Within the snow-capped battlefield of the Underworld.
Fang Huo was challenging Harald, Newgate was challenging Rocks; terrifying Conqueror's Haki splattered across the sky, turning heaven and earth pale.
Redfield was locked in a titanic clash with Golden Lion Shiki, their Haki colliding with no less fury.
Even Loki was taking on Charlotte Linlin, honing his own Conqueror's Haki.
Charlotte Linlin was only too happy to instruct this giant prince and 'adopted son-cum-son-in-law'.
In her eyes, Fang Huo's 'adopted son' was her 'adopted son', and—more importantly—she meant to turn Loki into her future 'son-in-law'.
That way she could bind herself irrevocably to the Giant Race.
Perhaps her bloodline with Fang Huo's could even merge into the royal giant line and endure forever.
Frankly, Loki's talent outshone even the protagonist Straw Hat Luffy's.
Tossed into the Underworld at birth, his monstrous physique was no weaker than Charlotte Linlin's inborn iron balloon coated with Armament.
He'd also awakened Conqueror's Haki from birth.
In the original timeline, at forty-nine—barely sixteen or seventeen in human terms—he subdued thundor ragnar and used Conqueror's Haki Infusion to blast dead the immortal Harald.
Straw Hat Luffy awakened Conqueror's Haki at seventeen, mastered its infusion at nineteen, and awakened the sun god nika.
And this royal-blooded giant prince, at forty-nine, ate a legendary Devil Fruit and, with advanced Haki Infusion, slew the immortal Celestial Dragons Knight and King of Elbaf, Harald.
—The other Executives of the Rocks Pirates were training as well.
But watching those Conqueror's monarchs wage their terror, they felt smaller and weaker by the second.
'Before the Rocks Pirates showed up, I was a Great Pirate of the New World.'
'Now, in front of these monsters, I'm just a feather-weight.'
Smuggler Ganzi couldn't help sighing; he'd once been thick as thieves with Golden Lion Shiki.
Yet as Shiki grew ever stronger, he found he couldn't keep pace with his 'business partner'.
He no longer deserved to sit at the same table as Golden Lion Shiki.
He'd slid to the second tier of the Rocks Pirates.
Back when he'd joined on Paradise Island, he'd been solid first tier.
'Can the difference between having Conqueror's Haki and not really be this huge?'
'I refuse to believe it!'
Fūgetsu Kisaburō, the enterprising swordmaster, believed his blade could rival any Conqueror's Haki!
'gokudō kaisen! We'll definitely gain the power to stand against them!'
He spoke to his beloved self-forged blade, eyes and voice ablaze with resolve.
The terrible sword-intent erupting from him made even Shimotsuki Kōzaburō's eyes bulge.
'The legendary unity of man and sword?'
Shimotsuki Kōzaburō looked at the wado ichimonji in his hand, sensed for a long moment, then sighed in resignation.
His talent in swordsmanship and smithing both seemed a notch below Kisaburō's.
'Even if I never awaken Conqueror's Haki, I'll still gain strength to duel an Admiral!'
At that moment Bolo Gram shaped his hands into claws and slashed a cross at a snow peak, shearing off a chunk of the mountain.
The present Bolo Gram already had the steadfast aura and calm eyes of his future son Marco, who would fight only top-tier battles against the three Admirals.
'No way—you're taking off too?'
Kiel Bastard, feeling the sword-intent from Fūgetsu Kisaburō and the Armament from Bolo Gram, nearly lost his mind.
Yet another guy exploding with power!
Spurred by those monster monarchs, both Kisaburō and Gram seemed to have found their path.
'Sanbel! We're the hope of Fish-Man Island—no way we lose to Kisaburō and Gram!'
Deep Sea Titan Babel swung his abyssal anchor; in the Underworld's cold air he condensed water spheres that burst outward, shattering the ground.
'Big bro Babel, I won't let you or Vice Captain Fang Huo down!'
Sanbel spun his sea-knight trident, likewise forming water spheres in the air and blasting a huge crater—devastating power.
'Everyone's going crazy—how am I supposed to keep up?'
Maron watched the Executives leap ahead and began to panic; he seemed locked into the bottom seat.
Newcomer Redfield had soared past them straight into the first tier.
Right now he might only be stronger than Fang Huo's woman Shimotsuki Furiko and the handful of CP9 Blood Servants under Fang Huo.
He wasn't even confident he could beat Shimotsuki Kōzaburō and John, plus those two CP0 Blood Servants.
He was finished, finished!
This Rocks Executive couldn't even match Fang Huo's personal retainers.
He began to consider begging Captain Rocks to transfer him under Vice Captain Fang Huo.
After all, following Fang Huo might actually lead to a better life.
Maron pondered: there was another option.
Surpass Silver Axe, who'd been off gallivanting for years!
As long as he out-strengthened Silver Axe, he'd no longer be the bottom-rung Executive.
'Damn it—if training won't kill me, I'll train until it nearly does!'
'I'm definitely surpassing Silver Axe!'
The Mafia boss Maron, eyes blazing, resolved: if he couldn't beat Silver Axe, he'd demote himself to Fang Huo's division.
He refused to be expelled by Rocks; he would stay in the world's strongest crew.
After glimpsing the summit of the world, he had no wish to return to the small-fry West Blue.
Staying in Fang Huo's personal squad was the same as staying in the Rocks Pirates.
'No way—even you've found the true meaning of struggle?'
Kiel Bastard gulped watching Maron train like his life depended on it.
With the whole crew grinding, he couldn't slack off.
He looked toward Long Bread and Stussy.
'My boss is Lord Fang Huo!'
Long Bread flapped his bat wings away; as chef he had to prepare delicacies for the big shots.
'My man is Fang Huo!'
Stussy gave Kiel Bastard a mild glance, lovingly stroking her big belly.
Soon her child with Fang Huo would be born!
Her son would be Fang Huo's firstborn.
'…'
Kiel Bastard had no choice but to throw himself into this power race.
On the Rocks Pirates' ship, the weakling was the clown!
—Meanwhile, on the training battlefield.
Whitebeard Newgate was coughing up blood under Rocks' blows, his massive arms clutching the supreme grade blade Murakumogiri trembling.
A serious Rocks was simply too strong!
'Your Conqueror's Haki is a notch below Fang Huo's!'
'Looks like I need to find some grand event to trigger your metamorphosis.'
Rocks already had a rough grasp of Newgate's current state; the upcoming Native Purge Competition seemed a perfect opportunity.
But that was still far off.
Should he destroy the newly rebuilt Enies Lobby again?
After Fang Huo razed Enies Lobby, both his Conqueror's Haki and spirit had soared.
Or perhaps raid Marine HQ Marineford? Or assault Holy Land Mary Geoise?
On the other side, Fang Huo and Harald's clash had turned savage.
To master Conqueror's Haki Infusion, Fang Huo was literally staking his life!
'Fang Huo! Are you truly not afraid of death?!'
'A mere death omen—fate still kneels beneath me!'