"Captain... A battle with them in the middle of the sea.. wouldn't be the smartest idea." Nami advised as she remembered the consequences of Ace's fight with the former Emperor Kaidou.
"..." Should we steer away." Jojo asked seriously. The meeting between the Flame Emperor and Whitebeard might cause more chaos than they were ready for in the middle of the sea.
Even with Yennow abilities to float the ship, it wouldn't matter if another fight similar to hat of their captain and Kaidou broke out. The sheer chaos their fight brought, couldn't be avoided by flight.
Seing Ace's facial expression, Nami understood that there's was no changing his mind.
"We could try to find an island to port the ship." Nami then advised, hoping that the two ships wouldn't have to battle it out in the sea.
Without doubt, Whitebeard had the advantage with his devil fruit out in the sea.
"Captain, I think it is better if turn around and show off the speed of our ship." Apoo said bravely, he sinply wanted to brag about the speed of the Black Pearl. Although his legs were shaking for some unexplainable reason.
"Enough, if Captain wants to fight to death, I'll fight to the death by his side." Law said as he drew his sword.
"Simple minded moron, it won't be a fight to death, it will be a drowning to death. Let's not repeat history." Gaga said as she looked at Yennow.
"Yennow, fly the ship." Ace commanded. Yennow went to work, he still hadn't awakened his abilities, so it took focus to fly such a big thing.
Only when the fruit is awakened could he keep things in the air without thinking about it.
The Black Pearl started rising up, and flying towards the Whitebeard Pirates.
Soon, in the distance, they saw a huge ship sailing in their direction, the Moby Dick.
"To think that captain could feel them from such a distance, his Haki is as impressive as ever." Ronaldino said, he was a sniper so he mainly trained his observation Haki.
Nobujuro had stepped out of the kitchen as he felt the ship levitate. He was trying to master the art of samurai-cooking.
He put on a bandana as he saw that they were flying towards another ship.
"Stop 50 meters above them." Ace said.
Soon the two ships were face to face, except that the Black Pearl was in the air, 50 meters up.
Whitebeard had walked out to the deck as he looked up. He had also felt the haki of Demon Ace Pirates, and he knew that it was someone strong as the Haki radiating from Ace was no less than the other Emperors.
"Captain that's the Black Pearl." Vista informed Whitebeard as he saw the ship in the distance, flying towards them.
No more info was needed as Ace was a trending subject. Everyone knew of the ghost ship, the Black Pearl and the new Emperor.
Ace stood at the front of the ship and looked down, his eyes meeting Whitebeard's gaze.
Whitebeard released his Haki that started clashing against Ace's, and the clash resulted in turmoil as the winds and sea stared tremble and shake. Clouds started assembling in the sky as it shadowed the sun.
Ace could feel it, this old man had even stronger Haki than Kaidou...
Kaidou might've had an invincible physique, but Whitebeard had an invincible Haki.
That is not to say that Kaidou's Haki is weak, nor that Whitebeard's physique is weak. Without doubt Whitebeard is physically one of the strongest in the world and Kaidou's Haki is one of the strongest in the world. But Kaidou is physically superior to Whitebeard while Whitebeard is superior in Haki.
If Ace had to guess, Prime Whitebeard is stronger than prime Kaidou.
'So this was my father's level.' Ace figured.
The turmoil of their Haki got so strong that Yennow lost control of the black pearl which made it fall down to the sea.
That's when Ace and Whitebeard retreated their hakis.
Yennow successfully caught the ship before crashing into the sea.
"Bring it down." Ace spoke.
Everyone stood, waiting for a command from their captain. Yennow brought down the black Pearl to the sea.
Whitebeard didn't say anything as he turned around and started walking back from the front of his deck. He didn't need to say anything as Ace understood.
Ace was about to jump to the Moby Dick before Jojo held him back.
"Don't worry, stay here until I'm back." Ace said before she jumped ships.
As soon as he landed on Moby Dick, every Pirate stared at him as of he was their mortal enemy.
Ace released more haki, pushing them back and creating cracks on the Moby Dick, only when they retreated did Ace releax his haki. Then he followed Whitebeard.
"So you're the brat that's been causing trouble in the last two years." Whitebeard said as he sat down. But since he was 666 cm, even when sitting he was taller than most.
Ace sat down in front of him.
"So you are my father's old rival." Ace responded.
Edward Newgate sight turned to the sword on Ace's hip.
"You look like him." Newgate commented, thinking back to his rival.
Ace had noticed that the atmosphere on the ship wasn't so good at the moment, Ace could feel with his Haki that the Whitebeard Pirates seemed angry and frustrated.
Ace figured that something must've happened.
"Are you going after the One Piece?" Whitebeard asked while picking up his barrel of Sake. He didn't even look at Ace as he asked the question.
"One Piece? No, that's my little brother's dream." Ace admitted. Whitebeard halted his drinking as he gave a side eyed Ace.
"No, not my father's son, we're sworn brothers. Monkey D. Luffy, he'll become the next Pirate King." Ace said with a grin.
"Lofty Dream." Whitebeard commented without giving it much tonight.
Ace laughed and explained that it wasn't Luffy's dream. When He told Luffy's real dream, Whitebeard's eyes widened as he started laughing out loud, shaking the Moby Dick and the Sea as if his voice carried the essence of quake powers.
Ace had to hold his hat so it wouldn't fall off his head. But he grinned as he saw Whitebeard's reaction. It wasn't a laugh of scorn, rather it was a laugh of joy.
"Brat, your father used to go around saying the same thing." Whitebeard said after his fit of laughter.
This time it was Ace's turn to become shocked, he hadn't known that his father had the same dream as Luffy.
He only knew the basics of One Piece world, and now, after 18 years, he barely remembered anything except the most basic of basic. Some things even confused him wether it was in the anime he had seen in his previous life.
For example, the fact that Luffy had another dream, much bigger than the fact that he'd become Pirate King, was that in the cartoon? He couldn't remember. And the fact that Roger had the same dream, was that in the cartoon? Ace didn't know what was different. And he didn't care, for him, this was reality.
"Then what's your dream." Whitebeard asked.
"My dream is to become the strongest man and Emperor." Ace said with a grin. To say those words to the face of the one holding that title, was no different than claiming that he'd take Whitebeard's head.
"GURARARARARA" Whitebeard laughed it off.
He saw how the Demon Ace Pirates treated Ace and were willing to jump into danger without a hint of fear for him. He found it funny that his rivals son was more similar to himself in his aspirations and goals.
"WAHAHAAHAHAH" Ace laughed as well.
But the Whitebeard pirates weren't so pleased as most of them put their hands on their hilts, ready to draw the sword for their pop's sake even if it meant death.
They had sailed under Whitebeard, they knew that even if all of them attacked their pops together, they'd lose, that's what is means to be an Emperor.
And they understood that Ace had the same level of strength as he defeated Kaidou, no matter how unbelievable that seemed.
But the older generation of Whitebeard Pirates saw it, they saw the familiar sight of Roger and Whitebeard, but with Ace and Whitebeard.
"Pops, we have arrived." A pirate shouted.
Ace had long ago felt that their ship had started sailing, with the Black Pearl following.
Whitebeard suddenly picked up his naginata, and Ace could feel it release a similar type of will as his Sword ACE did.
Whitebeard stood up, and released his willpower which made the sky darkened.
"Brat, let me see if your strength is as great as your mouth." Whitebeard said as Ace stood up.
They both jumped towards the small island that had appeared, holding their weapons.
ACE, Ace's sword seemed to be excited to meet an old rival as well.