Chapter 6: Entwined by Conquest
BOOM—
New World, Onigashima, along the coast.
A deep sonic boom tore through the air as Caesar's body was blasted backward, carving a deep trench across the sand.
Before he could rise, a towering figure several meters tall descended from the sky, fist crashing down toward his head.
Caesar twisted sharply, pressing both hands into the ground and kicking upward at King's chest, using the momentum to somersault out of range.
Thud!
King stumbled back a step, dusting off his chest.
"Not bad. Your reflexes in combat have improved. Looks like you've got a knack for learning under pressure. It's only been a week, and you can already hold out this long against me."
"But if you keep fighting like this, even years from now, you still won't be able to awaken Armament Haki."
"What do you mean?"
Caesar panted heavily, his expression puzzled.
"You fight with agility and precision, relying on speed. Your strength is decent, but you mostly use it for sneak attacks or when dodging is no longer an option."
King spoke coolly. "In short, you lack offensive intent—confidence in direct confrontation."
Caesar raised a brow. "Confidence?"
"I'm not saying you're a coward. Anyone with the potential for Conqueror's Haki isn't afraid of challenging the strong. But not all kings are the same. Some are fearless berserkers. Others are calculating strategists. You clearly fall into the latter group."
King pointed at Caesar.
"Your problem is you overthink. Your first instinct in battle isn't to defeat your enemy—it's to avoid getting hurt."
"And what's wrong with that?" Caesar asked, confused.
"What's wrong? Hmph…"
King gave a dry chuckle, almost amused by the question.
"Do you know who you're fighting? Even here in the New World, my strength is just beneath the Four Emperors. And your instinct is to avoid getting hurt? Aren't you a little too full of yourself?"
Caesar shook his head. "No. It's exactly because you're so strong that I can't afford to take unnecessary damage."
The life force he'd stolen recently was already depleted from frequent injuries. With his powers sealed, he couldn't rely on regeneration. One more serious injury could be fatal.
"That's your real issue! There's no such thing as an injury-free fight!"
King barked, "Listen up! Armament Haki can only be awakened through clashing head-on. Dodging like a coward won't get you anywhere!"
Caesar's face darkened. "If I didn't dodge that punch, I'd be in critical condition right now!"
"The sea doesn't care about fairness, you fool!"
BOOM!
The sand beneath King's feet cracked and caved into a spiderweb pit as his form vanished in a blur of black. His fist, wrapped in Haki and bursting with raw force, crashed toward Caesar like a missile.
Caesar's pupils contracted. In a split second, the punch was already upon him. He crossed his arms in front of him to block.
BANG!
Another deafening boom echoed!
The pressure sent sand blasting outward in every direction. But unlike before, this blow wasn't just heavy—it was faster, sharper, more devastating!
His forearms trembled violently, muscles screaming, bones groaning under the strain. Still, Caesar didn't dare relax for even a moment.
This punch was lethal. If he gave even an inch… he'd die.
And yet—miraculously—he blocked it!
Instinctively, his body had lowered into a firm stance, channeling a strange, surging power from deep within into his arms.
His muscles, once trembling, now stiffened like iron.
Noticing the change, King finally pulled his fist back.
"You felt it, didn't you?" he said calmly. "That power inside you…"
"What… was that?"
As the tidal force within him faded, Caesar let out a breath. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him, and hunger gnawed at his core like a rising tide.
"I didn't coat that punch with much Haki," King said, "but it had at least half my strength."
"Looks like I was right. You're too strategic. The gap between those with and without Haki is massive. In battle, Haki grants overwhelming superiority. And because you know that, you convinced yourself you couldn't win. So you avoided fighting head-on."
"In other words, you're so focused on the power gap, you've forgotten to trust your own strength. But in reality, you're already on par with some well-known fighters out there."
"Maybe so…"
Caesar collapsed onto the sand, staring at the sky.
"Before I got my Devil Fruit, I was just a nobody. No matter how hard I trained, I made no progress. People said life-or-death battles make you stronger, but I didn't have the guts to risk it. It wasn't until I got my powers that I dared to step into the world of the strong."
What choice did he have?
Before crossing into this world, he had been just another average man.
Even after all these years, despite his ambition, he had never really faced a crisis that forced him to evolve.
"Fear of death… it's pure instinct."
"Those with Conqueror's Haki don't fear death. Kaido's favorite hobby is suicide."
"That's because he can't die!"
"No. It's because he has a reason he mustn't die."
"…I get it. But I also don't get it."
Caesar sighed bitterly.
"I heard that a fist without conviction is powerless. All the monsters battling across this sea—they all have dreams, beliefs, something that drives them. But belief… it just feels so distant, so unreal to me…"
"I see…"
King fell silent for a moment.
"If it's a reason to fight that you lack, then I can give you one."
"…What?"
Caesar sat bolt upright, an uneasy feeling creeping over him.
"While checking on your holdings a few days ago, I also looked into your past. It's clean. Aside from some generous bribes to the Navy, you've got no real entanglements. You're a promising candidate for a pirate."
"If there's anything odd… it's your apparent attachment to a certain village. You paid a fortune to have Vice Admiral Garp clear out the pirates there. Bought a bookstore in the village. Even hired a girl to run it…"
"A girl named… Nami, right?"
Caesar's smile slowly faded. A trace of crimson flashed through his eyes.
"You found all that in just a week?"
"Joker's services are highly reputable."
King said calmly, "Tracking people isn't really within the Beasts Pirates' usual business scope. We usually outsource that kind of work to Doflamingo. That guy's trade network spans all four seas. When it comes to intel gathering in the commercial world, he's not inferior to Stussy, the Queen of Pleasure Street."
