"Sorry. I scared you."
Gern reined in the pressure of his Conqueror's Haki, and the air that had seemed frozen began to flow again.
Then he looked around and found Wanda and Pedro rooted to the spot, their pupils contracted and their tails bristling. Even their breathing had become cautious.
The other members of the Mink Tribe farther away were deathly pale. Some even had weak knees and could barely stay standing without supporting one another.
"Uh..." Gern scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Did I overdo it?"
Lipo was the only one who hadn't been frightened into immobility, but even she had been stunned by Gern's imposing presence.
But soon she blinked, her ears twitching slightly. Then she abruptly snapped out of it, grabbed Gern's arm, and shook it. "Gern! What was that just now?!
That was amazing! Lipo wants to learn it too!"
Gern smiled wryly. "That really isn't something I can teach."
Meanwhile, Wanda and Pedro, who were still children, finally recovered from their shock. They exchanged a glance and both took a step back.
"Pedro..." Wanda lowered her voice, her tail curling up unconsciously. "I saw that right, didn't I? Did he just... knock out the Steelmane Beasts with a look?"
"Yeah." Pedro swallowed, his hand trembling slightly around his short sword. "Boss Cat Viper told me some strong people out there can intimidate enemies with their presence, but this is the first time I've seen it myself..."
Noticing how nervous the two little ones were, Gern sighed helplessly and crouched down, trying to keep his voice gentle. "Sorry I scared you.
That was Conqueror's Haki. It wasn't aimed at you."
"C-Conqueror's Haki?" Pedro repeated the unfamiliar term, his eyes holding both fear and a trace of longing.
"Yeah." Gern smiled. They were children, after all, and