Starting as a Roger Pirates Apprentice

Chapter 548: Fearless of Death, The Strongest Conqueror’s Haki Collision!!!

"Don’t...!"

Wapol opened his mouth wide, letting out a small, despairing cry, yet he could only watch helplessly as Keek kicked the wall apart with a single strike.

In an instant, whether it was the scene that was about to erupt in anger along with the Elder, Ace and Sabo who were solemnly preparing to flee, or Cobra who was already half-dead—all of them turned their gaze toward him at the same time.

"I’m finished..."

Wapol rolled his eyes back, snot and tears covering his face as he collapsed to his knees in utter despair.

"After seeing such a huge secret and darkness... there’s no way I can survive, right..."

Despite the cold sweat covering his face, old Keek still walked forward firmly. His thin and hunched figure faced directly toward the Elder and Imu, who represented the highest authority in the world.

Saint Shepherd Ju Peter recognized the visitor at once—it was King Keek, whom they were supposed to receive—and his expression immediately changed.

"King Keek, we have not yet permitted you to enter!!!"

"Imu-sama, this is the king of the Duramos Kingdom, and also Orin’s grandfather."

If possible, whether from the standpoint of the world’s highest authority or for Imu’s sake, they did not want anything to happen to Keek here.

After all, they had personally experienced that Conqueror’s Haki.

Hearing this, Imu looked toward Keek as well, recalling the Conqueror’s Haki that had once startled Him two years ago. A thoughtful look appeared in His eyes.

"The king of this era? Orin..."

...

On the other side, Ace and Sabo were also stunned by old Keek’s sudden appearance.

They knew Keek’s identity, yet could not understand why he had suddenly appeared here.

Because of Orin’s connection—and because the man had once taught his younger brother Luffy—Ace called out kindly:

"Old man!!! This place is extremely dangerous! Escape with us!!!"

"No need..."

Keek looked at the face before him, almost identical to young Roger during the God Valley era. A trace of reminiscence flashed in his eyes.

Then he spoke casually.

"You two go save yourselves. This time, I’ll consider it repaying that bastard Roger’s favor."

"After all, that brat of my family received quite a lot of care and kindness from him back then."

King Cobra coughed up blood. It was obvious he would not survive. Watching King Keek step forward, his heart trembled with shock.

"Put me down. I’m already beyond saving. You can still escape."

Cobra broke free from Sabo’s grasp and fell to the ground.

Sabo and Ace exchanged a glance. Though reluctance appeared on their faces, they still fled toward the outside together.

Wapol followed closely behind them, his short legs running surprisingly fast.

Seeing the two escaping, the Elder were startled and intended to pursue, but old Keek stood directly before them.

"If you want to kill those two children, then step over this old body first."

The old man stood calmly before them, faint traces of his not-so-dense Haki lingering around him.

Watching this scene, Cobra gritted his teeth.

Since he was going to die anyway, it would be better if King Keek escaped.

"Run, King Keek! Those who learn the world’s greatest secret will never be spared!!!"

But Keek ignored him and remained standing firmly in place.

The Elder also stopped moving.

Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro spoke with an ugly expression.

"King Keek, why must it come to this? Orin already knows of Imu-sama’s existence, as well as the secrets of the World Government and the Void Century."

"Cobra will die here, but we will not keep you here."

"What benefit is there for you to throw away your life like this?!!!"

Cobra: ???

Momentarily dumbfounded, he coughed up several more mouthfuls of blood.

Why did he have to die for knowing... while King Keek, who also knew, was simply allowed to leave?

Cobra could not understand. With his body already at its limit, he could only vaguely guess that it might have something to do with Orin.

At this moment, however, Keek’s gaze passed directly beyond the Elder, looking toward the monster standing behind them with complicated emotion in his eyes.

Layer upon layer reflected within his pupils—the incomparably familiar monster.

"No... this isn’t our first meeting. Thinking carefully... it’s already been forty years, hasn’t it?"

The Elder were stunned. Realizing that old Keek was looking at Imu, their brows furrowed.

"Forty years ago? The God Valley Incident?"

"There was indeed intelligence stating that King Keek had once been a member of the Rocks Pirates."

"A survivor?"

Even Imu rarely showed recognition.

"God Valley... a New Davy crew member..."

"Then—what do you intend to do?"

Imu’s layered, godlike gaze looking down upon mortals fell upon old Keek standing before Him.

"What do I intend to do?"

"Well... saying I want to take you all down would probably be unrealistic, right?"

"So... I suppose it’s to preserve the flames of the new era."

He glanced at the fleeing figures of Ace and Sabo, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

"Those are seeds of future monsters. They inherit the will of those who came before. How could I allow them to die here?"

"..."

Hearing this, Imu thought of Joy Boy, thought of Davy Jones—their wills continuing to be passed down.

Anger began to rise within Him.

A terrifying aura erupted, causing the Elder’s expressions to change drastically.

They sensed it clearly—

Imu-sama was truly enraged and intended to kill the man before Him.

At the same time, however, they understood very well the relationship between King Keek and Orin.

If Keek were to die here in the Holy Land, the world order they had painstakingly maintained would collapse instantly.

A massive war sweeping across the entire world might erupt immediately at Mary Geoise!!!

"Imu-sama!!!"

"Please...!!!"

They wanted to persuade Him, yet as puppets completely controlled by Imu, they could not defy His will.

With a single glance from Imu, they all fell silent.

In Imu’s eyes, although Orin was the king of this era, at most he was merely a more troublesome New Davy—another Rocks.

If he dared cross His bottom line, if he clashed with Him over matters involving Davy Jones or Joy Boy, Imu would not hesitate to deal with Orin just as He had eliminated Rocks.

Of course—

if He ever discovered that these Elder had secretly concealed the Joy Boy clone without reporting it, and had even been secretly researching a machine storing Joy Boy’s Conqueror’s Haki—

He would likely have crushed them long ago.

Towering fury condensed into an arrow wrapped in black-red lightning, piercing straight toward old Keek.

Yet the man stood unmoving.

After a brief silence—in the very next moment—a scene that shocked the world occurred—

"CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK—!!!"

That was... the strongest Conqueror’s Haki collision tearing apart the entire sea!!!