Chapter 157: Reiatsu Fully Released

"This lesson clearly falls on deaf ears," Luo Ning sighed, having made no preparations for Bullet's full power. After all, he only needed to face a regular Bullet, not one forced to unleash his maximum potential.

Furthermore, Bullet's merged Devil Fruit abilities were useless against him. While effective for decimating and clearing out weaker soldiers, such a body actually hindered him in a fight against another powerhouse.

The moment Bullet charged, a surge of powerful Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, brimming with the murderous aura of Shura, the Buddhist demon of slaughter.

Once a Conqueror's Haki reaches a certain level, it manifests a distinct color, similar to Observation Haki. In the later stages, Observation Haki can develop unique abilities like mind reading or glimpses into the near future.

The same applies to Conqueror's Haki. Bullet's Conqueror's reeked of deathly intent. Typically, under the suppression of such Haki, even elite Marines would crumble in fear, haunted by visions of mountains of corpses and bloodbaths.

"Using Conqueror's as a deterrent? You truly underestimate me," Luo Ning declared. His Reiatsu surged forth like a tsunami. Compared to Luo Ning's, Bullet's Conqueror's Haki instantly became a ripple in a still pond, while Luo Ning's was a world-ending tidal wave.

The force of the impact left Bullet flabbergasted.

"This power again, and so much stronger than before! This guy... he's unbeatable!" The Red Count's mind reeled with this horrifying realization. His will to fight shattered under the pressure, his movements becoming sluggish.

Even his fighting spirit was utterly crushed. Under the impact of this Reiatsu, he could barely muster half his strength.

This battle was doomed from the start. Though Bullet continued to fight, his body rebelled. The closer he got to Luo Ning, the more terrifying the Reiatsu's oppression became. At this point, the Reiatsu had almost solidified, exerting a tangible pressure.

Bullet's soul writhed like a ship tossed in a monstrous wave under the Reiatsu's might. His eyes were bloodshot, his teeth clenched so hard they bled, but his body refused to obey. His very soul was screaming a warning - move any further, and it might be obliterated.

This was the strongest Reiatsu Luo Ning could unleash at present, far exceeding the capabilities of this world. Even a powerhouse like Bullet couldn't withstand it. One step forward was a step into the abyss. He had lost all control over his body.

BOOM!

Akin to an explosion, Bullet felt his brain explode, his consciousness dissolving in an instant. He crumpled to the ground, a lifeless heap.

After Bullet's collapse, Luo Ning retracted his Reiatsu. The Red Count, his face slick with cold sweat, was reduced to half-kneeling on the ground. The oppressive force was so immense he couldn't even stand upright. The two other big pirates had already fallen unconscious.

"Red Count," Luo Ning addressed the only remaining conscious fighter. "Do you still wish to fight?"

The Red Count slumped forward, defeated. "Fight? We wouldn't even have a chance to land a blow against a monster like you!" Despair gnawed at him as he looked at his trembling hands. Here he was, once a formidable force at sea, a man who had clashed with Kong himself. If not for his younger brother, he wouldn't even be imprisoned here.

The Red Count had always been a lone wolf, unlike the Yonko with their vast crews. While the individual strength of a Yonko was impressive, their true power came from their combined forces. That's what made them so troublesome, while a solitary fighter like the Red Count was far easier to handle.

"So, you surrender?" Luo Ning clarified.

"Yes," the Red Count admitted bitterly. "There never truly was a chance for victory."

"I offered you an opportunity," Luo Ning said, "but it required you to seize it. Clearly, you weren't able to do so." He shook his head, acknowledging the near-impossible odds he had presented.

"Indeed," the Red Count agreed, his fighting spirit thoroughly crushed. Even at full strength, he wouldn't dare face Luo Ning. Bullet, a powerful pirate in his own right, had been overwhelmed by Luo Ning's mere aura. It was an unfathomable difference in power.

The Red Count's defeat significantly bolstered Luo Ning's free points, finally filling the lottery bar that had been nearly full before.

In other words, Luo Ning had earned another chance to draw a lottery.

As for Bullet and the others, they were hauled back to their cells.

"Five went in, but only four came back? What happened to the other one? Did he die?"

Golden Lion noticed the Red Count and the others being escorted back to their cell, including a still-comatose Bullet and the two other pirates. But one was missing.

He couldn't imagine anyone escaping Luo Ning's grasp. That was pure fantasy.

"Dead," the Red Count said bitterly. "He tried to escape and was obliterated. Luo Ning's strength is beyond our comprehension. We're no match for him."

It was the first time the Red Count had ever spoken of someone's power with such reverence.

"Hahaha! Red Count, are you delusional or just defeated? Can this guy really be that strong?"

The prisoners on the sixth floor were all a little crazy. Seeing the Red Count in such a state, they burst into laughter.

"What do you know?!" the Red Count roared. "I didn't even dare to fight him! Bullet and the others were incapacitated by a pressure similar to Conqueror's Haki!"

The Red Count looked at his trembling hands, his voice laced with a tremor that originated from his very soul. He tried to control his hands, but it was futile.

The moment he spoke those words, however, a hush fell over the room. Everyone knew Bullet's caliber. For Luo Ning to subdue Bullet with mere aura, and intimidate the Red Count into submission, spoke volumes about his power.