The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Half of it is dark red like blood, and the other half is dark purple like an abyss!

At the junction, countless fine black and red lightning bolts exploded wildly, emitting deafening roars!

The sea surface was squeezed and boiled by the collision of these two extreme forces!

"What a complete hypocrite!!"

"Shanks!!"

Shanks's expression instantly turned extremely ugly.

Chapter 602 The 'Underlying Color' of Conqueror's Hide

Shanks's expression was grim, not because of Gern's "double standard" comment.

What truly shook him to his core, even sending a chill down his spine...

It was that terrifying aura that rushed towards him, almost suppressing his proud Conqueror's Haki!

"His Conqueror's Haki... it's actually this strong?!"

The last time I experienced Gern's Conqueror's Haki up close, it was powerful, arrogant, and full of destructiveness and oppression.

However, he is still within the category of "top-tier powerhouses," and there is still a clearly discernible gap between him and Whitebeard, himself, or even Captain Roger back then.

The difference lies not in "quantity," but in a more fundamental "quality."

It is the purity of one's beliefs and unwavering conviction in one's own path that forges the aura of a "king."

However, at this moment, the dark purple domineering aura emanating from Gern was completely different!

It remained ferocious, still filled with a tearing and shaking will, but beneath that ferocious appearance...

What Shanks sensed was no longer a simple display of ambition or power, but a domineering belief that was almost like "truth"!

This belief was so strong that it began to "physically" erode and suppress Shanks' original domineering aura that made him stand out from the crowd!

After a few seconds of stalemate, the dark purple lightning and the dark red torrent began to show a faint tendency to slowly advance towards the Red Fosse!

Shanks felt a chill run down his spine and almost involuntarily glanced sideways at his companions.

This sight made his heart sink again.

On the deck of the Red Fosse, only First Officer Ben Beckman, still smoking a cigarette, stood there with a solemn expression but an upright posture.

Other cadres included Yasopp, Raki Lu, Dego, Lime Jones, Mengshida (the monkey), Benk Bingge, and Roaring Gabu...

Almost everyone either crossed their arms over their chest or clenched their fists and pressed them against the deck, their feet instinctively forming a lunge position.

His body leaned slightly forward, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, clearly indicating that he was mobilizing all his mental and physical strength.

Resisting the oppressive force of the overwhelming and soul-piercing Conqueror's Haki!

Yes, a stance of resistance!!!

Although he didn't faint immediately like ordinary soldiers, his posture, as if facing a formidable enemy, required all his strength to maintain his footing.

This has almost never happened in the history of the Red-Haired Pirates!

It's important to understand that the essence of Conqueror's Haki is the "physicalization of belief."

Its strength does not depend on physical strength or fruit ability, but rather on the "unwavering ambition" and absolute conviction in one's own path rooted in the heart of the awakened one.

Observation Haki can train perception, and Armament Haki can temper strength, but Conqueror's Haki cannot be "trained" through conventional methods.

The so-called "cultivation" or "growth" is more like a transformation of mindset and a sublimation of beliefs.

It is through repeatedly confronting oneself, challenging limits, and even fighting against fate that one's inner will is honed to become purer, firmer, and more unshakable!

In other words, the "dominant color base" can be understood as a kind of "spiritual spectrum".

Luffy's core essence is "freedom," pure and unadulterated, which is why his Conqueror's Haki has the greatest potential for growth and impact.

The underlying theme of Whitebeard is "family," profound and powerful, with both protectiveness and destructiveness as two sides of the same coin.

The core of Rocks' character is "challenge," and they are fearless in the face of anything.

Roger's core belief was "fate"; he knew his future, so he saw through everything.

Guern's fundamental characteristic is "confrontation," fearlessness, and clarity, which enables him to penetrate all falsehoods and fears.

Shanks' core values ​​are "guidance and waiting," embodying wisdom and responsibility, but also carrying the complex weight of "not personally getting involved."

The root of the huge gap between the two is...

Guern has already faced the "essence" of this world.

Although the specific process and details are unclear, the defeat of Nasujou and the hasty escape of the Im Descendants are evident.

The World Government's subsequent eerie silence points to a horrifying truth.

Gern not only confronts the true nature of the world (Im) directly, but also dares to wield the knife.

This strike was not only a physical attack, but also a spiritual severance.

It severed the unknown fear of supreme power.

His inner monologue, "I won't be afraid next time because I'm confident," represents a cognitive breakthrough.

This means that after "facing" it, Gern had already affirmed in his heart.

He affirmed his path, affirmed his strength, and affirmed that if he were to see Im again, he would have no fear.

Because he was "confident".

He measured the depths of that supreme being and found a way to confront it and even harm its very essence.

This confidence brought him unparalleled strength, forging his beliefs into something sharp and unbreakable.

But what about Shanks?

He is Figarando Shanks, son of Figarando Gringus (Garin), the Supreme Commander of the Knights of God.

He possesses the bloodline of the Celestial Dragons, supposedly "descendants of the Creator," flowing through his veins, and even...

He was forcibly taken back to the Holy Land, "given" that thing, and experienced firsthand Im's soul-freezing domination and terror.

