In the minds of many, Whitebeard was never old.
He was still the world's strongest man—the one who could crush any Marine with a single swing of his great blade.
But they had forgotten an old saying:
"The waves of the Yangtze push the waves before them. The front waves crash upon the shore and are left to die."
Who in this world can forever sit upon the throne of "the strongest"?
Even the Pirate King eventually died.
So how could the "world's strongest man" remain untouchable forever?
When Kronos stopped holding back and unleashed his full power, the outcome was sealed from that very moment.
Whitebeard's defeat was inevitable.
From the very beginning, this clash of Conqueror's Haki had already been decided.
No matter how he fought, Whitebeard could not overcome Kronos.
And then—the air split.
Whitebeard's massive body was hurled backward, flung violently across the battlefield!
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed into a wall, leaving rubble and dust in his wake.
As the smoke cleared, everyone could see it clearly:
The once-proud figure of the "Strongest Man in the World" lay battered and broken, looking for all the world like a beaten stray dog.
The Whitebeard Pirates stared in horror, their hearts twisting with shock and dread.
"F-Father…"
But Whitebeard was not yet finished.
Gritting his teeth, blood staining his lips, he forced himself upright once more. Like a lion refusing to yield, he stood tall, his unshakable will radiating out for all to see.
That single act seemed to roar into the hearts of his crew:
Whitebeard had not been defeated. He would continue to fight.
Kronos, however, only narrowed his eyes.
"Still forcing yourself to stand?" he said calmly. "After our last clash, you already know in your heart—you are not my opponent. Why waste time?"
He extended his hand dismissively.
"Just surrender. There's no shame in losing to me."
From the distance, the crew of the Kamui Pirates erupted into mocking laughter.
Albedo placed her hands on her hips and jeered loudly:
"You're nothing but an old relic trying to play at being young again. If I were you, I'd have thrown myself into the sea already—better that than being laughed at by the world!"
Pain spoke next, his tone as cold and flat as ever:
"To me, you, Roger, Golden Lion… you're all just fossils. Antiques discarded by time. Your defeat was inevitable."
Even the trainee crew members joined in, sneering cruelly at Whitebeard's condition.
One after another, they mocked.
One after another, they trampled on the fallen giant.
Yet Whitebeard did not get angry.
Instead… he laughed.
"…Kronos."
"I have to admit it."
His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"At this moment, I can't match you."
But then his tone shifted, growing colder, sharper, filled with unshakable resolve.
"Even so, there are battles that must be fought.
Even if it costs me my life, I will stand against you… for the sake of my beloved sons!"
Those words struck deep into the hearts of the Whitebeard Pirates, who were already fighting desperately on the battlefield.
They realized then—Whitebeard could have escaped if he wished.
But he had not.
Instead, for their sake, he chose to stand.
To fight against the peerless, monstrous force that was Kronos.
Some of them felt their eyes burn with tears. Others felt only guilt, hating their own weakness for forcing Whitebeard into this desperate struggle.
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