"Boom——!"
A punch that tore through the air landed squarely on Redfield's chest.
He did not resist. In those aged eyes of his, there wasn't the slightest ripple.
Resistance had lost all meaning.
After all, soon enough, old friends would be there to accompany him.
Shiki...
Newgate...
"Crack——"
With the soft sound of bones shattering, the legend of the "Red the Aloof" came to an end.
[Ding!]
[Host has slain the "Red the Aloof" Patrick Redfield, gaining 90,000 Justice Points.]
[Host's remaining Justice Points: 1,034,598.]
Enough—one million Justice Points!
Hawke's consciousness sank into his mind, without the slightest hesitation.
"Upgrade—Conqueror's Haki!"
[Ding!]
[One million Justice Points consumed.]
[Host's remaining Justice Points: 34,598.]
[Conqueror's Haki has reached Top-Tier—Proof of Dominion.]
[Proof of Dominion: The host's will is no longer an invisible intimidation, but a tangible force capable of tearing all things.]
[Woven around the body, it is a King's Armor; adhered to the fist, it is Divine Punishment.]
[Heaven and earth will change color, the skies will tremble—this is the authority of one who stands at the pinnacle of the world: Hakishin!]
An indescribable sensation surged through Hawke's limbs and bones, flooding into the depths of his soul.
It was a metamorphosis of essence.
If his Conqueror's Haki before was a roaring river, then now it was an endless starry sea that embraced all things!
"Step——"
Hawke slowly turned, his gaze falling upon the last cage in Infinite Hell.
"!!!"
Bullet, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly snapped his eyes open.
"Another fight?"
"..."
Bullet was silent for a moment. Then, he bared his teeth in a twisted, mad grin.
"Good!"
...
Outside Impel Down.
The Calm Belt.
This was originally a paradise for Sea Kings, countless colossal creatures swimming beneath the tranquil surface, basking in their exclusive peace.
Suddenly—
"ROAR——!!!"
A Sea King the size of an island froze in place.
Its terrified eyes turned toward Impel Down's gates.
A primal fear, deeper than life itself, clutched its throat.
Its massive body shuddered violently, and without a second thought, it twisted its frame and bolted into the abyss.
And not just it.
Within a hundred kilometers, every Sea King—regardless of size or strength—fled frantically away from Impel Down.
The deep-sea beasts gave soundless howls of despair, curling up in trenches ten thousand meters below, trembling uncontrollably.
"Creak——"
The gates of Impel Down slowly opened.
Two figures stepped out, one before the other.
At the front, Hawke, draped in the cloak of Justice, his expression calm.
Behind him, Bullet, shirtless, muscles knotted and bulging.
With a light step, both ascended, rising into the air to face one another high above Impel Down.
"Bullet."
Hawke spoke. "Do you need to use fusion?"
"No."
Bullet shook his head.
"I don't want to use my Devil Fruit power."
He flexed his wrists with cracking pops.
"A life-and-death duel of martial arts and Haki—that's what excites me!"
"Good."
A faint smile tugged at Hawke's lips.
"Come!"
"Boom——!!!"
The moment his words fell, two surging waves of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward!
Crimson lightning erupted from Hawke, staining half the sky blood-red!
Pitch-black lightning blasted from Bullet, deep as a hellish abyss!
Blood and darkness—two terrifying wills, solidified into tangible force—clashed violently in the air!
The clouds above were shredded apart in an instant. Black and red thunder twisted together, swirling violently!
The next instant, both struck out with their fists!
Crimson and obsidian lightning coiled around their fists, colliding with brutal force!
"Boom——!"
At the point of impact, space itself fractured, a black fissure splitting open and racing upward at terrifying speed.
The sky...
Was ripped apart, a massive wound stretching across the heavens!
"Boom——Boom——Boom——"
Above, the ultimate clash had begun.
On the docks of Impel Down.
"..."
Magellan, Hannyabal, Zoro, Sanji... as well as all members of the G-3 branch and Impel Down staff, had gathered in droves.
Their eyes stared skyward, pupils reflecting the apocalyptic scene unfolding above.
On every face—shock.
"This... this is... the battle of top-tier world powers?"
"Yes."
Magellan's expression was grave. As Warden of Impel Down for so many years, he had imprisoned countless great pirates, his experience beyond comparison.
"Pay attention to the energy around their fists."
"That is Conqueror's Infusion—one of the highest applications of Conqueror's Haki."
He took a deep breath, explaining to the younger ones beside him.
"It is a technique only mastered by the rare few who stand at the pinnacle of the world."
"Rear Admiral Hawke has mastered this skill. His strength can already rival the Navy's current top combat power!"
"Hiss——"
Gasps filled the air.
The Navy's top combat power!
That title belonged only to the Admirals!
And their commander, Rear Admiral Hawke, had already reached such a level!
"..."
Zoro's grip tightened on the Wado Ichimonji at his waist.
So this... is Hawke's true strength?
So this... is the view of a top-tier powerhouse?
"Cough——"
Sanji quietly lit a cigarette.
He looked up at the two figures in the sky, gods and demons locked in battle, and waves of turmoil surged in his chest.
The gap... was enough to crush hope.
"Hawke..."
Hibari tilted her little face upward, gazing at the crimson figure in the sky.
She had thought that with her recent efforts, she might barely keep pace with him...
But now, her faint lightning was nothing more than a speck against the red and black that split the heavens.
Her thoughts turned to her father—that eternal figure of volcanic might.
Dad...
Has Hawke already caught up to you?
"Oooo——"
At some point, dark clouds had blanketed the sky.
"Rumble——"
Lightning writhed through the clouds, roaring deafeningly.
Then, fat raindrops came crashing down, linking into sheets in an instant.
"Crashhhhh——"
The seas surrounding Impel Down were swallowed by a violent downpour.
"Boom——Boom——Boom——"
Above, the duel of two unleashed monsters entered its peak.
Hawke's fists grew faster, heavier, fiercer.
He could feel it clearly—that newly ascended Top-Tier Conqueror's Haki was fusing at breakneck speed with his physique, Armament, Observation, and fist techniques.
Every punch was a perfect symphony.
The blood-red Conqueror's Haki condensed under his will, like blazing stars, and each clash with Bullet's black Haki drove the cracks in the sky wider.
Scarlet lightning roared across his fists, bellowing in fury.