He understood Im's terror better than most people in the world, and he understood the unfathomable depth of his eight-hundred-year-old rule.

That fear was etched deep into his soul.

So he ran away.

It's not a physical escape from the sacred place, but rather an "escape" of one's beliefs.

He rejected the "blessing" and the mission that came with it, choosing instead to set sail, become a pirate, and inherit a heavy responsibility.

Over the years, he has seemed carefree and unrestrained, considering himself a "balancer," guiding the course of the new era, and placing his hopes on Luffy.

But deep inside, there is always a voice whispering...

“It wasn’t me… The one who defeated Im shouldn’t have been me… I don’t have the right, nor the ‘destiny’ to do so…”

He rationalized this "escape," packaging it as a noble responsibility to "protect the trajectory of fate" and "wait for the right person."

It was as if all of this was for that "destined" moment.

But isn't this also a deeper form of cowardice?

An escapism that involves daring not to face one's ultimate fears and placing all hope and responsibility in others!

His Conqueror's Haki, while powerful, is filled with a kingly aura and a tenderness that protects his companions.

But at the very core of that belief, was there always a trace of fear of the "final showdown" that even he himself was unwilling to admit?

It was precisely this subtle "impurity" at the core of this belief that made it crucial when facing Gern's Conqueror's Haki, which had undergone direct confrontation and battle, giving rise to an unwavering belief in victory.

The gap has become apparent!

Many people possess Conqueror's Haki, but only one in ten thousand can refine it to "absolute purity".

Therefore, the ultimate showdown of dominance is never a clash of strength, but a reflection of the true nature of the soul.

Only those with a clear mind and a bright will can make the Conqueror's Haki shine with its most primal light, penetrating all illusions.

This is also why Joy Boy possesses the strongest Haki!

Chapter 603 Blow him away!

Gern's belief was: "I saw it, I swung my knife, I will win next time."

Shanks' belief might be: "I've seen it, I'm afraid, so 'he' (Luffy) must win."

One is the domineering one who takes their destiny into their own hands and dares to throw a punch even in the face of God.

One is guidance that places hope in others while constantly teetering on the edge of the shadows.

Sit down!

"call......"

Shanks slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and gripped Griffin's hilt tightly.

He knew that today, it would be difficult to easily "persuade" or "deter" Gern.

However, Shanks was not entirely unprepared.

Since he dared to intercept Guern on this essential route to Wano Country, he must have already anticipated the worst-case scenario.

After all, one person might not be confident of stopping or even defeating Guern, but...

He didn't come alone!

Just as Shanks' Conqueror's Haki aura was being relentlessly pushed back by Guern's dark purple surge, almost showing signs of collapse...

A "wind" that was equally powerful but carried a completely different aura joined this invisible struggle!

The addition of this 'domineering' aura instantly changed the confrontation between the two super-powerful colors in the sky above the sea.

Shanks' previously suppressed dark red Haki, now aided by a powerful boost, suddenly surged.

It blended seamlessly with the newly added bluish-gray "domineering aura," forming a combined aura.

It forcefully resisted the advance of Gern's dark purple domineering aura and pulled the dividing line back to the center of the sea!

"call!!!"

At the same time, a violent gale suddenly arose on the sea, causing Gern's speedboat to rock violently and the pirate flag of the Red Fox to flutter loudly.

The strange phenomena in the sky became even more chaotic, with dark red, bluish-gray, and dark purple colors intertwining and colliding.

The speedboat beneath Gern's feet was nearly capsized by the violent air currents and waves, but he remained as steady as a rock.

Almost at the same moment that "domineering aura" appeared, his left hand had already swiftly pressed onto the hilt of the black sword "Eight Desolations" at his waist!

"Buzz—Clang!"

The grayish-white bandages wrapped around the blade crumbled and scattered, revealing the jet-black blade beneath, which was now trembling and vibrating spontaneously.

Pale, vibrating particles began to surge and swirl wildly from the hilt of the sword, mingling with the boiling dark purple aura emanating from Gern's body.

When Gurn's Observation Haki detected the appearance of that new Haki, his face showed no surprise.

"What a fine example of... waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump." Gern's voice was filled with undisguised sarcasm. "The Pirate Emperor, plus... the leader of the Revolutionary Army."

"hehe......"

He sneered, his gaze piercing through the chaotic currents of domineering energy, fixing firmly on the deck of the Red Fox, behind Shanks.

"Everyone's here, which saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one."

At the same time, from the shadows of the Red Voss's cabin, a figure slowly emerged and stood to Shanks' side and rear.

He wore a dark green hooded long coat, the hood pulled back to reveal short, slicked-back black hair and his distinctive face.

The bright red square tattoo on his left cheek, his serious expression, and most strikingly, the absence of eyebrows on his face.

Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.

"Gern," Dragon's voice was steady as he looked directly at Gern on the speedboat below, "Leave this area."

"The affairs of Wano Country should not be interfered with by the Navy."

“Dorag.” Gern pronounced the other’s real name, his tone dropping to freezing.