Leno's Golden Conqueror's Haki radiated from his body like an unstoppable force. The sheer presence of his will, as powerful as that of the gods themselves, was beyond description, shaking the minds of those who felt it.
Even the battle-hardened warriors of the Kuja Pirates, who were accustomed to the pressure of Haki, found themselves utterly defenseless. In mere moments, their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed, powerless to resist.
Conqueror's Haki—a power so rare that only one in a million are born with it. In the New World, it seemed like everyone had it, but that was because the New World was where only the strongest survived. To stand out there, each person had to face countless foes, each stronger than the last.
But Leno's Conqueror's Haki wasn't just powerful. It was different.
Not only did it combine the overwhelming wills of legends like Shanks and Rayleigh, but Leno's Haki was also fused with his unique Fearless Heart. It wasn't just raw strength—it was a godlike state of existence, where all things were beneath him, destined to be ruled.
Even Buggy, standing nearby, was stunned.
Hancock, the Pirate Empress herself, trembled as she witnessed Leno's power.
"This man...!" Hancock's thoughts raced. His body was powerful, his face unyielding, and his eyes… those eyes, filled with indifference and superiority, seemed to look down on the entire world. The golden Haki swirled around him, making him glow like a radiant sun.
Suddenly, the memory hit her like a crashing wave: the Celestial Dragons. Fear washed over her as she remembered the time she was their slave, locked in a cage and treated like a pet. The dark, humiliating past she had tried so hard to bury now surfaced once again.
"No!" she screamed in her mind, fury mixing with terror. "Die!"
With a surge of rage, Hancock unleashed her own Conqueror's Haki.
Chi chi chi…
The two powerful wills collided. Invisible sparks crackled in the air, and the sea below churned violently from the raw force.
But when Leno's golden gaze met hers, it was over.
Boom!
His eyes, cold and filled with majesty, bore into her. The pressure was overwhelming—indifference, fearlessness, and absolute domination. Hancock's mind felt like it had been struck by a tidal wave of emotions, and the long-buried memory of her captivity engulfed her.
Her body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The once-mighty empress of the Kuja Pirates, wielder of Conqueror's Haki, had fallen.
As Leno's golden aura began to fade, the sea and sky calmed, the sound of waves returning to the shore.
Click!
A nearby statue of Rayleigh cracked and crumbled into dust. The power of the Love-Love Fruit, which had altered its appearance, had vanished when Hancock fell unconscious.
Even though Rayleigh had been petrified, his strong will and Conqueror's Haki had allowed him to resist much of the force. He wasn't knocked out, but he had witnessed everything that had transpired.
"Leno's Haki… it overpowered Hancock's?"
Rayleigh thought, his eyes wide with disbelief. He knew better than most what it meant to possess Conqueror's Haki. It wasn't just a power; it was the will of a king, the kind of spirit that could never be subdued. Yet here was Leno, doing what only Roger had done before—using Conqueror's Haki to stun another wielder of the same power.
"Leno..." Rayleigh muttered, his eyes narrowing in thought. "This wasn't the strength you had when we fought."
Leno turned to him, a grin spreading across his face. "Seems like I figured something out. No trouble, right?"
Rayleigh couldn't help but smile back, shaking his head. This young man… it was like watching a monster being born before his very eyes. Leno was already so strong, and yet his spirit was still evolving, growing stronger with each battle.
"Yeah, a real monster…" Rayleigh muttered under his breath.
Leno, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement. His power was incredible—overwhelming even. He recalled the sensation of overwhelming Hancock and felt his Haki grow even stronger. It wasn't just about power anymore; it was the birth of a new strength, something beyond mere Conqueror's Haki.
"Power," he whispered to himself. That was the name he gave this newfound ability. The power to stand above all, to be worshipped like a god.
Just then, Leno noticed a ship approaching from Amazon Lily. It was filled with more Kuja Pirates.
"Hebihime-sama! What did you do to her?!" one of the warriors cried out as they rushed to shore, seeing Hancock and the others unconscious.
Leading the group were Sandersonia and Marigold, their faces filled with rage. They were ready for battle.
Among them, an old woman stood out.
Shorter than most, with white wavy hair and a flower tucked in her left hairline.
"Gloriosa!"
She frowned, her tone slightly irritated. "Rayleigh? What is going on here?!"
"Aha!" Rayleigh, facing the much shorter old woman, scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"It's all a misunderstanding, I swear!"
"Damn it! Did you knock out Hebihime-sama?!"
"What? Rayleigh, was it him?"
Rayleigh, clearly at a loss, sighed. "Yes, but I'm telling you, it was just a misunderstanding!"
A misunderstanding?
The Amazon Lily warriors turned to look at Leno, all drawing their swords as their armor hardened.
For most pirates in the Paradise section, Haki was a mysterious and rare power, but here on Amazon Lily, it was nothing unusual.
This was a nation with a strict ban on men, and yet the man standing before them had not only entered but had knocked out their empress and her companions. This was unforgivable!
The two sisters raised their swords, ready to strike.
