Pirates: I, the Immortal, Maxed Out Conqueror's Haki

Even without using Conqueror's Haki coating, a single punch could still shatter a large patch of ground.

"Is that Iron Fist?"

"No, you could call this Iron Body!"

Xia Le was delighted.

He did not care much about defense. The purpose of adding points to Iron Body was precisely its wonderful ability to amplify the hardness of his fists and body, thereby ultimately increasing his strength.

At the same time, he sensed that if he kept investing in it, he would be able to concentrate Iron Body in one place, further increasing the defense and hardness of a specific part of his body.

If he concentrated it in his fist, that would become a true Iron Fist!

To a certain extent, this technique was already similar to Armament Haki coating. The only difference was that it could not grasp Logia users.

Night soon passed, but the great battle still had not ended.

It had to be said that the humans of the pirate world all possessed monstrous physiques. The battle to the death between both sides had barely paused.

Garp and Roger had already fought their way to the center of the island. Blinding light and violent shock waves constantly swept outward.

After a night of battle, Xia Le had raised Iron Body to level fifty.

At level fifty, Iron Body could already be controlled at will. The defense that originally covered his entire body could be layered and concentrated over specific areas.

Wherever Xia Le's thoughts went, his fists, feet, arms, and other parts could strike with their most formidable strength.

Even when grains of sand touched his body, the muscles strengthened by Iron Body would automatically rebound them, sending them flying with even greater force like bullets.

This made his attacks even more powerful during his battle with Rayleigh.

"He's becoming more and more like that monster Garp!"

Rayleigh sighed softly, his gaze solemn.

He felt that the boy before him was a monster. During their battle, his growth was almost visible to the naked eye.

By now, that fist could already truly be called an Iron Fist.

Perhaps even real steel was not as hard or as resilient as it was.

The battle seemed to have no end, especially for Xia Le, who could not feel the slightest fatigue.

In the blink of an eye, another day passed.

He did not die many times that day and gradually began to familiarize himself with the rhythm of battling Dark King Rayleigh.

He had raised Tempest Kick to level thirty-five.

The enhancement of his fists and feet, combined with the high-speed movement of Shave, placed immense pressure on Rayleigh as well.

As his body spun, Xia Le's legs became like whirling tops, constantly attacking Rayleigh.

"Tempest Kick!"

A simple Tempest Kick became as powerful as a sword slash in his hands. Wave after wave of terrifying slashes cut through the forest ahead, severing the trees across a kilometer-wide stretch.

"This kid is practically the most terrifying user of the Six Powers I've ever seen!"

Rayleigh marveled inwardly.

By the third day of battle, he had already begun to feel somewhat tired. He had also personally witnessed the terrifying speed of Xia Le's growth.

Vaguely, he sensed that he might have become the whetstone sharpening Xia Le's blade.

On the fourth day, Rayleigh discovered that Xia Le had begun using Finger Pistol.

His fist transformed into fingers, and the terrifying piercing force left him aghast.

Even more outrageous was that this kid was using Conqueror's Haki coating between both fingers.

Amid black-and-red lightning, the Finger Pistol thrust out. It seemed to pierce even the void, shooting out a terrifying burst of force that extended all the way ten thousand meters into the distance.

Faced with this move, Rayleigh could only use Observation Haki to evade. Otherwise, he had no doubt that his body would be pierced through.

"Finger Pistol!"

"As expected. Combined with Iron Body's localized hardening and Conqueror's Haki coating, its piercing power is even greater."

Xia Le was excited.

He was trying out each of the Six Powers one by one. Once their levels rose, the six physical techniques had clearly undergone a qualitative transformation.

This also represented a complete sublimation of his current strength.

Across the world, he had finally gained a certain ability to survive. He no longer feared some of the strange and unpredictable dangers.

When he had first arrived in this world, although he possessed immortality, he could still be captured and imprisoned. If he encountered a perverted researcher, he might even be taken away and dissected.

Immortality did not mean invincibility.

Afterward, Garp rescued him and he began learning under him. Then, after being tempered by death again and again and investing points, he had finally raised his strength to its current level.

Even when facing Dark King Rayleigh, he now had the power to fight.

"Finger Pistol!"

Moving at high speed, Xia Le struck again.

"Pop!"

The void trembled. Immediately afterward, a finger-shaped burst of force carrying black-and-red lightning shot out toward Rayleigh ahead.

