The ship slowly drew closer, and the sound of laughter reached them.
"Gururururu, you Celestial Dragon brat, trying to take over my territory, do you have the guts?" Whitebeard raised his naginata, Murakumogiri, and swung it without a word.
Ren drew his sword as well, blocking the attack, but Whitebeard's strike wasn't just a visible slash—it came with a massive tsunami stretching dozens of meters.
The Mink Tribe gaped in disbelief. They had never seen anything like this. Such a tsunami could easily tear a ship apart.
Ren slashed twice, cutting through the relentless waves. The water was halted by his sword techniques, only to suddenly pour down from the sky. Luckily, the waves weren't too close, but the ship nearly capsized.
Ren stood firmly on the deck. Whitebeard chuckled, but Ren didn't. He leaped forward, charging at Whitebeard.
The moment Ren stopped the tsunami, the Whitebeard Pirates realized this was a battle of kings. They didn't interfere with Ren and Whitebeard, instead turning their attention to Ren's crew.
Marco was blocked by the guards. Ren's elite bodyguards were top-tier, easily stopping Marco's attacks.
Ren's slash clashed with Whitebeard's attack. Their swords didn't touch, but each clash sent waves surging across the sea.
The clash of Conqueror's Haki caused the surrounding fights to pause. Marco was kicked away, but with the Phoenix Fruit, he quickly stabilized in the air, eyeing the chaotic battle below.
The sea cracked where they fought, and even the sky seemed to split apart.
The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit started tearing into Ren's defenses, but his Flowing Sakura technique protected his inner self from harm.
Whitebeard swept Ren aside. Using Moon Step, Ren tangled with Whitebeard again, but this time there was no standoff.
Their figures disappeared from view, yet each clash brought forth tsunamis and ripped the sky. Many passing Sea Kings were stunned, floating to the surface.
"Get out of here!" Marco shouted loudly.
Now, both sides had stopped fighting, each returning to their own ships, moving away from the whirlpool of the battlefield. On this vast sea, the two of them continued their reckless destruction.
A nearby island.
"What's happening?"
"A disaster is coming! Everyone, run! Head for higher ground!"
"How could a tsunami this big appear?"
The people on the island scattered toward higher ground. Soon, the tsunami arrived, sweeping away all the houses. Those who couldn't escape perished in the massive waves.
This was the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. It could easily destroy an island, even threaten the world, but the burden on its user was immense.
Ren held his swords tightly and clashed with Whitebeard again, striking him with a blow that sent him flying.
"Dad!" members of the Whitebeard Pirates shouted.
"Gurururur… I am Whitebeard!" he roared and charged once more, clashing violently with Ren.
Ren gradually found his rhythm, repeatedly sending Whitebeard flying and leaving cuts on his body. His own insides were rattled painfully from the shockwaves.
By now, most of the Whitebeard Pirates realized that Ren's strength had surpassed Whitebeard's. His mastery of swordsmanship and Haki had reached the peak.
Reporters following Ren couldn't hide their excitement. As expected, being with Ren meant headlines. They filmed the battlefield whirlpool from different angles.
Yet, defeating Whitebeard was not easy. After all, he was a man no one had yet defeated at sea, a living testament to his power.
Ren's calm but reckless fighting style stunned Whitebeard. He unleashed even stronger shockwaves.
"Dad…" Marco couldn't believe it. Whitebeard had fallen behind. Even in his previous battles against the Roger Pirates, he had never been on the defensive like this.
"Gururur… the sea really is a mysterious place. And yet, another extraordinary presence has appeared." Whitebeard steadied himself, facing Ren, paying no mind to the wounds on his body.
"This world has always been a strange place, Whitebeard. Fish-Man Island, you only managed to reduce the slave trade. I, however, solved it completely. Is there even any comparison between us?" Ren stated the fact plainly.
Over the past year, naturally, some dared to take risks. But the entire underground world's operations were crushed by Ren. If the Underworld Emperor hadn't interfered, things would have gone differently.
Because of that, the underworld gradually settled down. They came to see Fish-Man Island as forbidden territory.
Ren's actions earned the recognition of everyone on Fish-Man Island. No one doubted calling him their leader. For him, Fish-Man Island could turn against anyone, even Whitebeard.
Whitebeard's expression darkened. In truth, he no longer cared much about causing trouble for Ren. What mattered to him now were his family and Fish-Man Island. If it was given away, then so be it.
Neither side expected the battle to end so abruptly. The Mink Tribe began tending to their wounds and bandaging themselves.
Ren returned to his ship, where a young dog-girl licked his injuries, as if urging him to heal quickly.
Seeing the opposing ship and the Mink Tribe reminded Whitebeard of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, who had retired to Zou after their voyages ended.
It seemed now that Ren had earned the full trust of the Mink Tribe.
"My insides really took a beating…" Ren said, sitting on the deck without care, waiting for his wounds to heal.
The fight had stopped, but news outlets were already working overtime to report it, giving the world a sensational story.
The battle ended quickly, but the ships were damaged. Continuing through the New World wasn't realistic, so the ships anchored in the distance while their guards began repairs—true all-round protection in action.
At that moment, Ren received a call from the Holy Land.
"Ren, by striking the slave industry, the World Government has lost hundreds of billions in revenue," the Warrior God of Finance said bluntly.
"Heh, spare me. It's just a matter of making more or less money." Ren showed no respect at all.
"Anyone around?" the other person asked.
Ren glanced at his guards. They understood immediately, leading the others away and keeping watch nearby to make sure no one was eavesdropping.
"Not bad. You've completely taken control of Fish-Man Island and Zou. That lord has noticed your abilities." The Warrior God of Justice spoke in a congratulatory tone.
"So, what's in it for me?"
"That lord will promote you beyond your rank as a Warrior God of Diplomacy. You'll receive a Mythical Beast-type Devil Fruit and a status equal to ours." The Warrior God of Justice continued.
"Heh, just say it if you want to use me to control the Poseidon." Ren's tone was casual.
"How dare you, Ren! Are you thinking of betraying us?" The Warrior God of Justice's expression darkened.
For the Five Elders, Imu was their untouchable reverse scale. No one was allowed to insult him, not even a Celestial Dragon.
"Betrayal? Not exactly. I just don't want to get involved in your power struggles. Besides, I don't need a Devil Fruit at all." Ren said, then hung up the phone.
The Holy Land.
They stared at the disconnected line.
"Notify the Knights. Deal with him." The Warrior God of Finance said coldly.
"No. We can't break off relations yet. Right now, no one on the seas can oppose him. And he knows too much. If we don't deal with him…" The Warrior God of Justice frowned deeply.
"Let's wait and observe for now. Remove his command over the CP." The Warrior God of Agriculture decided.
"Agreed."
They immediately revoked Ren's intelligence network. Without CP's information, Ren's operations would become extremely difficult.
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