"Is that girl someone special to you?"
"No. I've never even met her."
Caesar slowly stood up. "It was just a passing whim—an impulse to change something. Purely a matter of interest. So even if you killed her, I wouldn't care."
"But you look really pissed."
"I am pissed."
Caesar straightened up. A strange, indescribable feeling loomed over his forehead—like a sharp spike pressing against his brow. It made him uncomfortable, and at the same time, an inexplicable rage flared up inside him.
"Are you threatening me?"
"Kaido-san told me to push you to your full potential. So no matter what method I use to reach that goal, I won't hold back."
King remained impassive, unashamed of resorting to such underhanded tactics. "You're a smart guy. You should realize I'm not bluffing. So… have you found your will to fight yet?"
"Still no."
Caesar let out a cold laugh. "Even I don't fully understand why I'm this angry… but it doesn't matter. Right now, I just want to kill you."
"Pure killing intent can be a form of conviction, too."
King sneered as he slowly drew the sword at his waist—his first time unsheathing it in days. "So, that means… you're ready to die, right?"
Shhh—
A faint crimson hue spread across Caesar's body, wisps of steam rising from his skin.
A soft, ominous red glow shimmered.
Two massive black bat-like wings tore through the back of Caesar's shirt. They twitched and then unfurled slowly.
The air grew heavy and tense.
King's sword was now coated in Armament Haki. He stared silently at the enraged young man, his eyes focusing on a strand of hair falling across Caesar's forehead.
That strand suddenly stood up—reacting to something unseen.
And in the next instant—Caesar was gone!
Vanished?
King blinked. With his Observation Haki, he caught a glimpse of a deep darkness descending from above at speeds too fast for the naked eye to track. He sensed the terrifying incoming strike and instinctively slashed upward!
BOOM—!
A violent burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted out of nowhere!
The shockwaves rolled like thunder, waves reversed their flow, and nearby rocks shattered violently!
Conqueror's Haki?
Still no sign of Armament Haki...
As their fist and blade collided, a flicker of disappointment flashed in King's eyes.
A week wasn't a long time, but with Caesar's potential, he'd expected at least a hint of progress.
But Caesar had let him down—there wasn't the slightest trace of Armament Haki on that falling fist.
If that's the case... he'd just beat him half to death.
With Caesar's resilience, he'd survive as long as he had a breath left.
With that thought, King struck with full force—aiming at Caesar's right fist—
—or rather, the wall of air just in front of it.
The moment his blade connected with that unexpected force—
BOOOOM—!!
The deafening impact tore across the beach like a hurricane. In the distance, coconut trees rustled violently, some snapping audibly.
It felt like an instant—or an eternity—had passed...
On the shore, two figures lay sprawled in the sand, gasping for breath in utter disarray.
The difference: one was exhausted, the other was shocked.
Clack…
King's mask and helmet fell to the ground together. He wiped the corner of his mouth, leaving a streak of blood on his fingertip. His left cheek burned fiercely—no doubt it would swell up badly soon.
Caesar stared up at the sky, silently replaying that last punch in his mind.
It felt… strange.
Like his will had solidified, turning into fluid wrapped around his fist. In that moment of impact, it felt like he could sweep away everything in existence.
He didn't sweep King away, but that overwhelming, unstoppable sensation had been etched deeply into his memory.
Raising his trembling arm, Caesar gasped, "Was that… external Armament Haki?"
"No… normal Armament Haki alone couldn't have knocked away my sword…"
King slowly sat up, white hair cascading over his shoulders, revealing a handsome, tanned face filled with shock and confusion.
"That was… Conqueror's Haki infusion. I don't know how you managed it—but one thing's for sure… you really are dangerous. If you're allowed to keep growing, even if you won't reach Kaido-san's level, you'll definitely surpass me."
Caesar smirked. "What? Planning to kill me in the cradle?"
"Relax. I don't think you'll surpass that man. And you won't hear any more threats from me."
King stood, casually sent a flying slash that killed a few unlucky henchmen who had wandered over after hearing the noise—and caught sight of his face.
"For a man who can throw that kind of punch, those cheap intimidation tactics would only shame me. I'll admit it—you have the qualifications to stand as my equal. And before you challenge that man, I'll be looking forward to our next fight."
Caesar grinned. "Not bad…"
"So who is that girl?"
King sat cross-legged beside Caesar, a teasing note in his voice. "Your reason to fight?"
"You're getting kinda nosy now…"
Caesar groaned as he sat up, bones creaking all over. "I really haven't met her. Just wanted to try changing something for once… did it on a whim. As for conviction? Honestly, I still don't get it."
King raised an eyebrow. "Then that killing intent earlier…"
"I once heard a saying: 'Freedom isn't doing whatever you want—it's being able to not do what you don't want.'"
Caesar chuckled. "I don't like trampling on others' freedom. And I hate being forced to go against my own will. The whole reason I set out to sea was just to take control of my own fate."
"I see…"
King gave a small, understanding smile, finally grasping the reason behind Caesar's punch.
"But even someone like you still had to compromise with Kaido-san."
"That's why I'll fight him one day!"
Caesar laughed. "If I can go toe-to-toe with a Yonko and come out unscathed—that means I've got the power to resist any of their threats. And I'm not here for nothing, either. I plan to leave him with a big surprise before I go."
"Well then… I'll be waiting."
King laughed as he stood again—and casually killed a few more henchmen who saw his face.
"But I still believe… that man can't be defeated."
"Then why the mask all the time? Doesn't sound like you believe it that strongly."
"…You don't understand."
King paused mid-swing at Caesar's jab, giving him a brief, unexpected glance.
But he said nothing more—just silently picked up his mask and put it back on as he walked away.
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