Chapter 42: King of the World!

Watching the battle from inside the cabin didn't seem to satisfy Claudius anymore. After observing for a while, he made the decision to head to the deck for a closer view of the action.

"Your Highness, isn't that too dangerous? I may not know much about naval warfare, but even I know that Golden Lion Shiki is one of the world's top pirates. Right now, even Sengoku Admiral is struggling against him..." Nia said anxiously, trying to dissuade him.

"Hahahaha, what are you so afraid of?" Claudius laughed casually. "Look, Sengoku and the others are having trouble because they don't have the advantage in the sky. Even if I stay in this cabin, I'm not any safer than I would be on the deck. If things get really bad, I'd rather be out there at least I might get a chance to seize the moment."

Nia was about to continue pleading with him, but Stussy intervened. "His Highness is right. The danger is the same whether we're inside or outside. It's better to be where we can act if necessary."

With that, she draped a dark brown coat over Claudius's shoulders. The way he looked now arrogant, calm, and dressed like a boss oozed confidence. Still not feeling completely ready for his grand appearance, Claudius made one last stop before heading out. He rummaged through Sengoku's quarters and found a pack of cigars, the kind that were reserved specifically for Marine Admirals.

These are probably high quality, Claudius thought to himself. Without a second thought, he cut one, lit it up, and took a puff. With the cigar clenched between his teeth, he strutted onto the deck, looking every bit like a man in control.

"I swear, Your Highness, you're starting to look more like a villain by the minute," Stussy teased.

Claudius smirked, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air. "Villain, hero, it's all the same to me. As long as I get what I want, who cares what they call me?"

Meanwhile, the battle in the sky was growing more intense. Shiki, the infamous pirate, fought with unparalleled aggression, his advantage in the air allowing him to keep Sengoku and the Marines on the back foot. Despite being one of the most powerful figures in the Navy, Sengoku was struggling to keep up with Shiki's relentless attacks. The golden Buddha form of Sengoku shimmered in the sunlight, sending out shockwaves with every punch, but even that wasn't enough to push Shiki back completely.

"Palm of the Buddha!" Sengoku roared, seizing an opportunity. Polusalino, using his speed, had managed to drive Shiki backward with a precise laser strike, giving Sengoku the opening he needed. His giant palm, glowing with golden energy, slammed downward as if compressing the very air around it, creating a crushing force that aimed to end the fight right then and there.

Shiki's playful expression disappeared, replaced with one of grim determination. "Don't underestimate me!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage. His arms, now coated in an intense black Armament Haki, met Sengoku's blow head-on. The collision of forces sent shockwaves rippling outward, and at that moment, both Shiki and Sengoku unleashed their Conqueror's Haki.

The sky above them seemed to tear apart as the sheer force of their Haki clashed, creating a whirlwind of energy that blew Borsalino and Kuzan away from the battle zone.

The sea itself trembled under the overwhelming pressure, and most of the Marine soldiers on the warships collapsed from the strain of the two Conqueror's Hakis. Only the strongest among them Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals were able to stay conscious, though even they were struggling to move.

On the deck where Claudius stood, Nia was the first to fall, knocked unconscious by the sheer force of Shiki and Sengoku's power. If not for Stussy holding her up, she would've hit the floor. Even Stussy, though far stronger, was clearly suffering under the immense pressure.

Claudius, on the other hand, stood firm. Though he could feel the weight of the Haki pressing down on him like two massive mountains trying to crush him, he refused to buckle. His legs trembled slightly, but his body didn't move.

"I was born noble, above all others. A mere Conqueror's Haki... you think that's enough to overwhelm me?" Claudius whispered to himself, his voice filled with quiet determination. His eyes flashed, and then he spoke louder, with a confidence that shook his very core. "I am the king of the world!!!"

As the words left his mouth, Claudius felt the weight of the pressure lift. What had been suffocating moments before now felt like nothing more than a cool breeze. He straightened up, his movements fluid and relaxed, the pressure from the Conqueror's Haki completely gone.

Frowning slightly, he touched his forehead. "That felt strange... it was like something was about to erupt from within me. Could it be... Conqueror's Haki?"

