章 90: Chapter 90: The King of the Sea in the New Era

# Chapter 90: The King of the Sea in the New Era

In the blink of an eye, Shiryu's blade slashed toward Chiba's neck.

The jet-black Armament Haki covered the entire sword, emitting a black, ribbon-like aura. Shiryu's Armament Haki was powerful enough to be released externally—a rare feat.

Even Sengoku's face twisted in concern as he observed.

Chiba clenched his fists, his own dark Armament Haki enveloping them, mixed with a rich pink energy.

In that instant, Chiba's right fist swung forward, accompanied by a roar that shook the heavens.

"Get down!"

With that yell, the terrifying force of his Haki, carrying the power of 840 million phantom particles, smashed into Shiryu's famed sword, Thunderstorm, destroying the Armament Haki coating it in a single blow.

A shockwave shot through Shiryu's chest, and with a sickening *crack*, his sternum shattered. Blood spurted from his mouth as he was hurled hundreds of meters back, landing in the sea with a massive splash.

Chiba retracted his fist and looked back at Blackbeard.

Blackbeard was utterly dumbfounded.

He had personally witnessed Shiryu's strength. If not for Shiryu's assistance, they would never have survived their battle with Magellan.

But even that powerful Shiryu couldn't withstand a single blow from Chiba. Even the legendary sword Thunderstorm had been shattered by his punch.

*Is this guy even human?* Blackbeard thought, panic spreading through him. Not daring to activate Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi power, he turned and ran, yelling, "Retreat! Retreat!"

In moments, Blackbeard fled into the distance, with his crew scattering and disappearing into the crowd.

"This freak... He actually shattered Shiryu's famed sword with one punch! And it was reinforced with Armament Haki, too!" Badgers ran desperately, imagining the outcome if Thunderstorm hadn't taken the impact—Shiryu's chest would have been pierced clean through.

He wondered if Shiryu was still alive. *No matter—escape is the priority,* he thought, quickly vanishing.

"This Chiba guy actually destroyed Shiryu's sword? Shiryu couldn't even block one of his moves?" Buggy's eyes bulged in disbelief, and the pirates around him were equally stunned.

"He took down Shiryu with a single strike. Could this guy really have reached the level of the Four Emperors?"

"He's terrifying."

"Captain Buggy was right all along! We all thought Shiryu would win, but Chiba ended it with one move."

"Captain Buggy must have an incredibly deep friendship with him to know his strength so well."

"If Buggy is so close with someone this strong, he must be just as powerful himself."

"Could it be that Captain Buggy has Four Emperors-level strength?"

MR3 adjusted his glasses, glancing from Chiba to Buggy, his thoughts racing.

"Does Buggy really have a deep friendship with Chiba? Does he actually have Four Emperors-level strength?" MR3 thought, skeptical. *Are these idiots out of their minds?*

He turned back to Buggy, hoping for some kind of explanation.

Listening to his crew's praise, Buggy kept his composure. He knew his true worth, but denying his newfound reputation would squander the prestige he'd worked so hard to build.

*If I say I'm nothing, how will I achieve my dream of finding Roger's treasure?*

"Hehahahaha! I didn't want to reveal it, but since you've guessed it, I won't hide it anymore! I, Buggy, will become the Emperor of the Sea!" Buggy laughed wildly, his expression beaming across the live broadcast from the Den Den Mushi.

Cameras captured Buggy's triumphant face, and journalists across the world were equally stunned by both Chiba's strength and Buggy's bold declaration.

"Monkey D. Chiba is only nineteen years old and has the combat power of a Four Emperor? That's insane!"

"This can't be true. It must be a Marine ploy. Even with immense talent, nineteen is just too young!"

"This is a live broadcast! How can it be fake? And this is Chiba—the same man who developed Qi training exercises, foundational pills, and Haki techniques. He defeated supernovas and crushed Marco and Jozu. With him, anything is possible."

"But it's troubling that he has such a close bond with Buggy the Clown. This could spell danger for the Marines."

"Is Marine so corrupt that even a legend is collaborating with pirates? Is this world safe? Can we still trust the Marines?"

"Whitebeard's death left a vacancy among the Four Emperors. Could Buggy become the next Emperor?"

"With Chiba's support, Buggy may indeed rise as the new Four Emperor. The balance of the world is about to shift!"

In Marineford, Marines and pirates alike were deeply shocked by Chiba's display.

Aokiji's face reflected his astonishment. "Impossible… When did he become so strong?" He had always known Chiba was powerful, but this level of strength was unexpected.

"Yo ho ho… So scary!" Kizaru murmured, his usual smirk replaced by genuine unease. He compared his own abilities and realized that a direct fight with Chiba would likely end poorly.

Ace, now far from the battlefield, watched the broadcast with disbelief.

*I thought I had grown stronger, far surpassing Chiba. But I was wrong—so very wrong.*

Yes, Chiba had developed techniques to help him. But could he not also develop even more powerful techniques for himself?

*The true king of the sea… is not me—it's my brother, Chiba.*

Marco, equally awestruck, took a deep breath and muttered, "With Chiba, the next hundred years will see Marine dominate us all."

