章 91: Chapter 91: A Meteorite From Heaven, Confrontation With the Red-Haired Conqueror

Chapter 91: A Meteorite From Heaven, Confrontation With the Red-Haired Conqueror

The overwhelming aura of Conqueror's Haki surged from the red-haired pirate, sweeping over the Marines like a relentless storm.

Below the rank of general, Marines collapsed to the ground like harvested wheat. Even Rear Admirals struggled briefly but couldn't withstand the sheer force of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki, dropping one by one.

Sengoku's expression darkened. "This is being broadcast worldwide."

"Marine forces, brought down by one man—this is disastrous for Marine's reputation."

"Damn that redhead…"

Though enraged, Sengoku knew there was nothing he could do; Shanks' Conqueror's Haki was leagues above his own.

Shanks, seeing the Marines subdued, shifted his gaze to Chiba. Memories stirred of a cocky young Chiba once standing before him, declaring that if Luffy ever turned pirate, he'd catch him personally and bring him to justice. A child's taunt back then, but today, it might actually come true.

The brash youth was now a figure who could sit on par with Shanks, capable of deciding the fate of this war.

Chiba looked back at Shanks, their eyes meeting, both recalling a past encounter in a tavern. Back then, Chiba had been a child, promising to become a pirate someday. Now, with newfound power, his perspective had changed.

Catch Shanks? Whoever wanted to could try; maybe Akainu would give it a shot. Chiba had no interest. Shanks wasn't only powerful; his influence and connections ran deep.

Yet, under the pressure of Shanks' formidable Haki, Chiba responded by unleashing his own.

Sensing this, Shanks increased the intensity of his Haki, preparing to teach the young upstart a lesson.

Chiba had no desire to start a fight, but if Shanks made the first move, he wouldn't hold back. With a cold snort, Chiba's Conqueror's Haki flared, countering Shanks' with a force that knocked back the spirits of the entire red-haired crew.

In that instant, the crew felt as if mountains of meteorites were descending upon them, a crushing weight hitting their minds. All but Shanks and his top officers succumbed, collapsing to the deck.

Benn Beckman's face turned pale as he looked to his captain. "Captain, this kid's Conqueror's Haki… it's terrifying!"

Shanks' lips curved in a daring smile, eyes gleaming with excitement. His Haki surged again, pushing back against Chiba's.

Their auras clashed, a strain on both sides. For Benn Beckman and the Vice Admirals, it was like a storm in their minds—meteorites crashing one moment, and slashes of sharp sword energy the next.

The struggle lasted only seconds, though it felt like an eternity to those caught in the crossfire. Finally, the two pulled back their Haki, and Shanks glanced over, satisfied to see Whitebeard's crew boarding their ship in the distance, while the Straw Hat Pirates had also slipped away from Marineford.

Before departing, Shanks called to Chiba. "Hey, Chiba! The Marines aren't your calling. Come to the sea, where real men belong. I'll be waiting for you!" He laughed heartily.

Then, turning his attention to Buggy, who was trying to slip away, Shanks shouted, "Buggy! Long time no see! Let's go get drunk!"

"Shanks, you bastard! Why the hell would I go drinking with you? I'm not interested in getting involved with you!" Buggy shouted back, causing his own crew to murmur in shock.

"Captain Buggy… did he just call Shanks by name?"

"Captain Buggy must be as strong as the Four Emperors!"

Shanks laughed at Buggy's reluctance. "Well, I did have a treasure map for you, but I guess I'll just throw it into the sea…"

"No, no! I'll drink, I'll drink!" Buggy stammered, his greed winning over his pride.

As Shanks and his crew left Marineford, even Akainu didn't pursue, knowing he'd be outmatched.

"Red hair!" Sengoku fumed. That damned Shanks dared to release all those pirates and even tried to lure Chiba away from the Marines. It was unforgivable.

Turning to Chiba, Sengoku said, "Ignore that nonsense from Shanks. I'll be submitting a report to the World Government recommending you for the role of Marine Marshal."

His words hung in the air, catching the attention of Aokiji, Kizaru, Akainu, and every Marine Vice Admiral present.

Aokiji looked conflicted, Kizaru observed with a bemused smile, while Akainu's face was as dark as a storm cloud.

