One Piece: Nobody knows Devil Fruits better than me.

Chapter 198 Unparalleled Arrogance! Awakening of Conqueror's Haki!
"So that's how it is. The world eight hundred years from now?"

Sitting atop the hill, after hearing Roy's initial explanation of his origins—Joey Boy rubbed his chin with two fingers, clicking his tongue in amazement: "That's quite a long time."

However, he then grinned and said, "But at least that means the world has survived for eight hundred years."

After hearing what Joy Boy said...

Roy, sitting in front of him, was naturally somewhat surprised.

He originally thought that this legendary figure from eight hundred years ago would be extremely curious after hearing about the future, and would ask all sorts of questions about the world situation and the future.

But the truth is - no.

The other party seemed completely uninterested in this matter.

"Don't look at me like that—it's not that I don't want to ask, but it's pointless to ask, isn't it?"

Roy made no attempt to hide his doubts, so Joey Boy seemed to have noticed them as well.

He chuckled and pointed to himself, saying, "After all, that's eight hundred years—I must have died long ago!"

"Moreover, I am just a remnant of a domineering aura; everything about me exists only here."

He pointed around, to the island formed by these memories.

"The past and the future are not things I can interfere with."

He said it very casually.

"The reason I exist here is simply to protect my friends—and my friends' friends—in the most crucial moments."

What he said was precisely the reason why the knot was left in the original work.

Joy Boy hoped Emmett would use it when his life was in danger—or when someone Emmett wanted to protect was in danger.

"So, you're actually very angry right now?"

Speaking of this, Roy was actually quite embarrassed.

When he took the knot, he naturally didn't expect that he would actually meet Joey Boy.

Now it seems as if he took away a life-saving treasure that someone left for their friend.

"Yeah—if it were the real me, I'd definitely be a little annoyed!"

"Although the ownership of the knot is also 'free,' no one wants their gift to a friend to be taken away."

Joy Boy said this, then pointed to himself: "However, I don't have the ability to 'get angry'."

Upon hearing this, Roy naturally understood.

The Joy Boy before him was not the real Joy Boy—he was merely a remnant of Joy Boy's domineering power at its peak, just a memory.

Although it seems that for some reason, he is able to break free from the shackles of memory, perceive Roy's presence, and communicate with Roy.

However, he himself remains only a memory—his cognition and emotions are stuck at the moment the knot was created.

so.
“I can promise you—if Emmett is in danger, I will save him.”

After a moment of silence, Roy looked at Joey Boy and made this promise.

"Your domineering aura is better in my hands than stored within it."

He said so.

Yes—after it was already basically certain that it would be at odds with the World Government.

Emmett, this powerful ancient robot from eight hundred years ago, is itself an extremely powerful assistant.

For both emotional and rational reasons, Roy would not stand idly by and watch the other party be destroyed by the Five Elders as in the original story.

"Ouch!"

Upon hearing Roy's words, Joey Boy raised an eyebrow: "You're quite confident, aren't you?"

He looked into Roy's earnest eyes, then grinned again: "If you can say such things about a memory, then I'll just have to believe you for now—hahahaha!"

At this point, he burst into laughter: "Well then, it's about time. This domineering aura is about to dissipate. Let's get ready to begin."

"start?"

Upon hearing this, Roy frowned.

"Yeah—I don't know how you did it, but since you were able to get here after untying the knot, it means you were having a 'Clash of Conqueror's Haki' with me!"

Joy Boy said with a grin, "You want to awaken your Conqueror's Haki through my Haki guidance, right?"

He had already guessed Roy's purpose.

"Are you willing to help me?"

Roy, on the other hand, was somewhat surprised.

"Of course."

Joy Boy grinned knowingly: "The so-called Conqueror's Haki is 'the freedom of the soul'."

"All those who possess Conqueror's Haki are individuals who, even in a world bound by constraints and surrounded by darkness, still maintain their individuality."

"They are the drumbeat of liberation, the spark of the world."

He gave a thumbs-up and patted his heart: "And I am 'Joy Boy'—I will help anyone who is chasing freedom!"

As he finished speaking, he opened his arms.

It's as if it wants to embrace the whole world.

"Watch closely, future traveler—this is my 'ambition'!"

As the words fell...
Before Roy's eyes, the hill, the sunset, and the island vanished into thin air.

Roy felt his perspective suddenly rise at that moment.

He saw a sea!

A vast, boundless, azure ocean.

There is no red earth continent, no calm zone, no war, and no ugliness.

And in that sea, there are countless islands—they are seamlessly connected to each other, as if they were one whole.

Roy saw that a celebration was taking place on the island.

The campfire was blazing, and delicious food and wine were everywhere.

He saw the enormous figures of the giants dancing, and the earth swayed in response.

He saw the dwarfs nimbly weaving between the giants' toes.

He saw that the mermaids no longer hid in the deep sea, but sang on the shallows at the edge of the island.

Humans frolic with the furry tribe, and enormous sea creatures float on the nearshore waters, carrying laughing children.

The Long-Armed Tribe, the Long-Legged Tribe, the Flower Tribe—all the races of the world have gathered on this sea.