Jozu, Vista, and the others sighed. They had hoped Ace could carry on Whitebeard's will, to rise as the next King of the Pirates. But with Chiba around, that dream felt impossible.

*If Marine deploys Chiba, all of us will be captured and executed.*

"Old Sha, you were right… My Hawkeye title is worthless." Mihawk sighed, realizing how he had underestimated Chiba. Shiryu couldn't even last a single move.

Crocodile gave a wry smile. "You'd never seen Chiba in action. But I did, and even I thought he'd need ten moves."

"If you'd seen his talent, you'd understand. Your 'Hawkeye' title still stands. It's me who misjudged."

Crocodile marveled. *How can such a monster exist in this world?*

"Is this the son of Dragon?" Ivankov murmured, astonished. He had thought Luffy was talented, but next to Chiba, Luffy's potential felt dwarfed.

*If only such a genius could join the Revolutionary Army…*

"How… How is he so strong?" Akainu watched Chiba with disbelief. The power behind that punch was beyond anything he could achieve.

"Has he truly reached the level of a Four Emperor?" Akainu wondered, unsettled. Despite Chiba's focus on research, he had reached unimaginable heights.

Akainu's fists tightened. *If the Fleet Admiral position goes to Chiba, the Marines are doomed.*

*No. I must become the Marine Marshal and uphold absolute justice. Only I can bring true peace.*

Sengoku took a deep breath. He finally understood why Garp hadn't been worried—he had already known Chiba's strength.

"That old bastard, keeping this to himself and making me worry!" Sengoku cursed, but he couldn't help but smile. Chiba had proven himself worthy of the highest rank.

In contrast, his strongest candidate, Akainu, had fallen short. Defeated by Ace, then pummeled by Whitebeard, and nearly killed by the Blackbeard Pirates, Akainu's performance had been far from impressive.

In the end, Chiba's decisive victories made him look like the strongest.

*This could be my chance to bypass the Admiral rank and recommend Chiba as Marine Marshal.*

Sengoku looked at Tsuru and smiled. "Vice Admiral Tsuru, it looks like you've gained a good son-in-law."

Tsuru chuckled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Chiba barely notices my granddaughter."

Sengoku laughed. "But she has charm, and he's still young. Give it time."

"Enough, old man! Watch your words!"

"Alright, alright. But Tsuru, I'll need your support in recommending Chiba to Kong."

"I'll do what I can," Tsuru replied with a small smile.

"If only Garp would back Chiba, it'd be much easier."

Sengoku sighed. "That stubborn old fool… He's hopeless. But I'll make sure the Council sees the truth."

With pride, Sengoku turned to the Marines and roared, "Leave no pirate alive! Continue the pursuit!"

With Sengoku's order, the Marines surged with renewed vigor, charging the pirates.

Chiba's display had invigorated every Marine, filling them with a fierce determination.

"Kill all the pirates!"

"Don't let anyone from the Whitebeard Pirates escape!"

"Kill!"

Cannonballs flew towards Ace, who destroyed them one by one with blasts of fire.

"Let's go!" Ace shouted, attacking the Marine warships.

Kizaru blocked each attack, glancing up with a knowing look. "It's about time… He should be arriving soon."

Just then, bubbles appeared on the ocean's surface between the Marines and the pirates.

Waves surged, and several pirate ships emerged from the depths, rising above the water. On the sails, a familiar emblem was painted: a skull with two crossed swords beneath it.

Standing proudly on the deck were some of the most notorious pirates in the world.

Leading them was a man of balanced build, with red hair and stubble around his mouth. He wore a partially buttoned white shirt, a long black cape, and brown pants with patterns. On his feet were simple flip-flops, and in his left hand, he held the famous sword "Griffin." His right hand rested casually at his side.

Chiba recognized him immediately—it was none other than Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors.

In this world, unlike the original story, Shanks hadn't lost an arm while saving Luffy from the Sea King. He stood before them, whole and powerful.

*Whoosh whoosh!*

Cannonballs were fired toward Shanks and his crew.

At that moment, a powerful and overwhelming aura radiated from Shanks, as if the sea itself was trembling in response.

The cannonballs exploded mid-air, unable to withstand the sheer force of his Conqueror's Haki.

Then, Shanks' voice boomed across the battlefield, resonating over the sea: "This meaningless war should end here."

"Anyone who wishes to continue this battle, let the Red-Haired Pirates be your opponents!"

As his words echoed, an intense burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Shanks. Dark clouds gathered overhead, casting a shadow over the battlefield, and the sky itself seemed to darken.

Marine and pirate alike felt the weight of his Haki pressing down on them. Many trembled under the sheer pressure, as Shanks' presence turned the tides of the war.

Shanks' declaration, combined with his powerful aura, left everyone on the battlefield frozen in place, questioning whether the fight was worth continuing.

The arrival of the Red-Haired Pirates signaled a dramatic shift, and the world was now watching as one of the Four Emperors called for an end to the battle.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.