[120] Pure Dominance (2)

Chapter 120: Pure Dominance (2)

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Conqueror's Haki was rare. Not as rare as people would think; the ratio was close to one in a million, though the majority of these people never even got to unlock it.

Amidst those few who did unlock it, the lethality of their Conqueror's Burst grew as they did. Usually, it meant the older they got the stronger the burst got until they would get too old to maintain their strength. Age was what increased one's willpower, after all.

So more often than not, a young man's Conqueror Burst would pale in comparison when compared to someone older than them. As always, there were exceptions to that rule, but in those cases, it meant the young man was very strong in ways other than just willpower.

Looking down at the arena, Doflamingo saw one such young lad.

"That was a powerful burst. I doubt even Yamato can let out such a lethal burst."

King the Wildfire was the first to break the silence that had fallen upon the room. He didn't look angry at the black-winged man anymore, but rather curious.

"I wonder who that is, actually. That level of willpower isn't common amongst normal people; he may have a fun background."

Charlotte Smoothie listened to King speak and then added, "I'd want to recruit him if he isn't affiliated with some other Emperor already."

King looked at her with a challenging gaze. "If he is a Zoan-user as Doflamingo predicts, then it'd be us who would recruit him."

"Isn't it presumptuous of you two that you are assuming he would join you at all?" It was Tsunade Senju who said that, earning a raised eyebrow from Doflamingo while the two Yonko Commanders blinked. Tsunade then added with an odd tone as she stared down at the arena. "To me, he appears to be a very… naughty and disobedient little boy, so I don't think he'd serve under anybody. Conquerors don't usually join under others, even if they are Emperors, you know? For example, how many of you in this room are conquerors?"

"..."

"..."

King and Smoothie fell silent, frowning at her, while Doflamingo desperately held on to his life by holding back a laugh. Boa Hancock, however, let her lungs free as she broke into a snicker.

"Two Yonko Commanders, yet neither of you has the Supreme King Haki. I did hear my fellow Warlord Doflamingo has it, and I of course possess it as well." Boa Hancock said and looked at Tsunade. "Could it be you have it too? I won't be surprised if you do. But your point is still valid, even if you don't."

Tsunade shrugged. "Heh, maybe. We'll see if we ever 'spar'. I'd rather keep you guys on the edge until then."

A cold air brushed around the room, King and exchanged glances with Doflamingo, while Smoothie sat unaware. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Indeed, we shall see then."

* * *

Hashirama didn't let go of Rebecca’s waist after he canceled his burst, and she was very thankful for it because she knew she would fall on her knees if he let go. So while being held by his strong arm, she looked at the arena with wide eyes.

"What the… hell?"

She couldn't help but curse, despite the fact that it was bad manners to do so.

"Here I was thinking I'd clear the numbers and…"

For a moment, her whole world was turned upside down and then uplifted. This was a good thing. That was Conqueror's Haki, and Rebecca felt a little shy to admit it but it was something she had tried unlocking a hundred times. She did so many things while in her cell, yelling names and holding her breath, in the hope that maybe a burst would come out. So that she would be able to match Doflamingo!

Yet, here she was, in the arms of one such person who was born with it. She felt a little jealous but hopeful too. She also felt a little anger at her teenage heart for once again feeling butterflies in her stomach; while she wasn't entirely sure why such a reaction was happening, she had a bad guess.

"What strength…!"

It wasn't Rebecca who said that. It was a living giant, Hajrudin, who was on one of his knees as he looked at Hashirama.

There were other murmurs from the 7 other people still standing. Though only one of them really stood, while others were on their knees. Even Pirate Prince Cavendish, one whom even Rebecca had to admit was a treat to the eyes, was on his knees as he gritted his teeth.

"Phew, it's better he's not out cold. I heard him unconscious is a pain in the ass."

Hashirama spoke, squeezing her waist as she gasped with a blush. She quickly freed herself, realizing how intimate their position looked to the onlookers.

Hashirama didn't mind and looked at one person in particular. The only man standing on his two feet. Built like a tank, standing at an imposing 16 feet frame, the short-haired blonde man – Charlotte Daifuku – looked at him with his jaws clenched.

"Rebecca. Take care of the others. Or at least try not to get knocked out before the others. It would be troublesome if you get sent to the infirmary too early before I am done."

"Yes."

Rebecca said and dashed away from him. Hashirama was still looking at Daifuku, wondering how to take this.

He started the match with theatrics, and that had the audience silent. They weren't even bothering to curse Rebecca like in the cannon timeline, and they had even stopped simping for Cavendish too. They were only looking at him, anticipating his next moves.

Now, he couldn't let down their eagerness. Hashirama grabbed the hilt of his sword and then flickered it in the air. It spun, pausing, and then fell prey to gravity. The sword fell to the arena, pointed down, and dug into it, as the wooden shell around it split and fell apart.

Blackcliff Slasher gleamed red under the sun as he grabbed its hilt. He wouldn't use [Tectonic Cleaver], as that would cause his actual enemies to heighten their guard too much. But he could use a longsword with normal moves anyway.

"Seems like I'm your target?"

Charlotte Daifuku smirked. He didn't seem a bit nervous that he was against a man who just knocked out 130 strong men, even by the New World standards. Though honestly, Hashirama had to admit it wasn't really that impressive — but again, it would be more trouble than practical to knock out the entire population of this small city.

He was glad he learned how to control this massive willpower while journeying with Hancock.

