Xiao continued to raise the pressure.
He no longer held back. Every strike was heavier than the last.
He wanted to see Luffy's limit.
Was this boy truly special? Could fate really protect him at the edge of death?
Xiao was curious.
Even Uranus, sustained by centuries of belief, had displayed abnormal abilities. It had once amplified Ace's strength and forced out Armament Haki that should not have appeared so easily.
If faith could interfere like that…
Then what about destiny?
Xiao focused entirely on this experiment.
Luffy's life no longer mattered to him.
Meanwhile, Luffy could clearly see the execution platform in the distance. The executioners had already raised their blades. The steel edge hovered near Ace's neck.
Just one swing.
"I told you to move!! Didn't you hear me?!" Luffy roared.
At that moment—
A vast wave of Conqueror's Haki burst from his body.
It swept across the plaza like a violent shockwave.
The air trembled.
The ground shook.
Marines and pirates alike felt their minds go blank as the pressure washed over them.
Xiao smiled faintly.
"So, it's finally here."
He released his own Conqueror's Haki.
The two forces collided instantly.
Rumble—
The clash sent a visible shock through the battlefield. Many weaker soldiers collapsed unconscious on the spot.
Those still standing stared in shock.
A clash of kings.
Luffy's Conqueror's Haki flared wildly, but it was unstable. Xiao's was steady, oppressive, and far more refined.
The golden ripple from Luffy's burst was forced backward.
Luffy was thrown off balance. His body trembled violently.
In a clash of Conqueror's Haki, the weaker will suffered backlash.
"Don't misunderstand," Xiao said calmly. "Awakening Conqueror's Haki doesn't make you special. In the New World, people with Conqueror's Haki aren't rare."
His pressure didn't stop.
"If you've awakened it, then learn the next step."
"Conqueror's Haki infusion."
The invisible force around him intensified. Small stones lifted from the ground. The air itself felt heavy.
Luffy could barely breathe.
He couldn't move.
Each step Xiao took made the pressure worse.
Members of the Whitebeard Pirates tried to rush forward to help, but as soon as they approached, they felt as if a mountain had fallen on their shoulders. Several of them dropped to one knee.
"Luffy!"
On the execution platform, Monkey D. Garp couldn't stand still anymore.
Ignoring Sengoku's warning, he leapt down.
But Xiao moved first.
"Home run."
The baseball bat in his hand was wrapped in both Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki.
He swung with full force.
The bat smashed into Luffy's head.
Boom—
The impact drove Luffy straight into the ground. A massive crater spread outward from the point of contact.
This time, Xiao had not held back.
The pressure from the infused Conqueror's Haki crushed the surrounding earth.
Silence fell for a brief moment.
Then—
Garp arrived.
His fist slammed into Xiao's back with full power, sending Xiao flying across the plaza.
But it was already too late.
Luffy lay motionless in the crater.
He wasn't breathing.
Garp rushed forward, digging through the broken stone with his bare hands. He pulled Luffy out and held him tightly.
"Luffy…"
His voice trembled.
On the execution platform, Portgas D. Ace stared blankly.
His brother had come to save him.
And now—
"Ze ha ha ha…" Xiao stood back up slowly.
"ACCCEEEE! see? There's a difference between real grandsons and adopted ones. Garp only cries for him."
"BLACKBEARDDD!!"
Garp gently laid Luffy down.
The air around him dropped in temperature.
His killing intent was no longer restrained.
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