Conqueror's Haki Awakens [Third Update]

The hot, dry weather suddenly turned gloomy with the death of the Pirate King, as if heralding the arrival of a storm.

Torrential rain poured down over Loguetown.

But the crowd in the square still cheered recklessly at the news of the "One Piece."

Treasure, power, ambition, fame, dreams—these words seemed to take physical form, carrying an irresistible allure that drove people to madness.

In the face of Roger's death, some grieved, some mourned.

"Captain Roger..."

Those close to Roger, like Red-Hair, were heartbroken and reluctant; Clown Buggy wailed in despair. There were those who mourned for Roger.

But the majority were still ambitious schemers.

"Fufufufufufu, this is a new beginning! The new era has finally begun!" Donquixote Doflamingo, clad in a pink feathered coat, laughed wildly in the rain with a manic expression.

Like a demon, Moria, with hooked horns at his temples and sharp points on his ears and teeth, laughed unrestrainedly. His bat-collared shirt and gothic, dark attire made him look utterly terrifying.

Dracule Mihawk stood silently in the rain, lost in thought.

Sir Crocodile, draped in a black coat with his hair slicked back, burned with ambition to reach the top.

These figures, who would later stir up massive waves on the sea, were all gathered here at this moment, witnessing the arrival of the era!

In a more distant sea—the New World.

Roger's death acted like a signal, directly igniting the New World!

The great pirates of the New World, including the future Four Emperors—Kaido of the Beasts and Big Mom—launched wars, endlessly fighting over the territories of Golden Lion and Roger.

The Marines, after Roger's death, began pulling back much of their forces stationed in the New World. But as they withdrew, they also made sure to seize some territories to establish Marine Branches for easier operations in the New World.

Dawn watched calmly as the people around him screamed in frenzy. This scene was deeply etched into his heart.

He knew—the Great Pirate Era had arrived!

Unlike Hina and Sola, who were stunned into a daze after witnessing Roger's execution, Dawn was the first to snap out of it as the rain poured down, waking his still-shocked companions.

In this chaotic moment, many would likely go mad. If they lost focus in this turmoil, danger was inevitable.

Even without that, the sheer chaos of the crowd was enough for Dawn and the others to guard against. They had to prevent anyone from inciting a riot.

This was the task Aokiji had given them earlier. After all, too many people had gathered in Loguetown. If someone had ill intentions, even ordinary civilians could suffer massive casualties.

A single stampede could lead to horrifying consequences.

Dawn instantly activated the Red Ring, enveloping the group, and pulled Sola, who was standing beside him, closer.

Feeling the sudden surge in strength, Sola and the others snapped to attention and quickly gathered around Dawn, bracing against the crowd's pressure.

Seeing the mad, excited, ambitious, and greedy expressions on the faces around them, Hina and the others couldn't help but pale.

"Dawn, what do we do now?" Hina instinctively tugged at Dawn's sleeve, at a loss.

After all, they were still just children. Having this kind of reaction was already impressive.

Dawn frowned as he watched people scrambling toward the docks, fighting over ships in their rush to set sail, turning the scene into chaos.

"Let's go. Right now, our priority is self-preservation. Leave the rest to Mr. Aokiji and the others." Dawn led the group toward the tavern where they had just eaten.

But inside, Dawn was deeply shaken. Seeing Roger's expression, unmoved even by death, stirred something within him.

Yet Dawn had chosen his own path, so Roger's words wouldn't turn him into a pirate.

He wasn't exactly virtuous, but he had no desire to kill indiscriminately. His past life's values, fused with the rules of this world, had led him to this path.

Since I refuse to be a villain, I'll bring my will to this world!

I will make this world change according to my will and ideals!

Marveling at how Roger had reshaped the world's landscape with a single sentence, Dawn—even knowing this moment would come—couldn't help but feel admiration and awe after experiencing it firsthand.

A surge of bold ambition swelled in Dawn's heart. The fire in his eyes burned with intensity, and an invisible aura erupted from him.

In an instant, the people around him began to sway and collapse, leaving only a few who looked around in shock and confusion.

"Was that... Conqueror's Haki?"

Dawn pondered the sensation. He hadn't expected his first mastered Haki to be Observation Haki, which he had a talent for, but Conqueror's Haki—the kind that depended on innate qualities?

The bearing of a king?

But then again, he was already a prince, the heir to a kingdom.

"Forget it. I'll have to keep this hidden for now." Dawn shook his head, looking at the unconscious people around him. He quickly dragged his fainted companions back into the tavern.

Fortunately, Loguetown was now packed with countless people, including many powerful figures. The town had already descended into chaos because of Roger's words.

No one noticed that Dawn had unleashed Conqueror's Haki. Instead, they assumed he had endured the Conqueror's Haki of some unknown strongman.

Once inside the tavern, Dawn carefully sensed and explored the power within his body.

When Sola woke up bristling, Hina remained cautious, and the rest of the team looked at him with uneasy expressions, Dawn felt a bit awkward.

This was the awkward part of awakening Conqueror's Haki—full-area damage with no distinction between friend and foe.

"Alright, let's just grab something to eat here." Dawn looked at the others, who had woken up, and said with a smile.

"But just now..." Hina's expression was somewhat serious.

At that moment, it had felt as if the air around them suddenly congealed, heavy and suffocating, and the next instant they had lost consciousness and collapsed.

"Our top priority is protecting our own safety—that's the only thing Mr. Aokiji told us. Just now, it might have been some powerful figure unleashing Conqueror's Haki."

Dawn didn't want this incident to draw the attention of the Navy's high command just yet, so he had to steer the conversation, keeping them from dwelling on what had happened while subtly feeding them misleading information.

Sure enough, Conqueror's Haki captured everyone's attention, sparking discussion about which powerhouse had unleashed it.

"Maybe... once I'm strong enough, my status as heir to a kingdom could serve as a justification for Conqueror's Haki..." Dawn mused to himself as he pushed the two women into the restaurant.

He was keeping it hidden simply because he was still weak and didn't want unnecessary attention that could complicate his plans.

But in truth, Dawn wasn't all that alarmed by the Conqueror's Haki.