One Piece: I'm Destined to Be the Son-in-Law King!-Chapter 148: Conqueror’s Haki

At the foot of the snow mountain, stood Roya. His shirt was off, revealing a body sculpted by intense training. Haki, like an invisible armor, wrapped around him, making his skin shine like dark steel. He looked like a powerful, unyielding monster.

"You think you're ready to challenge the Four Emperors at your current level?" Roya's voice was cold, cutting through the crisp mountain air. "You're being naive, Ace!"

With a burst of speed, Roya's fist shot forward, tearing through Ace's flames. It slammed into Ace's stomach with brutal force. Ace doubled over, coughing up blood that splattered against the pristine white snow, staining it a gruesome red.

"Damn it!" Ace roared, frustration and pain mixing in his voice.

He transformed into a column of flames, trying to escape Roya's relentless assault and gain some distance to recover. He knew he couldn't win in a close-quarters fight against Roya; he simply wasn't strong enough.

But before he could catch his breath, Roya was upon him again. His right leg lashed out, connecting with Ace's face in a sharp, sickening crack. Ace was sent flying through the air like a ragdoll.

Boom!

A cloud of snow exploded upwards as Ace crashed into the ground.

This wasn't a battle; it was a complete and utter domination. Roya's icy gaze followed Ace as he approached the pirate captain, who lay curled up in a snowdrift. With a cruel precision, Roya's toe stabbed into Ace's abdomen.

"Pfft!"

Ace's cheeks puffed out, and another mouthful of blood spewed from his lips, painting the snow around him an even darker shade of red.

Roya withdrew his foot, the tip of his shoe now glistening with blood.

Nearby, Ace's crewmates watched in horror, tears streaming down their faces. But they were trapped, held captive by swirling smoke and a dark, inescapable cage.

All they could do was beg and plead.

"Stop it! Please stop!" one cried.

"Captain Ace is going to die!" shouted another.

"Please, don't kill the captain!" a third voice joined the chorus of despair.

Roya remained unmoved, his face a mask of cold determination. He reached down, grabbing Ace by the hair, and lifted him up. His left hand clenched into a fist, ready to deliver another devastating blow.

Bang!

The fist sank deep into Ace's chest, the sound of impact echoing through the mountain air.

"Drip... drip..."

The pure white snow was now heavily stained with fresh blood, looking like grotesque plum blossoms blooming in the winter landscape.

Ace was limp, his body hanging lifelessly in Roya's grip. Blood dripped from his cheek, and he gasped for breath, devoid of any strength to resist.

Roya pulled out his pistol, but instead of pointing it at Ace, he aimed it at his crewmates. "Look at you," he said coldly, his voice dripping with disdain. "You can't even protect your own captain."

"Stop! Stop it, Roya!" Ace's pupils shrank in fear. He raised a trembling hand to grab Roya's wrist, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop him.

When he saw Roya pull the trigger and heard the chilling click of the firing mechanism, a power deep within his body suddenly erupted, breaking free from its restraints.

"Yameero!!!" Ace screamed, his voice filled with desperation.

Boom!!!

A terrifying presence swept outwards, scattering countless snowflakes in its wake. The air crackled with raw power.

Bang!

The gunshot echoed in the air, but the bullet never found its target.

The Spade Pirates crew members, who had been so tightly restrained, all collapsed onto the snow, unconscious. In that instant, the smoke and black cage that had bound them vanished, the power holding them in place now completely out of control.

"Conqueror's Haki!"

Smoker and Hina stared at Ace, whom Roya was still holding, their faces etched with shock. They couldn't believe that the immense power they had just felt originated from him.

There was no mistaking it.

It was definitely Conqueror's Haki, a rare ability possessed by only one in a million. "Fire Fist" Ace had been hiding such terrifying potential all along!

"Not bad." Roya looked down at the unconscious Ace, releasing his grip. A smile finally appeared in his eyes.

That's more like it! he thought.

He had only fired the gun to provoke Ace, to push him to his limits. He had no intention of actually killing him. But if Ace hadn't shown any sign of awakening, he might have truly lost his crew.

This kid had been sailing smoothly, experiencing too few hardships. The incredible power within him was lying dormant, waiting to be unleashed.

He needed to be awakened!

"Captain Ace!"

