Even though the Supreme King's Haki enveloped the entire island, the mist was only cleared around it, and the mist ahead still hadn't dissipated.
But Sage had already sensed it!
Boom!
Smoke rings exploded in the air, and in an instant, Sage stomped the air, breaking through the mist, and rushed toward the direction he sensed.
"This illusion..."
Watching the brief images of the Death Star and Sage's group appear and then swiftly black out, that special agent couldn't help but praise:
"Just watching through the Radio Snail, I can feel its might... It's like genuinely being hit by the Supreme King Haki, even the Radio Snail can be influenced and fall into a coma, too realistic!"
He looked at the person in shadow sitting, "With this ability, you really could defend the entire island alone. Unfortunately, it has to be the fear in everyone's hearts. If you could freely designate it, and have the Four Emperors and Admirals all appear here, that would be even better. Maybe we could catch the real deal!"
The person in the shadow paused for a moment, then said slowly, "Firstly, the ability exerted on others can be dispelled by Haki; it's a contest of the extent of ability development and Haki mastery. Secondly..."
He stood up, let the shadows peel away, revealing a man's face, "That one is real!"
Boom!!
A hole was first smashed open atop the castle, and through the hole, densely packed meteors like black fire descended from the sky, crashing onto the castle, as if bombarded by a barrage of cannonballs, blasting half the castle to rubble, revealing the mist-filled sky above.
"I..."
The special agent turned and retreated, burrowing deep into the castle where debris continued to fall.
Bang!
But at that moment, a bolt of black and red lightning descended from the sky, striking in front, shattering loose rocks and raising a cloud of smoke.
Out of the smoke, a figure slowly appeared.
A cloak with a black background and red tips swayed, complementing Sage's not burly but exceptionally robust physique. He grabbed the special agent's head with one hand and casually tossed it forward onto the ground.
The special agent's eyes rolled white, his mouth agape, even losing a few teeth, with a dent in his chest that made his body look like it had exploded, blood oozing from all over, turning him into a bloodied figure.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
Sage looked at the person ahead and said, "You did quite well!"
The person ahead, about fifty, wore a jet-black leather coat, with a floral cravat around his neck, and thick black gloves with diamond-shaped steel set in the knuckles!
This guy, with two joints on each arm, had very long legs, characteristic of long arms and legs, standing at least over five meters tall.
"Sending an officer to conquer this place was already giving face, do I have to come personally? Do you know how busy I am, I can't even count how many Belly I earn per minute. Surrender obediently and hand over the territory, then find a place I can't currently manage to stay, that's what you should be doing."
Sage pointed over, "You shun the path of life, insisting on courting death!"
"Natural Disaster... Norton Sage."
His expression was calm as he said, "After your men broke in, I thought you would come, but didn't expect it to be so soon, speaking of which, we haven't met for over half a year."
"You know me?" Sage was taken aback.
"In Impel Down, we met."
He said, "I personally watched you break out."
Cellmate...
"Escaped from the sixth level?" Sage squinted slightly.
"I'm Maroni, 'Fear of the Mist' Maroni, maybe you haven't heard of me, which is fine since I've long been forgotten by the times, but..."
Maroni pointed to the land, "This is my hometown, my land, I bear no animosity towards you, I didn't kill your men. I just want to protect my homeland, nothing else interests me. If you leave, I can pretend nothing happened and release the ability from your men."
"Who do you think you are? Red Hair?"
Sage spit out the cigar in his mouth, "You chose a place within my sphere of influence, even if Red Hair came personally, I wouldn't give face! Rather, considering we were cellmates, I'm allowing you to leave. Don't worry, I don't hold grudges, my men couldn't best you due to insufficient power, I won't blame them."
"Seems there's nothing left to discuss."
Maroni shook his head, "For here, my homeland, I cannot yield. Since we can't talk it out, let's speak with power."
Sage's body coiled with a Haki like black flames, grinning fiercely, "Indeed, things spoken with words aren't as firm as those proven with fists. Your homeland? This island has many with long arms and legs? Long limbs, I'd say your life won't be long!"
"Strong ones with powerful Haki... really are formidable, can ignore my ability."
Maroni said, "I am a 'Mist Person' who ate the 'Fog-Fog Fruit,' can evoke illusions within hearts by releasing mist, and these illusions can be people's innermost fears."
"Even if one initially doesn't fear, having experienced it multiple times, realizing it's impossible to completely dispel, whether they give up or resist their hardest, doubt grows, and it turns to fear. Once they feel escape from the illusion is impossible, they'll fall under my control."
"Though Haki can release it, ability is still ability, even if not imposed on others, it can be imposed on oneself."
While speaking, the surrounding mist contracted, converging onto Maroni, "The sea is harsh, above the strong, there are even stronger, don't think having accomplished something makes you all-important, brat... I'll let you see the true power of the sea!"
The mist gathered on his body erupted, encompassing the entire shattered castle.
"Mist•Memory!"
Within the mist, appeared all sorts of people, some dressed like Navy, others like Pirates, their faces unclear, but their actions were fierce, attacking Sage upon appearing.
Buzz!
A torrent-like Supreme King's Haki surged around, but upon reaching these people, had no effect.
Sage was momentarily stunned, his arm instinctively raising, and he punched through the head of a pirate attempting a sneak attack from the side.
"These are just my memories, the Supreme King's Haki... I'm capable of enduring it."
Within the mist, Maroni's leisurely voice sounded, "Your most convenient Supreme King's Haki has no effect, so... how much stamina do you have for consumption, can your Haki withstand these omnidirectional attacks?"
Even Whitebeard, such a strong one, could be pierced by bullets, cut by blades when lacking defense.
This rising star in the sea, a supposed Four Emperors candidate 'Natural Disaster,' cannot escape this rule either.
"Memory bodies?"
Sage surveyed the advancing swarm of Navy and Pirates, his hands moving so quickly they vanished, with a series of dull echoes, the encircling people were all shattered into mist, reintegrating into the surroundings.
"Firstly, sneak attacks are useless against me."
Sage said forward, "Secondly, who told you... that my Haki can be exhausted?"
Boom!
He stomped the ground, soaring into the sky, shattering the memory bodies in the mist and escaping, gathering a massive black light in his right hand.
"A range-based ability, is it? It seems your true body has also fused in, but did you think I would search for you gradually? Too troublesome, let me show you what endurance means!"
Playing cat and mouse, slowly?
Sage had no interest, fearlessness of the Supreme King's Haki didn't mean fearlessness of Haki's impact, they were different matters.
Many methods to deal with such a character, but the most common, was the quickest through direct destruction.
"Annihilation Slash!"
No need for cohesion, just diffusion was enough, Haki surged from his hand, expanding instantly, transforming into a massive black light enveloping the entire castle, pounding down through the mist below.
Boom!