The pinnacle of pirates! Beginning as a trainee in Roger's crew

"...I refuse."

Under the eyes of the many Holy Knights gathered around, Ozz merely smiled faintly and said in a calm voice,

"Because... I don't lose."

"Arrogant little brat," Garling muttered from his chair as he watched Ozz's posture, though deep down, even he couldn't help but admire the boy.

He had the strength to be arrogant.

And from what he'd heard, this boy seemed to be quite close with that missing child of his...

With a simple signal from Garling, the duel began. It was a battle of absolute strength between two men of status.

If Ozz lost, he could still join the Holy Knights, but like everyone else, he'd be subordinate to Shamrock, his right-hand man.

If Shamrock lost, then Ozz's status as an "off-the-books" Celestial Dragon would be affirmed something even I'm had tacitly approved.

Both bore the spirit of kings, and as was tradition...

A clash of Conqueror's Haki was inevitable.

Buzz...

Shamrock's sharp gaze narrowed.

He was called "Little Red-Hair" for a reason. His talent with Conqueror's Haki was undeniable.

In a single instant, a crimson storm burst forth around him, crackling with black and red lightning.

His Holy Knight uniform billowed wildly despite the still air, and his presence surged directly toward Ozz like a thunderclap.

Many of the Holy Knights turned to look.

The aura of the Figarland heir... it was terrifying.

Some of the newer recruits could hardly withstand it.

Even several Celestial Dragon noblewomen found their gazes drawn to the red-haired youth, their eyes gleaming with undisguised interest.

In the Celestial Dragon hierarchy, marriage was rarely permitted outside their bloodlines. Both parents had to be of noble birth for their offspring to be considered true world aristocracy.

And among the many wasteful sons of nobility, those who were both handsome and strong were few and far between.

Shamrock was the rare exception.

But not all eyes were on him.

Many had turned toward Ozz as well.

Born and raised as elite Celestial Dragons, most of the crowd had little interaction with the outside world.

Yet now, a complete stranger stood toe-to-toe with that monster, Shamrock.

Who was he?

Just how strong was he?

"I've trained for this moment. To prove that even a no-name with no noble blood can match you red-haired freaks in Conqueror's Haki..."

Within the oppressive pressure of Shamrock's Haki, Ozz stood still, his long black cloak fluttering slowly behind him.

His expression didn't change. But in his crimson eyes, a glint of cold light flickered.

Buzz!!

A storm erupted.

A black domain, vast and oppressive as a pit of hell, exploded from the space around Ozz.

Black and red lightning surged like a raging tide, sweeping away the crimson storm that Shamrock had just unleashed and spilling far beyond the dueling ring.

It danced and roared, cracking open the very surface of the Red Line.

Countless new recruits collapsed where they stood, their eyes rolling back as they fell unconscious.

Crack... Crack... Crack...

Thud...

Thud...

"What the hell!!!"

"This pressure!!! He doesn't look any older than us!!!"

Everyone had assumed that Shamrock's Conqueror's Haki was the pinnacle among the younger generation.

They were wrong.

Dead wrong.

Just how wide was the sea beyond the Holy Land?

"Nani?!"

Shamrock's eyes trembled with disbelief as he felt his own aura being slowly suppressed by that abyss-like pressure.

He wore the exact same expression his brother once had.

That look of stunned disbelief.

That moment when a lifelong prodigy who had never known defeat... was suddenly overwhelmed.

The world was full of monsters and geniuses.

But a "monster"... was just the entry requirement to meet the truly terrifying.

On a nearby chair, Garling Figarland sat with his legs crossed, frowning as he felt the overwhelming force in Ozz's Conqueror's Haki.

He turned his gaze to his son, whose expression had also changed.

And his voice was low but pointed.

"Whether he becomes the demon in your heart, or the whetstone that sharpens your blade... is up to you."

Conqueror's Haki was a battle of will.

If the heart wavered, if defeat crept in, one could never reach the top.

And no one not even a father could help with that.

"This level of Conqueror's Haki is... absurd."

At some point, the Five Elders had appeared, standing quietly beside Garling to observe the duel.

"It seems extremely one-sided. Though of course, young people often lose their cool."

"But Ozz is still one of them."

Saint Nasujoro held his demon sword with calm detachment. A swordsman's eye was always sharp.

"He's the man who defeated Charlotte Linlin and Kaido..."

"Charlotte Linlin relied heavily on her natural physique and fruit power Ozz had the counter for that. And Kaido wasn't even at his peak. In truth, their fight ended in a draw. Ozz fell just short in head-on combat."

"He's still a young man. He hasn't reached the level of Roger yet not in Haki, not in mastery."

"If Shamrock can steady his heart, he might yet catch up in the future."

Nasujoro's words were practical, and it was clear he saw real potential in Shamrock. But Garling simply shook his head.

Not because he was biased for or against his son.

He had seen the clash for what it was.

"Shamrock can't keep up. I could tell from the very first exchange."

"I just hope that after suffering a defeat this steep, he still has the heart of a warrior."

"Because he is the future of Figarland."

And it wasn't just the leaders who could tell.

Many Holy Knights had already sensed the difference.

"Is Shamrock really going to be okay, fighting that kind of monster?"

"Just the thought of facing a guy like that... it's hopeless."

Of course, Shamrock had also caught the reactions of his father and the surrounding Celestial Dragons.

But his eyes remained filled with fire.

He slowly drew his blade, pointing it toward Ozz. Black and red lightning crackled down its length.

No hesitation.

No retreat.

"Yeah... only a guy like you is worthy of joining the Holy Knights..."

"Come, Dotor Ozz!!!"

"As you wish."

Ozz stepped forward.

His long black cloak danced in the lightning, and his hand moved slowly toward the hilt of Ace.

As the black blade was unsheathed, it was as though light itself bent around the weapon, Conqueror's Haki wrapping it like a storm.

A sharp ringing tore through the air like a scream.

Thunder crashed.

Haki surged.

The moment the blade cleared its sheath, Shamrock felt the pressure around him multiply.

"You young Celestial Dragons..."

"This sea is far wider than you can ever imagine!!!"

In the crowd, a tall, slender girl stood motionless.

Wearing a military cap and oversized sleeves, she was one of the rare few still conscious amid the storm of Haki.

Her eyes were locked on the towering figure standing at the center of the storm.

She had always heard tales of Shamrock's unmatched presence.

But today...

"This is the next generation..."

"The true pinnacle of Conqueror's Haki?"

...