{đ„łJoining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please support me.đ„° You can access upto 100+ advance chapter through Patreon by using the link: https://patreon.com/Oreski}
"Whitebeard Pirates, do you have something to discuss with me?" Ayr asked after a brief moment of silence, his voice steady yet carrying a trace of curiosity, as he found it difficult to believe that Whitebeardâwho had been steadily advancing through the New World with unmistakable momentumâwould personally come to him without a specific reason.
"This⊠I'm not certain, Lord Ayr. We only came to inform you the moment they appeared," the pirate replied while shaking his head slightly, clearly unsure of the deeper motive behind their presence.
"Is that so? Then let them in," Ayr said calmly, deciding that although Whitebeard's intentions remained unclear, the man's reputation and past connection made the meeting worthwhile; after all, across the entirety of the New World, the one individual with whom Ayr had maintained the most amicable relationship was undoubtedly Edward Newgate.
"Yes, Lord Ayr!" came the immediate reply, and with a brisk nod, the group of pirates departed the tavern without delay.
Moments later, with a resounding Ka-cha!!, the tavern doors swung open with weighty force as a towering figure stepped insideâa man whose bare chest and broad frame, coupled with an overwhelming presence that radiated kingly dominance, caused the very air within the room to ripple.
This formidable man was none other than Edward Newgate, the man history would revere as the "Strongest Man in the World"âWhitebeard.
"It's really him... Edward Newgate!"
"I never thought I'd witness another living legend of the seas besides Lord Ayr in person!"
"It proves we made the right choice following Ayr-sama!"
"Yeah, even if the bounty isn't the highest, following Mr. Ayr gives us knowledge, pride, and a name no one in the sea dares provoke."
The moment Whitebeard entered, the entire tavern was overtaken by whispers and gasps as every pirate turned their attention toward the mythical figure; like Ayr, Whitebeard had transcended the status of man and become legend, and his arrival only reinforced the power and draw that Ayr himself commanded.
Upon spotting Ayr seated calmly at the front desk, sipping sake with ease, Whitebeard's booming laugh echoed through the space as he called out, "Gu la la la... Long time no see, Ayr!"
"Indeed. It's been a while, Edward," Ayr replied, turning slightly with a smile, acknowledging both the time that had passed since their last meeting and the familiar bond they shared.
Whitebeard's transformation was unmistakableânot just in his physical stature, but also in the sharpened intensity of his aura, as the innate Haoshoku no Haki that radiated from him was powerful enough to make even Ayr feel a subtle pressure.
With a casual wave of his hand, Ayr signaled for the other patrons in the tavern to leave, and, recognizing the gesture instantly, the surrounding pirates hurriedly vacated, leaving behind only Ayr and the members of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"O... Oyaji, is this the man you're always talking aboutâAyr?" came a voice from behind Whitebeard as a handsome youth with sunflower-golden hair and a purple shirt peeked out, revealing himself to be Marco, who would one day become the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Though Marco had not been part of Whitebeard's crew for long, he had already heard countless stories about Ayr spoken with a reverence he had rarely seen from the mighty captain, and even though the world would eventually label Whitebeard as the man with the power to destroy the world due to his Gura Gura no Mi, aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard always dismissed that title as exaggerated, firmly believing that the true force capable of shaking the world was Ayr himself.
"This guy just looks like a normal person though. He doesn't seem as strong as you say, Oyaji..." commented a younger Joz, peeking curiously from behind Whitebeard's arm with innocent skepticism, which wasn't entirely unfounded, considering Ayr had chosen to suppress both his presence and Haki completely at that moment.
To someone like Joz, who was still inexperienced and unrefined, Ayr may indeed have appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary man; however, Whitebeard, frowning slightly, tapped Joz's head with a light knuckle and turned toward Ayr with a tone of gravity.
"Ayr, this guy Joz is still just a brat. I hope you don't take offense," he said with sincere apology.
"Of course not. Why would I be offended by a child's words?" Ayr responded with a serene smile, his composure unwavering; that said, even a composed man had his limits, and being underestimated stirred something deep within Ayr's pride.
With a subtle hum, a single thread of Conqueror's Haki unfurled from his bodyânot a full blast, but a mere sliver, deliberately aimed at Joz to teach a quiet lesson without true harm.
The effect was instantaneous and undeniable; Joz's complexion paled, beads of sweat formed rapidly on his forehead, and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably until, unable to withstand the pressure, the whites of his eyes rolled upward and he collapsed to the floor unconscious.
"Joz!" Marco cried out, rushing forward to catch him, his voice cracking with concern as the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates looked on in shock.
"What a terrifying Haki!"
"This guy⊠he really is a monster!"
"I heard the rumors... that during the Battle of the Valley of the Gods, Ayr defeated Vice Admiral Zephyr, then Admiral Kong, back to back! And now this?"
"After that war, the World Government started calling Ayr the strongest pirate alive... Looks like that title isn't just for show!"
Though most pirates in the tavern couldn't even sense what Ayr had just done, those who possessed advanced Kenbunshoku Haki or carried bounties exceeding a billion could feel the suffocating pressure from even that minimal burst, and among them all, Whitebeard felt it most keenly.
"Gu la la la... You sure know how to leave an impression, Ayr," Whitebeard chuckled, showing no trace of anger, for he understood that Joz had overstepped, and such an incident served as a valuable lesson in the brutal and unpredictable world of the New World.
If Joz had made such a comment back in a quiet port, perhaps Whitebeard would have brushed it off, but here, surrounded by monsters and kings, every word had consequence.
"Well... maybe I was a bit heavy-handed," Ayr admitted with mild exasperation, clearly not having expected that outcome, for in his memory, Jozâthe future commander of the 3rd Divisionâwas far more resilient than what had just unfolded.
He had reduced his Haki output as much as possible to avoid injury, intending only to shake the boy slightly, not knock him unconscious.
"Oyaji, will Joz be alright?" Marco asked with concern still etched across his face.
"Don't worry, Marco," Whitebeard replied while crouching beside him and patting his shoulder, offering reassurance. "He was just overwhelmed by Conqueror's Haki. He'll wake up after a short rest."
One of Whitebeard's top lieutenantsâan elite with a bounty over a billionâstepped forward and gave the order, "Someone take Joz back to the ship," prompting a subordinate to quickly carry the unconscious boy out of the tavern without hesitation.
{ Enjoying the chapters? Please Support me on Patreon and unlock 100+ advanced chapters, with 3 new chapters released every two days!
The fanfic is also available for one-time purchase on Patreon â unlock lifetime access to the full collection, no membership needed! Don't miss out âsupport and own it forever!
patreon.com/Oreski}