Starting as a Roger Pirates Apprentice-Chapter 450: Vergo’s Defeat, Inspiration from Orin

Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Vergo’s Defeat, Inspiration from Orin

"With just your strength, it’s impossible for you to defeat me."

"Clang—"

Pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly wrapped around his fist. Smoker, of course, had no intention of giving up so easily. White mist coiled around him as he roared and charged forward,

"Bang—bang—bang—"

Punch after punch smashed violently into Vergo’s body. The latter stood expressionless in place, doing nothing but wrapping his entire body in Armament Haki.

Smoker’s fists striking him were like scraping with a gua sha board—unable to even break through his defense.

"Ever since I received guidance from Orin-san at the Marineford training camp, I’ve gradually come to understand the true essence of Haki and physical combat."

Facing the jitte wrapped in Armament Haki, the bamboo in Vergo’s hand instantly turned pitch-black as well, steadily blocking in front of him.

"Too slow."

"In battles to the death, my spirit has undergone a transformation. Still don’t understand? Whether it’s Haki or physical techniques, you can’t surpass me. And when a Logia user faces an opponent whose Haki exceeds theirs, elementalization can only turn them into a target."

Unlike Smoker’s soft, powerless punches,

Vergo’s fists, coated in black-purple Armament Haki, delivered real, crushing damage with every blow. Smoker was ultimately no match.

After taking Vergo head-on, he collapsed completely—but he did return the heart to Law.

Brushing the dust off his body and placing his hat back on his head, Law calmly looked at the wildly laughing, arrogant Den Den Mushi.

"Doflamingo, I’ll take down Vergo here. Caesar will be taken down by the Straw Hat Pirates. SAD will be destroyed by me. Even your greatest trump card, Orin-san, won’t interfere in these experiments. So what will you do then?"

"Just keep laughing like this. I doubt you’ll be able to laugh for much longer."

But just as Law said, the sunglasses-wearing face on the Den Den Mushi was still smiling at this moment.

"Do you remember before?"

"What happened after you angered Vergo?"

"Even your slashing abilities—when facing Vergo, who has undergone special training under Orin-san, with that thick, profound Armament Haki—won’t be able to accomplish anything."

Bare-chested, Haki covering his entire body, Vergo displayed the true strength of the Donquixote Pirates’ right-hand man at this moment.

His Armament Haki had been tempered through countless battles to the death.

Law expanded his Room and slashed out with a single strike, but the imagined scene of a clean cut in two did not appear.

Instead, the blade was firmly blocked by Vergo.

Vergo spun and kicked out, instantly making Law feel as if his internal organs were shifting out of place.

"Pwah..."

Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Law’s expression turned ugly.

"Even among Vice Admirals, there probably aren’t many with Haki like this..." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Is this the true value of the ’Golden Generation Vice Admirals’ cultivated by Orin-san?"

Within the Marines, aside from Garp, there was a group of Vice Admirals whose combat strength clearly surpassed that of ordinary Vice Admirals by a noticeable margin.

They were those who had once been guided by Orin—or rather, personally "drilled" by him multiple times.

Unlike ordinary Marines like Smoker, whose Haki was drawn out through training, their Haki strictly followed Orin’s teachings, evolving through slaughter and trials of life and death.

They were known as the [Golden Generation Vice Admirals].

"Since you understand the kind of figure standing behind us, it’s about time you gave up your fantasies."

Vergo’s explosively powerful body advanced toward Law, a bamboo stick in hand.

It wasn’t only because of Doflamingo. Vergo himself deeply admired Orin and clearly understood that he represented the pinnacle of Haki.

And just as Vergo believed victory was firmly in his grasp, Law wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a curve forming at his lips.

"However..."

"You’re not the only one who learned something from Orin-san, Vergo."

[Room·Warp-Warp·Don’t Move]

"What?!"

The instant he heard those words, Vergo’s heart jolted, and at the same time he felt his movements slow.

He wanted to advance, but couldn’t move forward at all.

"How is this possible?!"

The familiar name, coupled with the familiar effect of the ability, caused the Orin-savvy Vergo to lose his composure.

"The outcome has already been decided, Vergo."

Unlike Orin’s pitch-black spatial teleportation power, the Room ability of the Op-Op Fruit transformed into blue electric light, coiling around Law’s sword.

In the brief moment of Vergo’s stunned hesitation, the blade cut straight toward his abdomen.

Cut in two!!!

Once a physical-combat expert is dismembered, their strength drops drastically. Vergo completely lost the ability to fight back.

After several slashes, unlike before when it had been effortless, Law was now gasping for breath, as if on the verge of collapse.

"You lost, pirate Vergo."

Hung on the railing, with only a complete head left, Vergo looked at the departing Law.

"This won’t end so simply, Law. You’ll eventually witness how terrifying Doffy truly is—let alone the man standing behind us. Struggle with all your might, Law..."

Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, his head was split in two by Law.

In the distance, the Den Den Mushi no longer continued its "fufufu" laughter. Instead, the corners of its mouth drooped, its expression calm and flat, filled with anger and genuine emotion.

"Sorry, my friend..."

When facing his family, Doflamingo showed a rare sincerity.

But someone like him was destined to be willing to use any means necessary to achieve his goals.

Even so, this sorrowful feeling was completely genuine.

"I spent the longest time with you. Up until today... you really worked hard."

With his head hanging on the railing, Vergo heard these words.

On that eternally cold, expressionless face, a faint smile appeared.

Within the Donquixote camp,

Vergo was gone...

...

"Heh, what a truly splendid match~"

"Tap—"

"Tap—"

A series of footsteps echoed through the partially collapsed battlefield. After Law’s final strike, the factory was already on the verge of collapse,

yet with the snap of a finger, it became eerily silent.

Vergo’s two halves of a head were casually put back together by Orin, and the distant Den Den Mushi had long since been disconnected.

"That was a wonderful Armament Haki battle—every punch landing solidly."

With only his head left hanging on the railing, Vergo looked at Orin’s figure, a trace of emotion surfacing.

"I’ve disappointed you, Orin-san."

But Orin waved his hand indifferently.

"There’s nothing to be disappointed about, Vergo. Failure is something that happens all the time in this world."

"I watched that fight. You didn’t lose unfairly..."

For someone like Vergo—a loyal, iron-blooded man with the qualities of a right-hand man and a Haki expert—Orin still held a fair amount of respect.

"That kid Law probably drew inspiration from my abilities and used psychological tactics, combined with some power from his Devil Fruit awakening."