The transponder snail captured it all, broadcasting Sengoku's endorsement to the world.

Chiba glanced at Sengoku and replied, "Marshal Sengoku, I'm content as a Vice Admiral."

"Don't be modest. You're the best candidate for this role," Sengoku replied. "In this battle, I failed to protect Marineford and let Ace escape. The World Government will demand a new Marshal, and by all merits, you're the best choice. So, don't refuse."

With a chuckle, Chiba responded, "Whoever wants it can take it. I'd rather focus on my research."

Sengoku's expression turned stern. "If you don't take this position, do you really want Sakazuki to become Marine Marshal? Good luck getting any resources out of him."

Seeing Sengoku's persistence, Chiba sighed. "Marshal Sengoku, I stayed in the Marines because of you. Without you, I'd have left long ago. Tell that to Kong and the Five Elders."

Then, shifting the conversation, he added, "I'm taking Whitebeard's body for research."

Walking over to Whitebeard's remains, Chiba's mind swirled with curiosity. Although Whitebeard was gone, his body held countless secrets worth studying.

Sengoku watched Chiba, feeling both disappointed and a bit relieved. Though Chiba didn't want the marshal role, he was perhaps the only one who didn't wish to see Sengoku step down. For that, Sengoku felt a strange comfort, even if Chiba's loyalty was mixed with his own self-interest.

Turning back to the battlefield, Sengoku surveyed the devastation. The cost of victory was severe—tens of thousands of Marine elites were lost, Marineford lay in ruins, and the toll on morale was immense. Despite defeating Whitebeard, the Marines paid dearly.

Days later, Chiba focused on experimenting with Whitebeard's body, though he found no trace of the Shock Fruit's power. It had undoubtedly already passed into another fruit somewhere in the world. The Marines searched frantically, but the task was near impossible—finding the Shock Fruit among billions was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Pirates across the seas were also scouring every market for the legendary fruit. The Shock Fruit's immense power was a prize everyone desired, even if it meant sifting through countless stalls.

As Chiba continued his research, he studied the Devil Fruit's mysteries through a classified document. According to its text, Devil Fruits possessed a strange sentience, choosing their own masters. Only when a worthy person appeared would they reveal themselves.

Over a month passed without any trace of the Shock Fruit, leading Chiba to a radical thought: if he could develop a body as resilient as Whitebeard's, could the Shock Fruit then reappear?

With renewed determination, he intensified his research on Whitebeard's body. Eventually, he crafted a new cultivation method, a technique that emulated Whitebeard's formidable physique, granting its user the potential to withstand the Shock Fruit's destructive power.

Satisfied, Chiba decided to entrust this method to Koby. Although others like Hina, Peacock, and Apu were strong candidates, they already possessed Devil Fruits. Koby, with his raw potential and loyalty, was the perfect choice.

Chiba summoned Koby, who soon arrived, saluting sharply. The young Marine had matured significantly, his resolve sharpened by the war.

Handing over the training manual, Chiba said, "This is a unique body-strengthening method I developed for you. Start training with it."

Koby's face lit up. "Thank you, Master Chiba!"

"Remember," Chiba added, "once you master this, spend more time around fruit stalls."

Koby blinked in confusion. "A fruit stand? Shall I get you something?"

Chiba smirked. "Just hang around. If luck's on your side, you may encounter the Shock Fruit."

Koby, stunned, nodded resolutely. He didn't fully understand, but he would obey. From that day on, after each training session, he'd visit every fruit stall he could find, hoping to stumble upon the legendary Shock Fruit.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼:

⭐ • 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗡𝗴𝗼 [𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗻 $𝟭𝟬 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿]

⭐ • 𝙅𝙘𝟭𝟮𝟬𝟮 [𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗻 $𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿]

⭐ • 𝘼𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙟𝙖𝙝 [𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗻 $𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿]

⭐ • 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗼𝗲𝗲 [𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗻 $𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿]

𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸:

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟭𝟴𝟱+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩!

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀!

👉 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙬: 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

💬 𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩! 𝙐𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 $30—𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 10% 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩! 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙚: 𝗚𝗢𝗗𝗢𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥.

𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙂𝙋𝙏 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣-𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮, 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!

👉 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽: 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧/𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙥