The center of the battlefield was a scene of defeat.
Jinbe lay sprawled on the ground, his right arm twisted at a sickening angle, the result of throwing a powerful punch. Standing over him was Roya, his own fist dripping with blood, a testament to the brutal exchange.
The fight was over.
"Jinbe lost to Black Hair!" someone shouted, the words hanging in the air.
The warriors from both sides stared, stunned. How could a Warlord of the Sea, a figure hand-picked by the World Government, second in reputation only to the fearsome Emperors, fall like this? They were supposed to be on par with Admirals, forces of nature in their own right!
"Damn, that's gotta sting," Roya muttered, flexing his injured arm. He turned, heading back toward the Marine camp.
The "Demon King Gun" - his signature move, a deadly fusion of all his skills - was the key. It wasn't about brute force; it was a focused shockwave of power and Haki, piercing through defenses and tearing apart the enemy from the inside.
It 's all about that penetrating Haki! he thought.
The moment their fists connected, Roya's attack disrupted the flow of Jinbe's water-infused Haki, shattering his defenses.
After that, it was a simple clash of strength against strength.
Even with his monstrous power and Haki, bolstered by the surrounding water, Jinbe couldn't stop Roya's devastating penetration.
As Roya returned to his side, Lu Yun rushed forward, medical kit in hand. "Senior, let me stitch you up!"
"Thanks," Roya replied, raising his mangled arm. His muscles and blood vessels were a shredded mess.
Silence fell over the island, broken only by the cries of gulls overhead.
The Sun Pirates quickly scooped up Jinbe, carrying him away for urgent treatment. If they didn't act fast, he might lose the arm completely.
"Every bone is shattered!" Aladdin exclaimed, his voice filled with horror.
Jinbe's right arm was utterly destroyed. Each bone was splintered, every muscle fiber torn to shreds. If this were an ordinary man, his arm would be gone, simply vaporized.
"Jinbe, how are you feeling?"
"Cough… I'm fine," Jinbe replied, his voice weak. He stared blankly at the sky. Now that his rage and hatred had been spent, he felt empty, hollow.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the emptiness in his heart.
"Hey! Something's coming!" a shout rang out.
A massive shadow loomed over them, growing larger with each passing second.
They looked up, their hearts leaping into their throats. A giant, whale-shaped warship emerged from the fog, the towering figure standing at its bow causing their blood to run cold.
It was the Moby Dick.
The Whitebeard Pirates had arrived!
"Whoosh!"
A blue figure shot from the ship, wings of shimmering flame propelling him through the air, landing gracefully in front of the Sun Pirates.
"Yo, Jinbe! Looks like you got yourself beat up pretty bad!"
"Marco," Jinbe said, forcing a strained smile.
"Sorry, I couldn't--"
"We didn't ask for your help, but we appreciate the thought," Marco cut him off, waving his hands dismissively. Jinbe had taken the initiative, fighting their enemy on their behalf. They were grateful; why would they let him apologize?
"Aladdin, leave Jinbe to me," Marco said, gesturing for him to step aside. He summoned his Rebirth Flames, bathing Jinbe's ruined arm in their healing light. Injuries that seemed impossible to mend began to vanish, shattered bones knitting themselves back together.
"We saw the whole thing. That Black Hair is strong!"
They had arrived some time ago but chose to stay out of the duel, respecting the one-on-one fight.
Interfering in a fight was a terrible thing, after all.
On the Moby Dick, at the bow...
"Gura rā ra!"
Whitebeard stepped forward, his booming laughter shaking the very air. He slammed his naginata heavily on the deck, the resulting shockwave instantly dispersing the remaining fog and revealing the full might of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Who is it that wants to take my head?!"
"It's me!" Ace shouted, jumping forward without hesitation.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
On the bow, Whitebeard's Captains were itching for a fight.
"Pops, leave this dangerous rookie to us!"
"You just need to watch from here."
"I'll take him on! Don't steal my fight!"
Each Captain clamored for a chance to prove themselves. Pirates, after all, lived for the thrill of battle, especially against someone strong.
"Fire Fist" might be a rookie, but he was no ordinary one. Rumor had it he was incredibly powerful, a Logia user with fearsome abilities.
A rare opponent indeed!
"Gura rā ra! You snot-nosed brats, Fire Fist is challenging me. You guys keep an eye on the Marines and don't let them cause any trouble."
Whitebeard chuckled, then leaped from his ship, landing heavily in front of the Spade Pirates.
The Spade Pirates paled in horror.
Just looking at Whitebeard sent waves of fear through them. They felt, irrationally, that they could die simply by breathing.
This is completely different from anyone we've ever faced!
Whitebeard grinned.
"Gura rā ra! I'll grant your wish and be your opponent. Just me is enough to deal with you kids. Come at me all at once!"
"Your opponent is me!" Ace declared, trembling with excitement. He waved his subordinates back.
"All of you, get back!"
His crew hesitated, worry etched on their faces, but they obeyed, retreating to a safe distance. They knew they couldn't interfere in what was about to happen.
"Flame Net!"
Ace threw his arms wide, unleashing a torrent of flames that rapidly expanded, forming a blazing arena around him and Whitebeard!
Whitebeard stood his ground, letting Ace set the stage.
He wouldn't bother making the first move against a kid, but he admired the boy's courage in issuing a direct challenge.
His courage is commendable!
"Ready?" Whitebeard asked.
"I've been waiting!" Ace retorted.
Ace ran forward, leaping into the air and slamming his burning fist towards Whitebeard.
"Fire Fist!"
"That's quite the blaze," Whitebeard said, still standing still. He took a deep breath and when the flames approached, he unleashed a powerful exhale, blowing the air from his lungs like a cannon blast.
"Hu!"
The intense gust of air was like a raging storm, forcing back the incoming Fire Fist and sending Ace tumbling through the air.
"He's using an exhale?!"
Disbelief etched itself across Ace's face.
The next second, the flames engulfed him.
"Boom!!!"
A huge burst of fire exploded into the sky!
"That old man is terrifying," Roya muttered in the distance, watching the fight between Whitebeard and Ace. A chill ran down his spine.
In his current state, nobody can shake my position as the strongest. Even an Admiral would have to retreat.
"Senior!" Lu Yun called out softly.
"Yeah, I know," Roya replied, averting his gaze and looking ahead.
The Captains of the Whitebeard Pirates were closing in, their faces grim, their intentions clear.
"Marines! This is the New World, and you're not welcome here!"
"The Marines don't need pirates telling us what to do!" Roya snarled, drawing his sword.
"Marines, prepare for battle!"
"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" The Marines roared in response, eager for the fight to come.
*
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[T/N:
Final Total Power Stone Collection : 467 PS
Goal : Reach +50 Total PS = +2 Bonus Chapters next day! 🚀
This and the next Chapter are bonus chapters for today's release
Want to support my work and get early access to chapters? Check out my Patreon! 👇
➡️ patreon.com/Boundless_Beacon
]