At Sakazuki's challenge, Xayuki spun around immediately.
There stood Sakazuki at the prison entrance, his imposing figure blocking the doorway like an ancient guardian deity. His partially elementalized body bubbled with molten magma, radiating waves of scorching heat. The overwhelming pressure unique to a Marine Admiral filled the chamber, suffocating every officer present. Some of the less experienced soldiers trembled uncontrollably beneath the weight of his murderous intent.
"Did you lure me here thinking this prison could contain me?"
Sakazuki's glacial gaze swept across the assembled officers. Taking a deliberate step forward, his voice rumbled like distant thunder: "A clever strategy. But it seems this place will become your tomb instead!"
Before his final word had even faded, Sakazuki moved with devastating purpose. Without hesitation, his magma-infused arm rose skyward.
"Inugami Guren!"
In a heartbeat, his transformed limb morphed into a colossal hound's head wreathed in hellfire. The magma construct lunged forward with terrifying speed, trailing apocalyptic heat as it closed the distance to Xayuki almost instantaneously.
Facing this infernal onslaught, Xayuki neither flinched nor retreated. His right hand moved with preternatural speed to the sword at his waist. In one fluid, lightning-fast motion, he drew his blade.
Hummm—
The moment steel cleared scabbard, the very air before Xayuki rippled with visible distortion. Within the span of a single heartbeat, crimson flames coiled around the blade, engulfing it completely. Simultaneously, an invisible yet palpable wave of pressure erupted from Xayuki's core, causing another ripple of distortion to spread through the chamber.
BOOM!
With a thunderous explosion that shook the foundations of the building, the magma hound collided with Xayuki's empowered blade.
The resulting shockwave was catastrophic—a concussive blast that sent every officer in the vicinity crashing to the ground. Even the battle-hardened Vice Admirals Momonga, Bastille, and Strawberry were forced backward by its overwhelming force.
RUMBLE!
Under the strain of these colliding titans, the prison floor finally gave way. Fissures erupted beneath Xayuki's feet, spreading outward in a complex network of cracks that resembled a massive spider's web, encompassing everyone present.
Before anyone could react, the entire prison structure began to collapse amid violent tremors. The concentrated energy from the clash burst through the ceiling, erupting into the night sky like a volcanic plume.
Sakazuki stared in undisguised shock. He had never imagined Xayuki could withstand his attack head-on—let alone cause the entire prison complex to collapse. His gaze locked onto Xayuki, who stood defiant amidst the destruction, sword held firmly in one hand. Xayuki's aura had reached its zenith, his uniform billowing dramatically in the energy aftershock, embodying the very essence of a conqueror.
For several long seconds, Sakazuki remained frozen in disbelief. When he finally regained his composure, he uttered a single phrase with unmistakable recognition:
"Conqueror's Haki."
His eyes remained fixed on Xayuki's sword, which now bore little resemblance to an ordinary blade. It was enveloped in a swirling vortex of flame-like energy, radiating power that even Sakazuki recognized as extraordinary. As a Marine Admiral, he was intimately familiar with advanced Haki techniques, yet the sight before him was difficult to process.
Xayuki had not merely awakened Conqueror's Haki—he had mastered the exceedingly rare ability to infuse it into his weapon. And somehow, despite being Xayuki's direct superior, Sakazuki had remained completely unaware of this capability.
The implications were staggering. While many formidable warriors in the New World possessed Conqueror's Haki, those who could perform advanced infusion techniques were vanishingly rare. Such mastery was typically reserved for the Emperors who ruled the seas or legendary figures from the past.
Yet Xayuki had not only developed this elite skill but had successfully concealed it from everyone in Marine Headquarters.
Such power, combined with such strategic foresight—no wonder Xayuki had approached this rebellion with absolute confidence.
The shock wasn't limited to Sakazuki. The officers scattered across the rubble-strewn floor, as well as Vice Admirals Momonga, Bastille, and Strawberry, were equally stunned by this revelation.
Since Xayuki's promotion to Vice Admiral, they had grown increasingly close to him, often receiving his guidance and support. During countless joint missions, they had witnessed his exceptional mastery of Armament and Observation Haki, his swordsmanship that rivaled Gion's, and his flawless command of the Six Powers techniques.
They had believed these represented the full extent of his capabilities. The revelation that he had long since awakened and mastered Conqueror's Haki—the rarest and most coveted of all Haki forms—left them reeling.
"You questioned whether I possess the strength to become Fleet Admiral?"
With his Conqueror's Haki fully unleashed and his blade infused with its crimson energy, Xayuki took a deliberate step forward. His piercing gaze locked onto Sakazuki, who still blocked the prison's entrance. His voice carried a weight that seemed to press down on everyone present:
"Sakazuki, you have gravely underestimated me. I told you—becoming Fleet Admiral is merely one component of my greater design!"
As he spoke, Xayuki raised his empowered blade and advanced with purpose.
"Lord Xayuki!"
Seeing that another devastating clash was imminent, Momonga—having just recovered from the shock of Xayuki's Conqueror's Haki revelation—called out urgently: "Please, allow me to speak with Admiral Sakazuki first!"
"Hmm?" Xayuki turned slightly, regarding Momonga with a knowing look. "Momonga, this is hardly the time for conversation."
"No—it must be now!"
With unexpected defiance, Momonga stepped forward, positioning himself between the two powerhouses. Lifting his chin, he addressed Sakazuki directly, his voice carrying across the ruined chamber:
"Admiral Sakazuki, a portion of the funds Vice Admiral Xayuki has reallocated over the years was set aside specifically for you!"
"Momonga, cease this nonsense immediately!" Sakazuki advanced slowly, his voice hardening. "Look around you—because of your rebellion, Marineford lies in chaos! As an Admiral, I must prevent this situation from deteriorating further."
Momonga continued as though he hadn't heard, his voice rising with intensity: "Admiral Sakazuki, your mother is still alive!"
Before Sakazuki could process this bombshell, Momonga withdrew a document from inside his uniform and held it aloft. "Three years ago, when Xayuki was still a Rear Admiral, he engaged a pirate vessel during a routine mission. After eliminating the pirate threat, he discovered numerous civilians imprisoned below deck. While most were safely returned to their homes, one elderly woman—mentally unstable and suffering complete memory loss—was brought back to Headquarters under Xayuki's personal care."
At these words, Sakazuki's pupils contracted visibly.
His expression quickly darkened, however, and he responded with cold fury: "Momonga, my mother was murdered by pirates when I was a child! I buried her with my own hands! That woman cannot possibly be my mother!"
Without further argument, Momonga tossed the document toward Sakazuki's feet. "This contains the findings of the investigation Lord Xayuki ordered us to conduct."
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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