They played and frolicked, they sang and danced.

There is no discrimination, no barriers, and no oppression.

All that was passed between them was laughter, and
To freedom!

The voices of all races converge into a wave of sound, resounding across the sea.

And after the banquet ended.

Some people laughed loudly as they ran towards the sea.

Some people happily remained on the island.

Sunlight shines down, flowers bloom, and the sea breeze blows.

At this moment, Roy seemed to be able to feel that pure and passionate intention.

Just as mentioned before, Conqueror's Haki is the 'manifestation of the soul'.

Every user of Conqueror's Haki possesses an ambition that transcends the constraints of the real world, and the corresponding 'world' they wish to create.

What appeared before Roy was Joy Boy's ambition.

He wanted the world to be free of barriers, the races to be free of divisions, all peoples to be able to laugh, and all people to live equally on the sea.

He wanted to throw a grand banquet that the whole world could attend.

Or to be more precise...
He wanted the whole world to be 'free'.

Whether it's heading to the sea or spending time with loved ones—everyone can do what they want.

"I see."

At that moment, Roy also clearly sensed that overwhelming and powerful aura.

He also realized the role he—or rather, 'Joy Boy'—played in this free world at that moment.

He is the 'sun' that radiates the light of freedom.

Where Joy Boy is, there is no constraint.

Where the sun shines, shadows and coldness are dispelled.

"What a magnificent spirit!!"

So at this moment, even though Roy had anticipated this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

What is revealed here, spanning eight hundred years, is Joy Boy's ambition.

Even he felt an urge to throw himself into it, to laugh and be free.

But
"Buzz!"

In that instant, Roy looked down at the free world below.

But he felt something welling up from the depths of his soul.

He instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

At a certain moment, it seemed that a flash of inspiration finally struck Roy.

He figured out where the problem lay.

"really--"

He spoke.

"Your ambition is nothing short of a 'pirate's dream'!"

His words trailed off.

And so, the vast and free world before him seemed to pause as well.

"A pirate's dream?"

The world seemed to be questioning his doubts.

"Yes."

At this moment, Roy felt something surging within his soul becoming increasingly intense.

What is a pirate?

A free-spirited sea madman.

Their journey has no boundaries, their world has no order.

Freedom is everything to them.

If you want something, go for it; if you want to hold a banquet, you must hold it; if you want to do something, nothing can stop you.

Luffy is like this, Roger is like this, and Joy Boy is like this too.

Therefore, they can take action against people they dislike without hesitation at any time, and can raise a glass to friends at any time.

"Come on, enemy, let's fight!"

"Come on, my friend, let's have a drink."

This gives them their own unique charm, leading countless people to choose to follow in their footsteps.

But
"A world where everyone is completely free and unrestrained?"

After saying this, Roy stopped looking down at the sea.

"That's an absurd idea that only pirates would have!"

He raised his head, as if looking directly into the eyes of the world.

then
He took a step forward.

"boom!"

And at the moment this step was taken
The whole world seemed to come to a sudden halt.

That grand and free spirit seemed to transform into a powerful storm at this moment.

The whole world seemed to be fighting against the step Roy had taken!

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Even under such circumstances, Roy did not hesitate at all.

With each step he took, it seemed to solidify his resolve, and the world beneath his feet began to crumble.

"Overthrow the World Government and Im, and eliminate the darkness—that's certainly the right thing to do."

He acknowledged that Joy Boy possessed an extraordinary spirit.

"To bring joy and freedom to people is an admirable aspiration." He acknowledged that Joy Boy had a captivating charm that inspired followers.

But
Ultimately—if everyone in the world were to gain absolute freedom.

"Have you thought about what the world would become?"

Roy asked this question.

But he already had the answer in his heart.

Absolute freedom brings chaos and disorder.

The world may become better for a short time—but racial differences and the acquisition of resources will inevitably lead to the collapse of the world order again.

"That's your reason for failure, Joy Boy!"

Roy moved forward step by step, the world shattering around him.

In the end, that free world completely collapsed and vanished.

Instead, Roy returned to the hill.

Standing before him was still Joey Boy.

"Your ambition is a 'fairy tale' that can never be realized."

"Even if you liberate the world, it will only be temporary freedom—at some point, the world will inevitably enter a new state of disorder."

Roy looked at Joy Boy and said this.

"."

Upon hearing this, Joy Boy still showed no anger.

He just smiled and said, "My dream is, of course, the dream of a pirate. After all, I am a pirate!"

"I will defeat the abyss and liberate this world—simply because I can't stand it."

"I don't like my friends being oppressed, I don't like being restrained. So I want to overthrow it, that's all!"

He didn't deny these facts at all; instead, he laughed heartily.

Yes.

Joy Boy was never a truly perfect person.

He is neither a god nor a saint who was born destined to lead the world to a perfect utopia.

He was just a pirate.

He wanted to dispel the darkness of this world, to liberate it—but that was all.

How should we govern the world? Will the world descend into chaos? What will happen next?
What does that have to do with pirates?

"People in the future will always find a way."

Joy Boy said this, then looked at Roy: "And you—the successor?"

He seemed to be eagerly awaiting Roy's answer.

