Conqueror's Haki

After learning of Beiyuan Heng's secret identity as a CP9 agent, a flash of understanding passed through Hina's eyes before she returned to her usual composure without saying another word.

Smoker's reaction, however, was far more intense. His eyes were filled with incredulous confusion, his face written with disbelief.

Smoker simply could not understand it. Given Beiyuan Heng's usual flamboyant, uninhibited style—never concealing his edge—how could he possibly have entered a low-profile department like CP9?

While Smoker stood there, thoroughly perplexed, Hina raised her eyes toward the ship gradually sailing away in the distance. Her gaze narrowed as she carefully examined its outline, a trace of contemplation flickering in her eyes.

If she had not been mistaken, every figure moving about aboard that ship traveling through the Calm Belt had been female.

That peculiar sight instantly reminded her of a pirate crew buried in old records.

That pirate crew had not appeared for a long time and was rarely mentioned in ordinary times. Only someone like her, who flipped through old Marine files and examined all kinds of pirate records whenever she had spare time, would still remember them.

That pirate crew was called the Kuja Pirates, originating from Amazon Lily, an isolated nation inhabited entirely by women.

Every member of the crew was female. They were powerful and exceptionally united, and they had once made a formidable name for themselves across the seas. Yet for some unknown reason, they had gradually vanished without a trace.

But then she remembered the three sisters she had just seen nestled in Gloriosa's arms.

Seeing girls around the age she had been back then reveal such vulnerability in the embrace of family softened Hina's heart, and she ultimately stopped dwelling on the matter.

The fleet sailed at full speed without incident. Before long, the warship carrying Beiyuan Heng and the others slowly approached the waters of Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

From afar, they could see the headquarters' towering buildings and the fluttering Marine flags. The warship gradually slowed before steadily docking at the headquarters' designated port.

However, under Marine Headquarters regulations, all returning warships and personnel had to undergo strict routine inspections. It was a necessary procedure.

After several days of settling in and gradual accumulation, the power within Beiyuan Heng had quietly begun to change. The personal panel appearing in his mind finally showed a new development.

The change consisted of only a few words. At the very end of the panel, an inconspicuous white entry had appeared.

Yet to Beiyuan Heng, its significance was no less than the shock and delight he had felt when he first obtained the [Genius (Blue)] entry.

[Basic Conqueror's Haki (White)]: You are fairly familiar with the use of Conqueror's Haki. Your efficiency in learning techniques related to Conqueror's Haki is slightly increased.

In this pirate world, Conqueror's Haki was an inborn quality of kings, a sign that one possessed the potential to become a top-tier powerhouse. It could not be learned through effort alone and depended entirely on natural talent.

At the same time, those who possessed this Haki were among the rarest people on the seas, said to occur only once in several million people.

Even in the current pirate world, where powerful figures emerged in great numbers, there were only twenty or thirty people who could skillfully wield Conqueror's Haki. Every one of them was a supreme figure whose name resounded throughout the seas.

It could be said that if one wanted to gain a foothold on these seas and become truly the strongest, Conqueror's Haki was indispensable.

Watching the white entry slowly emerge on the panel, Beiyuan Heng could not suppress the joy in his heart, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

At a thought, a dormant Haki within his body followed his will and burst forth of its own accord.

Buzzz—!!

A deep, invisible hum quietly rang out across the warship. Centered on Beiyuan Heng, a powerful, formless pressure spread rapidly in every direction like a tide, sweeping over the entire vessel.

For a moment, it was as though the entire warship had been put on pause.

The busy sailors instantly froze in place. Every trace of expression vanished from their faces, their eyes turned vacant, and then they collapsed one after another, losing consciousness.

The warship fell into dead silence.

Then the warship suddenly lost control. Its hull jolted violently and swayed from side to side without stopping, even showing signs of capsizing.

The sudden, violent rocking snapped Beiyuan Heng back to reality. He immediately realized that there was a problem with the Conqueror's Haki he had accidentally released "out of control."

He quickly turned, shoved open the door to his office, and rushed toward the control room where the helmsman was stationed.

Just as expected, by the time he reached the control room, the helmsman had already collapsed in front of the console. He had clearly been knocked unconscious by the Conqueror's Haki.

Beiyuan Heng had only just grasped how to use Conqueror's Haki. He still could not precisely control its range or power.

Before long, several stronger and more strong-willed sailors barely withstood the pressure of the Conqueror's Haki and regained their ability to move. Hina and Smoker were among them.

Their expressions grave, the two hurried to the control room where the helmsman was stationed, wanting to determine what had happened.

Seeing Beiyuan Heng standing in the control room with a somewhat serious expression, Hina spoke first. Her voice carried concern and confusion as she asked in a low tone:

"Sir, what exactly happened just now? Why did such an intense pressure suddenly appear?"

Smoker also frowned, adding with disbelief in his voice:

"I think I just felt an incredibly powerful, invisible pressure."

Beiyuan Heng fell silent for a moment before saying, "Don't be nervous. I lost control of myself for a moment while training, which caused this disturbance. It's nothing serious."

"Training?"

Smoker froze at that, then instinctively asked,

"What kind of training could knock out most of the sailors on the ship?

"Does a technique like that really exist in this world?"

Smoker was filled with confusion. He instinctively turned to Hina, his gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.

Smoker had always highly regarded Hina's knowledge and experience. Perhaps she would know the reason behind it.

Yet at this moment, even the well-informed Hina could only stare blankly at Beiyuan Heng.

Seeing the questioning looks around him, Beiyuan Heng knew it would not be convenient to explain further. He merely kept things vague and said:

"I don't know exactly what happened either. I only felt as though something suddenly awakened inside me, and I couldn't control that power for the moment."

As soon as he finished speaking, his tone turned serious as he gave the order:

"First, gather all the sailors who were knocked unconscious on one side of the deck and manage them together. When they wake up, calm them down properly. Don't let them panic and cause unnecessary trouble."

Then he looked at Hina beside him and added, "There is no need to deliberately conceal this incident. Just include it truthfully in the report according to the usual procedure."

Hina slowly nodded at his words. Without asking further questions, she turned and quickly left the control room to arrange for her subordinates to handle the aftermath.

Once he had finished making arrangements, Beiyuan Heng walked onto the deck and looked at Marineford standing several kilometers away.

"Sengoku and Garp should be able to sense this unfamiliar Conqueror's Haki of mine..."

"After all, a surprise is only a surprise when revealed face-to-face."