The strength displayed by Marine Godfather Rowan was simply too great. It had surpassed everyone's wildest imagination.
Many pirates felt a chill run down their spines as they looked at the old man. Rowan belonged to the Marine camp; if a man like that set his sights on them... they didn't even dare to imagine the consequences!
"Gurarara! As expected of Mr. Rowan. That was truly a magnificent duel."
Suddenly, a boisterous, sonorous voice erupted from the massive crowd of onlookers. Everyone froze, startled by the sheer weight of the voice. They turned their heads toward the source.
A colossal pirate ship, shaped like a gargantuan white whale, slowly sailed into everyone's field of vision. At the sight of this ship, every person present involuntarily swallowed hard, their eyes widening in terror.
Gulp... "That ship's design..." "It couldn't be..." "There's no mistake. It's that man's vessel..." "The Yonko Whitebeard's ship—the Moby Dick!"
Under the terrified gazes of the crowd, a man gradually stepped into view. He was bare-chested and exceptionally muscular, with several jagged, legendary scars across his torso. Draped over his shoulders was a massive captain's coat, white on the outside and red on the inside. In his hand, he gripped a gargantuan naginata that radiated a cold, spine-chilling light.
But what drew the most attention was the crescent-shaped white mustache beneath his nose.
The moment this man appeared, an oppressive, heavy atmosphere settled over the sea. Just by standing there, he made everyone feel a primal sense of suffocation!
"The World's Strongest Man..." "The Great Pirate from Roger's era..." "The Emperor of the Sea, Whitebeard... Edward Newgate!" "Why is he here?!"
Disbelief flickered in the eyes of the onlookers. Whitebeard, however, ignored the horrified stares. He offered a calm, booming laugh as he looked toward Rowan on the island.
"Gurararara! Mr. Rowan, would you be so kind as to return my son to me?"
"Whitebeard... is here for Rowan?" "Son?" "Look! Isn't that 'Fire Fist' Ace on the warship? The one who just joined the Whitebeard Pirates as the Second Division Commander?!" "So he was captured by the Marines. No wonder Whitebeard came personally." "They say Whitebeard is the most protective of his own. What will the Navy do now?" "Will the two sides... start a war?" "Yonko Whitebeard versus Marine Godfather Rowan... who is stronger?"
Although Whitebeard's sheer presence was enough to crush the spirit of the lesser pirates, his words made it clear he wasn't there for the small fry. The crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief and shifted their focus to the warship and the island, whispering fervently.
"Pops..."
Aboard the warship, Ace looked at the domineering figure of Whitebeard on the Moby Dick. His face held no joy, only panic. He never expected "Pops" to rush all the way from his territory just for him.
Ace desperately wanted to avoid any conflict between Whitebeard and Rowan. In his heart, both these old men were closer to him than actual blood relatives. Yet, they stood on opposite sides of the law! One was a Marine legend; the other was a pirate who had dominated two eras. If they clashed because of him, Ace would be consumed by guilt.
"Ace! We've come to get you!" "Ace! Don't worry, the Whitebeard Pirates never abandon a family member!" "Don't panic, Ace! We're all here!"
One after another, voices rang out from the Moby Dick as legendary figures stepped up beside Whitebeard.
"That's... Third Division Commander, 'Diamond' Jozu?!" "And Fourth Division Commander, Thatch!" "Fifth Division Commander, 'Flower Sword' Vista is here too!" "Sixth Division Commander..."
As these world-renowned names appeared, the spectators felt their scalps go numb. Except for First Division Commander Marco, every single commander was present!
Some sharp-eyed observers noticed another Whitebeard vessel anchored on the opposite side of Dachik Island. Marco was standing atop its mast. Including Ace on the warship, the entire Whitebeard Pirates crew had assembled!
With Whitebeard himself leading them, this was a force that even the Marine Headquarters would have to face with total mobilization. How would Marine Godfather Rowan respond?
Aboard the warship, Vice Admiral Momonga felt a cold sweat soaking his back. This was exactly why the Headquarters had been so hesitant to move against Ace. Whitebeard was simply too terrifying—so terrifying that the Navy would never choose to face him head-on without massive preparation.
If Whitebeard were questioning him, Momonga would likely have handed Ace over immediately to avoid a full-scale war. Especially with so many other pirates watching—including another Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks. While pirates usually hated each other, the Navy was their common enemy. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Momonga didn't want to imagine what would happen if the pirates present joined forces. But the decision wasn't his; it was Rowan's. He gripped his sword hilt with trembling hands and looked toward the island.
"Your son?"
Rowan met Whitebeard's gaze, his expression entirely unperturbed. He even unclipped the flask from his waist and took a long, satisfying swig of spirits before laughing.
"Whitebeard-brat, what if the Old Man says... no?"
No?!Whitebeard-brat?!
At Rowan's reply, the entire sea fell into a stupor. Everyone stared at Rowan in absolute shock.
Hey! Even if you are a Marine legend and just took the title of World's Greatest Swordsman, do you know who you're talking to? This is the overlord of the sea for two generations! Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku wouldn't dare be this confrontational!
That was what many thought, but then they looked at the horizon—at the sky and sea still physically severed by Rowan's last strike. If these two titans went to war, no one could truly predict who would emerge as the victor.
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