"As long as they've boarded my ship, no matter how stupid or how evil they are, they're still my sons! Teaching them the meaning of 'benevolence and righteousness' is my responsibility as their old man. Got that, you idiot?
"If you want to lecture me, come back in another hundred years!"
As soon as he finished, Whitebeard hurled the sake gourd back. Shanks casually tilted his head and let it whip past.
Shanks didn't answer. He simply picked up the huge sake bowl and drained it in one go, then set it down, stood up, and drew his famed blade Gryphon. His aura exploded, and a terrifying pressure swept in all directions.
"Then nobody gets to stop anything. Let this era rampage completely out of control!"
"Child's play. I'm Whitebeard!"
Whitebeard ripped the IV tubes from his body and reached to the side for his naginata.
In the next instant, the two of them gripped their weapons and slashed at each other.
Boom!
Because they both controlled their power, all of the force went upward, so the Moby Dick didn't suffer any colossal damage.
But the entire ship still shook violently. Many of Whitebeard's officers could not only sense the terrifying aftermath of that clash—they could see the clouds in the sky being split apart.
A heavy band of storm clouds that stretched for hundreds of miles was cut cleanly in two at that moment and could not close back up for a long while.
"No, it's not just the clouds—it's the sky itself!"
Someone quickly noticed something was wrong and couldn't help shouting it out.
Everyone else looked up in the direction of his voice, and sure enough—there in the heavens was a deep crack. Thick masses of cloud churned wildly, rushing toward it, and that fissure was like the gaping maw of some abyssal beast, devouring the clouds without end as if it could never be filled.
"Is Pops going at it with Red?"
"Is he fighting Red-Hair… or Creed?!"
"Damn it, they were just having a good drink together a second ago!"
"Should we go over and help?!"
"Yeah! With Pops' body in this condition, he might not be able to beat that bastard Red-Hair!"
Some of the officers outside the Moby Dick started to get anxious.
In the past, they would have had nothing to worry about. But now their old man was this sick, and there was a real chance he wouldn't be a match for Shanks.
Everyone knew Shanks's reputation in recent years was no joke. In all the battles he'd fought, big and small—aside from his clashes with the other three Emperors—he had never lost once.
Otherwise, with his youth and short resume, how could he possibly sit firmly on the throne of a Yonko?
Shanks was every bit as strong as the other three Emperors.
"Don't worry. Red-Hair isn't some hot-blooded, brainless idiot."
Marco raised his voice at this moment, stopping the others from getting worked up.
On the deck of the Moby Dick—
Right then—
Whitebeard and Shanks both froze, stunned. "What?!"
In that explosive exchange of blows, both of them had been sure their blades had met each other's. But at some unknown point, Creed had already appeared between them, blocking their thunderous strikes with one hand and one sword.
It was Creed who, in the blink of an eye, had stopped their clash.
One against two.
And judging from the easy smile on his face, he didn't even seem to be struggling.
"Creed, brat, this has nothing to do with you!"
Whitebeard did not look pleased.
"Creed, what are you doing?"
Shanks was also a bit unhappy.
Strictly speaking, this was between him and Whitebeard.
Besides, that clash had just been a declaration that negotiations had broken down. It wasn't meant to signal an all–out war.
"I don't mean anything else by it. But looking at how things stand right now… you two letting your talks fall apart like this is not a good thing."
Creed replied with a smile.
Shanks and Whitebeard quickly pulled back their weapons, giving Creed some face.
"Ace has already gone after Teach. No matter what you say, it won't change anything. Please, go back."
Whitebeard put away his naginata and sat down again, resuming his drinking.
Creed smiled and didn't leave. Instead, he went on, "The Marines are gathering all their strength, trying to wipe the New World clean in one stroke. Shouldn't we have more to talk about than just Ace?"
Faced with Marine pressure, Creed's attitude was simple: the more power he could gather, the better. If he could form an alliance with Whitebeard and Red-Hair, then there was no question—the Marines' big operation this time would find it hard to even stir up a decent wave.
However, Shanks refused almost immediately.
"Sorry. I'm not interested in alliances. Farewell."
With that, he sprang off the Moby Dick and left, cloak billowing behind him.
He left very decisively.
Creed watched his receding back, eyes narrowing slightly.
He knew that Red-Hair had ties to the Five Elders and the World Government.
So this kind of choice was perfectly normal for Shanks.
It was highly likely that the Marines' grand operation this time would never even touch him, so he had no need to step forward at all.
"Gurararara… Since when has Newgate ever needed an alliance? Creed, brat, you can go back too."
Whitebeard laughed heartily.
Since Creed wasn't here specifically for Ace, he had nothing else to say.
All his life, he had ruled the New World and forged the glorious legend of the Whitebeard Era, relying only on his own strength. Form an alliance? That would only tarnish his name.
If he needed to cling to others just to weather the storm, then he'd no longer be worthy of the words "Whitebeard Era."
Every sea–ruling overlord in history, when they reached the end of their road, had chosen to fall in a blaze of glory. None of them would ever bow their heads and drag out a disgraceful existence.
"All right then, suit yourselves."
Seeing this, Creed couldn't push the matter any further.
On the surface, his expression didn't look too good, but inwardly he was delighted. This trip hadn't just gotten him Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability—it had also earned him Shanks's Gryphon sword intent.
Two birds with one stone.
Back on the speedboat, Ain saw the joy written all over his face and couldn't help asking, "Did you see Ace?"
On the way here, Creed had told her this trip was for Ace's sake.
Creed shook his head, leaving her a bit confused.
"Let's have some fun for a couple of days before we go back. You plan the route."
Creed stretched lazily and walked into the cabin.
He needed to sort out the Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability and see what level Shanks's Gryphon sword intent had reached.
After that, he was going to use that Devil Fruit Ability Awakening Card and awaken the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was one of the strongest Paramecia–type fruits, said to possess the power to destroy the world, with an enormous attack range—and right now, Creed needed exactly that.
So there was no doubt: using the Awakening Card on it was the best choice.
In other words, Creed had finally patched up his biggest shortcoming.
"Thanks, Whitebeard."
Creed sighed inwardly.
After meditating and studying in the cabin for nearly a day, Creed finally mastered the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's ability completely.
He extended his right hand and clenched it into a fist. As his will moved—
Boom.
A deep rumble rang out, and a ring of pale light wrapped around his fist.
Within that ring of light, countless layers of vibrations were surging and stacking over one another—an inexhaustible power roiled inside it.
(End of Chapter)
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