One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: The King Engine Ignites!

Momonga nodded regretfully and stepped back. However, Claudius wasn't quite satisfied yet. He stood in the arena, giving a meaningful look to Zephyr.

Zephyr, understanding the unspoken message, glanced over at the other Marine officers gathered nearby. Spotting the figure he had in mind, he called out, "Commodore Gion, come over and spar with this CP-0 agent, Crowe."

Claudius followed Zephyr's gaze and saw a strikingly beautiful woman with long, graceful legs stepping out from the group of Marines. She had a strong presence that instantly drew attention.

"Yes, Teacher Zephyr," Gion responded, bowing her head respectfully before walking toward the center of the training ground.

If Momonga was a rising star in the Marine ranks, then Gion was on a whole other level. Claudius knew very well that Gion wasn't just any Marine. In the future, she would become a Vice Admiral, but not just any Vice Admiral she would be one of the elite, an Admiral candidate with the codename "Momousagi" (Pink Rabbit).

An Admiral candidate wasn't an ordinary Vice Admiral. It meant she was someone on par with the likes of Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino, Marine's strongest combatants. The only thing keeping her from the full rank of Admiral was a lack of vacancy in the position.

Claudius knew that after the battle between Kuzan and Sakazuki, where Sakazuki became Fleet Admiral and Kuzan left the Marines, Gion could have stepped up to take one of the vacant Admiral positions. But she did not make the cut, as Issho and Aramaki attained the positions instead.

Regardless, this didn't take away from Gion's strength. Even now, she had the potential to stand among the strongest, and Claudius was both satisfied and excited to face such an opponent. He knew that against her, he'd have to give it his all.

Gion moved quickly, closing the distance between them with long, confident strides. When she stood before him, she introduced herself, "Naval Headquarters, Gion."

Claudius nodded and responded, "CP-0, Crowe."

With their brief introductions over, Kuzan signaled for the match to begin. As soon as he did, Gion placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, a rare and famous blade named "Konpira," which would become her lifelong companion.

With just that motion, a fierce sword aura burst from her, and in the blink of an eye, her hand was cloaked in a pitch-black Armament Haki that flowed smoothly to her sword's hilt.

Claudius observed this and quickly made a judgment. Compared to Momonga, who had only a basic grasp of Armament Haki, Gion was far more skilled. She wasn't a beginner; she was proficient. This meant his Logia powers, which allowed him to turn into an element, wouldn't be as effective. Gion could use her Haki to strike his physical form even if he tried to go intangible.

The air around them grew tense. After a brief moment of silence, Gion made her move. The blade of Konpira flashed from its sheath, and before the sword was fully drawn, a sharp slash cut through the air, heading straight for Claudius.

This was no mere sword swipe. Unlike Momonga's earlier "pseudo-slash," this was a true Swordsman's Slash—deadly and precise.

Claudius didn't dare attempt to evade by going intangible. If he misjudged and Gion caught him off guard like Flying Squirrel had, he wouldn't stand a chance. Instead, he moved swiftly, drawing his short sword, Shinsō, and raising it to block.

With a metallic clang, Gion's slash struck Shinsō. The blade held firm, but the sheer force behind the slash pushed Claudius back two steps.

Gion smiled slightly, seeing her advantage. She surged forward with incredible speed, whispering, "Rabbit Jump!" Her movement technique propelled her forward like a swift hare, increasing her speed to a level Claudius hadn't expected.

Before he could fully recover from the block, Gion was already in front of him. To his surprise, she didn't strike with her sword. Instead, she coated her leg in Armament Haki and delivered a powerful kick to his chest.

"Tempest Kick!" Gion shouted as her kick connected.

Claudius felt the impact explode against his chest. The force lifted him off his feet and sent him flying backward, rolling across the ground several times before coming to a stop.

From the sidelines, Nia, Claudius's butler, gasped in shock, instinctively wanting to rush forward. However, Stussy placed a hand on her arm, holding her back.

"Your Highness doesn't want his battle interrupted," Stussy said calmly. "Remember, this trip isn't about showing off his status. He came here to temper himself."

Nia hesitated but eventually nodded, calming herself down.

Meanwhile, back on the battlefield, Claudius scrambled to his feet, managing to dodge another of Gion's attacks with a hasty roll that lacked any semblance of grace. Yet, for all its inelegance, it worked.

Though the move looked clumsy, the "lazy donkey roll," as it was often called, had saved countless warriors from death over the ages. Sometimes, practicality outweighed style.

The brief respite gave Claudius a moment to breathe, but not for long. No sooner had he gotten to his feet than Gion was upon him again, her sword raised high, ready to bring it down with a force that could split him in half.

Claudius steadied himself, bracing for the impact. His Devil Fruit powers surged, and with a low growl, he raised his hands. As Gion brought Konpira down, her blade stopped short, as if blocked by an invisible force.

Gion's eyes widened in surprise. "What is this?" she muttered.

Claudius grinned. "An invisible air shield."

Before Gion could process what had happened, Claudius released a pulse of compressed nitrogen from around his body, forcing her to leap back, her brow furrowed in caution.

"So, this is the same technique you used to subdue Momonga?" Gion asked, still watching him intently.

"More or less," Claudius replied cryptically.

The air around him shifted again, his body now radiating a different kind of pressure. He had started to compress nitrogen within his body, preparing to use it for enhanced speed and attack power. However, despite the temptation, Claudius refrained from using liquid nitrogen, a far deadlier variant of his abilities. The risk of causing irreversible damage to Gion was too high, and he didn't want to seriously injure her.

As his aura intensified, Gion hesitated. Her instincts told her that Claudius was preparing something dangerous. She raised her guard, carefully observing his movements.

Suddenly, the sound of Claudius's heartbeat filled the air, loud and rhythmic, like a powerful drum beating steadily. It was so intense that it could be heard from several meters away.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

Gion's eyes widened in astonishment. "What... what is that?"

Claudius stretched his neck, cracking it on both sides, and smirked. "It seems you're an opponent worth taking seriously."

His heartbeat, now akin to the legendary King Engine, created an oppressive atmosphere that seemed to magnify his presence. Combined with his words, it gave the impression that he hadn't even been trying up until now, completely fooling Gion.

In the next instant, white smoke exploded from Claudius's feet, propelling him forward at an incredible speed. He lunged straight toward Gion, his movements nearly a blur.