《One Piece: Rising》Chapter 23: Pledging Loyalty to the Fleet Admiral!

It wasn't just John Giant who stood transfixed with shock. Behind Xayuki, Gion and the other Vice Admirals—along with countless officers throughout the plaza—stared in stunned disbelief at the kneeling giant.

Their astonishment stemmed not merely from Xayuki's possession of Conqueror's Haki, but from the devastating effectiveness with which he had deployed it. With seemingly minimal effort, he had brought a Vice Admiral of the Giant Tribe to his knees, leaving him utterly defenseless.

Even more remarkable was the precision of Xayuki's control—his Haki had affected only John Giant, leaving everyone else completely untouched despite standing mere meters away.

After a moment of stunned silence, murmurs rippled through the assembled ranks.

"What just happened? Why did Vice Admiral John suddenly kneel?"

"Didn't you hear? It's Conqueror's Haki! Commander Xayuki unleashed Conqueror's Haki!"

"What exactly is Conqueror's Haki?"

"Conqueror's Haki is the mark of a true king—a power possessed by only one in a million! It's an innate ability you're born with. Most importantly, it can't be trained through conventional means; it can only grow stronger as the wielder's own strength increases!"

"Even if it is the mark of kings, how could it possibly bring Vice Admiral John to his knees without any resistance?"

"There's only one explanation!"

"Commander Xayuki's strength must be approaching that of an Admiral—perhaps even surpassing it."

Xayuki paid no attention to the astonished whispers surrounding him. With measured steps, he continued his approach toward the kneeling giant.

With each stride Xayuki took, John Giant felt the invisible weight bearing down on him intensify—as if a mountain were gradually descending upon his shoulders. The closer Xayuki came, the more the giant's massive frame was forced to bow, until he was nearly sprawled across the ground.

By the time Xayuki stood directly before him, John Giant could no longer maintain even this semblance of dignity. With a thunderous impact that reverberated throughout the plaza, his body collapsed completely, pressed flat against the stone surface.

Yet even in this utterly prostrate position, the crushing pressure showed no signs of relenting.

As John Giant's massive form made full contact with the ground, fissures began to spread outward from beneath him. Deep cracks snaked across the plaza's surface, forcing nearby soldiers to scramble away from the spreading network of fractures.

"Conqueror's Haki... it's cracking the very ground!" Gion exclaimed, her eyes widening as she observed the fissures extending beneath her feet. Her gaze lifted to Xayuki's back, her expression a mixture of awe and disbelief.

"Conqueror's Haki cannot be trained through conventional means—it only grows stronger as the wielder's own power increases," Strawberry added, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement. "For Lord Xayuki to crack solid stone with his Haki alone... his strength must already rival or even surpass that of an Admiral!"

Standing before the fallen giant, Xayuki remained silent, his expression impassive as he regarded his opponent. Despite John Giant being pressed flat against the ground, his enormous stature meant that Xayuki—standing less than six feet tall—could still meet his gaze at eye level.

"Betting on the name of Marine's Absolute Justice?" Xayuki finally spoke, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Vice Admiral John, aren't you even slightly curious why, as a member of the Giant Tribe, you've lived at Marine Headquarters since childhood?"

John Giant struggled to lift his head, but it seemed fused to the stone beneath him. Unable to move, he could only force words through gritted teeth: "Xayuki, as a Vice Admiral yourself, you've staged a coup to seize the position of Fleet Admiral. You... you have no right to speak of justice before me."

"So you truly aren't curious after all."

Xayuki shook his head with a faint smile before taking another deliberate step forward.

Buzz—

As his foot connected with the ground, the air around them vibrated with a low-frequency hum. Conqueror's Haki—elevated to its highest level by the system—surged outward with overwhelming force.

In the next instant, the ground beneath them gave way with a resounding crack. The stone surface collapsed under the immense pressure, causing John Giant's massive form to sink several inches into the plaza floor until he was perfectly level with the surrounding stone—as if the ground itself had been molded around him.

"Not bad at all~"

Examining the giant Vice Admiral now embedded in the plaza floor, Xayuki narrowed his eyes with evident satisfaction. The demonstration of his fully mastered Conqueror's Haki had exceeded even his expectations.

John Giant's intervention had provided the perfect opportunity to test the limits of his newly enhanced abilities. Using Conqueror's Haki to subdue the giant had been merely a preliminary exercise—the true potential of his power extended far beyond this simple demonstration.

At that moment, a brilliant flash of light rose from the residential district, arcing through the night sky before descending directly into Marineford Plaza.

As the radiance faded, two imposing figures materialized behind Xayuki: Sakazuki and Borsalino, standing side by side.

"Admiral Sakazuki!"

"Admiral Borsalino!"

Their sudden appearance triggered another wave of commotion throughout the crowd. Many Marines, still clinging to faint hope, called out their names with desperate enthusiasm.

But just as these hopeful souls thought the two Admirals had arrived to challenge Xayuki's authority, Sakazuki stepped forward. With perfect military precision, he saluted Xayuki and declared in a voice that carried across the entire plaza: "Fleet Admiral Xayuki, Admiral Sakazuki reporting for duty!"

Before the stunned onlookers could process this development, Sakazuki straightened his posture and shouted with unmistakable conviction: "LOYALTY!"

That single, powerful word echoed throughout Marineford, instantly silencing the tens of thousands gathered there.

For those who had been holding onto hope that the Admirals might resist the coup, Sakazuki's declaration was the final devastating blow. If even the most fervent advocate of Absolute Justice had pledged allegiance to Xayuki, what possible resistance remained?

Standing beside Sakazuki, Borsalino offered a casual salute of his own, though he remained silent. Both men knew that Xayuki had thoroughly uncovered Borsalino's true nature. Even if he were to vocalize his loyalty now, Xayuki would recognize the emptiness of such a gesture. What Xayuki sought from the Yellow Monkey wasn't hollow declarations, but a clear choice.

Xayuki turned to acknowledge both Admirals with a measured smile before continuing his advance toward the platform.

Seeing this, Sakazuki and Borsalino fell into step behind him.

Following their lead, Gion, Momonga, and the other Vice Admirals quickly formed ranks and followed suit.

After the dramatic confrontation with John Giant and the decisive intervention of the two Admirals, the vast assembly of Marines maintained perfect silence. All eyes remained fixed on Xayuki as he ascended the steps to the elevated platform at the plaza's center.

Standing atop the platform, Xayuki surveyed the sea of faces below him. After a moment of contemplation, he stepped forward to address the assembled forces.

"All units, attention!" Sakazuki's commanding voice rang out from the base of the platform. Turning to face Xayuki, he saluted sharply and proclaimed: "Pledge your loyalty to the Fleet Admiral!"

Whoosh—

In perfect unison, tens of thousands of Marines stepped forward. As one body, they raised their faces toward the platform and shouted with a single, thunderous voice: "LOYALTY!"

The deafening chorus echoed across Marineford, the sound waves merging into a powerful current that seemed to linger in the night air long after the actual shout had subsided.

In the conference hall of Marine Headquarters, Sengoku and Zephyr stood by the window, silently observing the young Fleet Admiral on the high platform. Feeling the electric atmosphere of determination and fervor that permeated the air, they couldn't help but sigh in unison: "Ah, youth..."

Before their words had fully dissipated, both men's expressions suddenly shifted. Their gazes simultaneously turned toward the sea beyond Marineford's defensive walls.

Under the pale moonlight, a solitary figure could be seen approaching—riding a bicycle across the water's surface with unhurried confidence. In the figure's wake, the once-rippling waves instantly transformed into solid ice, creating a frozen path that extended back toward the horizon.

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