Just as the Moby Dick was trying to pull away Jozu, still trapped on the island, already felt like dying.
Too hot! Even with his entire body transformed into diamond after maintaining that form throughout an entire night his stamina was beginning to run out.
But the moment he considered canceling his Diamond transformation the temperature was so terrifying it could roast a person alive in an instant. He had no choice but to continue burning through his stamina to maintain it.
"Huff, huff..."
Standing on ground that had long since been reduced to charcoal and ash Whitebeard Newgate glanced at the sea of flames around him, then at the long blade in Rowan's hand radiating terrifying heat.
If this continues, this battlefield created by the extreme temperature won't do.
Thinking that Newgate suddenly swung Murakumogiri. Crack! An enormous stretch of space shattered.
The island, already broken into seven separate pieces, began shaking violently once again.
Within the range of his Observation Haki Rowan suddenly turned, looking into the distance.
"AAAAAHHHH!!"
Amid terrified screams a massive pirate ship was lifted by a towering tidal wave. Jozu was swept up with it.
"Ha!"
Murakumogiri swept through the air. Wrapped in Haki the enormous wave was split cleanly in half. That single slash sent the Moby Dick safely to the opposite side of the island.
"Crash..."
The seawater poured down like an immense waterfall. Most of the flames were extinguished. Steam filled the sky.
Although the surroundings became even hotter the suffocating dryness that had seemed to suck every drop of moisture from the air was finally gone.
"Brat." Whitebeard's expression became even more excited. "Now I'm going to get serious."
His great blade swept horizontally. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power scattered the flames. The resulting shockwave sent Rowan flying backward.
Yet before Rowan could even land Newgate had already appeared directly in front of him. Murakumogiri fell once more.
BOOM! Crack!
A vast expanse of space shattered again. The violent vibrations forced Rowan backward once more.
Compared to Kaido who had yet to become one of the Four Emperors, the Whitebeard of this era still in the prime of his youth was on an entirely different level.
"Brat! Your Haki is still far too lacking!"
Within Rowan's Observation Haki Murakumogiri descended from above once again. Crack! The sound of shattering echoed like a curse.
The island, already divided into seven fragments, finally split apart completely.
"If this is all you've got it's nowhere near enough, brat!" Newgate threw a punch. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power knocked Ryujin Jakka aside. The fist continued forward, crashing directly into Rowan's head.
Crack! BOOM!!
His body was smashed deep into the charred ground. Had it not been for the unbelievable hardness of his bones that single punch might have knocked Rowan unconscious on the spot.
"AAAAAHHHH!!" With an enraged roar flames spiraled upward like an enormous tornado. Rowan burst back into the sky.
After fighting throughout the entire night he was also gradually learning to fully master the power of Ryujin Jakka's Shikai.
Shoen! Rising Flame. With a horizontal slash an inferno so intense it seemed capable of scorching the heavens themselves swept into the sky.
Like a colossal firestorm it engulfed Whitebeard Newgate completely.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
The blazing inferno exploded. The terrifying heat instantly evaporated all the seawater that had just crashed down.
The shattered fragments of the island bobbed up and down like tiny boats. The entire sea was engulfed in scorching steam.
"Gurararara. Now that's more like it, brat!"
Whitebeard's booming laughter echoed from within the towering inferno. The sound of space shattering continued to explode without pause.
Shoen. An explosive blaze that would never extinguish until it burned its target to ashes. Yet now it was being sliced apart by Whitebeard's power to shatter space itself.
Within the flames, a towering figure, his body blackened in several places from the heat, burst forth. Murakumogiri, wrapped in the rippling aura of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and crackling black lightning, came crashing down from above.
Rowan's expression also became solemn. Conqueror's Haki surged. Ryūjin Jakka erupted with flames even hotter than before.
"Then come!!!"
With a furious roar, Murakumogiri and Ryūjin Jakka collided once again. The inferno exploded. Flames that engulfed the entire sky swallowed Whitebeard whole.
Yet the vibrations swept through them, tearing the fire apart.
"Brat, you're still too green!"
BOOM! Conqueror's Haki erupted again. Amid crackling black lightning, Rowan strained against Whitebeard's overwhelming strength.
The broken remnants of the island, resembling a tiny ship, were forced downward into the sea.
"You old man, who only looks after yourself, this is no longer your era! Whitebeard Newgate!"
With that thunderous roar, Rowan gripped Ryūjin Jakka with both hands. He knocked Murakumogiri aside. Then he brought the blade crashing downward.
"Scorching Hell!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM.
In an instant, nine colossal pillars of fire shot into the heavens. They completely surrounded Whitebeard Newgate. Terrifying explosions of heat erupted continuously. The entire deserted island was reduced to ash.
Even the fragments that Whitebeard had shattered apart earlier were burned away by the nine towering pillars of flame.
The sea itself seemed to have developed a gigantic hollow of fire. The seawater evaporated instantly. The speed at which the ocean rushed back couldn't keep up with the speed at which it was being vaporized.
