Kaido and Noro both possessed Conqueror's Haki infusion. Why didn't King?
King had also awakened Conqueror's Haki.
The answer was that King was too young. Even now, King was only sixteen years old.
There was no such thing as reaching the top in one step.
King's Armament Haki, Observation Haki, physical techniques, and so on, all still required training. It wasn't about Kaido always coming in with a "Thunder Bagua" from the start!
That would truly kill King.
It was just that King had always harbored a suppressed ambition. He was not content with his current state. He wanted to catch up to Kaido and Noro.
"Only at the brink of life and death can the power within one's body truly blossom!"
King recalled Noro's words, a self-deprecating thought crossing his mind.
With his defense, how many could truly push him to the brink of life and death?
And if someone could push him to that point, the Captain and Vice-Captain wouldn't let him fight them anyway.
King had no time for further thought, for Shiki's slash had already collided with Enma in his hand.
An irresistible force of impact traveled from Enma through his entire body.
"Wah!"
King spat out a mouthful of hot blood. His hands could no longer grip Enma, and he was sent flying by the slash.
If not for Enma being one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords, even the blade itself might have been severed by this attack.
The sword energy ruthlessly struck King's chest, and the unbreakable defense of the Lunarian race was instantly torn open.
This was the first time King had felt pain since being rescued from Punk Hazard.
A hideous and terrifying wound was carved into King's chest by the slash, blood spraying like a mist.
If not for King's timely covering of his chest with Armament Haki at the last moment, combined with his racial defense, King felt that this attack could have torn him in half.
The terrifying impact of the sword energy had not yet dissipated, carrying King backward like a shooting star across the sky!
Boom!
King slammed heavily into the ground. Ringo seemed to have been struck by a giant meteor, trembling violently, letting out mournful cries!
Sword energy crisscrossed. Under Queen's horrified gaze, which almost made his eyeballs pop out, Ringo began to tear apart from where King landed.
Along its path, whether it was massive buildings or towering trees, none were spared, collapsing into the裂谷 (great rift), ultimately forming a bottomless chasm.
Queen, looking down from the fighter jet, could clearly see that the entire Ringo was completely torn in half.
The power of a single sword strike, terrifying to such an extent!
Queen gasped.
What…
What kind of monster is that!
And, that guy King… he's not dead, is he!
"Jihahahahahahaha…" Shiki laughed uproariously.
He seemed to have forgotten that his initial purpose was to conquer Wano for his own use.
This was an extremely rampant, capricious individual, doing whatever he pleased, pursuing his desires and clear thoughts.
He didn't even mind sinking Wano, considering it a wasted trip for the day.
Queen once again manipulated the fighter jet, continuously firing cannonballs at Shiki, attempting to distract him.
Shiki, however, had lost the fun of cat-and-mouse. His eyes coldly swept over.
Dark red lightning raged across the sky. Cannonballs exploded upon contact. Even the dashboard in Queen's distant cockpit crackled with sparks.
"Damn it, Conqueror's Haki can be used like that!"
Queen cursed, and before the fighter jet's instruments were completely damaged, he quickly piloted the plane to escape.
Shiki no longer paid attention, slowly descending to the ground. Then, he bent down, his palm lightly touching the earth.
In an instant, the ground trembled as if alive. From within the great rift, a giant hand made of earth and stone rose, carrying King's body, presenting it before Shiki.
King was covered in blood, breathing heavily, occasionally coughing up blood.
Shiki grinned. "As expected of a race called 'gods.' To still be alive is remarkable."
"Cough cough…" King was too weak to say anything.
Shiki suddenly extended his right hand, offering an invitation. "Brat, join my Flying Pirate Fleet. I'll find you a hundred or eighty beautiful women to help you propagate and restore the Lunarian race's divine glory."
Shiki had taken a liking to King. To be precise, he had taken a liking to the Lunarian race.
If he had a squad of Lunarians under him, as long as they didn't encounter those who stood at the pinnacle of the sea, they would be almost invincible.
As for loyalty, he didn't care about such things at all.
His strength, Shiki's strength, was enough to ensure that no one in the Flying Pirate Fleet would harbor any disloyalty.
King coughed twice again, spitting out a bloody phlegm, and said coldly, "I already have a captain."
Shiki smiled indifferently. "Just acknowledge me as your captain from now on. Isn't that how pirates betray each other?"
Shiki bit his cigar, inviting him sincerely again. "Jihahahahaha… What do you say? When I rule the world, the Flying Pirate Fleet will stand at the pinnacle of power on the sea! Your Lunarian race will be the future Celestial Dragons!"
King also smiled. "That sounds really good."
Shiki took a satisfied deep puff from his cigar, inhaling directly into his lungs. "So, you agree?"
King's lips suddenly curled into a playful smirk. "But… I refuse!"
Shiki's face instantly darkened. His lion-like eyes, filled with murderous intent. "Do you know the consequences of your choice?"
King met Shiki's gaze without fear, sneering, "I was merely an experimental subject, treated like a guinea pig on Punk Hazard.
It was the Captain and Vice-Captain who saved me from that plight. For all these years, they have treated me like a brother. How could a man like me betray my master and surrender to the enemy? Since I have lost today, death is but a small matter!"
"Jihahahahaha…" Shiki, instead of being angry, laughed, even clapping for King.
"Truly a loyal crew member. What a pity, your captain won't see it."
As his words fell, Shiki suddenly clenched his right hand. The sandy hand supporting King also contracted abruptly with Shiki's movement.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, a red light flashed in Shiki's eyes, and his figure quickly leaped away.
A yellow laser grazed Shiki's clothes, directly shattering the giant hand of sand and stone that was holding King. King slowly fell to the ground.
Shiki looked back, only to see a giant robot in the distance aiming its cannon at him.
Queen's voice, amplified through the robot, echoed in the air. "Hahahaha… Shiki, you guessed right, it's me again!"
"You seek death!"
Shiki's eyes filled with murderous intent. Gripping Otohime, he was about to go and kill this person who had repeatedly ruined his plans.
"Roar—"
A dragon's roar, shattering the clouds, came from the distant sky.
Shiki stopped. In his Observation Haki, he could clearly sense…
Approaching was a furious Divine Dragon…
===
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