Douglas Bullet lay in a sprawled V-shape in the massive crater. His eyes were rolled back, blood was at the corner of his mouth, and his body was completely motionless. He had lost consciousness entirely.
No one could have imagined that Bullet, a powerhouse, would be one-shotted instantly by an unknown young Marine.
This sudden event plunged the entire Roger Pirates crew into silence and shock.
Douglas Bullet, known as the Devil's Heir, had never experienced defeat. It was only after encountering Roger that he tasted failure, eventually joining the Roger Pirates.
He was a robust, battle-hardened young warrior with endless potential. Yet today, he suffered a devastating defeat he could never have foreseen.
"Huuh..."
Kōjin let out a long breath and raised his eyes forward.
The man with the thick mustache at the front was undoubtedly the future Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. At his sides stood the blond-haired Rayleigh and Scopper Gaban.
Kozuki Oden was nowhere to be seen, likely because, at this point in time, the Wano samurai was still sailing with Whitebeard.
Every Roger Pirate crew member was looking at him right now with a mixture of surprise and seriousness.
There was no question that these world-class monsters now fully recognized his strength.
"Hahaha! Roger! Don't underestimate the Marines' youngsters!" Garp's booming laughter echoed, and the next moment, he leapt high into the air, passing instantly above Kōjin's head and crashing into the midst of the enemy.
"Garp. You really found yourself a fine apprentice." Roger moved, drawing his long blade and swinging it at Ace.
At the same moment, Rayleigh and Gaban exchanged glances.
"That boy... leave him to me." Rayleigh said solemnly.
Gaban nodded, his eyes searching the battlefield for a worthy opponent.
They were world-class pirates who immediately saw that the black-haired boy, around Bullet's age, had used a high-level technique, Conqueror's Haki Infusion. Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
It was a skill that only those born with the qualities of a king, like Roger, could hope to master.
Defeating Bullet in one strike meant that, in the eyes of the Roger Pirates, Kōjin was an undeniably formidable fighter who could not be ignored.
BOOM!
Roger and Garp clashed. Violent winds exploded outward, sand flew in waves, and trees bent and snapped. In that instant, Dark King Rayleigh suddenly bent his knees and launched forward.
His speed was unbelievable, he crossed over a hundred meters almost instantly, appearing right above Kōjin.
"Young Marine! Allow me to witness your true power!"
The gale roared, and his booming voice filled Kōjin's ears.
Kōjin looked up and saw Rayleigh's stern, serious face overflowing with battle intent.
He froze for a moment, unable to understand why Rayleigh wore such an expression, one filled with the thrill of facing a world-class enemy and giving it his all.
'Really, is this necessary?'
'I'm just a Marine trainee of barely over a month. I haven't even received systematic training!'
The blade glinted, its light reflecting in his eyes. Kōjin narrowed his eyes slightly. He tried to dodge but immediately realized that Rayleigh's exquisite swordsmanship, combined with his terrifying speed, was far beyond his own.
An invisible force had already sealed all possible escape routes.
"Did he predict all my movements?"
"Observation Haki... huh?" Kōjin exhaled softly.
Compared to these pinnacle figures of the world, his fundamentals were still lacking.
He suddenly raised his head, and his eyes turned razor sharp. His right fist clenched ruthlessly, and black-red lightning burst out... Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
There was no way he could block Rayleigh's strike.
So...
He would trade his life for a chance to land a blow.
Shua!
The long blade sliced cleanly across Kōjin's neck. The force of the strike continued far behind him, sweeping forward so fiercely that Kuzan, Sakazuki, and the others hurriedly ducked.
"...?"
Confusion, doubt, and shock flashed across Rayleigh's face.
Did the opponent not even show the slightest intention of dodging? In his Kenbunshoku Haki premonition, the young man simply stood there, passively taking the blow.
'Couldn't he dodge?'
'Is he weak?'
His posture, wanting to dodge or resist but being completely unable to react made him look like a true weakling. But how could Haoshoku Haki Infusion appear on someone this weak?
Rayleigh's heart tightened in alert.
Sure enough, a violent and overwhelming presence surged forth in the next second. A fist wrapped in black-and-red lightning crashed toward him like a tidal wave, capable of smashing a mountain apart.
Rayleigh raised his blade, blocking the savage punch.
Clang!
The blade trembled and the wild impact struck straight toward his face, sending his golden hair flying backward wildly.
At the same time, his feet slid backward uncontrollably from the sheer force.
He retreated dozens of meters.
Rayleigh's expression grew heavier. Behind him and to both sides, a massive ravine had been carved into the ground. That single punch forcefully blasted a gap thousands of meters long in the island beneath them.
"This brat!"
Kōjin's expression was equally grim as he stared at his opponent.
After just the first exchange, he had fully realized the gap between them.
Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), sharp and unyielding sword strikes, and unpredictable angles, not to mention experience far surpassing his own were absolute differences between the two.
Likewise, Rayleigh's strength and physical abilities far surpassed his own. Just one sword was enough to kill him instantly, leaving no chance to dodge.
"So this is a top-tier powerhouse of the world?"
"My whole body's blood is boiling!"
Kōjin roared inwardly.
He felt no fear; on the contrary, limitless battle intent surged within him.
In this fight, he could only rely on his maxed-out Haoshoku and his Undying Physique trait.
Their gazes collided. They both saw the sparks and mutual battle intent in each other's eyes.
Then, in the next second...
"Shuā!"
Their figures vanished. Rayleigh swung his long blade, slicing Kōjin diagonally.
"This kid! He really doesn't defend at all!" Rayleigh was shocked; he had never seen such a fighting style before.
Even stranger, not a single wound appeared on the boy's body. Rayleigh suspected this to be some bizarre Devil Fruit ability.
Next, Kōjin greeted him with fists and kicks.
Every punch and kick carried black-and-red lightning... Haoshoku Haki Infusion, and their power multiplied with each strike, making them impossible to ignore.
The moment they clashed, the battle entered a white-hot state, the momentum exploding and shocking everyone present.
Kōjin's fighting style was mad and terrifying.
To others, it looked like he had completely abandoned defense and disregarded his own life.
But he knew very well that against Rayleigh's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), vast experience, and superior sword technique, he wouldn't be able to dodge or respond.
Every sword strike would mean instant death.
So he might as well focus solely on attacking.
The effect was remarkable.
Moments later, even the vice-captain of the Pirate King Roger, one of the world's top-tier powerhouses, had blood staining the corner of his mouth. Meanwhile, the points on Kōjin's System Panel continued to jump nonstop.
(End of Chapter)
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