Chapter 78: The Spirit of a King

**Chapter 78: The Spirit of a King**

Red Conqueror's Haki surged around Carl's fist, and Dragon instinctively unleashed his own in response.

As the two Conqueror's Haki clashed, red and black lightning crackled in the air. Fortunately, most of the onlookers were strong enough to withstand the pressure—only a few students felt dizzy, but none fainted outright.

However, the spectacle left many Marines stunned. Unlike Armament and Observation Haki, Conqueror's Haki was an innate talent. If someone didn't possess it, no amount of training could change that.

And even among those who had it, awakening it was another matter entirely.

Those who awakened Conqueror's Haki were destined to be exceptional. If they set sail, they would undoubtedly become powerful figures ruling their own territories. Within the Navy, such individuals were incredibly rare. To the senior officers watching, a Marine who had awakened Conqueror's Haki was even rarer than a Logia Devil Fruit user.

On the battlefield, Dragon was already drenched in sweat, while Carl remained completely composed.

"Is this all you've got?" Carl asked casually.

Hearing those words, Dragon roared like a madman, trying to rally himself.

Losing to Carl in strength was one thing—but losing in spirit was unbearable. It meant his firm convictions had been completely shattered by Carl.

Yet, despite his outburst, Dragon had never properly trained his Conqueror's Haki. He could only *release* it to a certain degree—he couldn't amplify its power just by shouting.

Carl, on the other hand, had undergone disciplined training under Garling to master Conqueror's Haki. His level of control was on an entirely different level.

Carl watched Dragon struggle helplessly, admiring the mix of fury and desperation on his face. Then, his eyes sharpened.

The Conqueror's Haki on Carl's right fist suddenly condensed, forming a sword-shaped shockwave that pierced through Dragon's body.

Dragon's expression froze. His vision blurred, and his knees buckled beneath him.

Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, Dragon collapsed before Carl with a heavy *thud.* His consciousness fading, he muttered weakly,

"For… why…?"

But unlike with Aokiji and Aramaki, Carl didn't extend a hand to help him up. Instead, he turned his back and walked away, leaving only a single parting remark.

"My spirit is above yours."

That was the final blow. Dragon lost consciousness entirely, his head slumping forward.

—

*Swish!*

A figure darted past Carl, rushing to Dragon's side.

The only person who would come to his aid at this moment—was his father, Garp.

Garp shook Dragon's shoulders, but there was no response. Panicking, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across Dragon's face.

*Pop!*

Dragon's eyes snapped open. But instead of reacting to the sting on his cheek, he muttered in a daze,

"I lost… I completely lost…"

Seeing his son's shattered spirit, Garp sighed.

He had no intention of seeking revenge against Carl. He had watched the entire battle unfold—Carl had defeated Dragon fair and square.

And as Zephyr had just informed him, it was Dragon who had provoked Carl first. From start to finish, Dragon had brought this upon himself.

Even without those details, Carl and Dragon had been destined to oppose each other. If this battle had taken place in private, Dragon's fate would have been far worse than simply fainting…

—

Carl stepped into the crowd with an easygoing smile, rejoining his classmates who had been cheering for him.

Ginny leaped into his arms, excitedly raving about how cool he had looked. Lucia stood quietly to the side, watching Carl with soft admiration.

Akainu gave him a thumbs-up, while Borsalino, with his usual smirk, said,

"It's you, Carl—well done!"

Kuma raised a hand and offered, "Brother, let me help you relax."

Carl waved him off with a chuckle. "No need. I was just testing the new recruits—it barely took any effort."

His casual attitude made the surrounding Marines feel ashamed—especially those who had previously doubted his strength.

Many Vice Admiral-level officers reflected on the battle. If they had faced three Logia users back-to-back, *winning* would have been questionable. But Carl had dominated them all *effortlessly.*

After witnessing this fight, no one could claim Carl's achievements were exaggerated. His rank of Rear Admiral was well-deserved—and given his power, he could have easily been a Vice Admiral already.

Zephyr, watching from the sidelines, was thoroughly satisfied.

Carl had no weaknesses. Devil Fruit mastery, Haki, swordsmanship, physical strength—he excelled in all of them. He was the *ideal* student, the kind Zephyr had always dreamed of training.

His gaze subconsciously drifted to Borsalino.

Sensing the stare, Borsalino quickly looked away, as if avoiding a deadly plague. *The old man's gonna lecture me again, I just know it… How did I offend him this time?*

—

Aokiji suddenly ran over, eyes shining with admiration.

"Carl! What was that move just now? It looked so cool! Does the academy teach it too?"

Hearing this, Zephyr's expression stiffened. As the *head instructor* of the Navy Academy, even *he* didn't know that move. And he never would—because it wasn't something that could be *taught.*

Carl, knowing Aokiji lacked the potential for Conqueror's Haki, simply smiled.

"That was Conqueror's Haki. You can't learn it *yet.* But if you awaken it someday, I'll teach you how to use it."

Aokiji's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Then I'll work hard!"

Carl couldn't help but laugh. Aokiji at this age was so naïve—completely a *chuunibyou.* No wonder he had believed Garp's excuse about refusing an Admiral promotion.

Carl had made up his mind. He *had* to train Aokiji properly… No—at the very least, *educate* him. He couldn't let Garp corrupt another one.

Because to Carl, the Navy was no longer just an organization.

It was *his.*

And he would imprint his will upon it—until the entire war machine moved according to *his* command.