Because everything that just happened has already explained it.

Roy was not intimidated by his charisma.

That means the soul of this newcomer possesses potential no less than his own.

He is special.

What kind of world do you want to see?

"How to create order, how to govern the world, how to ensure peace—you."

His words were interrupted by Roy.

How would I know about that?

Roy answered without hesitation.

Joy Boy's expression showed clear surprise.

"You don't know—then why?"

"Because I have seen a better world."

Roy interrupted him again.

"It's not perfect—but it's better than the current one, and better than the disordered one."

He said so.

"And after meeting you today, I've come to realize that this world really can't be left in the hands of pirates like you."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Joy Boy was even more puzzled.

But then he seemed a little unconvinced: "You can't even be sure what kind of world you want to build—do you think it will be any better if we hand the world over to you?"

"of course."

But this time, Roy simply looked at Joy Boy, his calm words carrying a certain power.

Yes.

He didn't know what was absolutely right—he didn't even know where the end of the universe was, so how could he know how to create a perfect utopia?
But at least he can be certain.

The world as it is today, and the absolute freedom that Joy Boyle longed to create—it's all the wrong path.

But if we're talking about who in this world might find the right path...

So, what does Roy think?
"It can only be me."

Roy had that kind of confidence.

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Joy Boy looked into Loy's eyes.

Then he burst into laughter like never before.

He laughed so hard his whole body trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Hey, you—you're actually this arrogant?"

"Deep down, you probably don't even care about the 'abyss'?"

At that moment, he felt as if he could see into Roy's heart.

"Yes, I only realized that myself."

As for what Joy Boy said...

At this moment, Roy did not deny it.

Only now did he finally vaguely understand why the Golden Lion had said that his soul possessed the 'qualities of a king'.

Because although Roy himself rarely noticed it clearly.

But
As a soul from another world, who witnessed another era.

As a prophet who knows the future plot of this world.

Deep down, he harbored a unique pride that no one could understand.

That pride is not a derogatory term, but rather a detached perspective.

Especially after he awakened his Devil Fruit powers, his strength continued to increase.

That pride became even stronger.

One Piece? World Dominator? Joy Boy? Davy Jones? Or even that 'god'?
He respected or feared them, but deep down he was certain that he would one day be stronger than them.

And it was precisely at this moment
"Buzz!"

The surrounding scenery began to dim.

Before Roy, Joy Boy's figure began to gradually fade away.

Clearly, this domineering power has reached its end.

"That's really interesting."

But at this moment, Joy Boy clearly didn't care that he was about to disappear.

He simply stared intently at Roy: "Hey, Future Man—what's your name?"

"Loy Amos".

Roy answered calmly.

So Joy Boy whispered his name twice.

Then, this legendary figure from eight hundred years ago genuinely lamented, "What a pity I wasn't born in the same era as such a special person as you."

Amidst such sighs.

"I really want to see what kind of interesting world you will create in the future."

Joy Boy's figure disappeared completely.

at the same time
The doldrums of the North Sea.

Night fell, and thick clouds obscured the night sky.

On the Black Loyalty, the crew members on duty felt at that moment an indescribable tremor emanating from the depths of their souls.

"Buzz!"

An invisible force seemed to burst forth at this moment, sweeping outwards like a tide.

The force was clearly not hostile or threatening to them—but even as it merely passed by, they felt their hearts begin to pound uncontrollably.

"Varied"

They instinctively looked around and then saw an incredible sight in the nearby sea.

In that instant, the thick clouds in the sky were torn apart out of thin air.

On the vast ocean, the naturally flowing waves suddenly froze and were then pressed down from nowhere.

next moment.
"boom!"

Silently.

Beneath the surface, the powerful sea kings and fish living in the doldrums instantly floated to the surface, their bellies white.

A soaring bird in the sky plunges into the sea.

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

The entire warship emitted a sound that made your teeth ache.

Although the terrifying pressure dissipated into nothingness after a short while.

However, noise still inevitably emanated from the deck.

"Hey, what's going on!?"

"It's the boss's room!"

"Could it be an attack!?"

"Is he an ability user?"

Hans and Far exchanged a glance and quickly determined the source of the power fluctuation they had just witnessed.

So they hurried toward Roy's room.

But in the very next moment...
"Click."

They then saw Roy's figure emerge from the room.

"Boss." *2
Hans and Far paused for a moment, looking at Roy as if they wanted to say something, but then immediately stopped themselves.

Because they could vaguely sense that Roy at this moment seemed to have undergone some indescribable change compared to before.

His demeanor seemed to have become even sharper.

"what happened?"

It wasn't until Roy's voice rang out that they seemed to finally come to their senses: "Boss, what was that just now?"

"Oh, it's nothing—I just had a slight enlightenment during my cultivation."

Roy said casually.

Then, without offering any further explanation, he simply gazed at the surrounding sea and asked, "Where are we now?"

"We're almost across the Calm Belt and will be at the North Sea soon."

Far paused for a moment before answering.

"very good."

Upon hearing this, Roy smiled.

He made a fist.

Silently, black and red lightning flowed across it.

(End of this chapter)