BOOM!
An overwhelming surge of unseen force erupted from the tiny body of Ace.
In the next moment, an explosion of terrifying, crackling lightning—deep purple streaked with black—burst outward, flooding the entire island of Baterilla.
Everyone on the island, all the civilians, were struck by a sensation they'd never experienced before—a crushing wave of presence that rolled over them like a storm. One heartbeat later, their eyes rolled back and they dropped where they stood, unconscious.
Even the Marines aboard Vice Admiral Garp's warship, anchored just off the coast, were not spared. Aside from Garp's adjutant and a few high-ranking officers, every last sailor collapsed, eyes rolled back, utterly insensate.
"Th-this is… Conqueror's Haki?!"
A Marine commodore stared, stunned, at the center of the island where the purple-black lightning had exploded, unable to believe what he was seeing.
The remaining officers, though shaken, instinctively reached for their swords. Their nerves taut, they prepared to disembark and investigate the anomaly.
"Hold it!"
Garp's adjutant raised a hand, stopping them cold.
"Vice Admiral Garp is still on the island. There's nothing to panic about. That blast of Conqueror's Haki must've come from him. Probably his way of handling some unexpected situation without taking direct action."
Hearing this, the other officers exhaled and began to relax, forcing uneasy smiles onto their faces.
"Right, with Vice Admiral Garp there, nothing can go wrong."
"Exactly. That was some intense Conqueror's Haki… I almost blacked out, even at this distance!"
"Well, the Vice Admiral is a living legend. Even the Pirate King couldn't shake him off his trail. Of course his Haki would be that powerful."
"No point in us going ashore and dragging him down. Let's wait here until the Vice Admiral returns."
Their words were filled with absolute confidence in Garp's strength.
And not a single one of them suspected that this Conqueror's Haki had come from anyone else.
After all, this was Conqueror's Haki—the mark of a true king, a gift granted to only one in a million. Even among the massive ranks of the Navy, only a handful possessed it.
Those who wielded such Haki were titans of the sea, names known across the world.
And this was just a remote island in the South Blue. What were the odds that someone else with such power would appear here?
None of them realized that at that very moment, Garp himself looked like he'd been struck by lightning. His eyes were wide, face frozen in stunned disbelief.
"Th-this… this is…"
The immense pressure was slowly fading, and the dark, crackling lightning in the air was beginning to dissipate.
Garp stared down at the infant in his arms—tiny, fragile Ace—and his expression was one of sheer, silent shock.
"C-Conqueror's… Haki…?!"
He swallowed hard, the words almost too heavy to say aloud.
Impossible. Unbelievable. This had to be the most unreal moment of Garp's entire life.
That Ace possessed Conqueror's Haki? That didn't surprise Garp too much. After all, the boy was the son of Gol D. Roger—the Pirate King himself.
But to awaken it at birth?
To unleash such overwhelming power as a newborn?!
He'd never heard of anything like it. Not even the most infamous Haki users had displayed that kind of strength so early.
When he himself had awakened his Conqueror's Haki back in the day, it had been nowhere near this level.
Conqueror's Haki—said to be the mark of a king.
Then what did it mean… that this child had been born with it? Born with such monstrous, undeniable might?
"Could it be… a king by birthright?"
Garp muttered, eyes distant, heart heavy.
Such a terrifying potential—appearing in the child of Gol D. Roger…
What kind of waves would this stir across the world?
Garp hesitated. For the first time, he truly questioned whether he could fulfill the promise he had made.
But then his eyes fell on Rouge—Ace's mother. She lay still, her face streaked with tears, yet wearing a gentle smile as she slipped into eternal rest.
Gritting his teeth, Garp hardened his resolve. He turned and took off toward his ship, clutching Ace tightly to his chest.
As for Rouge… Garp had already made arrangements for her burial.
It was better if he didn't show his face.
And as he sped away, Ace—just a baby—glanced back one last time at the woman who had given him life.
Whoosh!
A blur streaked across the beach as Garp, chest heaving, landed on the deck of his ship.
"Vice Admiral Garp! You're back!"
His adjutant and the few still-conscious officers, having just finished tending to the unconscious sailors, hurried over to meet him.
"Vice Admiral! That was completely out of line!"
The adjutant suddenly scowled, speaking sharply.
"..."
Garp froze, his face going stiff. He instinctively clutched at his chest, nerves tightening.
Had they figured it out already? That wasn't possible… right?
"How could you unleash your Haki like that? The rank-and-file officers can't handle it! You knocked out practically the whole ship!"
The adjutant sighed, watching Garp's guilty expression, and continued.
"Phew…"
Garp exhaled, shoulders slumping in relief.
So it was just about the Conqueror's Haki. For a moment, he thought they'd uncovered the truth about Ace.
Still… the shock hadn't fully faded from his heart.
He'd known that Ace's Haki was powerful—but he hadn't expected it to be this overwhelming.
Even at that distance, his elite Marine officers—trained at Navy Headquarters, far superior to the ordinary soldiers scattered across the seas—had been knocked out cold without resistance.
"Alright. I'll be more careful next time. Now… set course for Foosha Village!"
Clutching his chest, Garp strode into the cabin without another word.
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TL/N:
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