The towering flames looked as though they had pierced the heavens themselves.
"Pops!!"
Aboard the desperately retreating Moby Dick, every member of the crew stared anxiously at the pillar of flames reaching into the sky. Yet not a single one of them dared stop working.
By now every new recruit aboard the Whitebeard Pirates had collapsed unconscious. Their bodies had lost so much moisture that they were already in serious danger.
All of them had been thrown below deck. Even the division commanders were using every ounce of strength to keep the ship from being swallowed by the battle.
Meanwhile, as the surrounding seawater evaporated, then surged back toward the battlefield, they desperately struggled with the helm, trying to escape the returning currents.
"How can that guy be this strong?"
"Pops, what are you standing around for?!"
Marco leapt over and smacked Jozu on the head. During the enormous tidal wave earlier, that big fool had finally shown a little sense by grabbing onto the mast, allowing himself to make it back alive.
Otherwise, just as Satch had joked, they'd soon have to dive into the sea to retrieve a fully cooked Jozu.
"Raise the sails already! Do you want all of us to get dragged in?!"
"I can fly! Can you?!"
Jozu immediately flared up, pointing toward the towering pillar of fire that seemed to pierce the heavens.
"But Pops"
Marco hurriedly grabbed the rope Jozu had just let go.
"If I ever end up paired with you again, I'll be the real idiot!"
"You know how strong Pops is! Raise the sails, you moron!"
Hearing that, Jozu hurriedly resumed helping. Yet even as the ship rocked violently, his eyes never left those towering pillars of flame.
Within the raging inferno, the explosions never ceased. But even this wasn't Scorching Hell's greatest power.
Ordinarily the blazing pillars would number in the dozens. Enough to erase a small island in a single instant.
Once they completely surrounded the enemy, they would then converge together before detonating all of their power at the exact same moment. That was the true, ultimate form of Scorching Hell.
However, Rowan's mastery of Ryūjin Jakka's Shikai was still incomplete. At present he could only create nine towering pillars of flame. And he still couldn't fuse them together into a simultaneous detonation.
Bang! Bang! Bang. The entire island had already been reduced to ashes. At this moment, Rowan could only remain airborne with Moonwalk, his eyes locked on the Scorching Hell that was finally beginning to fade.
"Gurararara."
The familiar booming laughter rang out once more. Whitebeard Newgate, his chest, back, and shoulders scorched black, swung Murakumogiri.
Crack! Boom! Crack. Space shattered again and again like broken glass. The towering pillars of fire could evaporate the sea itself, yet they were still being smashed apart by that overwhelming power.
Towering waves surged into existence. In the distance, the sea rose into enormous walls of water that came crashing toward them.
The Moby Dick struggled through the raging surf. Every Whitebeard Pirate still capable of standing exhausted themselves, hacking apart each incoming wave just enough for the ship to avoid being swallowed whole.
But compared to the future Mihawk, who could split a tidal wave with a single slash, their current strength still fell short.
The entire ship was slammed beneath the sea. Even Marco, who had taken flight, was drenched by the crashing seawater.
His Devil Fruit powers immediately vanished, leaving him limp as he crashed onto the deck before being dragged into the ocean.
"Guh."
The boiling sea bubbled violently. After the giant wave passed, the surface temperature had dropped somewhat. But beneath the sea it was even worse.
At that moment, those aboard the Whitebeard Pirates who hadn't eaten Devil Fruits became the lifeline of all the "landlubbers."
Whenever another wave crashed down, they dove into the sea, tied ropes around the powerless Devil Fruit users, and hauled them back to the surface.
"Good thing the Moby Dick is so massive. Otherwise that one wave would've smashed her to pieces."
Marco spat out mouthful after mouthful of seawater. Still dazed, he looked toward the distant battlefield.
"Pops didn't hold back. And that guy is actually this strong?"
Helping him up, Izo said quietly,
"The entire island was burned into ash. Even the sea itself has been turned into this."
Just then Marco struggled to his feet.
"Quick. Take me below deck. With the ship shaking this violently, Bista's wound has definitely reopened."
Only then did Izo remember the only seriously injured man aboard. He hurriedly supported the still-weakened Marco toward the ship's infirmary.
Meanwhile, Jozu clung desperately to the mast for dear life. Beside him, Blamenco gripped the railing while ignoring the violently rocking ship and grinned.
"Weren't you so confident in your diamond body that you refused to retreat with us? So why are you back on the ship now?"
"How long ago did you sneak back?"
Without waiting for an answer, he answered himself.
"Oh. So you got smacked back by the tidal wave."
"How about using your ability again? Let's see if your diamond body can handle boiling seawater."
Jozu was so furious he nearly let go of the mast to charge over. But remembering how helpless he'd felt after being soaked by seawater and swept away by the tsunami, he immediately hugged the mast even tighter.