Leno's eyes narrowed. His hand hovered over his sword, ready to draw.
"Stop!" A firm, commanding voice rang out, halting everyone in their tracks.
"Gloriosa?!" The two sisters, and the rest of the female warriors turned to Gloriosa with reverence.
As the oldest resident of Amazon Lily and a former empress, Gloriosa held immense respect in their hearts.
Leno, too, looked at her curiously.
Gloriosa addressed Rayleigh, her voice calm but stern. "Rayleigh, tell me—what exactly is this misunderstanding?"
She and the others had hurried over, sensing the disturbance from the sea and the clash of powerful Haki in the air. Judging by Leno's bare upper body and Rayleigh's disheveled state, it was clear the two had been fighting.
Could someone actually fight Rayleigh and hold their own?
Gloriosa felt uneasy. If Rayleigh was calling it a misunderstanding, it had to be something unusual. Knowing Hancock's temper, she had an inkling of what might have happened, so she quickly intervened.
Rayleigh began explaining. "Hancock and Buggy got caught up in the fight. Leno ended up stunning Hancock and the others with his Conqueror's Haki, but it wasn't intentional. It just happened."
"Conqueror's Haki... against Hancock?!"
Gloriosa and the female warriors stared at Leno in disbelief.
Hancock's Haki was as formidable as her strength. She was chosen to lead not just for her beauty, but for her power. Yet this man had knocked her out before she could even make a move?
Who was this guy?
"Wait… Leno?" Gloriosa's eyes widened in realization. "Are you the leader of the Hunter's Guild? The one who defeated Kuzan?"
Leno smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that's me."
It was him!
The two sisters, and the other warriors looked at him with awe, their eyes practically sparkling. Leno's muscular body gleamed in the sunlight, and his impressive strength had clearly made an impact.
Even though Amazon Lily had strict laws against men, the female warriors couldn't help but admire his prowess. While men were generally banned, reproduction was still necessary, and in their minds, the stronger the father, the stronger the child. And who wouldn't want stronger children?
Leno suddenly felt uncomfortable, as though he had walked into a den of hungry wolves.
Coughing nervously, he said, "I'm sorry about the confusion. I came here for a training session with Rayleigh because of my upcoming duel with Kaido. I didn't expect things to turn out like this…"
Gloriosa, ever the rational one, didn't share Hancock's fiery temperament. She quickly understood the situation and helped smooth things over.
She regarded Leno thoughtfully, sensing an opportunity. "President Leno, I'm quite interested in your Hunter's Guild. Might I learn more about it?"
Leno smiled, nodding. "Of course! We welcome anyone with goals and dreams."
As they continued chatting about the Hunter's Guild's mission and ambitions, the warriors placed the unconscious Hancock and her companions under the shade of a large tree.
Meanwhile, across the beach, a bonfire crackled as a giant pot of meat stew boiled over it. Sizzling chunks of meat and mushrooms sent savory aromas wafting through the air. Nearby, the three sisters grilled enormous cuts of Sea King meat over an open flame.
"This is the best of Amazon Lily's cuisine!" one of them declared proudly.
Rayleigh, enjoying some of the wine, watched Leno and Gloriosa discuss the future of the Hunter's Guild. If a partnership with the Kuja Pirates could be secured, it would be a significant step towards expanding into the Grand Line.
Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from under the tree, drawing everyone's attention.
Hancock shot up, screaming as though waking from a nightmare.
"Hebihime-sama?!"
"Sister, are you alright?!"
"Don't come near me!" Hancock shrieked, her usual pride and arrogance replaced by abject terror as she curled into a ball, trembling.
The sight of Hancock, usually so strong and unshakeable, reduced to this state shocked everyone.
Marigold glared at Leno, fury blazing in her eyes. "What did you do to her?!"
The other warriors stared daggers at him, their hands already on their swords.
"Stop!" Gloriosa barked, stepping between them. "Let me see what's going on first."
As Gloriosa hurried over to comfort Hancock, Rayleigh exchanged a worried look with Leno, who shook his head, clearly bewildered.
"I didn't even touch her," Leno muttered. "What could I have possibly done?"
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Hancock's terror was somehow linked to him. Could it be... her past?
Under Gloriosa's soothing words and the presence of her sisters, Hancock finally began to calm down, though she remained visibly shaken.
The two sisters escorted her back to the ship, leaving Gloriosa behind to speak with Leno privately.
She sighed heavily before turning to him. "President Leno, I need your help."
"Anything I can do, I will," Leno replied seriously.
Gloriosa studied him intently before asking, "Are you a Celestial Dragon?"
"What?!" Leno was stunned by the question. "Of course not!"
Gloriosa raised an eyebrow. "But Hancock kept saying that you were a Celestial Dragon, come to take her back."
Leno froze, his mind racing. Could his Conqueror's Haki... have triggered memories of the Celestial Dragons?
Shanks had a connection to the Celestial Dragons, and he had inherited Shanks' Haki. Could that have been why...?
After a long pause, Gloriosa broke the silence. "We have to help her, but it may require you to face a difficult truth."
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+30 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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