The Spade Pirates rushed over, anxiously gathering around their leader and shielding him from Roya.

Roya spoke calmly, "I'll give you a few more days to think about it. Next time we meet, I won't be so gentle."

"..."

Gentle?

The Spade Pirates members stared blankly at Roya.

Captain Ace was nearly killed by you. How is that considered gentle! they thought incredulously.

Roya saw the stunned expressions on their faces and shook his head slightly. Not killing Ace was gentle enough, in his opinion.

Being a pirate wasn't child's play!

"Let's go," Roya said, turning away.

Ace was stubborn, but with a few more harsh lessons, he should become more compliant. Roya had plenty of time to discipline this headstrong brat.

Hina caught up with Roya, her gaze serious.

"Rear Admiral Roya, Fire Fist, he..."

"I know," Roya interrupted, stopping Hina from saying more. He then issued a firm order: "Nothing happened today, understand?"

"..."

Hina remained silent for a moment, considering his words.

"Hina understands!" she replied, nodding her head.

Although she didn't understand why Roya wanted to conceal the fact that Ace possessed Conqueror's Haki, she trusted him. She liked being in the 11th Division, and she had followed Roya for a long time.

As long as "Fire Fist" Ace didn't pose an immediate threat to the Marines, she didn't mind following Roya's order and temporarily forgetting what had happened that day.

Roya nodded slightly.

This woman was much more obedient than before, he mused.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

As they walked away, Roya's mind drifted.

Normally, the first two or three years after a rookie pirate entered the New World were a period of explosive growth.

During this time, they would face countless challenges, run into walls again and again, and finally come to terms with the harsh reality of the Grand Line. Ultimately, they would either join one of the Four Emperors or push themselves to grow strong enough to compete with them.

But Ace hadn't been making much progress.

Roya vaguely remembered Ace during the Summit War. Aside from his Devil Fruit ability, his close-combat skills and Haki were mediocre. He couldn't even use Conqueror's Haki, which was arguably his most important asset.

He needed a stronger Ace, one who was proficient in all three types of Haki and who could even use Conqueror's Haki Infusion. Only then could he become a truly reliable ally!

----

Meanwhile, at the Weapon Factory...

The Beasts Pirates warriors arrived, only to be met with a hail of bullets. The laborers, who had once been weak and defenseless, now had powerful support.

The Headliner leading the group demanded angrily, "Just who are you people?!"

"Behehehe, isn't it obvious!"

Barto grinned, gleefully shifting the blame onto Ace. "Listen carefully, we are subordinates of Fire Fist Ace! Before long, our Boss Ace will take down Kaido!"

"So it's you!"

The Headliner had no reason to doubt them.

The message they had received was that Fire Fist Ace had arrived on Winter Bear Island and defeated "Iron Boy" Scotch, the guard stationed there.

Besides, these people in front of them, from their clothes to their fighting styles, and even their greedy behavior of seizing weapons and ammunition, were acting like pirates - no, even worse than ordinary ones!

There was no way they could be imposters!

"Damn Fire Fist Ace, we absolutely can't let him get away with this!"

"Withdraw for now!!!"

The Beasts Pirates warriors fled Winter Bear Island in a panic.

Without high-ranking officers to lead them, they couldn't suppress the rebellion with their limited strength, especially since the laborers now had the backing of the powerful "Fire Fist" Ace.

The revolution on the island was victorious!

"Minions, move the weapons back!" Barto shouted triumphantly.

"Ooooh!" the laborers roared in response.

Barto ignored the laborers who came to thank them for their support, excitedly leading his underlings into the warehouse where the weapons were stored.

In the evening, Barto and his underlings returned with several truckloads of supplies. The ample weapons and ammunition they had seized were enough to launch a large-scale war.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

----

Meanwhile, on the Spade Pirates' warship...

Ace opened his eyes, lying on a sickbed.

His injuries hadn't healed, and his whole body ached terribly.

Enduring the pain, Ace forced himself to get out of bed. He walked out of the room, supporting himself against the wall, and gasped for breath as he saw his stunned crewmates.

"Set sail immediately," he ordered. "Head to Wano Country!"

He wouldn't be satisfied until he had faced the Four Emperors!

He had to become stronger, stronger than everyone!

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[T/N:

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