Marco blurted out in shock, "Pops, your body needs real rest. You can't keep straining yourself like this. If it gets any worse, even if I team up with the master doctor Crocus, we still might not be able to stabilize your condition."
He said it openly, not avoiding Creed or anyone else—very much on purpose. He wanted Redfield to know that Whitebeard's health was no longer what it used to be, hoping the man would drop the idea of a duel.
Creed was taken aback as well. Crocus wasn't just any physician—he had sailed at Roger's side as ship doctor. Back when Roger was already terminally ill but still insisted on reaching Laugh Tale to fulfill his dream, it was Crocus's miraculous medical skill that kept him going. Without him, Roger would have collapsed mid-journey and never become the Pirate King.
Marco himself served as Whitebeard's ship doctor and possessed extremely advanced medical skill, but if Whitebeard's condition required both Marco and Crocus together, then things truly were dire.
Which meant that, by the time of the Marineford War years later, Whitebeard's strength would have declined even further?! Drawn from that, Whitebeard at his peak must have been utterly terrifying—worthy of the title of the world's strongest man.
Today they were escorting Princess Shirahoshi. Seeing the situation, Creed didn't want any accident between Redfield and Whitebeard. He was about to speak up and stop them when—
"Marco, don't worry. Just two exchanges, that's all. It won't be a big deal. Ledfield—let's head to that barren isle over there."
Whitebeard ignored Marco's dissuasion. He accepted the offered naginata and pulled out the tubing from his arm.
"Hero in twilight, huh, Whitebeard."
Seeing him remove the line, Redfield couldn't help a sigh.
"Gurararara. I may look a bit old now, but dealing with you, Redfield-brat, is still easy."
Whitebeard laughed, the crescent-moon mustache on his face twitching in rhythm with his hearty chuckle.
"Newgate! To battle!"
Redfield, goaded by the jab, seemed to remember something unpleasant and his temper flared.
"Gurararara. We're old men already and you're still so hot-headed. Redfield, if you want to stand among the very strongest, you need to grind down that temper."
One after the other, like lightning skimming the sea, the two shot across the waves and landed on a small island a dozen li away.
Everyone moved to the rail to watch.
On Whitebeard's side, worry filled every face. Their Pops had rarely taken action since his condition worsened—please, let nothing go wrong today.
Creed's people, on the other hand, were eager to witness the true might of the legendary world's strongest man.
Creed himself quietly swept the Moby Dick with Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki). He was searching for someone—the future Blackbeard.
But it seemed Teach wasn't aboard, and Fourth Division commander Thatch wasn't there either.
Out on a mission?
The culprit behind the coming Marineford War intrigued Creed. If possible, he wanted to do something about him. After all, Ace was Luffy's sworn brother, and Luffy was Creed's brother; besides, he owed Garp a debt of upbringing. Even if he risked angering Whitebeard, he wouldn't back down.
Just then, battle erupted on the island.
This wasn't ordinary sparring. The instant their auras unfurled, they surged like a tidal sky, sweeping in all directions without the slightest restraint.
A clear, sunny sky turned in an instant red and white.
The red was Redfield's Chi no Umi Ken'i (Blood Sea Sword Intent). The white was the Naginata no I (naginata intent) swirling around Whitebeard's blade.
A hiss split the air.
Terrifying sword and blade intents carved the little island into sections, while the calm sea heaved up waves over ten meters high.
"Just as you said—two moves," Redfield pointed his sword at Whitebeard.
"Gurararara, Redfield-brat, you want to use my hand to break your obsession, don't you? Two moves won't cut it. Come at me with everything!"
Whitebeard stood firm, naginata across his body, smiling as if amused.
"Nothing gets past you, Newgate."
A curve tugged at Redfield's lips. His aura and sword intent swelled again—cold, killing bloodlust billowed out, coalescing above him into a massive bat-shaped phantom…
After grueling development, his Bat-Bat Fruit had reached the 'already developed' stage. His strength was one hair's breadth from a leap. Today, he would use this battle to shatter his shackles.
Once, Redfield had ruled alone with overwhelming arrogance, believing he could sweep the New World by himself. Then he ran into monsters—Roger, Whitebeard, and Shiki—each clash grinding down that pride and leaving a scar he could never quite cross. Later, with Creed's help, he obtained the Bat-Bat Fruit and regained his youth, yet a hurdle still remained in his heart.
"Redfield! Hold nothing back, or you might not withstand even a single blow! Hmph!"
Whitebeard raised his naginata. A layer of pale light wrapped the blade, quivering—countless hairline cracks spread around that light like a shattered mirror.
The entire island—and the space above it—shivered at a furious frequency, affecting all things.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power was unleashed!
"Newgate!"
Redfield charged, sword first, like a bursting flood of blood to drown Whitebeard whole.
A world-shaking detonation.
Red and white energies flashed and crashed, pulverizing nearly the entire island to dust—only the ground behind each man still served as a foothold.
Aboard the Moby Dick, Creed narrowed his eyes at the distant clash. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit truly deserved its reputation as a world-destroyer. Its power was too horrifying—ubiquitous vibrations, invisible to the eye, and the user could freely modulate amplitude, layers, direction, even focus at will.
For the moment, Redfield wasn't merely fighting one Whitebeard.
It was like a lone man battling several at once. He was driven into a bitter struggle.
"If only I could obtain that fruit…"
For the first time, Creed was truly tempted by a Devil Fruit ability. Whether the Ope Ope no Mi (Operation Fruit) or the Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit), even their ultimate moves fell short of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's apocalyptic output.
Unfortunately, he had no spare Devil Fruit Extraction Card right now.
(End of Chapter)
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