A Pirate's Life: I Maxed Out Conqueror's Haki First

"Recruited a few pirate brats as soldiers, did you?"

"Pity. A pirate is still a pirate. Put one in a Marine uniform, and he's just an ape wearing a crown."

Evens and the others' expressions changed at his words.

"Picking trash out of a garbage heap. You've gotten rather good at it."

"I heard Vice Admiral Garp picked you up back in the day too, Xia Le."

Sakazuki turned his head again to look at the man before him.

Xia Le said nothing. He watched Sakazuki calmly.

Behind him, grains of sand multiplied around Crocodile. They gathered into the shape of a blade and pointed straight at Sakazuki.

"You scum within the Marines have forgotten everything Marine justice stands for!"

"Scum should be purged!"

"Changing your skin doesn't erase your crimes!"

As Sakazuki spoke, half his body suddenly turned red, magma churning beneath the surface.

Xia Le's eyes were cold, but he kept his gaze fixed on Sakazuki.

Crocodile suddenly shuddered. The sand around him rippled as scene after scene flashed through his mind.

There were so many images this time that his mind nearly ground to a halt.

At last, they froze on a scene that made his pupils contract.

On a silent street, countless civilians knelt on the ground. He was among them. Not far away, a man wearing a bubble helmet walked slowly toward them.

Directly ahead of the man was a narrow alley.

At some point, a figure had appeared inside it, wearing a Marine coat and tossing a fingertip-sized pebble up and down in his hand.

When the Celestial Dragon reached the spot directly across from him, time itself seemed to freeze. Blood suddenly sprayed out and splashed onto Crocodile's shoulder.

The figure tossing the pebble had vanished.

Crocodile looked up blankly. Right in front of him stood a headless body, its neck a bloody ruin.

It was the Celestial Dragon's!

Later, some three thousand meters behind him, he found a bloodstained pebble.

He also committed the image of that pebble-tossing Marine to memory.

The vision vanished. Crocodile stared at the figure ahead of him, his back turned. Crocodile began to tremble, the shock plain in his eyes.

"He..."

"He was that Marine!?"

Fragmented memories returned, bringing back his past—especially what he had witnessed two years ago.

Shock, disbelief, and wonder filled Crocodile. He could not contain his emotions; they showed plainly on his face.

The Marine who had tossed the pebble and Xia Le, standing with his back to Crocodile now, became one and the same.

Crocodile would never have dreamed that his commanding officer had such a past.

Gurgle!

The temperature shot up. Sakazuki no longer made any attempt to hide the murderous intent on his face.

Since he had begun carrying out missions at sea, he had never shown pirates mercy. To him, a pirate who became a Marine was still a pirate!

The sudden swell of heat made everyone present restless.

Sakazuki had become a volcano on the verge of eruption.

"If you want to stop me, go ahead!"

"If you can!"

The words left Sakazuki's mouth coldly, a faint sneer in his eyes.

He knew all about Marine Headquarters selecting three Devil Fruits. The man before him had held first choice among them, yet he had given it up.

That was why the three fruits had gone to Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino.

Two years had passed in the blink of an eye.

He and the other two had made enormous progress with their fruits, and their strength had grown accordingly. Xia Le, on the other hand, had spent two years at the Navy Academy. At best, he had stood still.

So Sakazuki made his move.

Scalding magma burst from his arm like a volcanic eruption. In an instant, it took the shape of a savage hound.

But just then—

Hum!

A violent, domineering force swept outward. Sakazuki jolted. On the warship behind him, every Marine but two went limp and collapsed unconscious.

"You think I'm still the man I was before?"

"You're too naive, Xia Le!"

"Of the four of us, you're the only one who hasn't improved!"

Sakazuki grinned fiercely and swung his arm, the magma burning hotter still.

"You're the naive one!"

Xia Le's voice was cold.

He clenched his right fist. A force wrapped around it, and he punched.

Bang!

A dull impact rang out. The blow carrying that scorching magma stopped dead and could advance no farther.

"Armament Haki?!"

Sakazuki's pupils contracted in shock.

He stared at Xia Le, stunned that he had already mastered Armament Haki.

The next instant, a gust of wind swept past. Xia Le had vanished from in front of him.

Behind me!!

Sakazuki spun around.

At that very moment, a large hand shot toward him, swift as lightning. Its grip closed around his neck like an iron clamp.

Sakazuki went weak all over, and his Devil Fruit power rapidly faded.

"Don't overestimate yourself, Sakazuki!"

"And don't forget how a mere trace of my presence once knocked you unconscious."

Xia Le held him aloft, his level voice carrying unmistakable contempt.

Sakazuki could barely move a muscle. Then he noticed the black glove on Xia Le's hand.

Damn it!

It's Seastone!

Anger and frustration burned within him.

Xia Le not only possessed Armament Haki; he had brought a pair of Seastone Gloves as well. He had long since prepared to face Devil Fruit users.

"Hand over the mission cargo."

Holding Sakazuki up with one hand, Xia Le looked toward the two Marines still standing.

"Yes, sir, Xia Le!"

The two glanced at Sakazuki and hurried to comply.

They did not dare get involved in a dispute between their superiors.

A moment later, they returned carrying a locked wooden chest. Evens stepped forward and took it with both hands.

"The cargo has been transferred."

"Until next time, Sakazuki."

Xia Le released his neck. Sakazuki crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.

"You should be grateful we're fellow Marines."

The icy words reached Sakazuki's ears. He jerked his head up, but all he saw was Xia Le's back and the warship turning away.

"Damn it!"

He slowly clenched his fists, his expression dark.

He had thought he had surpassed Xia Le, only to find himself still behind!

Next time!

Next time, I'll be stronger!

Xia Le!!

Sakazuki roared inwardly.

Meanwhile, Xia Le took the wooden chest from Evens and fell into thought.

He did not care about his clash with Sakazuki. What interested him now was the chest's contents.

What could be important enough for headquarters to go to such lengths and order him to transport it personally?

He still held the rank of Rear Admiral, but headquarters' senior officers knew he was far stronger than the three young monsters.

He had also noticed something else.

Xia Le raised his head and looked at Crocodile, who had been acting strangely since the confrontation.

"Little Sand."

"Did you remember something else?"

Crocodile shuddered and looked up.

"Two years ago, at the Sabaody Archipelago. That person was you?"

The abrupt question caught Xia Le off guard. Then his pupils contracted sharply.

Rosinante and the others standing nearby suddenly felt the atmosphere aboard the ship freeze.

He Killed a Celestial Dragon

Silence.

Aboard the Warship, every sound seemed to vanish at once.

The darkness in Xia Le's expression was plain to see.

Crocodile stared at him. Right now, he wanted only one answer.

His shattered memories were merging with his new self, and old ambitions were quickly resurfacing too.

Pirate or Marine?

Everything fell apart, then came together in the face of the young Marine before him.

After a long while, a sea breeze stirred Xia Le's cape. The darkness left his face, replaced by a smile.

"Remembering your past?"

Crocodile nodded. "Not much. But I'm beginning to understand who I used to be."

"So you were there that day two years ago?"