Chapter 84: Chapter 84
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Silence.
A dead, suffocating silence.
Everyone present instantly sensed the weight of Bai Yu's strength.
The pirate just now—judging by his aura and presence—was at least someone with a bounty in the tens of millions.
And yet, he had been slapped down by Bai Yu as if he were nothing more than a fly.
This alone was enough to make Bai Yu's strength self-evident.
"You were the ones who broke in uninvited."
A ruthless glint flashed through the eyes of the Golden Lion, who had seen the entire exchange clearly.
He spoke coldly.
"That must mean... Indigo and Scarredo..."
"...are already dead."
The first half was spoken by the Golden Lion.
The second half was spoken by Bai Yu, calm and emotionless.
Teng!
The Golden Lion abruptly stood up.
A powerful, invisible killing intent radiated outward like crashing waves.
He was well aware that Indigo and Scarredo weren't the strongest in his crew.
But Indigo—especially—was vital. He was the one who brewed the IQ plant stimulant, the core of the Golden Lion's plan to dominate the New World.
This was the reason why various forces—even those unwilling to truly join the Flying Pirates—gathered here in the first place.
A drug that could violently increase physical strength had massive value, both among pirates and in the black market.
Yet Indigo was dead.
Killed by this brat before him.
The Golden Lion's fury surged like a storm.
"Boss Shiki! Let us deal with this Navy dog!"
"No need for you to dirty your hands!"
"Right! A no-name Marine like him doesn't deserve to fight the great Golden Lion himself!"
Before Shiki could explode in rage, several newly recruited pirates shouted with excitement, eager to show off.
To them, Bai Yu was just some unknown Marine—surely a stepping stone to gain Shiki's favor.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Shiki paused.
Then, wordlessly, he nodded.
A silent signal permitting the challenge.
"Kill him!"
"Your luck ends here, brat!"
"His head is mine!"
The pirates erupted into action.
Countless weapons were drawn as they charged toward Bai Yu like a tide, each afraid they'd miss the chance to claim the glory.
Gulp!
Faced with the overwhelming wave of enemies, Maya, Koby, and Helmeppo instinctively huddled together.
Maya nervously rubbed her palms, swallowing hard.
This was her first time facing such an intense battlefield after joining Bai Yu's crew.
In contrast, Koby and Helmeppo were more composed.
They had seen Bai Yu overcome impossible odds many times. Outnumbered? This was normal.
"You three, back up a little."
As the pirates charged, Bai Yu calmly instructed them.
The trio nodded and quickly retreated several steps.
Conqueror's Haki.
Hum...!
In the next instant, Bai Yu's gaze sharpened, his aura changing dramatically.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he unleashed his will.
An invisible shockwave erupted from his body—a wave of overwhelming pressure that filled the entire banquet hall in a heartbeat.
This was Haoshoku Haki—the power of kings.
Bai Yu's mastery had grown. Not only was his aura stronger, but its range had expanded immensely.
Plop! Plop! Plop!
One by one, pirates froze mid-charge as if struck by lightning.
Then their eyes rolled back, foam spilling from their mouths.
With dull thuds, they collapsed in droves.
In mere seconds, not a single pirate was left standing.
Every last one of them had been knocked out by the sheer pressure of Bai Yu's presence.
"...The same Haki as Roger."
Golden Lion's expression darkened instantly.
He recognized it without question—this was Conqueror's Haki.
His teeth clenched in silent fury.
Despite his overwhelming strength and experience, Shiki had never awakened this rarest form of Haki.
And now, watching this upstart Navy boy wield it so effortlessly—it ignited deep resentment.
Back in the day, it was Gol D. Roger who crushed him.
Roger also possessed terrifying Conqueror's Haki.
And now, this new era Marine...
"I remember now..."
Shiki narrowed his eyes, staring deeply at Bai Yu.
"Lately, there's been talk of a monster rookie in the Navy."
"Exceptional swordsmanship... mastery of all three Haki types..."
"The name... was Bai Yu, wasn't it?"
He growled.
After escaping Impel Down, Shiki had spent time gathering intel on every rising power.
Bai Yu was on that list.
"Right guess."
"As a reward, I'll send you to the afterlife—by my blade."
Bai Yu smiled coolly, withdrawing his Conqueror's Haki.
"Hah! Such arrogance."
"Do you really believe mastering Haki makes you untouchable?"
"I've slain more Conqueror's users than you've had meals."
Shiki sneered with disdain.
"So you're confident in that little sword of yours, huh?"
Hum...!
As he spoke, the two famous swords—Oto and Kogarashi—embedded in his feet shimmered with pitch-black Armament Haki.
With a slight shift of thought, Shiki raised his right foot.
"Let's see what this so-called Marine prodigy can do!"
"Lion's Slash!"
Whooosh!
With a thunderous motion, the blade on Shiki's right foot slashed down, sending a massive golden sword wave surging toward Bai Yu.
The pressure split the air itself.
"Let's see you try!"
Bai Yu's lips curled into a smirk.
He swiftly drew the Peerless Blade from his waist.
With a single thought, the blade ignited.
The Azure Dragon Sword Intent surged forth, coiling around the steel like divine fire.
Armament Haki coated the weapon, making it shine with lethal beauty.
Hum...!
Two great forces converged.
A piercing, otherworldly sound rang from Bai Yu's sword.
"Azure Dragon Slash!"
He swung down.
The resulting wave—a flaming, crescent-shaped dark red slash—shot forward to meet Shiki's attack.
BOOM!
The two attacks collided midair, exploding in a storm of force.
The banquet hall was swallowed by the shockwave.
Half the roof disintegrated instantly, blasted apart by the aftermath of the clash.
Walls cracked. Stone shattered.
Sword marks etched deep into the ground, streaking across every surface like scars of war.
Chaos reigned.
BOOM!
Finally, the dual waves of destruction canceled each other out.
Smoke and debris slowly faded.
Bai Yu and Golden Lion remained standing—neither having budged an inch.
Their first exchange: evenly matched.
"Sword Intent..."
"You've even grasped Sword Intent..."
Golden Lion muttered in shock.
His strength was vast—but his path had been chaotic.
From swordsmanship to flying techniques, to pharmaceuticals and lion-dance warfare—he had dabbled in everything.
But that meant nothing had reached true perfection.
Even his swordplay, once fearsome, had never produced the fabled Sword Intent—the soul of the blade.
And yet this boy... this Marine...
He had reached it.
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