One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral

"Jake~ You and Sakazuki actually discussed such a terrifying plan~ How strange~ Considering That guy personallity he would actually agree to your idea."

Kizaru sat inside the warship, his expression was serious yet oddly lecherous as he looked at Jake and sighed with amazement.

In response, Jake smiled and replied, "I am also deeply grateful for Vice Admiral Sakazuki trust in me, and especially thankful that Borsalino-sensei could arrive here in such a short time to ensure our safety!"

As he spoke, Jake bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Kizaru.

Kizaru stood up and helped Jake straighten up, then speak with some puzzlement.

"No need to be so formal with me~ But Jake, be honest with me—do you really have the confidence to uphold the Marine's dignity under the combined pressure of Morgans and Katakuri?

You know that Morgans fellow would say anything for the sake of views. That bastard has smeared the Marine's reputation more than once~ If you fail to deliver what's expected, it could affect your future..."

Kizaru left the sentence unfinished, but the implication was clear.

Taking a deep breath, Jake responded to Kizaru.

"Don't worry, Borsalino-sensei. This time, I will definitely present you, Vice Admiral Sakazuki, and T-Bone-san with a grand gift!"

Seeing the determination in Jake's eyes, Kizaru grinned, revealing a somewhat lecherous smile.

"If this 'grand gift' doesn't satisfy me, this old man will have to put you through extra training~"

"Yes, sir!"

Twenty minutes later, Lieutenant Commander T-Bone stood at the center of the town.

Facing the towering three-meter-tall Katakuri and the overwhelming pressure emanating from him like an ocean, T-Bone showed no intention of retreating.

He met Katakuri's gaze fearlessly.

Watching this man who, despite being terrifyingly weak in comparison, showed no trace of fear in facing him, a faint sense of approval arose in Katakuri's heart.

This approval had nothing to do with their opposing sides—it was purely recognition of bravery.

On the other side, a massive human bird creature dressed in a suit stood with a team of professional photographers armed with cameras.

Some perched on tall trees, others stood on high buildings, while a few positioned themselves close to the two figures, raising their cameras and pressing the shutter buttons in unison.

Katakuri slightly lowered his head, observing T-Bone and the green haired young woman standing behind him.

The faintly cool aura radiating from her unmistakably identified her as the user of a Logia-type Devil Fruit.

However, what surprised Katakuri the most was the other man standing behind T-Bone.

With jet-black hair and looking somewhat scholarly, he didn't resemble a battle-hardened Marine at all—more like some of the scholars Katakuri had encountered before.

The man's unusually youthful face, the subtle presence of dual Haki emanating from within him and even the way the three were positioned—all seemed to center around this young man.

This puzzled Katakuri.

The man's rank was surprisingly low—just a Chief Petty officers, essentially a grunt—yet he stood in front of a Marine with the status of a Lieutenant Commander.

Recalling the contents of yesterday's letter, it was clear this man was likely the one who had written to him.

And indeed, Katakuri's guess proved correct.

As T-Bone subtly stepped aside, Jake slowly walked forward to stand directly in front of Katakuri.

Looking at the expressionless young man before him, Katakuri's demeanor remained unchanged.

He spoke in his usual icy tone.

"By this afternoon, I need to see the finished black truffle cake. Otherwise, everyone here—including you—will die!"

As he spoke, a terrifying aura faintly leaked from Katakuri, oppressive enough to make breathing difficult.

However, its range was small, lingering only around Jake, T-Bone and Monet.

Feeling that suffocating pressure, Monet's face paled.

Her mastery of Haki was weak and the air around her seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe.

T-Bone took a slight step forward, shielding Monet from most of the pressure.

Though veins bulged on his skeletal face, he didn't retreat an inch.

Jake stood his ground, bearing the brunt of the overwhelming pressure.

Unlike Observation or Armament Haki, this Conqueror's Haki felt like a primal, soul-deep oppression from a superior being.

His bones tingled, his mind throbbed as if pierced by needles, leaving no room for thought.

His breathing grew ragged and his legs trembled uncontrollably.

Yet, no matter how much his body suffered, it couldn't suppress the wild joy in Jake's heart.

He had been agonizing over how to get Katakuri to release just the right amount of Conqueror's Haki at the right time for him to learn.

If Katakuri unleashed it too early, it wouldn't create the dramatic conflict needed for the news.

If it was too strong and knocked Jake unconscious, the plan would fail.

This was a risky move, but things were unfolding even better than Jake had anticipated.

Katakuri had released just the right amount of Conqueror's Haki—likely to strengthen his bargaining position—but in doing so, he had unwittingly played right into Jake's hands.

As a pleasant chime echoed in his mind, Jake couldn't help but grin.

"Congratulations, Host! You have successfully learned—Conqueror's Haki!"

"Conqueror's Haki LV1 (1/100). At 100, the range and pressure of Conqueror's Haki will greatly improve."

Seeing Jake not only unshaken by his Haki but actually smiling, Katakuri's expression grew slightly grave.

Though he hadn't exerted much power, the fact that Jake could smile under such pressure spoke volumes about his mental fortitude.

At that moment, Katakuri's wariness of Jake rose another notch.

Then Jake's voice cut through the tension, pushing the atmosphere to its breaking point.

"The black truffle cake is ready—but why should we give it to ruthless pirates like you? Not only will you get no cake, but you won't escape the Marines' grasp either!"

The moment Jake finished speaking, the Marines cocked their rifles, while the pirates erupted in curses and murderous intent.

Morgans watched the scene unfold, his face flushed with excitement.

This is huge news!