"I thought I was already strong enough, but I didn't realize just how far I still have to go," Bege said with a bitter smile.
He knew before the spar that he wasn't Rayleigh's match, but seeing his strongest attack—his ultimate expression of power—effortlessly cleaved in two by a single strike from Rayleigh... that was a massive blow.
Hearing Bege mutter to himself, Rayleigh's lip twitched slightly.
"Hahahaha! Sir Bege, that attack of yours was powerful! It forced Rayleigh to get serious. He certainly wasn't as strong as you are now when he was your age!" Roger's hearty laughter boomed from the distance. He had finished examining the Poneglyph and walked out just in time to witness Bege's final, most powerful strike.
Rayleigh added, "He's right. That slash was easily strong enough to take down a pirate with a bounty of five or six hundred million. It's already formidable."
Bege offered a faint smile, but inwardly, he was far from satisfied.
His ambition burned fiercely; his goal was nothing less than supremacy in the New World. The minimum standard he set for himself was power on par with the likes of Rayleigh.
This spar had forced him to re-evaluate his own strength. The pride and confidence born from two years of explosive growth had been shattered. From now on, his training would have to be even more rigorous.
Perhaps I should try sparring again using Moria's Shadow Asgard, he mused. His physical conditioning had improved dramatically over the past two years; he could undoubtedly handle incorporating far more shadows now. If I used Shadow Asgard, could I last longer against Rayleigh?
But the thought vanished as quickly as it came. Shadow Asgard was his trump card; it was better kept hidden.
"Captain Roger," Bege turned to the Pirate King, his eyes alight with anticipation. "I know you possess Conqueror's Haki. Would it be possible for me to experience its power firsthand?"
Roger's eyes sharpened instantly, fixing on Bege. The gaze of a true sovereign of the seas carried an astonishing pressure all its own. Bege met it steadily, no fear in his eyes, only a lingering battle intent deep within.
"Quite the impressive young man!" Roger suddenly burst into laughter again, his inherently bold and straightforward nature shining through. Bege had shown the Roger Pirates considerable courtesy and hospitality, and Roger was more than happy to return the favor. "Alright, I accept!"
"Please wait just a moment," Bege said slowly. "Allow my men to experience the Haki of a King of the Seas as well."
Roger blinked, then his laughter grew even louder.
"Hah! Using me for basic training, are you? Interesting, very interesting! Well, herding one sheep isn't much different from herding a flock. Do as you please."
Bege summoned Modi, Moria, Riki, and the others. He even called over all three divisions of his troops. Soon, six or seven hundred men stood assembled on the training grounds, an impressive sight.
Every face was grimly serious, standing at attention, ready.
Bege had already explained how rare this opportunity was. He'd also made it clear that experiencing Roger's Conqueror's Haki was, in effect, a test of potential. Those who could withstand it the longest showed the greatest promise, and Bege would invest heavily in their future, providing more resources for their training. They had every reason to take this seriously.
"Captain Roger, we're ready when you are," Bege stated formally.
Roger nodded, his expression hardening. In an instant, an invisible, overwhelmingly domineering aura surged outwards. It swept across the hundred-meter field in the blink of an eye, enveloping everyone. The terrifying, domineering presence crashed upon Bege and his men.
Voom!
Silently, soldier after soldier rolled their eyes back into their heads and crumpled bonelessly to the ground, unconscious.
Bege's own expression turned strained. The domineering Haki bypassed physical defenses, striking directly at the spirit. He had braced himself, focusing his mind completely beforehand, but he had still underestimated the sheer power of Conqueror's Haki – especially Roger's Conqueror's Haki.
It felt as if the wave of Haki had directly scattered his concentrated spirit, and his face became unnaturally pale.
Yet, somehow, he held on.
Under that initial wave, the vast majority of his men had fainted. Only a small contingent of elites remained, swaying on their feet, desperately trying to endure.
Among them, the most conspicuous was Enel. He was only eleven or twelve years old, yet incredibly, he hadn't succumbed. His eyes had rolled back, and his body swayed violently like a drunkard's, looking like he could collapse at any second.
Enel bit down hard, so hard that his lip split and bled. He stared fixedly at Bege's back, a single thought consuming his mind: Don't pass out. Don't pass out. He mumbled deliriously, "I can't let Godfather down... I have to become Godfather's strongest warrior..."
Perhaps even Bege didn't realize just how highly Enel regarded him.
"To think so many are still standing. Your comrades are quite impressive," Roger remarked. He, Rayleigh, and the others were genuinely surprised by the result.
Buggy the Clown stared at Enel, his expression one of utter disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me! How is that little brat still conscious?!"
"The young generation truly is terrifying," Rayleigh sighed, impressed.
Bege heard their comments and glanced back, a smile touching his lips as he saw the swaying Enel. The boy's potential continued to astound him.
He couldn't help but laugh loudly. "Hahaha! You see that? Even Enel hasn't fallen! Don't you dare collapse before he does!"
Modi, Moria, and Riki gritted their teeth fiercely. Some tried using pain to stay conscious, others just endured through sheer willpower, absolutely refusing to be shown up by the kid, Enel.
"Captain Roger," Bege straightened up, having now fully acclimated to the current level of Haki. "Can your Conqueror's Haki go stronger?"
Roger nodded, a look of appreciation in his eyes. He then unleashed an even more powerful wave of Haki. It felt like thunder erupting from clear skies. Instantly, Enel's eyes rolled back completely, and he fainted. Another large swathe of the remaining men collapsed.
In the end, only four remained standing: Bege, Modi, Moria, and Riki.
Riki and Modi were already teetering, lasting only another five seconds before they too succumbed. Moria managed to hold on for twenty seconds before he collapsed.
Finally, only Bege remained.
His face was extremely pale, his spirit felt scattered, and his entire body felt weak, battered by the relentless pressure. Even staying upright required immense effort.
Am I going to fall?
Bege staggered, taking an unstable step, but immediately forced himself steady. A brutal, beast-like presence erupted from him, his eyes turning bloodshot, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. His previously fading gaze sharpened, reigniting with fierce color.
"Like hell I'll fall so easily! Hold on! Hold on!"
His fists clenched, every muscle in his body tensed. The ferocious aura radiating from him intensified, pushing back against Roger's domineering Haki.
"Captain Roger," Bege looked at the Pirate King with blood-red eyes, speaking word by painstaking word. "Please, continue. Unleash more."
Roger's pupils contracted. He released his Conqueror's Haki completely, without reservation. The sheer intensity caused the already fractured ground beneath them to crack further. Roger's Haki was now so potent it manifested actual physical force, and the full brunt of that terrifying impact slammed solely into Bege.
Bege's eyeballs seemed to vibrate rapidly, turning entirely crimson as blood vessels burst. Bloody tears streamed down his face.
"I... will NOT fall! No one... makes me fall!" Bege roared, almost feral, his own violent aura surging to an even greater, more savage peak.
Under the crushing pressure of Roger's fully unleashed Conqueror's Haki, Bege's spirit—his very will—was being hammered, shattered, and forcibly reforged, again and again. He refused to yield, desperately holding on through sheer, agonizing determination.
His spirit, his will, was undergoing a staggering metamorphosis under the onslaught.
Rayleigh watched Bege's struggle, and sudden realization dawned in his eyes. He stared at Bege in disbelief. "That kid... Is he trying to use your Conqueror's Haki to force his own to awaken?"
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