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Jinbe walked out of the estate in a daze. He had come with good intentions, and he had been chewed out like a child. His "chivalry," the thing he was most proud of, had been branded the "source of evil."
And he couldn't refute a single word.
If he were younger, he would have slammed his fist on the table and started a fight. But the years had smoothed his rough edges.
And the king's words... they weren't wrong.
Did he not know about the faction of extremists within his own race, the ones who hated and harmed humans?
Of course he knew. In his youth, he had been one of them.
He had simply turned a blind eye.
His steps were heavy. As he stepped outside, the cool breeze cleared his head a little. He looked back at the estate and took a deep breath.
He may have been reprimanded, but it wasn't a total loss. This king's understanding of the situation was far deeper, far more rational than he had imagined.
From this first meeting, it was clear that he didn't discriminate against Fish-Men as a whole, only the extremists among them.
Compared to those who were disgusted by the mere sight of a Fish-Man, it was a good start.
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No sooner had Jinbe left than two new guests arrived in Jin's drawing-room.
They came in through the window, without alerting anyone. One by one, they lowered their hoods, revealing their faces.
Jin sat calmly. He wasn't surprised. He wasn't even fazed.
Just a little exasperated.
"I have to ask," he said, "one of you is a Yonko, Shanks, and the other is the world's greatest swordsman, 'Hawkeye' Mihawk. What is it with you people and windows? Is the front door just for decoration, or are you both allergic?"
Shanks and Mihawk both froze.
They had thought they were being clever, sneaking in without being noticed. But Jin's words...
It was awkward.
Fortunately, Shanks was used to being free and easy. He had a thick skin. "You knew it was us, and you didn't even flinch?"
"Alright, fine, you scared me to death," Jin said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Should I scream for help? Bring the guards running?"
"You know that would be useless," Shanks said, his tone serious now. "It would only lead to unnecessary casualties. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk to you about someone."
"Have a seat," Jin said. "Tea? Or something else?"
"No, thank you."
Shanks sat on the sofa opposite him, and Mihawk took a seat to the side.
"Alright. Who do you want to talk about?" Jin asked, feigning ignorance. The moment he had seen Shanks, he had known who he was here for.
Shanks hesitated for a moment. "Uta."
"Oh?" Jin said, looking at him.
Shanks told him the story—how he had found Uta, and everything that had happened after.
When he got to the part about Elegia, he faltered, but he pushed on.
"When Uta loses control, she becomes a demon," he said, his voice low. "She can cause destruction on a national scale. She's incredibly dangerous. We've been looking for a solution for years, but we've found nothing."
Shanks's eyes suddenly turned sharp. "I don't know what your intentions are. But if you dare to harm her, to use her... I will never forgive you."
"Oh, how scary," Jin said, mimicking Kizaru's tone, his own gaze turning hard. "Weren't you the ones who harmed her? For your so-called 'love,' you abandoned her, left her alone on Elegia to suffer in solitude. You pat yourselves on the back for shouldering the burden, for bearing the 'sin' all alone. You think it makes you noble. But it's just self-serving sentiment."
"I hear you're the freest pirates on the sea. Is your freedom bought at the expense of others, Shanks?" Jin's voice was an accusation.
"Expense?"
Shanks's eyes turned cold, a flash of anger in them.
Jin's words were a direct challenge to his ideals...
Their gazes locked. An invisible pressure radiated from them, silencing all sound. It was the standoff between two alpha predators, their powerful auras clashing.
Threads of raw Haki began to bleed into the air, manifesting as crackling arcs of black and red lightning that danced between them.
The servants in the estate collapsed, one by one.
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Jinbe, who hadn't gotten far, suddenly whipped his head around. His face paled, his heart pounding. It was the feeling of mortal danger. Goosebumps broke out on his skin, his breathing becoming shallow and rapid.
"A clash of Conqueror's Haki?" he whispered. "Who...?"
He hesitated, then turned and ran back.
He had only taken a few steps when the ground began to tremble, and a massive cloud of dust and debris shot into the sky.
A powerful shockwave erupted from the estate.
The manor didn't just break—it exploded outward, reduced to a pile of rubble.
In the ruins, the clash of Jin's and Shanks's Conqueror's Haki intensified, the invisible forces spiraling upward. A powerful energy field, like a vortex of golden and red lightning, crackled between them.
The waves of Conqueror's Haki washed over the island in all directions, a tsunami of power that tore the very sky asunder.
Even Mihawk had to take a step back, his eyes wide with surprise.
For the average "king," Conqueror's Haki was just a tool for clearing out the rabble. But he had sparred with Shanks. He knew that for a true conqueror, it was a weapon of immense destructive power.
Shanks had learned to control it during his time with Roger.
But this young king...
Mihawk's sharp eyes were fixed on him. He could feel the unique golden Conqueror's Haki radiating from the king. It was powerful. And, just like Shanks, he was able to project it, to wrap it around his body.
And it was that clash that was causing the physical destruction.
No wonder Doflamingo had been "insta-defeated." Mihawk had thought it was just a sensationalist headline.
But now, he knew it was true.
This young king's power was beyond imagination.
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"What? It's the Yonko, Shanks!"
Jinbe, who had rushed back, saw the two men facing off, and his eyes widened in shock. "What's going on? Why is a Yonko here? And why is he fighting King Jin? No... the more shocking thing is... that king has a Haki that's on par with a Yonko's?"
He stared at Jin, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "Their Conqueror's Haki..."
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Hannabal was in chaos. The people felt a brilliant flash of light, and then... nothing.
The entire island, save for a handful of individuals, had been knocked unconscious by the powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki.
Robin, Uta, Mayor Enru, Mihawk, and Jinbe.
"What... what's happening?" Uta, who had been rehearsing in the concert hall, rushed outside. In the distance, she could feel a familiar presence.
On the deck of the carrier, Robin, who had been relaxing under an umbrella with a cup of coffee and a newspaper, felt the sudden, oppressive shift in the atmosphere. She looked up. The sky was churning, the sea was raging.
A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki was washing over the island, a ripple of pure power. The very space around them seemed to be warping.
Robin was stunned.
She had seen a lot in her life. Her will was strong. And she had the invisible protection of the demonic carrier.
The port town was in chaos. Many people had been injured when they had suddenly collapsed. In some areas, explosions had broken out.
"Time to get to work!" Ai's voice crackled over the ship's intercom. Squads of Germa soldiers marched out from the hangar and onto the island to begin rescue operations.
Robin also got up to help.
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"You have no right to judge us!" Shanks said, his voice cold, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through any obstacle.
"And what gives you the right to come waltzing in here?" Jin retorted, standing firm against the surging Haki.
"Did you think being a Yonko made my home your personal playground??"
They stood in silence, their eyes locked, the terrifying pressure between them palpable, the shockwaves of their clash still echoing through the air.
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