"Marine brat, you dare beat my children so badly—do you have any idea what comes next?"
Whitebeard's voice thundered with fury. His children, battered and broken, lay at his feet. As their father, how could he possibly let this stand?
The Moby Dick loomed closer, its massive hull casting a shadow over the battlefield. A giant figure, naginata in hand, leapt from the deck and landed beside Marco, Jozu, and Vista.
"Pops, we…" Jozu's voice trembled with shame. Vista's eyes flickered with hope as he looked up at Whitebeard.
They'd charged in, confident they could stop Kai. Instead, they'd been crushed, forcing their father to step in. The sting of their own failure burned deeper than any resentment toward Kai.
Whitebeard knelt, setting aside his naginata and checking Marco's pulse. Satisfied that Marco was only unconscious, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He turned to Jozu and Vista. "Jozu, get Vista and Marco back to the ship for treatment. Leave the rest to me."
"Understood, Pops!"
Jozu's body flashed diamond once more, halting his bleeding. He hefted Marco over one shoulder, supported Vista with the other, and returned to the Moby Dick.
Only then did Whitebeard fix his gaze on Kai, his expression grave. Marco's strength was Admiral-level, and Jozu and Vista could hold their own against Admirals for a time. Yet this young Marine had defeated all three—without so much as a scratch.
Strength like that wasn't inferior to legends like Garp or Sengoku.
Kai deserved his full attention.
"'Emperor' Whitebeard—Edward Newgate, the man called 'The World's Strongest.' Finally, I get to meet you face to face."
Kai's words sounded respectful, but his tone was flat—like he was discussing the weather.
Whitebeard caught the indifference. He didn't usually care about such things, but at his level, reputation mattered. He snorted, "Hmph! Brat, I was ruling these seas while you were still in diapers!"
Kai didn't rise to the bait. His reply was calm, almost dismissive: "So you're just a relic of the past… This era has no place for you anymore… Whitebeard!"
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed, anger flaring. "Hmph! Sharp-tongued brat. Let me show you what a relic can do!"
He spun his naginata, then swung it straight at Kai.
Kai's eyes blazed with battle spirit. He switched Ryūjin Jakka to a two-handed grip, meeting Whitebeard's attack head-on.
Steel clashed—Ryūjin Jakka against Whitebeard's naginata.
Whitebeard's weapon wasn't one of the twelve Supreme Grade swords, but in terms of durability, few blades could compare. It had to withstand Whitebeard's monstrous strength and the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—its toughness was legendary.
A tidal wave of force crashed through Ryūjin Jakka, and Kai's expression sharpened. He'd thought he was prepared for Whitebeard, but he'd underestimated him.
Such terrifying power!
It was on par with his own.
No wonder they called him a monster. Even without his Devil Fruit, Whitebeard was a true Emperor.
But unknown to Kai, Whitebeard was even more shocked.
He hadn't held back—he'd poured his full strength into that swing. He knew his own power better than anyone; even the strongest giants couldn't compare. He could split mountains and shatter stone.
Yet this Marine kid blocked him. Head-on.
How? Was he secretly a giant?
Ridiculous!
The two forces collided, their auras erupting outward. The sky itself split open—a massive black fissure tearing through the clouds.
"Look… look at the sky—it's splitting!"
"That's insane!"
"How is that Marine kid holding his own against Pops?!"
The pirates aboard the Moby Dick were stunned. Someone was matching their father in raw strength.
Jozu and Vista, freshly bandaged, stared in disbelief at the clash.
…
Kai and Whitebeard held each other's gaze, locked in a stalemate. Both understood: this was just a test, and neither had gained the upper hand.
They broke apart, leaping back to put dozens of meters between them.
"Whitebeard, let's find a new battlefield. My warship won't survive much more of this," Kai said, eyeing the Emperor.
"Hmph!" Whitebeard snorted, but didn't argue. He knew exactly what kind of destruction their fight would bring.
And as a Devil Fruit user, fighting at sea was always a risk.
Six Powers: Moonwalk—Sky Step!
Kai shot into the air, using his advanced Moonwalk technique, heading for a deserted island his Observation Haki had detected.
Whitebeard followed, naginata in hand, using Moonwalk to keep pace.
Kai wasn't surprised. For a monster like Whitebeard, not knowing the Six Powers would be the real shock.
The moment they touched down on the island, Whitebeard launched a heavy punch at Kai.
Space itself shattered around them.
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