Chapter 151: A Man of Immense Power

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The group began to speculate about the other Straw Hats' destinations, the tension finally easing. Luffy, exhausted, had drifted off to sleep.

"And Nico Robin, the survivor of Ohara…" Rayleigh turned to Robin, his gaze deep and thoughtful. He seemed to have an inkling of her concerns. He looked down at the liquor in his glass. "Perhaps both Ohara and we were too hasty. I can offer you guidance, Robin. Anything you wish to know, I can tell you."

This was precisely why Ian had saved Robin. Her original destination would have only deepened her understanding of the Void Century. With the timeline altered, it was uncertain whether she would even encounter Dragon and the Revolutionary Army. It was best to avoid that risk.

She would remain with Luffy, spending the next two years under Rayleigh's tutelage.

Hearing Ohara mentioned, Robin's eyes widened, and she looked at Rayleigh, a flicker of hope in her gaze. "You know… why Ohara was destroyed?"

Ohara had been obliterated by the World Government for deciphering the poneglyphs, which revealed the forbidden history of the Void Century, the 100-year gap spanning from 900 to 800 years ago.

"I believe so," Rayleigh replied, his eyes meeting Robin's. "If you're asking about the Void Century… yes, we know all about it. We know all the secrets, including what lies on Laugh Tale."

Robin swayed slightly, the weight of this revelation hitting her like a physical blow. The truth behind her mother's death and the destruction of her homeland was within reach. It was as if the quest she had dedicated her life to had suddenly materialized before her eyes.

"Do you want to know?" Rayleigh asked, his gaze intense. Knowing the truth now might not benefit her, but as a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, she was bound to discover it eventually.

Taking a deep breath, Robin composed herself and nodded at Rayleigh.

"I'm sorry, Rayleigh-san. Thank you for the offer, but I refuse." Neither Rayleigh, Shakky, nor Ian were surprised. It was the same answer Luffy and his crew would give. They sought to uncover the mysteries themselves, not have the answers handed to them.

"I have nakama I can trust now. I want to uncover the truth alongside them," Robin explained, her voice firm. "And I want to thank you, Ian, for not only saving me from Crocodile but also for helping me find such wonderful friends."

"I was merely fulfilling a request. But I'm sure you can sense that man's concern for you. His constant pursuit… it was his way of ensuring your safety."

"Admiral Aokiji… I suppose I'll owe him a lifelong debt," Robin mused, her thoughts drifting back to their encounters. A newfound resolve hardened her gaze.

"Speaking of which, what happened to that little Marine girl, Tashigi? Did you finally tire of her and abandon her?" Shakky teased Ian, finally noticing her absence.

"She's in the East Blue, reunited with… someone she considers her father. She also chose not to participate in the upcoming events. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing. I haven't even held her hand. It's almost shameful."

The others were speechless. Ian, The Strongest, and yet… still a novice in matters of love. It was… unexpected.

...

...

Fifteen minutes had passed since Ian's battle with Admiral Kizaru. The chaos on Sabaody Archipelago, though still ongoing, had subsided somewhat.

Grove 24.

The site of Kizaru's clash with the three Supernovas.

"Damn it… what happened today?" Scratchmen Apoo, clutching his head, groaned from his hiding spot amidst the rubble.

"That Admiral is on another level. We're no match for him," Urouge, the Fallen Monk, agreed, leaning against a pile of debris, catching his breath. "Kizaru's attacks were brutal."

Urouge winced. Even with his incredibly resilient body, it had taken him over an hour to regain consciousness. A testament to the severity of his injuries.

"Captain Hawkins, what are you doing? You're badly injured! Please stop using your powers!" Hawkins' crew pleaded, their voices filled with concern. But Basil Hawkins, the Magician, continued his divination ritual. Moments later, he drew a card and flipped it over.

"Again?!"

Hawkins stared at the card, his pale face turning ashen. Were they going to be attacked again?

"Run! Get out of here!"

"We have to leave! My divination foretells a meeting with a Great Figure!" Hawkins' voice was urgent, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

If the cards foretold it, then it was destined to happen.

But… who could this powerful figure be? A Marine Admiral?

No way. The Admirals had already left.

Then who? His crew exchanged worried glances, their hearts pounding in their chests. Hawkins' divinations were rarely wrong. If he predicted a meeting with a powerful figure, then it was bound to happen. Tension filled the air.

Hawkins continued staring at the cards, contemplating his next move. He was about to perform a divination on himself, checking for any signs of impending doom, when his crew suddenly gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief.

"C-Captain Hawkins!"

One of them stammered, his voice trembling.

