Chapter 27: Clash of Kings: Karl vs Newgate

At that moment, Golden Lion, Charlotte Linlin, and the others hurried to the scene, standing nearby to watch the unfolding battle.

“Newgate’s going all out.”

“Now that’s something you don’t see every day!”

Golden Lion knew just how powerful Newgate was—there were barely any opponents on this sea worthy of making him go full power.

“Mamamamama.”

“I really want to have a strong child with Karl.”

Charlotte Linlin’s eyes glittered as she saw Karl’s wounds heal at a pace visible to the naked eye. Her desire for his bloodline only grew stronger. As far as she knew, the Titan bloodline had never appeared in this world before—its power wasn’t just formidable but far beyond her expectations.

“Go Captain Newgate!”

“Go Captain Karl!”

“Captain Karl’s gotten even stronger.”

Krell couldn’t help but marvel at how much stronger Captain Karl had become.

He glanced over and saw another group of pirates cheering for Newgate, so he quickly rallied his own crew to cheer loudly for Karl.

As time ticked by, the fight grew ever more intense.

At last, with a deafening boom, the two men’s attacks collided once more.

The massive shockwave whipped up a mighty gust, blasting away all the trees and rocks nearby.

Karl and Newgate both staggered back at the same time.

“Clang!!”

Newgate stabbed his long blade into the ground.

“Time to get serious.”

“Gurararara, take this!”

“Crack!”

Suddenly, Newgate crouched low, swinging his right fist forward. The space in front of him shattered like glass.

A fierce shockwave surged toward Karl, barreling in with unstoppable force. He instantly felt the space around him lock down, an overwhelming sense of danger pressing in.

He knew he couldn’t hesitate any longer. In a flash he unleashed Daoist Thunder Magic, charging at Newgate like a living storm.

“Palm Thunder!”

A bolt of lightning burst from Karl’s right palm, arcing straight at Newgate.

“The Rumble-Rumble Fruit?”

Newgate barely had time to voice his suspicion.

“Kyahahaha!”

“Karl’s actually got lightning powers—is it a Devil Fruit?”

“Too bad I was a little too late to recruit him.”

Golden Lion floated in midair, cursing himself for not finding Karl first and bringing him into his crew.

“Mamamamama!”

“Now I want to have a child with Karl even more.”

Charlotte Linlin immediately chalked Karl’s lightning abilities up to his bloodline. From what she understood, Karl hadn’t eaten a Devil Fruit yet.

While everyone was still stunned, the lightning struck Newgate in the blink of an eye.

Newgate managed to cover himself in Armament Haki just in time, but that numb, electric shock still rushed through his body in an instant.

He noticed right away something was off—the power behind that attack was immense.

It was like the thunder raced wildly inside him, hard to suppress.

What Newgate didn’t know was Karl’s thunder wasn’t just Devil Fruit level. It was the raw, elemental force of nature itself.

No ordinary man could hope to withstand it.

“Whoa!”

Newgate couldn’t help coughing up a mouthful of blood.

“Impressive, Karl.”

Newgate wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

But this kind of injury was nothing to Newgate—his body’s recovery was just as fierce.

In no time, he’d composed himself and launched a counterattack.

Planting his feet, Newgate swung his mighty blade covered in Haki, surging toward Karl at lightning speed.

The battle between Newgate and Karl raged hotter and hotter. Their movements flashed so fast it was impossible to keep up—afterimages danced in the sky, proof of their blinding speed.

Newgate roared like a wild beast. Each punch was loaded with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, sending waves of force into the air around them.

Karl didn’t back down one bit.

“Thunder Fist!”

Karl poured Daoist Thunder Magic into his fist, sending out dazzling bolts of lightning to meet the onslaught.

Their kicks were just as fierce—Newgate swept his leg in a powerful arc while Karl unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast kicks. Their legs collided midair, echoing with thunderous booms.

Suddenly, Newgate changed tactics and reached out with his left hand, aiming for Karl’s shoulder.

Quick as lightning, Karl raised an iron-hard defense, blocking Newgate’s grasp.

He instantly countered with an uppercut, landing a solid blow to Newgate’s chin and sending him stumbling back.

Newgate let out a boisterous laugh, almost excited by his own misstep. Slip-ups were rare for him—this taste of real combat thrilled him.

He charged at Karl again, both arms shrouded in pitch-black Armament Haki, fists slamming down with ferocious force.

Karl didn’t flinch—his fists glowed with radiant gold as they crashed into Newgate’s own.

When their fists met, the resulting shockwave rocked the whole island, swirling clouds of dust into the air.

Ships in the distance rose and fell with the sudden waves.

Weaker pirates nearby had blood trickling from their ears.

But that didn’t stop them—nobody wanted to miss this epic clash of division captains. After all, everyone loves a bit of excitement.

“Kyahahaha!”

“John, there’s no way you’ll ever get your revenge now.”

Golden Lion Shiki smirked, his voice laced with mockery.

He knew John was secretly still dreaming of getting back at Karl.

John’s face darkened, but he didn’t say a word. With Karl’s strength now, he knew his revenge was hopeless.

“Final attack.”

Newgate unleashed his Conqueror’s Haki with full force.

A wave of crushing pressure exploded from him.

Ripples of power spread from the island, hammering outward with unstoppable force.

It bore down like a mountain, making even the pirates on the ships gasp for air. In an instant, swathes of pirates collapsed.

This brand of Haki—so rare only one in a million possesses it—was surprisingly common among the Rocks Pirates.

“Alright, bring it on.”

As soon as Karl sensed the Conqueror’s Haki, he felt a distant resonance rise within him.

He focused, letting the power flow out in a single instant.

Even though his own Conqueror’s Haki was weaker, it radiated a pressure that could make anyone’s heart tremble.

As Karl’s Conqueror’s Haki clashed with Newgate’s, the whole world seemed to shift around them.

An invisible pressure filled the air, sending shivers down every spine.

Everything nearby seemed hit by an invisible blow—leaves shredded from the trees, the sea roared and churned, storm clouds built overhead, lightning crackled as if the sky itself was splitting open.

“Oh? Conqueror’s Haki?”

Golden Lion’s eyes widened in surprise.

He never imagined Karl would possess Conqueror’s Haki.

“Mamamamama!”

“I like him even more now.”

Charlotte Linlin gazed at Karl with hearts in her eyes.

“Damn it!”

John silently berated himself, finally putting the nail in his so-called plan.

“Hmm. Karl, huh?”

In the main hall at the heart of Beehive Island, Rocks let out a low hum.

“Not bad at all.”

After all, Conqueror’s Haki was the mark of a true powerhouse: not having it didn’t mean you couldn’t become one, but to have it was to stand among the top.

“Hahaha! That just made our overall strength rise again. Looks like my plan might just…”

…