pathetic.

Should he help him avoid that ordeal?

Wang Shi had even seen a Marine Captain use Armament Haki to blast away Eric's Wind Blade.

Damn!

They were worthy of being officers on Garp's ship.

Six Powers and Haki were used as easily as breathing.

Thinking back to the Dressrosa incident, where the Marine officers serving under Fujitora Issho all possessed Armament Haki—even capable of imbuing it into their blades to turn them into black blades—it was staggering.

Seeing that even these nameless extras had mastered Haki, Wang Shi also wanted to quickly learn and master the Three-Color Haki, and he wanted to pick up the Six Powers as well.

"Little brat Wang Shi, do you want to continue tomorrow? My fists won't be holding back!"

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Garp raised his fist and grinned, trying to scare Wang Shi off.

An emperor shouldn't be able to handle this kind of hardship, right?

It would be better to go back to cuddling his empress and handling state affairs.

With Wang Shi's Devil Fruit ability, he was already strong enough to deal with many enemies.

"I do!"

"Besides the Three-Color Haki, I want the Six Powers too!"

Wrapped in bandages, Wang Shi spoke coldly, his tone brooking no argument, his gaze incomparably firm.

"Heh, how many days are left until Judge arrives?

You think you're a genius, trying to learn so much in just these few days?"

"Besides, the Six Powers are the secret techniques of the World Government and the Marines."

"And once Germa 66 retreats, I'll be heading back to Marine Headquarters; I don't have time to tutor you lot."

Garp picked his nose and looked at Wang Shi with disdain. This emperor was too greedy and ambitious, completely ignoring reality.

"At the very least, you must teach us the training methods."

"Otherwise, you wouldn't want me holding a grudge against Foosha Village, would you? Garp!"

"Besides, this is a debt your son owes..."

Wang Shi retorted directly, asking what secret technique it was when so many pirates had already learned it.

"You bastard Wang Shi, daring to threaten me again! I'll definitely beat you to a pulp tomorrow."

"The next time I see that rebellious son Dragon, I must make him recall the Iron Fist of Love. To think he left such a massive mess for this old man!"

Garp cursed in anger, then grabbed a rubber arm that was stealing food and yanked Straw Hat Luffy over, landing two heavy punches on his head.

"Ouch! That hurts! You jerk of a grandpa!"

"Hmph, if I can't beat your scoundrel of a father, I'll beat you instead!"

Garp vented his frustration toward Dragon on this foolish grandson who shouted every day about becoming the Pirate King.

Two large, swollen lumps instantly appeared on Straw Hat Luffy's head.

Wang Shi looked at Straw Hat Luffy, wondering if he should try to set him straight. Should he shove him into the Guard Army?

However, the possibility was slim; after all, even Garp couldn't beat sense into him.

Besides, this Sun God Nika ability user was a mortal enemy of the Celestial Dragons.

Wang Shi did not want to provoke the hostility of the Five Elders.

Amidst the chaos between Garp and Luffy, rubber arms and rubber heads flew back and forth.

This caught the attention of Nami and Zoro, who were intrigued by this interesting Rubber-Rubber Fruit user.

As Wang Shi was eating meat, he suddenly saw a head fly toward him and grabbed Straw Hat Luffy's head.

"Oh, sorry about that..."

Straw Hat Luffy chuckled, his smile incredibly pure.

But when Wang Shi grabbed the straw hat on Luffy's head, a strange aura surged into his mind.

Wang Shi's heart jolted; he snatched the straw hat away, and Luffy's head snapped back.

"Give my straw hat back!"

Feeling the hat being taken, Straw Hat Luffy, who was struggling in Garp's grip, immediately began to scream wildly, thrashing about violently.

"This is!!!"

Wang Shi's pupils constricted into black needles.

The Conqueror's Haki lingering on the straw hat!

Was it the Conqueror's Haki of the Pirate King Roger? Or the Conqueror's Haki of the Four Emperors Shanks?

"Hum!"

Without warning, Wang Shi unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki, instantly terrifying everyone present.

A large number of people swayed and collapsed.

"Why are you releasing your Conqueror's Haki randomly again!"

Garp cursed irritably, his face darkening. It seemed he truly needed to discipline Wang Shi and help him master his Conqueror's Haki quickly to prevent such reckless leaks.

Wang Shi held the straw hat, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

This straw hat, passed down through three generations, actually contained Roger's Conqueror's Haki.

Just like the Conqueror's Haki that Joy Boy left on the belt knot of the robot Emeth, it hadn't faded even after eight hundred years.

Could it be that Roger's mastery of Conqueror's Haki had reached the level of Joy Boy?

Or perhaps storing Conqueror's Haki was a special technique, much like the Ryou of Wano Country.

Suddenly, a strange thought popped into Wang Shi's mind.

Shanks, who had worn Roger's straw hat since he was a child, and his successor Luffy, who had also worn it from a young age—

Had they both been influenced by Roger's Conqueror's Haki and his will?

Damn it!

Perhaps Kozuki Oden, like Roger, also understood this technique of storing Conqueror's Haki.

Oden's logbook might have stored his Conqueror's Haki beliefs and aura, which led to him easily brainwashing Yamato.

Even Kozuki Oden's blade, Enma, stored his Conqueror's Haki, allowing Beast Kaido to recognize Oden's aura instantly.

The uniqueness of Conqueror's Haki was such that even Imu could not forget Joy Boy's Conqueror's Haki after eight hundred years.