"I refuse."
In front of the many onlooking members of the God's Knights, Orin simply smiled faintly and spoke slowly.
"Because... I will never lose."
"Arrogant little brat."
Garling sat in a chair, looking at Orin's posture, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This kid truly did have the right to be arrogant.
He'd even heard that Orin had a rather close relationship with his own long-lost child...
With Garling's signal, a clash of supreme forces began—a battle that would determine their respective standings.
If Orin lost, although he could still join the God's Knights, he would have to stand behind Shamrock like everyone else and become his right-hand man.
But if Shamrock lost, then Orin would be unquestionably acknowledged as an honorary Celestial Dragon—an arrangement that Imu had silently approved.
Both of them carried the aura of kings. This, too, had become something of a tradition...
Time to collide!!!
"Vmm—"
A sharp gaze shot out.
Shamrock had an exceptional talent for Conqueror's Haki. In an instant, a crimson domain spread from him as the center.
Crackling black and red lightning surged forth. His God's Knight uniform billowed in a windless storm, and his overwhelming presence blasted toward Orin.
Countless God's Knights turned their heads in surprise. As expected of the future of the Figarland family—what terrifying pressure!
Some of the newly joined knights were already feeling unwell.
Several young Celestial Dragon ladies couldn't help but cast glances at the red-haired man, their eyes glittering with intrigue.
Celestial Dragons generally didn't marry outsiders. Only when both parents were Celestial Dragons would their child be recognized as a true noble of the world.
Yet so many of them were useless—and few were both handsome and strong. Shamrock was an exception.
Still, many also looked toward Orin. They, trained as elite Celestial Dragons from a young age, had little contact with the outside world.
Now, this unfamiliar face was going head-to-head with the monster Shamrock. Naturally, curiosity bloomed.
Who was this man?
Was he truly that strong?
"I've trained for face-to-face combat for one reason—to ensure my Conqueror's Haki isn't any weaker than you red-haired freaks..."
As Shamrock's Haki struck outward, Orin's expression remained calm. His cloak fluttered gently in the air.
His gaze remained composed, but scarlet light burst from his eyes. The moment he felt the impact of Shamrock's Haki, a chilling glint flashed.
"VMMM—!!"
A black domain like an abyss, cloaked in terrifying crimson lightning, erupted from Orin's location.
As if seeking to dominate the heavens, the wild lightning storm overwhelmed the previous surge of red-and-black energy, even spreading beyond the dueling grounds.
It roared and twisted like a beast. The surface of the Red Line cracked beneath the force, and countless rookie knights' eyes rolled back into their heads as they collapsed unconscious.
"Crack-crack-crack—!!!"
"Thud..."
"Thud..."
"You've got to be kidding!!!"
"This aura!!! He doesn't even look much older than us!!!"
Everyone had assumed that among the younger generation, Shamrock's Conqueror's Haki was already top-tier—but now someone even stronger had appeared...
Just how vast was the sea?!!
"Nani?!"
As he felt his own Haki, which had been expanding freely, slowly get suppressed by this abyssal pressure, shock filled Shamrock's eyes.
He couldn't believe it—his expression mirrored that of a certain someone from the past.
That expression of disbelief—knowing he was a genius who had never faced a true rival—until now.
The sea was full of monsters and prodigies—beings born to be strong.
But even monsters... are merely the gatekeepers to true monstrosity.
From a chair in the distance, Garling sat with his legs crossed. Feeling the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki in the air, he instinctively furrowed his brow.
Then, he turned to the pale-faced Shamrock, his gaze deep with meaning.
"Whether he becomes your inner demon or your whetstone—it's all up to you."
Conqueror's Haki was all about willpower. The moment doubt or hesitation crept in, one could never become a top-tier powerhouse.
And that... no one could help Shamrock with.
"Such overwhelming Haki..."
At some point, the Elders had appeared beside Garling, watching the battle unfold.
"It looks like a huge gap between them. After all, the young tend to be impulsive. But we must remember—Orin is one of them too."
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro held his demonic blade, his swordsman's instincts razor sharp.
"The man who defeated both Charlotte Linlin and Kaido... Charlotte Linlin relied heavily on her physique and Devil Fruit, which Orin countered. As for Kaido—he hadn't reached his peak when they fought. In the end, Orin only narrowly lost in a head-on clash. At the end of the day, Orin's still young. His Haki and so on haven't reached the level of Roger."
"If Shamrock can settle his mindset, he may yet catch up in the future."
Nusjuro's words showed his hope for Shamrock. He analyzed Orin's battles and strength realistically. But Garling merely shook his head.
He wasn't biased, even though Shamrock was his own son.
"Right now, Shamrock just isn't at Orin's level. I saw it clearly from their first clash. I just hope that after such a devastating defeat, he can still retain a heart strong enough to keep fighting."
"After all, he is the future of the Figarland family."
...
Not only the leaders among the Celestial Dragons, but many members of the God's Knights also noticed the gap.
"Can Shamrock really stand against a monster like that?"
"Just thinking about having to face such a beast... makes me feel hopeless..."
Shamrock, of course, took note of his father's and the surrounding Celestial Dragons' reactions. There was a fierce tenacity in his eyes.
He drew his long blade and pointed it at Orin, crackling with black-and-red lightning. There was not the slightest hint of retreat.
"Yeah... only a guy like you is worthy of joining the God's Knights..."
"Come at me, Orin!!!"
"As you wish."
Orin took a single step forward. His black cloak danced with the storm, and his hand slowly rested on the hilt of Ace.
As the dark blade was drawn, Conqueror's Haki coiled around the blade like pure light, shrieking through the air as it tore the atmosphere apart. (A scene reminiscent of Rayleigh vs. Blackbeard.)
Countless bolts of lightning exploded violently. The moment the blade fully unsheathed, Shamrock's pressure skyrocketed.
"Young Celestial Dragon, this sea... is far, far more vast than you could ever imagine!!!"
In the crowd, a tall, slender girl in a wide-sleeved military uniform and a peaked cap stood among the onlookers—one of the rare few who had not fainted.
She stared at the towering figure on the field, a force that seemed to overwhelm the entire world. Her eyes were filled with awe.
She'd only ever heard of Shamrock's aura before. But today...
"This is the next generation—"
"The pinnacle of Conqueror's Haki?"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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