Chapter 34: The Burst of the Conqueror's Haki!

This surge of power wasn't aimed at Ortoren, but he was undeniably within its range!

Without hesitation, brilliant arcs of lightning surged from Ortoren's body as he tried to use the power of the Goro Goro no Mi to teleport out of the area.

But the moment he tried to shift into his elemental form, he realized something was wrong—seriously wrong!

The Haki radiating from Garp and Roger was too overwhelming!

Their Haki flooded the entire space, so much so that Ortoren couldn't even activate his elemental form! His figure twisted visibly, crackling with electricity as he desperately tried to transform, but it was all in vain.

He attempted to counteract it using his own Haki, and while it did provide some resistance, it wasn't nearly enough. Against these two monsters, his Haki was insignificant.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Garp's iron fist, shining like a galaxy, plummeted from above. A sharp gleam flashed in Roger's eyes as he stepped into a bow stance, Ace in hand gleaming with a fierce light. He didn't dodge—there was nowhere to dodge. From the sheer force behind Garp's strike, Roger was already locked in.

"Kamusari!!!" Roger's eyes locked onto Garp as he slashed his longsword just before the celestial fist came down!

Ortoren had witnessed many powerful slashes today—those from the future world's greatest swordsman Dracule Mihawk, the Lord of the Underworld Silvers Rayleigh, and Roger's Kamusari.

But none of them compared to this blade!

If Garp's falling punch was like the descent of a galactic fist under a sky full of stars, then Roger's slash felt like it could tear the heavens apart and create a new world!

A surge of fierce Haki burst into the sky, followed by an overwhelming pressure that erupted at the point of collision.

Within several hundred meters of the battle zone, the buildings lining the streets were first sliced apart like puzzle pieces by scattered slashes. Then, under the crushing force of Garp's fist, everything—rubble, debris—was reduced to dust!

Electricity flared wildly around Ortoren's body as he poured out every bit of Haki he had. Under such unimaginable pressure, he could distinctly feel his Armament Haki reaching a whole new level!

It was a breakthrough forged under extreme strain!

But it wasn't enough. After just a few short breaths, his Haki collapsed, and the power of lightning was forcefully shoved back into his body. A tremendous shockwave then surged into him from every direction, leaving no escape.

"Urghaa!!!" Ortoren roared, fighting to stay conscious.

But his vision went black, and everything faded.

His large frame seemed ready to topple forward, but just as he was about to hit the ground, his foot staggered violently—and he stayed standing!

His eyes had rolled back, and he looked completely unconscious. Yet somehow, Ortoren remained upright, enduring the clash of two overwhelming Haki forces like an immovable mountain.

But neither Garp nor Roger noticed this strange occurrence—their fist and blade had already collided with full force.

...

And then the world shattered.

A wild shockwave burst out at last, sweeping across the entire island. In an instant, it was as if the whole island was engulfed by a violent storm. Even the massive warships in the harbor began to sway uncontrollably.

At the same time, the waters around the island seemed to be crushed by an invisible force. First, the sea level sank by several meters in a flash. Then, the compressed water surged outward, transforming into towering waves that spread out from the island in every direction.

Then, at some point, the sky had become filled with dark clouds, flashing with thunder and lightning—but in the very next moment, that sky was torn to shreds by the sheer force of Garp and Roger's Haki, as if the heavens themselves had been ripped apart!

Just as their fist and blade clashed, just as the world changed color, a wild surge of energy suddenly erupted from Ortoren!

In an instant, both Garp and Roger turned their attention to him.

"Conqueror's Haki!?" A flicker of surprise flashed through Garp's eyes.

Roger grinned, a look of appreciation forming at the corners of his mouth. "Wahahahaha! The so-called invincible Goro Goro no Mi, that unmatched physical strength, and now even the rare kingly aura that only one in a million possess on these seas… That kid's full of surprises!"

That's right—what had exploded from Ortoren at that moment was none other than the one-in-a-million Conqueror's Haki!

Even though Ortoren had fallen unconscious from the crushing pressure of Roger and Garp's clash, his body, his instincts, his very soul responded—unleashing Conqueror's Haki as if roaring in defiance at the two legends!

After a brief moment of astonishment, the two men exchanged a glance. Then Roger moved first. He shifted his stance, withdrew his Haki, and completely ignored Garp. After dodging the punch, he darted straight toward Ortoren at blinding speed!

This kid was the real deal—his physique, his Devil Fruit powers, and now even Conqueror's Haki. Once he grew, he'd undoubtedly become a top-tier powerhouse.

Roger couldn't help but feel a desire to nurture him. In the little time he had left, he wanted to keep the boy by his side, to train him, and even show him the truth of the world!

Roger thought this way—but Garp was no different. How could they possibly allow someone so gifted to fall into the hands of pirates? Especially into the hands of the notoriously dangerous Roger Pirates!

If Roger's crew trained him up, the Marines would have another major headache on their hands.

By contrast, if they could bring the boy onto the right path—recruit him into the Marines—there was a real chance he could become one of the Navy's top assets. Someone on the level of an Admiral!

That was the difference between gain and loss—a twofold shift in power!

"Bastard, you're not taking him with you!" Garp snarled, lunging after Roger and swinging a fist.

Roger retaliated with a slash of his blade, the two once again locking into a tug-of-war, preventing either of them from reaching Ortoren.

...

A few minutes later, a firework burst into the sky from the other side of the island. Roger shot a glance in that direction, then looked back at Ortoren with a tinge of reluctance and muttered bitterly, "Damn it, Garp—you lucky bastard."

Then, with a single slash to divert Garp's fist, Roger slipped away, shooting off at full speed toward the source of the firework.

Garp had fought Roger enough times to know exactly what that firework meant—it was the Roger Pirates' departure signal. Their ship had already set sail!

If he wanted to stop Roger, he had to block him from boarding. Once he got on the Oro Jackson, Garp's dog-headed warship didn't stand a chance of catching up.

But deep down, Garp also knew how hard it was to stop Roger—he had never once succeeded.

And with Ortoren still lying here, Garp hesitated for a moment, took two steps in pursuit, then stopped, turning back quickly to Ortoren's side.

By then, the burst of Conqueror's Haki around Ortoren had already begun to fade. The wild pressure around him rapidly subsided, and in no time, everything returned to normal. Still unconscious, his large body pitched forward—but just before he hit the ground, Garp caught him.

The more Garp looked at Ortoren, the brighter the light in his eyes became. He couldn't help but laugh, full of delight.

"Totally worth it. Totally worth it! I actually found a gem! Bwahahahahaha!"