Conqueror's Haki strong enough to tear the sky apart condensed within the confines of the room under Luo Chen's control.
Sitting beside him, Robin felt no oppression whatsoever.
However, Aokiji, standing in front of them, had a sudden change in expression.
His entire body instinctively reacted, trying to dissipate the Haki's physical destruction through elementalization.
But just as his body turned into ice, it was shaken back into solid form by the Conqueror's Haki.
His dark green coat made a tearing sound.
Beneath the clothes, his skin was covered with fine cuts as if slashed by razor blades, beads of blood seeping out.
Aokiji's face, written with shock, was already stained red with blood.
Yet, he still hadn't used Armament Haki for defense.
Luo Chen's Conqueror's Haki shook him to his core.
The elementalization ability of the Logia Ice-Ice Fruit had failed in front of Luo Chen!
To resist the physical destructive power of Luo Chen's Conqueror's Haki, he could only cover his whole body with Armament Haki.
"How is this possible..." Aokiji muttered to himself, his eyes dull.
It should be known that he was a Marine Admiral.
There was actually someone who could suppress him with Conqueror's Haki to the point where he couldn't use his Devil Fruit powers.
The fruit power he had developed for decades... vanished in front of Luo Chen.
Robin watched from the side, confused but awed.
She looked at Luo Chen with amazement.
What method did he use? Why did he hurt Admiral Aokiji while sitting perfectly still?
Moreover, Aokiji seemed to have suffered a severe psychological shock; at this moment, he had none of the demeanor of an Admiral.
Luo Chen smiled gently. "See? Your power is too weak in front of me and Imu."
"I don't even need to lift a finger to kill you."
He activated the [Soul's Lament] trait of his Conqueror's Haki.
Aokiji grunted as if hit by a sledgehammer, his body suddenly falling backward and crashing to the ground.
Clutching his head, he let out another groan of pain.
In the next moment, the Supreme Grade Blade [Mumei] at Luo Chen's waist trembled slightly, emitting a crisp humming sound as sharp intent erupted.
The collar around Aokiji's neck suddenly became stiff like a blade, wrapped in sharp sword intent.
The stiff collar, like a living sword, slashed toward Aokiji's neck.
As the crisis approached, Aokiji, enduring the pain in his soul, instinctively tried to activate Armament Haki.
But Luo Chen's gaze turned cold again, and Conqueror's Haki blasted onto Aokiji.
He screamed, clutching his head, the pain unbearable.
The Armament Haki just condensing around his neck also dissipated.
The collar, resembling a sword tip, stopped in front of Aokiji's neck, cutting the surface skin, and blood flowed down slowly.
This scene stunned Robin beside him.
Usually calm, her red lips opened wide enough to fit an egg, her eyes full of shock.
The matter couldn't be more obvious.
Luo Chen, sitting motionless, had nearly killed Marine Admiral Aokiji.
With her insight, she could recognize that Luo Chen had used Conqueror's Haki.
But she had no way of knowing why Aokiji was in such pain.
Nor did she know why Aokiji's collar had become like a sword in Luo Chen's hand, attacking Aokiji.
Was it a Devil Fruit?
Robin was filled with shock and doubt.
On the ground ahead, as Luo Chen's Conqueror's Haki dissipated, Aokiji was no longer in pain.
He lay on the ground panting heavily, looking as exhausted as if he had fought a strong enemy for seven days and nights.
Aokiji's confused voice came.
"What... exactly did you do?"
His tone was bewildered and lost, like a child before enlightenment, full of incomprehension and confusion about the world.
And a sense of decadence from being deeply struck.
Luo Chen stood up slowly, walked to Aokiji's side, and looked down from above.
"The gap between you and me is no longer in the same dimension."
"If you are willing to submit, join me to overthrow the World Government, erase the Celestial Dragons, and rebuild a new world."
"If not, I'll kill you right now to save myself the trouble next time."
Hearing this, Aokiji's tall body trembled slightly, his dim eyes full of confusion.
Submit and rebuild a new world.
Or choose death...
At this point, his choice didn't really matter anymore.
As Luo Chen said, with his power, he couldn't change anything.
He had some power, but not much.
This "some power" was so weak that Luo Chen could kill him while sitting still.
"Is the gap really that big..." Aokiji mocked himself in his heart.
A dignified Marine Admiral, hailed as the World Government's highest combat power.
It was all bullshit.
In front of Luo Chen, he didn't even have the chance to make a move.
He let out a sound that was either a pant or a sigh, propped himself up with both hands, and slowly sat up.
Aokiji looked at the ruin-filled ground ahead with wandering eyes and whispered:
"Luo Chen, suppose you successfully overthrow the World Government. What do you plan to do afterward? Become the King of the World? Become a new Celestial Dragon?"
"Boring." Luo Chen sneered. "Those things are nothing more than titles."
"Overthrowing the World Government makes me the indisputable King of the World. What's the point of crowning myself again?"
"Traveling the world, enjoying life—there are too many things to do that are much more valuable than being some King of the World."
These words came from his heart, without any falsehood.
King of the World, a new Celestial Dragon, a new Imu—he didn't want to be any of them.
Visiting the wonders of this world, talking about feelings with many beautiful women, and enjoying life leisurely were Luo Chen's true pursuits.
Aokiji looked up at him blankly.
Then he lowered his head in silence.
This was Luo Chen's pursuit?
To be honest, he hadn't expected it at all.
A man possessing power enough to rule the world actually only wanted to live the life of an ordinary citizen.
Indifferent to fame and wealth, simple.
"I really need to take a side," Aokiji said to himself.
Choose Luo Chen, or choose the World Government.
"What I want to choose is Justice."
"Luo Chen... seems more suitable."
Aokiji took a deep breath.
He genuinely felt that in terms of kindness and justice, Luo Chen was far better than the Celestial Dragons and the World Government.
The previous warrants were entirely caused by Sengoku and Onigumo.
Luo Chen himself hadn't committed any evil deeds.
It was true that many Marines had died at Luo Chen's hands, but Aokiji had also seen Luo Chen spare many Marines.
On Star Island, when attacking the Celestial Dragons, not a single Marine died.
During the Summit War, Luo Chen agreed to let Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords, send the Marine Vice Admirals away.
Putting himself in Luo Chen's shoes, Aokiji believed he had already done his utmost for the Marines.
The God Meteor Pirate Crew, the Impel Down villains Luo Chen brought out, had also never caused trouble on the sea.
To say there was no restraint from Luo Chen, Aokiji didn't believe it.
He looked up at Luo Chen, hesitated no more, and spoke directly, "Alright, I am willing to join your force."
Luo Chen smiled warmly and extended his hand. "You won't regret this choice."
Aokiji nodded slightly, grasped Luo Chen's hand, and borrowed his strength to stand up.
"The Marines seem to be conducting a worldwide military draft. Has the position of Fleet Admiral been selected?" Luo Chen asked.
On the way here, Robin had reported the movements of the World Government and the Marines.
Seven days ago, the worldwide draft officially began.
From Admirals down to officers, everyone was within the scope of recruitment.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea were also being recruited.
Aokiji wiped the blood from his face and said, "The position of Fleet Admiral has been decided. Sakazuki will take over."
"The World Government recalled me earlier to run for Fleet Admiral."
"But I no longer want to fight for the World Government, so I voluntarily gave it up."
He thought for a moment and said, "The news of Sakazuki taking over as Fleet Admiral hasn't been leaked yet. It should be released together after the draft ends."
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]