Chapter 6: Hachinosu

On Hachinosu, upon hearing Shiki's words, several division captains showed visible displeasure.

"Gurararara! That bastard Shiki is getting a bit too cocky!"

"Mamamama! This is really pissing me off, Shiki!"

A deep male voice and a female voice rang out in response to the Golden Lion's declaration, accompanied by two powerful bursts of Conqueror's Haki.

In the skies over Hachinosu, three distinct Conqueror's Haki clashed, each taking on its own hue, covering the entire sky in a swirling battle of willpower.

Fortunately, this was Rocks' stronghold, where every pirate was formidable in their own right. Since they were constantly exposed to surges of Conqueror's Haki, most had developed a certain resistance, preventing a mass collapse.

"Hu-hahahaha! You guys are too much!"

With a voice tinged with the scent of alcohol, another burst of slightly weaker Conqueror's Haki joined the fray.

Shortly after, two more waves of Conqueror's Haki erupted, turning the sky above Hachinosu into a battlefield of will.

Three dominant, three slightly weaker—six powerful Haki clashed in a chaotic storm, shaking the island and the skies above it.

Even aboard Shiki's ship, Lind found himself affected.

Thanks to his knowledge of the original story, Lind quickly recognized the owners of these powerful auras. Aside from Shiki, the remaining five had to be the other division captains of the Rocks Pirates.

From what Lind knew, the current division captains of the Rocks Pirates were:

First Division Captain: Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate – Wielding the Gura Gura no Mi, with a bounty of 1.26 billion Berries.

Second Division Captain: Shiki "The Golden Lion" – Wielding the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, with a bounty of 1.19 billion Berries.

Third Division Captain: Charlotte Linlin – Wielding the Soru Soru no Mi, with a bounty of 990 million Berries.

Fourth Division Captain: Captain John – Bounty of 760 million Berries.

Fifth Division Captain: Ochuko – Bounty of 730 million Berries.

Sixth Division Captain: Silver Axe – Bounty of 720 million Berries.

Watching the swirling Conqueror's Haki in the sky, Lind couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration.

After all, this was the ultimate symbol of strength—an elite's signature power move.

And to make matters worse, several additional bursts of Conqueror's Haki erupted—most likely from unnamed pirates in the original story whom Rocks had forcibly recruited. There was even a chance that one of them belonged to Kaido.

Realizing that even nameless background characters were displaying their Conqueror's Haki while he had none, Lind's frustration deepened.

Without hesitation, he pulled out a fruit—a mutated one that he had created by sacrificing Shiki's legs in advance. (TN: I don't get myself why would Shiki do that)

Its effect was simple: enhance and channel his willpower and emotions, aiding in the awakening of Conqueror's Haki.

For someone like Lind, who was both cautious and ambitious—steadfast yet eager to make a grand entrance—awakening Conqueror's Haki naturally would require the perfect combination of time, place, and opportunity.

And right now, this was the perfect moment.

With so many Conqueror's Haki clashes happening around him, Lind could fully immerse himself in the sensation. His emotions had reached their peak from witnessing this rare scene.

All he needed was a spark.

"Here it comes!"

The moment he sensed an aura even stronger than Whitebeard's and Shiki's, Lind did not hesitate—he swallowed the fruit.

As the fruit took effect, his rationality plummeted, and his suppressed emotions erupted.

Fueled by the overwhelming will of Rocks himself—the desire to dominate everything—Lind's own longing for true control and absolute freedom surged forth.

At that moment, his Conqueror's Haki fully awakened.

A wave of Haki, carrying the essence of freedom and boundless will, exploded into the sky.

Perhaps due to his powerful psychic abilities, Lind's first-ever Conqueror's Haki release was already at an astonishing level.

Although he still lacked mastery over its usage, the raw strength of his Haki was only slightly weaker than Captain John, Ochuko, and Silver Axe.

But that was more than enough.

Lind was extremely satisfied with the result. Sacrificing Shiki's legs decades in advance had paid off. (TN: I'm so confused)

With both Rocks and Lind now joining the Haki clash, the battle of wills was reaching its climax.

"Hu-hahahaha! Enough, you bastards—cut it out!"

With a deafening roar, Rocks unleashed a burst of deep crimson Conqueror's Haki, amplifying its intensity in an instant.

His sheer dominance crushed all the other Haki in the area.

John, Ochuko, and Silver Axe resisted for a moment but ultimately withdrew their auras.

Whitebeard, Shiki, and Linlin seemed unwilling to back down at first, but seeing the others relent, they too withdrew.

"Hu-hahahaha! Shiki, you sure put on a grand show today!"

After withdrawing his Haki, Rocks immediately turned his attention to the man of the hour, delivering a half-hearted warning.

"Jihahahaha! As my new crew mate Lind would say—when sailing these seas, aside from reputation and strength, the most important thing is presence! A true great pirate must always make an entrance!"

"What do you think? Wasn't my entrance today absolutely legendary?"

"Just imagine—if we each did something like this, leading my flying fleet straight to Marineford, we'd crush the Navy's morale and show the world who truly rules these seas!"

Shiki, completely unfazed by Rocks' warning, eagerly painted a grand vision for the future.

His words struck a chord with the pirates around him.

Aside from Rocks, Whitebeard and Linlin both looked intrigued.

Whitebeard was even contemplating how to show off in front of Sengoku.

Forget about being a "Tactical Genius"—if he followed Shiki's style, Sengoku would just look like an uneducated brute in comparison!

Rocks, however, had picked up on something else.

One particular phrase from Shiki caught his attention—the name Lind.

Recalling the strange yet compelling words he had heard when speaking to Shiki over a Den Den Mushi, Rocks couldn't ignore the similarity in style.

"Hu-hahahaha! Shiki, this Lind… He's the swordsman who stood outside your ship and declared, 'One swing shakes the seas, another shakes the heavens,' right?"

Rocks arched a brow, his tone carrying a hint of delight.

"And that unfamiliar burst of Conqueror's Haki just now—that was his too, wasn't it? Not bad. Looks like you really did bring in a strong one."

"Gurararara! 'One swing shakes the seas, another shakes the heavens'—that alone tells me he's a true master swordsman! Shiki, take us to meet this Lind fellow!"

A booming voice filled with excitement rang out.

Hearing Rocks' words, Whitebeard snapped out of his daydreams of outshining Sengoku.

His interest was piqued by the mention of Lind.

Such bold words resonated deeply with him, and if his grand entrance plan was to succeed, he needed to meet this swordsman.

"Mamamama! That's right! Sounds like one hell of a strong and handsome young man!"

Charlotte Linlin nodded, eager to meet Lind.

After all, Conqueror's Haki never lies.

Paired with such powerful words, an image of a mighty, dashing swordsman had already formed in their minds.

"Indeed! He must be a formidable swordsman! My blade is itching for a duel!"

Captain John, himself a master swordsman, immediately expressed his desire to spar.

Meanwhile, aboard the floating ship, Lind had heard everything.

After all, pirates never spoke quietly.

As he listened to their conversation, his emotions fluctuated wildly.

With all these exaggerated praises, Lind couldn't help but feel a bit pressured.

After all, he knew the truth—he wasn't some master swordsman.

He was just a psychic who played around with flying swords.