Hawkins finally looked up, and his blood ran cold. It couldn't be… him!

Standing in the middle of the street, a figure clad in white was slowly approaching. He wasn't walking towards Hawkins and his crew specifically, but rather strolling casually, seemingly oblivious to their presence.

The figure was unremarkable at first glance, blending in with the crowd of oddly dressed individuals on Sabaody. He appeared powerful, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Even the passing crowds paid him no mind. But for pirates like Hawkins, aspiring to enter the New World, his presence was unmistakable.

A name and title that echoed throughout the Grand Line: Ian aka Black-Winged Demon, the man who had single-handedly destroyed two Yonko crews.

Hawkins couldn't believe his eyes. To encounter Ian here, on Sabaody, was even more unbelievable than meeting Whitebeard himself. The pirates who recognized him froze, their bodies trembling.

Despite Ian's casual demeanor and the lack of any overt display of power, his mere presence exuded an aura of overwhelming dominance. The image before them matched the descriptions in the intelligence reports, and the realization sent shivers down their spines.

"C-Captain Hawkins…"

One of his crew members started to speak, but Hawkins silenced him with a raised hand.

"He's not here for us… but my divination… it's gone haywire. This has never happened before!" Even Hawkins, the stoic diviner, was shaken. His cards, usually so clear and predictable, were now a chaotic mess. It was as if fate itself had been distorted, fractured, and rendered unreadable by Ian's presence.

Beads of sweat trickled down Hawkins' forehead. Was the fate of a god… truly unknowable?

"Well, well. Look at this year's Supernovas. Greetings," Ian said, a friendly smile on his face.

"Who… who are you?"

As Ian approached, Urouge's pupils constricted. He felt an instinctive urge to cower, to submit, as if facing not a man, but a demon from the depths of hell.

"Who I am isn't important. What is important is that I'm feeling a bit… itchy today. I'm in the mood for a fight" Ian replied with a smile. The atmosphere instantly froze, the Supernovas staring at him in stunned silence.

"You're joking, right?"

"Who do you think you are?! You want to pick a fight with us? You'll need to show us what you're made of first!" Before the Supernova captains could react, their crews erupted in outrage.

They were furious that this unknown stranger dared to challenge their captains.

Apoo, Urouge, and Hawkins stared at their crews in disbelief, silently cursing them.

They might not know who Ian was, but they could certainly feel the oppressive aura radiating from him, an aura no weaker than Admiral Kizaru's. Were they blind?

Before the Supernovas could attempt to stall or bluff their way out of the situation, Ian's smile widened, sending a chill down their spines.

"Very well…"

A terrifying hurricane erupted, tearing through Grove 24, sending debris flying through the air.

Hawkins, Apoo, and Urouge, along with their crews, were sent sprawling, overwhelmed by Ian's sheer physical might. His Hierro, his Steel Skin, had reached a level of resilience that even Garp, the Hero of the Marines, couldn't match.

"That's enough greetings for one day."

Crash!

As Ian departed, the debris and bodies rained down. "He's the Black-Winged Demon!" Hawkins gritted his teeth, his voice strained.

"The man… that defeated Kaido and Big Mom? Here, on Sabaody? And he fought Kizaru earlier…? How…? He's barely twenty years old, and yet he possesses that monstrous power!" Urouge's face was a mask of shock and disbelief. He was the oldest among the Supernovas.

Most of the Straw Hats were under twenty, while Kid and Law were in their mid-twenties. He and Apoo were in their thirties and forties, respectively.

Yet, this man, barely older than some of their rookies, had already conquered the New World while they were still preparing to enter it.

"Ugh…" Apoo coughed up blood.

"My divination was correct. After Kizaru, we've been beaten by another Monster" Hawkins mumbled before collapsing unconscious.

Ian's decision to confront the Supernovas had been spontaneous, a whim. He wanted to show them Reality, to show them the vast gulf that separated them from the true powerhouses of the New World. It was a harsh reality, but a necessary one.

When he had first arrived in this world, he had dreamed of joining a Supernova crew, experiencing the Grand Line's adventures firsthand. However, his system and his encounter with the Marines had led him down a different path.

He had chosen to join the Marines, believing it would accelerate his growth and allow him to bypass the slow and arduous climb to power.

But events had spiraled out of control, his reputation growing exponentially, forcing him to seek greater challenges in the New World. Now, he stood at the pinnacle of power, looking down upon those who had once been his peers.

The sight of the Supernovas gathered on Sabaody had rekindled a dormant spark within him.

His slumbering bloodlust… was beginning to stir.

...

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