The Red Count left.
No farewells, no parting threats.
This solitary king, renowned alongside Roger and Whitebeard, now resembled an overworked office drone forced into endless overtime. Swallowing his humiliation, he plunged headfirst into the turbulent waves of the New World.
Where was he going? No one knew. Nor did they need to.
As long as he valued his life and retained even a sliver of desire for the youth-restoring Devil Fruit, the Berries on those IOUs would flow into G-5's treasury like rivers converging into the sea.
Kane withdrew his gaze, found a flat rock to sit on, and focused his consciousness on the blue screen only he could see.
[Current Violation Value Balance: 631,800!]
Seeing this number, Kane's heart skipped a beat.
This fortune was enough for a transformation that would change him to his very core.
Memories of his battle with the Red Count surfaced in his mind. He had felt the stark difference in their Conqueror's Haki—the Red Count's was refined to an extreme. Though Kane had won through shameless tactics backed by infinite stamina, he had still been outmatched in the quality of his Haki.
Zangetsu could mimic the effects of Haki Infusion, but it was ultimately an external tool.
"Conqueror's Haki Emission is an ability only a handful of the strongest can master!"
The profound words of "Teacher Kaido" echoed in Kane's mind.
It was time to obtain that genuine ticket to the world's summit.
"System, exchange for Advanced Conqueror's Haki."
Kane made his decision.
[Exchanging for Advanced Conqueror's Haki requires 600,000 Violation Value. Confirm?]
Six hundred thousand—nearly his entire savings.
But Kane didn't hesitate in the slightest.
"Confirm!"
[Confirmation received… Loading Advanced Conqueror's Haki module…]
[Warning! Host's willpower intensity significantly mismatched with module. Forced synchronization initiated. Process may cause severe impact. Prepare accordingly!]
[3… 2… 1… Synchronization beginning!]
Boom——!!!
A terrifying will, tearing through dimensions, descended from the void and violently poured into the depths of Kane's soul!
In that instant, Kane's consciousness was ripped from his body.
He "saw" a man laughing boldly, wielding two swords. With a casual swing, black-and-red lightning split the sky and earth!
The scene shifted.
He then "saw" a massive whale-shaped ship prow, where a white-bearded man coated his naginata with Haki. A single strike made space itself tremble, groaning under the strain!
Next, the images shattered and reformed.
A wild-haired man, resembling a demon, stood alone against the siege of several of the world's strongest fighters.
Facing a barrage of lethal attacks capable of sinking islands, he didn't evade. Instead, he grinned with a contemptuous, dominating sneer.
Hum——!
An invisible, intangible, yet indestructible barrier of will materialized out of nowhere.
Whether it was slashes coated with top-tier Haki or earth-shattering iron fists, the moment they touched that barrier, they shattered and disintegrated as if colliding with a divine forbidden zone, unable to even lift a single corner of his clothing!
That was Roger! That was Whitebeard! That was Rocks!
They were the pinnacle scenery of this era!
The system had actually allowed him to personally experience that legendary power in such a way!
[Synchronization successful!]
[Congratulations, host, for mastering the advanced application of Conqueror's Haki—Haki Infusion!]
[Congratulations, host, for mastering the advanced application of Conqueror's Haki—Haki Defense!]
Outside.
The three future Admirals, who had been pointing at blueprints nearby and discussing where to build a bathhouse and where to build a cafeteria, simultaneously froze.
The originally clear sky suddenly darkened.
Dark clouds gathered out of thin air, howling winds roared, and the sea raged.
A terrifying, suffocating oppressive force spread outward in a ring from Kane as the center!
"Hmm?"
Sakazuki abruptly turned his head, his pupils contracting violently.
He saw Kane still sitting there, posture unchanged, but around Kane, pitch-black lightning tinged with crimson edges was spontaneously generating and wildly dancing.
Crackle—!
The black-red lightning tore through the air, emitting a chilling, crisp sound.
"Hey, hey..." Kuzan instinctively took half a step back, a layer of fine cold sweat forming on his forehead. "This feeling... is even more dangerous than Red Count."
"Conqueror's Haki? No... it's a bit different~" Borsalino's finger, pushing his sunglasses, trembled slightly. "So scary~"
Sakazuki, enduring this pressure, had magma churning on his arm, steam rising, as he gritted his teeth, refusing to show the slightest hint of fear.
Kane slowly opened his eyes.
He raised his right hand, fingers curled as if grasping something.
Those violent black-red lightning bolts converged in his palm like obedient pets, condensed without dispersing, flowing like water.
"This is... the power that reigns above all."
Kane murmured to himself, a satisfied curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
Is this the feel of six hundred thousand points? So smooth.
As his words fell, he suddenly threw a punch toward the empty sea, striking from a distance!
No sound, no light.
One second later.
Boom—!!!!!
On the sea surface a thousand meters away, a massive water column dozens of meters high shot into the sky without warning, as if struck hard by something invisible!
The seawater exploded, revealing the dark seabed below!
The pupils of Sakazuki and the other two shrank to the size of pinpoints at that moment.
A long-range strike?!
No, that wasn't "Ryou"!
It was a higher-level power they couldn't comprehend at all!
Kane withdrew his fist, feeling the new power within his body, and nodded in satisfaction.
This is the ticket to Emperor-level combat strength!
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