"Get lost." Longma's face was calm as he silently walked away.
Hearing Longma's words, the coal-black giant snake's pupils shrank, his eyes burning with rage."You bastard! It seems you really are utterly stubborn and shameless!"
The coal-black snake said coldly, "Heh heh... kid, don't be so reckless. Just for your tomb-robbing alone, you could be sentenced to death. Got that?"
Longma replied flatly, "So what? I'm not going, just not going."
"Fine! Kill this guy!"
At the command, the warriors exchanged uneasy glances, then, without hesitation, surged toward Longma.
"We're all from Wano... I don't want to hurt you. Understand?" Longma shouted angrily.
Seeing the crowd closing in like a mountain, Longma thought to himself: Why not try out the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit now?
He knelt on one knee and grabbed his own shadow with both hands.
Since it was his first time controlling the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, he was naturally a bit unskilled.
At that moment, Longma quickly split his shadow into ten parts!Each shadow piece rose from the ground and transformed into a figure identical to Longma, each wielding the shadow of his black blade, Qiushui!Seeing this, a faint smile crept across Longma's lips.
Sure enough, the Shadow-Shadow Fruit was much easier to control in his hands than when it was in Gecko Moria's.
The ten shadow Longmas charged forward all at once, each perfectly embodying Longma's heroic stance!After a while, the shadow clones had beaten the Wano warriors into chaos, scattering them like leaves in the wind!
"Hahaha, I didn't expect the warriors of Wano a hundred years later to be so weak... You're called the Coal-Black Snake, right? I haven't even been after you yet, and that's already generous." Longma said calmly, "This time I used the back of my blade. Next time..."
The coal-black snake gritted his teeth with all his might. What he had just seen was definitely the power of a Devil Fruit!And more surprisingly, it was the same ability belonging to Gecko Moria!What on earth was going on?Could it be that this kid absorbed Moria's powers?
Who exactly was this guy?
A thousand questions flooded the coal-black snake's mind, forcing him to become extremely wary.
This fellow... was definitely not normal!
"Hey, stop right there."
At that moment, a man appeared behind the coal-black snake, walking straight toward them.He wore a braided pigtail, a steel muzzle covered his mouth, and his bulky frame carried a vicious-looking shotel sword.
There was no doubt — this man was one of Kaido's top officers: Jack the Drought, one of the three calamities!
Everyone knew that Kaido's pirate crew consisted exclusively of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, without exception.Jack, in particular, wielded the Ancient Zoan Mammoth Fruit, transforming into a mighty mammoth!Besides being Kaido's trusted lieutenant, he was also the captain of the Mammoth ship and the local governor of the Kuri region in Wano.
Jack was notorious for his brutal temperament and incredible endurance. Years ago, he fought tirelessly atop the Elephant Whale with Duke Inuarashi and Neko Orochi, battling for five days and nights without rest, ending only when poison gas was released...
Despicable beyond measure!
"Looks like I can't hold back either. Time to use the Invisible Fruit to try my luck in the lottery?" Longma said.
"System, can I use a fruit directly to draw in the lottery?" he asked.
"Ding-dong. Affirmative, Host. B-rank fruits can be drawn twice. Would you like to draw now?"
"Confirm."
"Ding-dong. Congratulations, Host! You've won the beginner-level Conqueror's Haki!"
"Ding-dong. Congratulations, Host! You've won the advanced sword technique: Soul Sever!"
Hearing this, Longma's heart soared with excitement.This was amazing!
Conqueror's Haki—one of the three types of Haki—represents the spirit of a true king in this world.Those who possess Conqueror's Haki naturally have the aura of a ruler! With it, they can intimidate and unnerve their opponents without even lifting a finger, causing weaker foes to lose consciousness from sheer fear.
Unlike Observation Haki or Armament Haki, which can be learned and trained over time, Conqueror's Haki is innate. It cannot be acquired through effort nor inherited genetically; it is determined solely by one's destiny.
Seeing Longma remain silent, the warriors burst out laughing."Haha, I thought this kid was tough, but seeing Lord Jack here, he's lost for words!""Exactly! Hmph... got the guts to rob tombs but not to admit it?""Claims to be Longma? What a joke!"
Ignoring their jeers, Longma's expression darkened as he said quietly, "Is there something you want?"
Jack's tone turned icy. "Kid, I admire your spirit. What's your name? Say it. And don't try to fool me with stories about being Longma or something."
"Believe what you want. Now get lost." Longma snapped angrily.
What was wrong with these guys? Did they all think he was crazy?Jack's eyes suddenly showed red veins in the whites."You're a tough one, huh... Lord Kaido has been looking for you. He holds you in high regard and wants to know how you managed to absorb Gecko Moria's Devil Fruit power... Join us. What do you say?"
Longma took a deep breath.As expected, all of Wano was under Kaido's watchful eyes. Everything he did was known to them.
Under Kaido's command, besides the Three Calamities, there was also the Flying Six.
The Flying Six were senior officers of the Beast Pirates, second only to the Three Calamities, composed of six elite fighters.
Importantly, each of the Flying Six was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user of the Ancient Zoan variety!If Longma joined them, he might become one of the Flying Six himself.
Longma smiled. "No thanks. Don't try to recruit me—I won't join. Besides, even if I am a Devil Fruit user, I'm a Paramecia type, not a Zoan. You'd better find someone else... And your Beast Pirates have thrown Wano into chaos. Soon enough, I'll be chopping Kaido's head off!"
Jack's face twisted in rage."You insolent brat! Still so stubborn, huh? Fine. Lord Kaido said... if you can't bring you back alive, then your head will do just fine."
"Let's see if you've got the guts for that!" Longma shouted. Then he lightly swung his black blade Qiushui, as gentle as a breeze through willows, yet the very air seemed to freeze in place!
Suddenly, a massive slash appeared near Jack's head!Jack's pupils constricted sharply.
What was this technique?!Anyone without Observation Haki would have been cut down immediately!Though Jack dodged just in time, his left braided pigtail was shredded to dust.
"Tsk tsk... what a joke of a 'Drought Calamity.' Not much of a threat," Longma said, eyes cold as ice.
He thought to himself that Jack had to be dealt with quickly—he was too cunning. If the fight dragged on, who knew what tricks Jack might pull.
"Looks like you're dead set on opposing the Beast Pirates,"Jack said gloomily, a deadly intent lurking beneath his words.
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