Hashirama wasn't really planning to talk with Daifuku. He didn't interest him, and he wanted to end this fast unless Rebecca got knocked out and then taken to the infirmary where she would be turned into a toy.

So, he kicked the ground hard and burst toward Daifuku. The middle-aged man was a little taken aback at the display of his speed, but he managed to rub his belt in time to activate his devil fruit.

Daifuku had eaten the Puff-Puff Fruit. Hashirama didn't remember the full details of how it worked, but it allowed the man to summon a gigantic and muscular genie who fought for him.

'Isn't it basically a JoJo Stand?'

Just when Hashirama thought that a massive blue spirit with a pink beard and hair rushed out of Daifuku's belt and yelled even as it clashed with Hashirama's sword with its bisento weapon.

"What is your wish, my master?!"

The clash broke the air, causing a sharp and loud sound to fill the place.

Hashirama was a bit annoyed as he was overpowered by the massive genie. It was a physical unit, built like a Greek God as it was. He wasn't even sure if he or anyone for that matter could harm the thing, as it was really just a spirit. As for how, he wondered, since it was not a Zoan ability, yet had the capacity to speak. Anyway, if he wanted to defeat it, he would have to take out Daifuku.

"Take him down."

"Yes, master!"

There's one thing Hashirama noticed that was interesting. Daifuku was still rubbing his belt, and his abdomen, as the genie moved. So it meant he had to continue rubbing his belly if he wanted to keep the genie active. That was a stupid drawback that Hashirama would take advantage of.

This would be easier than he thought. The genie was too strong; when he clashed with it again and somehow managed to land an attack, he found it turned into smoke. Guess that's where the "Puff" part came from. Haki didn't work on it when it was in smoke form unlike the Smoke Logia, which was just… odd. Why was this fruit so broken yet had such silly drawbacks?

There was one thing that was clear. Hiding his abilities as he was, Hashirama couldn't win against this thing right now. He wasn't willing to reveal his abilities, so he had to take out Daifuku. It's a bit less flashy than what he intended to go for, but it had to do.

Hashirama flapped his wings and shot up in the air. The crowd cried cheers at that, as the genie simply followed.

There was one thing the genie lacked, and it was mobility. While it wasn't slow, its size made it a bit slow for him, and its mobility was just trash.

Hashirama clashed with the spirit again, continuing a barrage of sword clashes, with sometimes wind blades running about and hitting the audience area, but the people managed to not get hurt.

Until he finally got a hit, and this time it was too slow to turn into smoke. But sadly, if it inflicted any damage, he wasn't sure. It must have, since the genie grunted, and was bothering to dodge earlier, but there were no signs of damage. When Hashirama attacked again and it touched, the genie turned into smoke.

That was Hashirama's chance.

Rushing through the smoke, even as the genie reformed behind him, raising its blade, Hashirama's wings spread and sharp Haki-imbued black feathers rushed down at Daifuku.

"Dammit!"

Daifuku yelled, forced to stop rubbing his belly, as he covered his head with his large hands. His whole body was covered in his armor, so he thought he'd be fine, but some of the feathers managed to get through it and hit him.

He groaned in pain, and Hashirama didn't allow him to suffer any further. He was already descending at Daifuku, and the older man didn't even get the chance to fight back as his next attack came.

The crowd cheered as Hashirama pushed chakra into his legs and then used partial Wood Transformation on them, elongating his knees. Then he implemented the Explosion Boxing arts on his kicks. His kick landed, and a strong explosion shook the arena.

600 KGs of pure mass was shot out of the arena like a bullet, landing in the audience outside, and barely avoiding killing a few spectators.

Hashirama managed to notice then how the audience had remained unharmed. There were barely visible strings attached to their heads for a moment, that moved them away from harm's path.

Hashirama's leg returned to normal, and as far as he was concerned none here noticed the change that happened to his knees since he was wearing baggy pants. He looked at Daifuku who was unconscious just as he got pushed into the water by an angry audience.

Hashirama laughed lightly and then turned to look at the arena. The arena was filled with unconscious people, and five more had joined that number now. Only Rebecca and Cavendish remained; Hashirama had to give it to the girl, maybe he had underestimated her powers. She wasn't winning, obviously, but the fact that she hadn't gone down yet was a testament to the hatred in her heart.

"Rebecca, hold still."

Hashirama yelled from the air and used a new technique as he descended. His two wings came together over his head, looking like two fists clasping together and coming down to hammer on the world.

Rebecca gasped, jumping away, while the Pirate Prince just sighed. He tried to dodge still, but failed, as the hammer came down on him and sent him to the water.

These fishes didn't really eat people, despite the threats earlier, they appeared trained. They bite sometimes, but they never tore any limbs. So he should be fine.

Hashirama watched as Rebecca looked up at him, nodding, and dropped to her face herself. People would assume he just used Conqueror's Haki again since normal people couldn't even sense it.

There was no silence this time, only cheers that filled the air. People threw their hands in the air and yelled his name, while he himself spread his hands and descended from the air as if embracing the world.

["That was an exciting match! The winner of Block D is our mysterious friend, Ra! It’s safe to say he is the black horse of this tourney, and from the looks of it, he is on the top of the list for the audience's favorite!"]

Hashirama felt stares on his back coming from the small tower, and in return, he turned and gently waved at them.

All games would end in the final round, and the true battle would begin. Hashirama knew that he was ready for anything.

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