Rayleigh's figure blurred, dodging the finger.

The next second, a deafening explosion rang in his ears, and a violent shock wave radiated outward.

With such momentum and commotion, no one in the world would believe that this was Finger Pistol from the Six Powers of the Marines.

"The Six Powers have already been given new tricks by this kid."

Rayleigh sighed.

The next second, he once again swung his sword and charged forward.

"Let's see how far you can grow."

The successive battles had also aroused Rayleigh's curiosity.

The battle continued.

Saron became a battlefield reporter, tirelessly reporting the state of the battle. Through the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku endured one shock and astonishment after another.

After briefly sketching Xia Le's image in his mind and combining it with his strength and techniques, he constructed a model.

In the end, he reached a preliminary conclusion.

"Xia Le likely already possesses the combat power of an Admiral Candidate!"

"But!"

"How is that possible?!"

Chapter 30: Rear Admiral

Admiral Candidate!

A powerhouse with such strength absolutely could not be ignored.

They were all terrifying experts who had experienced countless battles and honed their bodies or Devil Fruit abilities to the extreme.

In the Marines, experts with such strength could also be called candidates for the rank of Admiral.

But what Sengoku could not believe was how long Xia Le had been in the Marines.

A month, or two months?

Moreover.

With countless thoughts running through his mind, he lowered his head and looked at the documents on the desk, his brows gradually drawing together.

"The noble family massacre."

"The Celestial Dragons."

After pondering for a moment, Sengoku opened the file on the noble family massacre and looked down at the final column, at the blood-red line of text.

"Suspect: initially identified as Xia Le, former gardener of the Bokan Family."

"Xia Le: male, seventeen years old."

"Bokan Yongle obtained him at auction ten years ago at the Sabaody Archipelago auction for one million Beli."

Sengoku continued scanning downward.

"Original place of birth: West Blue, unconfirmed?"

"Home village: Ohara, unconfirmed?"

"Parents: suspected to have died at the hands of the Beli Pirates twelve years ago."

All the detailed intelligence was recorded here. Under the deliberate investigation of the Marine intelligence organization over the past month, Xia Le's background had quickly become clear.

Some of it was information even he himself might not have known.

After remaining silent for a while, Sengoku picked up the red pen in his hand and heavily crossed out the suspect column.

Then he wrote his approval.

"A gardener? Where would he get the ability to kill the Bokan Family? Absurd!"

"Continue investigating this case!"

Then he snorted in amusement.

"What does the gardener Xia Le have to do with Marine Xia Le?"

Immediately afterward, he muttered to himself.

"Garp, you old bastard. I've done you a huge favor this time!"

After tossing the file aside, he casually tore up the document concerning the Celestial Dragons being offended, his expression completely unconcerned.

There had been countless incidents of people offending the Celestial Dragons. The Marines simply could not deal with them all.

A moment later, another document was placed before Sengoku.

"Investigation report on Major Kalens, stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago."

After opening it and reading a few lines, Sengoku smiled faintly.

"Let Xia Le handle this fellow himself. Perhaps it will produce unexpectedly good results."

As a veteran Marine, and especially as a strategist who often assisted Fleet Admiral Kong with his duties, he was highly skilled at handling interpersonal affairs.

Originally, this matter had not been important to him. But after that black-haired youth demonstrated his terrifying potential and strength, everything became different.

Saron's voice continued from the Den Den Mushi.

But Sengoku's eyes had already narrowed. He was considering how to let this Marine youth with limitless potential feel the warmth and justice of the Marines.

Discover talent, retain talent, help talent, and then help the Marines.

Their greatest difference from pirates was that they possessed a mature talent-training system.

Another place, Xia Le's battle with Rayleigh continued.

The battle lasted a full seven days and seven nights. Only after the commotion at the center of the island faded did it finally end.

"Hey, kid, aren't you going to check on your teacher?"

Rayleigh panted heavily as he spoke. His body was covered in wounds, and exhaustion filled his eyes and brows.

"Haha, if you want to go check on your captain, then hurry up!"

Xia Le laughed loudly.

"You brat!"

Rayleigh shook his head with a laugh and sheathed his long sword.

Throughout the battle, he had watched his opponent grow from a beginner into someone who could truly exchange blows with him. Rayleigh vaguely felt that he had become Xia Le's teacher, with the sensation that he had personally raised him.