“What?”

  In the West Blue, he mainnd of the Kano try, stood a smaller isnd. This isnd served as the headquarters of the infamous and longstanding pirate force—the Happo Navy.

  “You’re tellihe Wover wants to invite me to bee one of their ‘Shichibukai’?”

  By the coast, a burly man with a sharp ical head, standing tall and brimming with fide the age of twe, was her than jao the Drill, the current leader of the Happo Navy. He chuckled as he patted his ical head.

  Fag Vice Admiral Sengoku, who had just disembarked from a Marine warship and approached under a banner of peace, jao asked skeptically, “Are you serious about this?”

  “I am.”

  Sengoku stood firm, addressing the rising star of the West Blue with a serious expression. “As a Marine, I’m not a fan of this policy myself. However, it’s a direct order from the higher-ups, and my duty is to see it through.”

  “Everyone knows about the e between the Happo Navy and the Kano try’s gover. It’s , even if it isn’t explicitly aowledged.”

  Sengoku’s voice grew heavy.

  “This new ‘Shichibukai’ system the Wover is establishing aims t pirates like you under trol. You, jao the Drill, are the first pirate to be ihis is a reition of your strength and the power of the Happo Navy.”

  The Kano try, as a member nation of the Wover, had long struggled to bas payment of the Heavenly Tribute with its desire not to overburden its citizens. To ease this strain, the try created eight pirate o raid fn mert ships uhe guise of piracy.

  Officially, these eight pirate forces were “outws,” even listed as wanted criminals. Iy, however, everyone khey were secretly supported by the Kano try’s gover.

  The Happo Navy was one of these eight forces.

  Protected by the Kano try’s status as a member nation, the Happo Navy operated with near-impunity. Although the Marines occasionally captured some of their leaders, new ones would quickly rise to repce them, ensuring the group’s tinuity.

  Retly, the Happo Navy had gained further notoriety thanks to its new leader, jao the Drill, whose natural ical head, bined with the Happo Navy’s signature martial art, Hasshoken, made him a nearly unstoppable force.

  His fame had groidly, and he had bee a major problem for the Marines in the West Blue, prompting the Wovero take notid extend the Shichibukai invitation.

  “What a joke!”

  jao, brimming with youthful vigor and arrogance, dismissed the offer ht.

  “You think I, a pirate, would accept some nonsense ‘amy’ from the Wover?”

  “To bee one of their Shichibukai and take orders from them?”

  He sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.

  “Do you think I want to bee the ughingstoy peers? Where’s my dignity in that?”

  Even after Sengoku outlihe generous bes—immunity from prosecution for past crimes, legal pirader the Wover’s banner, special privileges, and the ability to make reasonable demands—jao was unmoved.

  “I’m not stupid enough to bee a pdog for the Wover!”

  He spat on the ground for emphasis.

  “If I joihe Shichibukai, every pirate out there would ugh at us. Even the rival navies in the Kano try would mock us as spineless cowards. How could I ever hold my head high after that?”

  Sengoku’s expression remained calm, though his tone carried a hint of warning.

  “jao, leader of the Happo Navy, I urge you to resider carefully before rejeg the Wover’s goodwill.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  From a high ptform, jao the Drill, the leader of the Happo Navy, gred down coldly at Vice Admiral Sengoku, who stood below in the grand hall.

  “Hey, Captain jao, why waste time talking to them?”

  “These Marines are worth a hefty bounty. Let’s take them out!”

  “Yeah, wipe them out and cash in with the Hell Trading pany!”

  The surrounding pirates of the Happo Navy erupted into cruel ughter, gripping their ons—swords, spears, and guns—with greedy eyes fixed on the Marines.

  Meanwhile, the Marines on the nearby warship, now surrounded by pirate ships, braced themselves. Even the officers apanying Sengoku tensed up, gripping their ons and preparing for the worst.

  “This isn’t a threat; it’s a piece of friendly advice,” Sengoku replied coolly, ign the jeers and hostile stares from the pirates.

  Looking directly at the formidable and bloodthirsty jao, Sengoku’s calm demeanor never wavered.

  “Damn it! A mere Marine dares to be this arrogant!”

  jao’s eyes narrowed with fury.

  With a powerful stomp, he unched himself high into the air. Mid-air, his t figure flipped upside down, and he csped his palms together. His sharp, ical head, now coated in bck Haki, glistened like polished obsidian as it desded with the force of a meteor.

  “You wao join the Shichibukai? Fine. Beat me first!”

  With a roar, jao unleashed his move.

  “Hasshoke Art: Drill Head!”

  “Humm~~ Humm~~”

  A serene hum filled the air as a blinding golden light illumihe battlefield. Uhe stunned gazes of the Happo Navy pirates, a massive, radiant Golden Buddha appeared, standing tall and unyielding.

  “The’s settle this with fists,” Sengoku decred, his golden form emanating a powerful aura.

  The shimmering golden Buddha, as if embodying wrathful justice, ched a massive fist coated in Haki and swung it directly toward jao’s desding drill head.

  “BOOM!”

  A deafening explosion shook the ground as their attacks collided, sending shockwaves rolling across the battlefield.

  “Crack... BOOM!”

  The air split with streaks of bd red lightning, a telltale sign of queror’s Haki g. The sea ed violently as massive waves crashed against the shore. Nearby, both the Marine warship and the pirate vessels rocked precariously.

  “That’s...!”

  “A csh of queror’s Haki!”

  “That damned jao...”

  “And Sengoku... he has the qualifications of a king too?”

  Both pirates and Marines alike were left in shock, watg the inteandoff betweewo powerful figures. Weaker individuals—pirates and Marines alike—colpsed on the spot, foam spilling from their mouths as they fainted from the overwhelming pressure. Even those standing close were hurled back like paper dolls, uo withstand the sheer force of the collision.

  “Damn it... So he’s not only a Zoan Mythical Beast user but also has queror’s Haki?”

  jao staggered back, his feet digging into the ground as he mao steady himself. His ical head throbbed from the impact. Fag the t golden Buddha, his gaze sharpehough he showed no sign of bag down.

  “jao, I suggest you resider and take this offer peacefully,” Sengoku said, his massive golden form exuding authority. “Otherwise, you’ll regret it.”

  “Spare me your nonsense! A mere Zoan user isn’t enough to intimidate me. My drill head is unmatched!”

  jao csped his hands together and unched himself fain.

  “Let’s see if your precious golden form withstand this!”

  Coated in Haki, his head radiated a dangerous aura, sending ripples through the air as he hurtled forward like a rocket.

  “Hasshoke Art: Drill Dragon Nail!”

  “Foolish and stubborn. You’ve brought this upon yourself... Buddha Impact!”

  Sengoku’s eyes turned cold as he unleashed a massive, trated shockwave from his golden palm.

  “BOOM! BOOM!”

  The impact reverberated through the battlefield, shaking the earth and sea alike.

  “Crack... BOOM!”

  Bleam