On Fullalead Island, the moment Shiki's booming declaration echoed across the sky, several division commanders looked visibly displeased.
"Gurararara! That Shiki's getting a little too cocky!"
"Mamamama! That bastard's really testing my patience!"
A man's deep laughter and a woman's furious voice rang out simultaneously, accompanied by two immense waves of Conqueror's Haki surging into the air.
In an instant, three powerful auras clashed in the skies above Fullalead, painting the clouds in three distinct hues.
Thankfully, this was the stronghold of Rocks. Everyone here was formidable in their own right, and used to enduring periodic blasts of Conqueror's Haki. Though pressure rippled through the crowd, no one collapsed.
"Huhuhahaha! You rowdy fools never change!"
A slurred voice, soaked in the smell of liquor, joined the fray, followed by a slightly weaker burst of Haki.
And then—two more.
Now six forces clashed violently overhead. Three were dominant, three slightly lesser, but the combined pressure made even the heavens over Fullalead tremble.
Even aboard Shiki's floating ship, Lind couldn't help but feel the oppressive force washing over him.
Relying on his knowledge of the original timeline, Lind could instantly identify several sources of the Haki. Aside from Shiki, the other five belonged to the remaining division commanders of the Rocks Pirates.
Based on what Lind knew, the current commanders were:
1st Division Commander: Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate, wielder of the Gura Gura no Mi, bounty: 1.26 billion Berries
2nd Division Commander: Golden Lion Shiki, Fuwa Fuwa no Mi user, bounty: 1.19 billion Berries
3rd Division Commander: Charlotte Linlin, wielder of the Soru Soru no Mi, bounty: 990 million Berries
4th Division Commander: Captain John, bounty: 760 million Berries
5th Division Commander: Wang Zhi, bounty: 730 million Berries
6th Division Commander: Silver Axe, bounty: 720 million Berries
As Lind stared into the sky, watching the torrents of Conqueror's Haki swirl and strike, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration.
This was the trademark of the powerful—the ultimate tool for making a dramatic entrance.
And just then, more waves surged. Several weaker or unrecognized Conqueror's Haki joined the clash. Likely minor characters from the original world, pirates subdued by Rocks' sheer might. Maybe, just maybe, one of them was Kaido.
Lind felt even more discontent. These unnamed background characters from canon already had awakened Conqueror's Haki… and he hadn't yet?
Determined, Lind pulled out a fruit.
This was something he had modified during his downtime on the ship—created by sacrificing Shiki's legs in a preemptive offering. A mutated fruit designed to amplify one's will and emotion, crafted specifically to assist in awakening Conqueror's Haki.
There was no other choice. For someone like Lind—cautious, strategic, but with an unshakeable flair for theatrics—waiting for fate to trigger his awakening wasn't practical. He needed timing, momentum, and emotion all aligned.
And now, with Conqueror's Haki erupting across the island, and adrenaline flooding his veins, his emotions hit a breaking point.
This was the perfect moment.
"It's coming!"
Lind suddenly sensed a force even more overwhelming than Whitebeard's or Shiki's. He didn't hesitate. He swallowed the fruit.
As it entered his body, his clarity began to unravel. A storm of emotion surged—frustration, longing, ambition.
Rocks' dominative will struck a chord deep inside Lind, igniting his desire to break free, to truly own his fate, to live without limits.
In that moment, Lind's Conqueror's Haki finally awakened.
It burst outward, a force imbued with freedom and defiance. A declaration of will that screamed of autonomy, a yearning for unrestrained existence.
Perhaps it was thanks to his telekinetic training and the immense spiritual strength it brought, but Lind's initial outburst was far stronger than most awakenings.
While he couldn't yet fully wield or control it, the sheer intensity of his Haki placed him only slightly beneath John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe.
And for now, that was more than enough.
Lind was deeply satisfied. Sacrificing Shiki's legs decades in advance had paid off handsomely.
With both Rocks and Lind joining the clash, the chaotic storm of Haki had reached its crescendo.
"Huhuhahaha! That's enough, all of you! Stand down!"
With a single thunderous roar, Rocks released his own Conqueror's Haki—deep crimson in color—and it surged forth, suppressing every other presence in the sky.
Under its pressure, John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe tried resisting briefly, but were soon forced to withdraw their Haki.
Whitebeard, Shiki, and Linlin hesitated, wanting to push back—but seeing the others relent, they too stopped.
"Huhuhahaha! Shiki, you certainly know how to make an entrance!"
Rocks withdrew his Haki and turned his attention to the day's most flamboyant performer—Shiki. His words were flat, almost like a veiled warning.
"Jihahaha! Like my brother Lind says—out here on the sea, besides fame and strength, what really matters is presence! If you're a true pirate, you've got to bring the show!"
"How was it, huh? Pretty damn impressive, wasn't it?"
"Let's have everyone prepare their own speeches. When the time comes, we'll ride my airborne fleet straight to Marineford and crush the Marines. Let the whole world see who truly rules the seas!"
Shiki completely ignored Rocks' warning and started painting a vision of glory.
Apparently, his words resonated with the crowd. Aside from Rocks, even Whitebeard and Linlin looked genuinely interested.
Whitebeard was already fantasizing about showing off in front of Sengoku.
What master tactician? If he stormed in with something like that, Sengoku would look like a clueless brute with no flair at all.
As Shiki spoke, Rocks finally noticed something odd—specifically the mention of Lind.
He remembered that earlier call with Shiki, and the dramatic line Shiki had quoted. The style… it was unmistakably the same.
"Huhuhahaha, Shiki… this Lind you mentioned, isn't he the one who stood outside your ship and shouted, 'One dance stirs the sea, two dances shake the sun and moon'?"
"That sudden burst of unfamiliar Haki earlier—that had to be him, right? I didn't expect you to really bring back someone that strong."
"Gurarara! 'One dance stirs the sea, two dances shake the sun and moon'—now that's a swordsman worth meeting! Shiki, take us to this Lind right now!"
Whitebeard's booming voice cut through the air, tinged with excitement.
He stopped fantasizing about embarrassing Sengoku. Those bold words had captured his imagination completely. And with his upcoming plans, it seemed this Lind might play a key role.
"Mamamama, I agree! That line sounded like it came from a handsome, powerful young man!"
Even Charlotte Linlin and the others nodded in agreement. They wanted to meet this Lind for themselves.
After all, Conqueror's Haki didn't lie. Combined with those audacious words, it painted the image of a formidable swordsman already in their minds.
"Yes! He must be a warrior of great strength. My blade is itching to meet him!"
John, a swordsman himself, declared his intent to spar with Lind directly.
Up in the sky, Lind heard every word—pirates didn't believe in speaking quietly.
As their conversation shifted toward him, Lind's heart skipped a beat.
Hearing them praise him so highly, he felt... immense pressure.
After all, he knew the truth. He wasn't some master swordsman. He was just a telekinetic fighter who liked flinging flying swords around.
Still, he couldn't deny it—this kind of misunderstanding had its perks.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!