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A deep, resonant voice rolled forth, carrying an overwhelming, majestic aura that surged like a tidal wave.
The very instant those words echoed, the gentle sea breeze transformed into a roaring gale. A terrifying Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) swept the ocean, making the very air tremble and even distorting space itself.
Even the Qin Nation's colossal flagship, forged entirely of steel, hummed and quaked as if struggling to bear the crushing weight of that pressure.
Kaido fell silent. The Experts standing beside him all narrowed their eyes, their pupils constricting sharply.
"Whitebeard… for this battle, are you truly prepared to throw away your life?"
"Hah! I respect that!"
Kaido, his massive frame wrapped in heavy bandages, growled in a deep voice.
At those words, those around him froze, then examined the scene more closely. Moments later, understanding dawned in their eyes.
Meanwhile, the Whitebeard Pirates all wore expressions of sorrow.
At Whitebeard's level, he knew his own limits. He understood all too well that no matter how strong he was, he could not stop the passage of time. His fist might shatter islands, but time would still erode him.
To fight at his absolute peak was no longer something he could do freely. To reach that state, he had to summon and push every ounce of his being to its limit.
And Whitebeard was old. To fight at full power this time would burn away the very remnants of his life force.
Yet, in this moment, his eyes blazed brightly, his spirit vigorous, and aside from the signature white hair and beard, there was no trace of age left.
His gaze swept coldly across the horizon. Whoever his eyes landed on felt a keen blade pressed against their throat, sharp, freezing, and suffocating, making the urge to retreat instinctive.
"I am a relic of a bygone era. This world no longer has a single ship that can bear my weight!"
"If I am to sink… then let it be in an ocean vast enough to make me smile!"
Whitebeard's voice boomed like a great bell, shaking everyone's ears to a ringing hum.
Silence fell over all present. Behind him, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates quietly wiped away their tears.
They knew it well; their "Old Man" was truly old. This battle might very well be his last. Even if he survived, his strength would surely wither, and he would enter the final twilight of his days.
"Huuuu!"
The sea wind howled. The waves shimmered beneath the rising sun, its reflection rippling and dancing across the ocean.
"What spirit… truly worthy of the name Whitebeard!"
"I, the Emperor, admire you!"
A calm yet regal voice rang out from the Qin Nation's flagship.
Instantly, the mighty pressure radiating from Whitebeard, enough to suppress the very sea, suddenly faltered, pressed down by an even greater presence.
"Ying Zheng!"
Whitebeard rumbled, gripping his naginata tightly. With a resonant hum, the air around him spiraled into chaos.
"You wish to fight me?"
Qin Yi gazed at the fierce old titan. The majesty of a King's Dignity radiated from his body, sweeping outward in waves as his expression hardened into steel.
"Since I have come here in person, of course it is for you…"
"Whitebeard, Edward Newgate!"
With a thunderous shout, Qin Yi drew the Ancient Sword at his waist. The blade sang, clang!, and in the next instant, he vanished from the prow of his flagship.
At the exact same moment, Whitebeard's naginata quivered, his figure too disappeared from the deck of the Moby Dick.
A fraction of a second later, a cataclysmic shockwave erupted in the space between the two ships.
"BOOM!"
Only after a heartbeat did the sound reach them. Then, Countless torrents of seawater burst skyward, forming a towering column hundreds of meters high that completely obscured the center.
"Whaaa, !"
Two breaths later, the sea suddenly split apart, the water collapsing inward toward the center between the ships. Above, the clouds churned violently, spiraling ever higher into the heavens.
"The sea… and the sky… they've both been split open!"
Someone cried out in horror, feeling their head spin.
What kind of terrifying strike was this?! Even the ocean and the heavens had been torn asunder!
The wind howled louder still. Far away, massive waves surged, crashing wildly as they rolled toward them. Everyone's eyes trembled violently as they stared at the churning sea where white spray still rose.
There was no doubt, the earth-shaking phenomenon before them was caused by those two figures who had vanished moments earlier.
"Monsters…"
When the spray finally dispersed, revealing the two figures suspended in midair, someone could only whisper, their voice trembling.
Their gazes locked, sharp and unwavering. The next instant, both figures moved at once, rapidly retreating.
A heartbeat later, each stood firmly at the prow of his own ship, eyes fixed on the other.
"King Qin, Ying Zheng, in this battle, I, Whitebeard, will stake my life! Whether victory or defeat, I am content! If I should sink here today, I will have no regrets in this life!"
Whitebeard's voice rumbled like thunder, his eyes solemn and resolute.
That brief exchange of blades had already told him everything; the young king before him was terrifyingly strong. That strike of his, one he had built up over three full days, had split both sea and sky apart, yet failed to wound his opponent in the slightest.
Unfathomable. Terrifying! Even for Whitebeard, the only word he could use to describe this man's power was monstrous.
"To cross blades with the man I once admired… I, too, am pleased." Qin Yi said with a faint, calm smile.
Whitebeard blinked, then suddenly burst into booming laughter.
"Hahahahaha! You brat, I heard you're a man from another world, and yet you've even heard of me? To think you'd speak of me with such praise… how amusing! How interesting!"
But after two hearty laughs, Whitebeard's face grew solemn again.
"If there were a chance, I'd truly like to see what the other worlds look like."
"But alas…"
He shook his head, regret filling his eyes.
In this world, Whitebeard had long since sailed every sea and walked every corner. Even the One Piece treasure that countless pirates pursued no longer held his interest. His ambitions had waned with age. Yet when he heard that beyond this sea lay other worlds, different skies and horizons entirely, like those in Naruto, Dragon Ball, or Marvel, the dormant spirit of exploration within him, the eternal yearning of a pirate, began to stir once more.
"If you are defeated in this battle…" Qin Yi said with a faint smile, "Then you'll have your chance."
Toward Whitebeard, Qin Yi's heart was filled with deep admiration. In his past life, he had always felt regret. At Marineford, this great man had died far too unjustly. He was the embodiment of manliness, a true hero, yet his end had been tragic.
Now, standing face to face, Qin Yi could not help but feel a profound respect.
No matter the time, no matter the world, Heroes will always be worth chasing, worth honoring.
Even on the polluted, confused Earth of his past life, there had never been a shortage of heroes who sacrificed themselves for others, selfless and brave.
Men like that were born with a natural charisma, an aura that inspired admiration, pure, blazing positive energy.
"Is that so?"
Whitebeard murmured, staring intently at Qin Yi. The next second, his eyes sharpened into cold steel.
"But… I have no intention of losing!"
He stomped forward, his figure vanished, and with a sweeping motion of his naginata, he struck toward Qin Yi once more!
(End of Chapter)