Clash of the Strong

"Both sides are within cannon range!"

"Quick, load the shells!"

"Fire!!"

As the distance closed, cannons roared and both sides exchanged fire.

The deafening blasts echoed in Xia Le's ears. Shells struck the sea beside him, throwing up great plumes of white spray.

But within five seconds, pressure and despair once again descended on every marine aboard.

The enemy had more ships and, naturally, more cannons. The warship's stern was hit the moment the exchange began, and a fire broke out.

"The stern's been hit."

"Prepare for boarding!"

Simboo drew the long sword at his waist and roared.

Xia Le looked around. The officers had all drawn their weapons. Their faces were grave, but their eyes were sharp and fearless.

Clearly, they were ready to die.

Pressing his lips together, he suddenly turned and walked toward the stern. Through the raging flames, he watched the pirates behind them, their faces twisted into savage grins.

Those vicious faces drew closer and closer. Drawn blades gleamed ahead.

His gaze shifted. The main force of the Flying Pirates was already far away, surrounding the dark speck whose outline was gradually coming into focus.

"Hah!"

Xia Le drew a deep breath, then his eyes snapped wide.

Boom!

An overwhelmingly domineering force burst from him, spreading forward in a fan and crashing into the five pirate ships ahead.

Clash of the Strong

Bzzzz!

Everything trembled. The air warped and rippled, while the violently churning sea fell still.

That savage, suffocating presence swept outward at an incredible speed, engulfing a vast stretch of sea ahead and spreading farther still, as though it had no end.

Crack!

Fine cracks appeared across the sturdy hull of the warship.

The faces of Saron, Simboo, and the other officers visibly shifted from shock to horror.

They stared blankly at the boy ahead of them, his back to them and his white Justice Cloak fluttering. For a moment, none of them could react.

Beyond Xia Le, the pirates aboard those five ships had been laughing wildly an instant ago. Now their expressions were frozen, their eyes rolled back, and they had lost consciousness.

Thud!

Bodies hit the decks one after another. The armed pirates fell in waves, like wheat before a scythe.

Even the fierce wind died down. The lightning in the sky fell silent, while the dark clouds above Xia Le churned and twisted into a massive vortex centered on him.

"What is this?!"

"Conqueror's Haki!!"

Simboo's voice shook with shock.

The marines aboard the warship fell silent too. Every eye was fixed on the boy ahead.

"Hah."

Xia Le slowly exhaled, his gaze sharper than ever.

Against the vast, seemingly endless Flying Fleet, Conqueror's Haki alone was nowhere near enough.

Unlike in the movie, if a battle broke out, he would face Golden Lion Shiki at the height of his power, with all his unpredictable abilities, as well as countless elite pirates from the New World under his command.

Even Conqueror's Haki would make little difference. Retreat was clearly the best choice.

But against these five pirate ships, he was confident.

An invisible authority spread across the sea.

The power of his nearly maxed-out Conqueror's Haki was hard to imagine. Even weaker Flag Officers could not withstand it.

But Xia Le's heart sank when he saw that more than a dozen figures still stood aboard the pirate ships ahead. They had endured the force of his Conqueror's Haki.

"This kid!?"

"He's awakened Conqueror's Haki!"

A pirate wearing a captain's hat and holding a long sword spoke in shock.

That terrifying presence made him think of Boss Shiki.

He looked around. All his men had passed out and were no longer capable of fighting.

Then, in the next instant, two immense presences swept in on the sea breeze and struck everyone there, leaving them stunned.

"Boss Shiki's caught Roger!"

The captain drew a breath and spoke grimly.

His eyes locked onto the black-haired boy ahead, and he tightened his grip on his sword.

"He might be a little tricky."

"But I'm no pushover!"

In the next instant, the captain swept his hand forward, his eyes turning fierce.

"Kill them!"

Anyone who had remained conscious under Conqueror's Haki was undoubtedly an elite, an officer among the pirates.

When the pirate ships came within a few dozen meters, both sides roared and sprang into action.

At the same time.

The Oro Jackson slowly came to a stop, its massive hull rising and falling with the waves.

"Roger, we're in serious trouble now!"

"The Flying Pirates brought their entire force. They're determined to get us!"

Rayleigh's expression was grave.

"Hahahaha!"

"Relax, Rayleigh. We'll be fine!"

The man in the captain's hat, with a handlebar mustache above his lips, laughed.

He slowly raised his head. Standing at the bow, he looked up at the golden figure overhead, imposing as a lion.

"Shiki, we meet again!"

Golden Lion Shiki looked down and burst out laughing. "Jahahahaha!"

"Roger, join forces with me."

"If we combine our strength, the whole world will be ours!"

At Shiki's words, Roger smiled and slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you!"

"Roger!"

"You still don't understand the position you're in. You have only one choice!"

"Obey my orders!"

Golden Lion Shiki roared.

A violent presence surged from him in that instant, sweeping in every direction.

At the same time, Roger's own power erupted below.

"I've only ever had one goal, and I won't serve under anyone."

"Shiki, your ambitions are too great!"

Their gazes collided. The power pouring from them instantly divided the space behind each man in two.

Suddenly, a surge of Haki came from the distant sea and struck the space formed by their clashing wills. With a crack, it silently carved out a third domain.

Almost at once, both men turned toward Xia Le.

Surprise appeared on the faces of Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and the others.

The strength of that Conqueror's Haki was in no way inferior to that of the two men facing off before them.

"Jahahahaha!"

"Looks like I passed over someone interesting earlier!"

Golden Lion Shiki laughed. He recalled the people aboard that warship, his thoughts settling at last on the black-haired boy's face.

"But you're the only one I've ever wanted!"

"Roger!"

Shiki's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he leaped into a dive toward the ship below.

"Then come on, Shiki!!"

Roger roared back and sprang high into the air.

Like flashes of lightning across the sky, the two figures collided.

"Divine Departure!"

"Chop Wave!"

A violent shockwave radiated from the two men, whipping up howling hurricane winds. Its terrifying force even drove a hollow into the sea below and sent the surrounding ships rocking violently.

Then someone happened to look up.

"My God!"

"The sky... it's split open!"

Shock, dread, and terror flashed across every face.

"Jahahahaha!"

Golden Lion Shiki laughed.

"Only you, Roger!"

"You're the only one in this era I respect enough to want to conquer completely!"

He swung his two swords, Oto and Kogarashi, in a rapid flurry. Each clash with Roger rang out like steel striking steel.

"Well, thanks for the compliment!"

Roger laughed.

As the two fought, the entire sea erupted into chaos.

Before long, the crews and officers on both sides joined the battle.

Whoosh!

A fierce blade strike, merely the aftershock of their clash, drew screams as it sliced through more than a dozen pirate ships.

It was a battle beyond imagination. Its reach soon spread across the entire sea.

It even reached Xia Le and the others in the distance.

Boom!

An explosion tore through the warship, and flames surged up.

The deck creaked beneath their feet. The ship rocked violently as the wind rose with a low, growling howl.