There'd always be time to fight later. But if he let go now, he might really die. And if his own arrogance got him killed by the aftershocks of Pops' battle with that guy, it would be the most humiliating death imaginable.
"Hmph! (▼皿▼#)"
"Oh? You're glaring at me now?"
Blamenco continued mercilessly.
"Then go on. Go watch Pops fight again. You can come back and tell us all about it."
"So why aren't you going?"
Crack. Crack. Crack. The continuous sound of space shattering drew everyone's attention. Soon the heaven-piercing pillars of crimson fire were finally blasted apart.
A massive figure carrying a huge naginata burst straight through the flames.
Part of Whitebeard's beard had been burned away. His chest, shoulders, and back were charred black. It was obvious that even he had been injured by those flames.
"Brat! You've done well!"
"Gurararara."
The shimmering aura around Murakumogiri expanded. Whitebeard Newgate brought the weapon crashing down from the heavens.
"Watch out!!"
Everyone aboard the Moby Dick cried out in alarm. The next moment Jozu hugged the mast even tighter.
"AAAAAH!!!"
At the same time, Rowan let out a furious roar. Black lightning exploded across the sky, and the heavens, already approaching dawn, were engulfed by Conqueror's Haki so dense it seemed almost tangible.
"Shoen!"
Flames surged upward, twisting into a blazing tornado that sought to reduce Whitebeard Newgate to ashes.
Yet the intangible inferno suddenly seemed frozen in place. Space shattered like glass, and the fiery vortex created by Shoen was smashed apart as well.
BOOM!!
Ryūjin Jakka collided with Murakumogiri. The six-thousand-degree core temperature distorted Newgate's expression from the searing heat.
"The core temperature of that blade is enough to melt steel itself. Even Armament Haki can't completely protect against it. But as long as I don't make direct contact, the heat won't instantly melt anything."
Newgate pressed his naginata down once more.
"Among everyone I've ever met, your raw physical strength ranks third."
"Strength like that has earned my acknowledgment."
"Cough."
After clashing with Whitebeard countless times throughout the night, a streak of blood slipped from the corner of Rowan's mouth. His internal organs had finally been injured by the constant vibrations.
As expected, Whitebeard in his prime, and Kaido from Wano, weren't even in the same league.
Although Rowan had deliberately refrained from using Flying Thunder God to evade, Whitebeard had likewise been gradually increasing his strength, choosing to meet every attack head-on.
This had been a test. To accurately judge Rowan's true combat power, there was no better method than a direct clash.
"Hm."
Whitebeard withdrew Murakumogiri and landed on the deck of the Moby Dick. Swinging the blade once more, he shattered the final three massive tidal waves that were crashing toward the ship, finally stabilizing it.
"Brat! Get down here. It's time for a feast!"
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Rowan had just been about to unleash another burst of power, but could only helplessly sheath Ryūjin Jakka. The Shikai was released. Ryūjin Jakka returned to its sealed, asauchi form.
Rowan glanced toward a distant point on the horizon. That was the direction of the Navy's G-1 Base in the New World.
The intelligence regarding his battle with Whitebeard would undoubtedly reach Sengoku and the World Government very soon.
Tap. Tap. Using Moonwalk, Rowan remained suspended in the air for a moment. After thinking it over, he vanished.
The next instant he appeared on the deck of the Moby Dick, and a puff of white smoke transformed his face into an even more handsome appearance.
Newgate watched the entire process, then glanced toward the direction of G-1 Base.
"What a cautious little brat."
Rowan replied,
"I don't really have a choice. You know as well as I do."
"Fish-Man Island is vital to the world's future. For now, the less it's connected to me, the better."
Before he had even finished speaking, the cabin door burst open.
"Quick! Line up and donate blood! Bista's gone into hemorrhagic shock! Hurry! Hurry!"
Marco's shout instantly threw the entire Whitebeard Pirates into chaos. Even the Devil Fruit users who had been lying on the deck completely exhausted struggled to their feet.
Even Newgate's expression darkened.
"Wasn't the bleeding already stopped? Why all of a sudden"
Before he finished speaking, he realized what had happened. The battle that had lasted nearly an entire day had shattered an island into ash.
Since the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was his own power, no one understood better than he did just how massive the tidal waves he had created throughout the night had been.
The only reason the Moby Dick had survived was because her keel had been built from that legendary wood.
Otherwise she would have long since broken apart and sunk to the bottom of the sea.
"Marco! You must save Bista!"
Whitebeard's expression grew grave as he directed his sons to line up and have their blood tested, while he searched around the deck for something.
Finally his gaze landed beneath the main mast.
"JOZU!!"
"⊙…⊙ P-Pops."
Jozu was still clinging desperately to the mast without letting go. Mainly because although the towering waves had been split apart, the sea still hadn't calmed down.
The ship continued to rock violently. Clearly the previous battle, and those sky-high tidal waves, had scared him half to death.
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