Chapter 494: Sun Orb, and Immortal Flame
"Gurararara!" Hearing Tamago's words, Whitebeard was slightly taken aback and then burst into laughter.
He did not expect that today's youngsters would seek face from him.
If it was an ordinary matter, Whitebeard would have smiled and let it pass.
But this concerned Marco.
Since his son had said something here drew him, how could he, as a father, back down so easily?
"Kid, don't say such things." Whitebeard said.
"If you want the treasure here, come and compete!"
"Let me see what you, the new generation, are capable of!"
Hearing Whitebeard's response, Tamago felt a touch of helplessness.
This place was far from the main action, so how had Whitebeard found it?
If Tamago had arrived first, with his bond with Chicken Phoenix and some finesse, bribing it would have been easy.
Now, things were complicated.
Still, Tamago couldn't back down.
The treasure guarded by Chicken Phoenix was vital to him.
Obtaining it would boost his strength dramatically.
Then, competing for the ultimate reward would be within reach.
Tap! Tap!
Tamago struck his cane sword on the ground, looked at Whitebeard, and said, "Whitebeard-sama, are you sure you want to be my enemy? Our Yamata leader stands united with the outside world."
"If you provoke me, it's like becoming an enemy of the Yamata Sect."
Bang! Bang!
A terrifying aura erupted, darkening the world.
Thunder flashed in the void, and an indescribable pressure weighed on the soul.
Feeling this fearsome Conqueror's Haki, Tamago tightened his grip on his cane.
The towering figure opposite laughed again.
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard roared.
"I am Whitebeard! It's a hundred years too early for you to threaten me!"
Whitebeard's Haki-filled retort pressured Tamago, stirring a fleeting thought of retreat.
After all, the man before him was once a giant he had to look up to.
Now, standing before Whitebeard, talking and even threatening him, was unimaginable in the past.
Despite his improved strength, in terms of courage, Tamago fell short of the old-era overlords who once ruled the world.
"Pops, we'll always support you!" a Whitebeard Crew Member shouted.
"That's right, Pops is the strongest! You're far behind!" another added.
Seeing Whitebeard's stance, the Whitebeard Pirates nearby were invigorated.
Indeed, their Pops was still the same Pops.
Seeing their excitement, Marco felt a bit helpless.
He looked at Whitebeard in the distance, guilt gnawing at him.
If he hadn't insisted on coming here, they might not have clashed with the Yamata Sect.
"Hey, hey! I can't pretend I didn't hear that!" Aigolu said.
Standing opposite the Whitebeard Pirates, he spoke calmly.
"What's this about the strongest? Isn't it normal for the new wave to surpass the old?"
As someone with a laid-back demeanor, Aigolu cared little for the sea's big names.
He had little regard for them.
He only knew he was strong now.
As for those clinging to old-era glory, he was unimpressed.
"Bastard!" a pirate shouted.
Aigolu's words offended most of the Whitebeard Pirates.
His nonchalant attitude was especially infuriating.
Sometimes, lies don't offend; the truth does.
Indeed, some were ready to confront Aigolu.
"Calm down. Even if we fight, we'll do it properly." Marco said.
Seeing several impulsive comrades step forward, he halted them with one hand.
The man before them was rumored to rival a three-star gem hunter.
Even he and Vista had to be cautious.
If these members rushed in, they'd likely be defeated instantly.
Marco aimed to avoid unnecessary losses.
Otherwise, escalating tensions would be troublesome.
"It seems you're sensible. It's best not to fight. I'm too lazy for it." Aigolu said.
Though his words were provocative, he genuinely preferred not to fight.
Battles were draining; he'd rather bask in the sun with a cold drink.
Hearing Aigolu, Marco felt his personality wasn't too difficult.
He just spoke poorly.
While Marco pondered, on Whitebeard's side, Chicken Phoenix interrupted the tense exchange between Whitebeard and Tamago.
"Oh hahaha! Don't ignore me, you two!" it said.
As they turned to look, Chicken Phoenix tilted its head slightly.
"Whitebeard, is that your name? It's odd, but you're full of Haki. I like it." it said.
"Gurararara! Thanks for the compliment, kid." Whitebeard replied.
Chicken Phoenix's sudden praise warmed Whitebeard's heart.
It glanced at Whitebeard, then at Tamago.
"Brother Tamago, it's first-come, first-served. This human arrived first." it said.
"You wait your turn until I deal with him." it added.
Hearing Chicken Phoenix, Tamago immediately disagreed.
What a joke! If Chicken Phoenix reached its third form, his plan would collapse.
In that form, its fighting spirit would be too strong to heed him.
"Chicken Phoenix, I don't agree. The Mythical Beast Conference has no first-come, first-served rule." Tamago said.
"The only rule here is that there are no rules."
Tamago's strong rebuttal put Chicken Phoenix in a dilemma.
After all, its bond with Tamago was quite good.
Seeing its hesitation, Tamago resorted to a tactic.
It would be pointless not to use it now.
"Chicken Phoenix, I have three Sun Orbs."
"If you give me the treasure, the three Sun Orbs are yours."
"Sun Orbs!" Chicken Phoenix exclaimed.
Its eyes widened at Tamago's mention of Sun Orbs.
"Brother Tamago, you have such treasures and never showed me. That's disloyal!" it accused.
'Disloyal? If you're so loyal, why not give me the treasure?' Tamago thought.
"Quick, let me see them." Chicken Phoenix urged.
"Don't worry! Given our friendship, I won't deceive you, especially with outsiders here." Tamago assured.
Nearby, Whitebeard watched the man and Mythical Beast nearing a deal.
He felt uneasy.
"Gurararara lala! If you want to take the treasure, you should ask me first!"
Whitebeard's sudden voice snapped Chicken Phoenix back to reality.
It hesitated but held to its principles.
"I can't give you the treasure directly. You must fight this human." it said.
"If you win, or even tie, I'll give you the treasure." it proposed.
"How about it, Brother Tamago?" it asked.
As expected, this guy was too stubborn!
Hearing Chicken Phoenix, Tamago felt a headache.
But the situation left little room for negotiation.
"Fine, but I'll give only one Sun Orb."
"No way! Brother Tamago, you scoundrel, at least two!" Chicken Phoenix countered.
"One." Tamago insisted.
"Two, or I'll think you don't value our friendship." it argued.
"That's an excessive demand. Fine, two! Since we're friends, give me three of your Immortal Flames." Tamago said.
"Uh… alright!" Chicken Phoenix agreed.
Seeing the man and Mythical Beast haggle over unfamiliar items, Whitebeard fell silent.
He felt out of step with the times.
( End of this chapter )