"Interested in joining me?" Lancelot asked bluntly.
Hajrudin: "???"
Gerd: "..."
Both were utterly dumbfounded.
Truly... this was the first time they had encountered something so absurd.
"Hahahaha..."
After exchanging a glance, Hajrudin and Gerd burst into laughter simultaneously, as if they had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
A mere Rear Admiral actually suggested they follow him?
Gerd couldn't help but curl her lips, thinking to herself:
'Who does he think he is? An Admiral?'
That might qualify him to command ordinary giants, but Hajrudin is the son of King Harald of Elbaf.
Even the Fleet Admiral of the Navy isn't worthy of that.
'At the very least, it would require a World Noble of the World Government with real authority... after all, the King of Elbaf rules the world's universally acknowledged strongest nation. And Hajrudin is the prince of this world's foremost power.'
Hajrudin let out a light chuckle, then raised a fist toward Lancelot.
"Navy, it seems you have a death wish."
"WORORORORO..."
Just as Hajrudin finished speaking, a distinct, peculiar laugh echoed.
"Hm?"
Lancelot's brow furrowed, his gaze sharpening instantly. The laugh was too unique—recognizable from just one hearing.
He turned toward the source of the laughter.
There, a man of immense height and build was slowly approaching him.
He had shoulder-length black hair, a pair of horns resembling those of a ceratopsian, and long, dragon-whisker-like mustaches.
His left arm bore a dragon-scale tattoo.
His upper body was bare, with an X-shaped scar on his right abdomen.
A purple coat hung from his waist, its hem adorned with two golden chains.
He wore dark green, loose-fitting trousers, a shimenawa rope tied around his waist, and a purple fur cloak draped over his shoulders, giving him the appearance of a "demon" incarnate.
He carried a gourd stamped with the character for "Heaven" and held a spiked club in his hand.
With such a distinctive appearance and attire, Lancelot would have to be blind not to recognize who stood before him.
Narrowing his eyes, he said, "Kaido, you've finally caught up."
"Kaido of the Beasts!!!"
Hajrudin and Gerd nearly popped their eyes out, exclaiming in unison.
In the New World, the Four Emperors of the Sea were universally known.
"Tch..."
Once they regained their senses, Hajrudin and Gerd sucked in a sharp breath.
Their eyes held both wariness and reverence for the powerful figure as they looked at Kaido.
Instinctively, they took several steps back, as if distance alone could offer them some semblance of security.
After all, approaching them was Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors in the New World—the world's strongest creature.
Gulp...
Hajrudin and Gerd swallowed hard.
There was no helping it.
Even though Kaido wasn't targeting them, the sheer aura he radiated was enough to intimidate them.
Then, they glanced at Lancelot.
Hajrudin thought to himself, 'Seems like he's here for this Marine. From what he said... it sounds like he even knows Kaido is after him.'
'Wait...'
They seemed to have realized something.
They scrutinized the Marine before them carefully, and after a moment, their eyes widened simultaneously.
They recognized him.
This guy was no ordinary Marine...
He was the one who had taken down three Shichibukai, killed Jack the Drought, and captured Charlotte Broye and Charlotte Custard.
Just look... Who were these people?
They were all powerful figures that both of them had to look up to, yet they had all fallen at the hands of this Marine.
The two exchanged another glance.
'Alright!'
They had been too presumptuous earlier... This guy couldn't be measured by the standards of an ordinary Marine Rear Admiral.
In terms of sheer strength and intimidation against enemies, he was definitely no less formidable than a Marine Admiral.
Perhaps even stronger...
After all, Marine Admirals still had to exercise restraint due to their positions.
But this guy had absolutely no reservations.
No matter who you were! He'd even take down a Warlord.
No matter which Pirate Crew you came from! He'd go after an Emperor's crew without hesitation.
And when he fought, he was downright ruthless!
Hajrudin and Gerd quietly retreated, understanding that neither of the two before them was someone they could afford to provoke.
Most importantly, it was clear these two were about to clash.
With their level of strength, they'd likely get injured just from the aftermath of the battle.
If they didn't leave now, when would they?
Watching their movements, Lancelot raised an eyebrow and glared at Kaido with displeasure.
"Your timing really couldn't be worse!"
"Wororororo..."
Kaido laughed again, but anyone could hear the boundless killing intent in his laughter.
Crackle, crackle...
Simultaneously, electricity surged around his body and coated the spiked club in his hand.
He then said coldly, "Brat, you killed my man, and yet you still have the nerve to recruit followers here... You really don't take me seriously at all!"
Kaido wasn't stupid.
The main reason he had gotten news of Lancelot so quickly was because this guy was broadcasting his whereabouts...
That was how Kaido had been able to track him down so accurately.
But the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Because, in his eyes, Lancelot was completely disregarding him!
"Thunder Bagua!"
With incredible speed, Kaido swung his lightning-infused spiked club toward Lancelot.
The power of this move was already immense, but with Kaido striking in a rage, its force was even greater.
In the original story, this single strike had knocked out Luffy in his Gear Fourth form.
If it were a Thunder Bagua infused with Conqueror's Haki, it could even attack from a distance, achieving a one-hit-two effect.
Most importantly, this technique used electricity to activate the body to near-instantaneous speed.
Even Luffy, who possessed Observation Haki capable of foreseeing the future, couldn't completely dodge it.
And Lancelot, whose Observation Haki was still at a beginner level...
Truly couldn't evade it.
But Lancelot had long been on full alert.
Especially the moment electricity entangled around Kaido's spiked club.
He had already prepared his defense.
"Rokushiki - Hollow Wood - Black Tortoise!"
With a low shout, the latent Conqueror's Haki within Lancelot erupted like a raging torrent.
The immense Conqueror's Haki rapidly condensed and intertwined, ultimately materializing into a colossal and formidable Black tortoise manifestation.
This entity, composed purely of Conqueror's Haki, appeared vividly lifelike and radiated a heart-palpitating pressure, resembling an impregnable fortress that firmly shielded Lancelot within.
This was a unique defensive technique he had developed by combining Rokushiki-derived moves with Conqueror's Haki.
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