Unlike Armament and Observation Haki, Conqueror's Haki was something you were born with, a power that came from deep within your soul. You either had it or you didn't—there was no learning it. Claudius had never thought too much about whether he possessed it. He never obsessed over it because, in his mind, Conqueror's was more of a symbolic power than a practical one. It was nice to have, sure, but it wasn't the be-all and end-all of strength.

But now... now it seemed that Claudius did have Conqueror's Haki, and not just a weak version of it. The fact that even the combined pressure from Shiki and Sengoku hadn't been enough to force it out fully... it was clear that Claudius's Haki was on another level entirely.

A grin spread across his face.

With Shiki locked in a stalemate against Sengoku, and Borsalino and Kuzan temporarily out of position, Shiki was fully focused on the Marine Admiral. He wouldn't expect a sneak attack, especially from someone like Claudius, who was still an unknown factor.

"This is my chance," Claudius thought, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Shiki's wide open."

Without hesitation, Claudius drew Shinsō, the shorter of the two swords hanging at his waist. It was fast, lethal, and perfect for the kind of strike he was about to make.

Locking his eyes on Shiki, who was still engaged with Sengoku in the sky, Claudius took a deep breath. "Go... shoot him, Shinsō!"

The short blade shot through the air like a bullet, faster than any musket, and aimed directly at Shiki.

Shiki's senses, honed over years of battle, screamed in warning. His Observation Haki flared, alerting him to the danger just in time. Without thinking, he pulled back, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.

But Claudius's attack wasn't a complete miss. The blade grazed Shiki's cheek, leaving a deep gash that dripped blood down the side of his face. It wasn't enough to kill, but it was a message a clear one.

Shiki retreated, gritting his teeth. His sudden movement had given Sengoku the upper hand, and the pressure of the fight had injured Shiki further, blood now trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He reached up, feeling the deep cut on his cheek, part of his skull exposed from the wound. His gaze shot downward, focusing on Claudius. A young man stood there, tall and confident, with messy blond hair, a dark coat billowing around him. He held a short sword in one hand, a cigar in his mouth, and a smile on his face as if he had all the time in the world.

"It was him," Shiki thought, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't think there were any dangerous people in this fleet. I was careless... that brat nearly skewered me."

Without any hesitation, Shiki drew one of his swords and unleashed a powerful slash toward Claudius, the blade of energy cutting through the air like a lightning strike.

"Saint Claudius!!!" Sengoku shouted, his eyes wide in horror as he realized the danger Claudius was in.

Claudius didn't flinch. As the energy slash tore through the air toward him, he calmly placed his hand on the demon sword, Shindō, hanging from his waist. His eyes narrowed in focus, and with a deep breath, he murmured, "Let's see just how far apart we really are, Golden Lion."

"One-Sword Style... Justice Cross!"

In an instant, Claudius drew Shindō, his Armament Haki coating the blade in a black sheen. His heart raced, the Emperor's engine in his chest pumping out every ounce of potential he had. This strike was everything.

As Shiki's attack reached him, Claudius swung Shindō upward, intercepting the slash. The impact sent a shockwave through his body, his arms trembling under the force. The deck beneath his feet shattered, and his legs sank into the wood, but Claudius didn't break.

"Break!" Claudius roared, his muscles bulging as he pushed back with all his might. In a moment of pure power, he deflected Shiki's slash, sending it careening off into the sky, dissipating harmlessly.

"Haah..." Claudius exhaled deeply, his breath ragged, his body trembling from the sheer force of the clash. His legs remained trapped in the ruined deck, but he had managed to block the strike from one of the most powerful pirates in the world.

"I... actually did it," Claudius muttered, blinking in disbelief as he stared at his trembling hands. His arms felt like they were on the verge of breaking, and his muscles ached in protest, but he had stopped Shiki's attack head-on.

Claudius leaned heavily on Shindō for support, his mind racing. The sheer power he had just faced left him in awe, and for a brief moment, he felt the overwhelming gap between himself and the top figures of the world. But the fire in his heart hadn't dimmed it had only grown stronger.

"So this... is what it's like," Claudius whispered, a wild grin slowly spreading across his face. His heart was pounding with exhilaration, his body aching from the strain, but none of that mattered. He had tasted a fragment of true power, and now he wanted more.

"I want this kind of strength," he said quietly, almost to himself. "No, I need it. This... this is the power that rules the world."