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"Haha, so he wants us to show him our strength, huh?" Thatch couldn't help but grin.
It had been a while since something this interesting happened on the ship.
"Gurararara, if that's the case, pick any three people on the ship to give you a demonstration," Newgate said, nodding toward Sasuke to make his choice.
"In that case… let's start with him."
Sasuke barely hesitated before pointing to Marco, who was still in his Phoenix form.
Sasuke had no interest in picking those who looked weak.
What was the point of seeing weak people's strength? If he was going to watch, he wanted to see the strongest, to understand the limits of these people and how strong they could make him.
In Sasuke's mind, Marco had to be one of the strongest on this ship.
After all, his Devil Fruit ability looked amazing. Sasuke wondered if those blue flames could nullify his Fire Release jutsus.
"Hahaha, Marco, looks like you're being underestimated."
"Show him what you've got!"
"Don't embarrass us!"
"If you can't handle it, let me take over."
Seeing that Marco had been chosen, the Whitebeard Pirates started to egg him on.
They knew their own well. Even though Marco wasn't among the earliest members of the Whitebeard Pirates, he was one of the fastest-growing in terms of strength.
It wasn't just because Marco possessed a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, but also because Newgate had indulged him when he was younger.
Young Marco was not as calm as he was now. Back then, he was a high-spirited, reckless youth who wanted to fight everyone he saw, and Newgate always encouraged him.
This attitude only changed after he encountered Rayleigh, who stopped him with just one finger.
"Everyone, shut up and watch me!"
Marco leaped into the air with a spin, then looked down and asked, "Hey kid, what's your name?"
"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke," he responded.
"Alright, Sasuke, keep your eyes open."
Marco nodded and shouted, "Blue Flame!"
The next moment, one of Marco's wings detached, transforming into a massive, blazing blue fireball.
Sasuke stared blankly at the enormous fireball.
He was certain that even ten of his Great Fireball Jutsu combined wouldn't be a third the size of that blue fireball.
The vast blue flames blotted out the sky, almost stopping the flow of air. The clouds in the sky seemed to scatter in all directions as if unable to bear it.
Marco used his other wing to bat the fireball toward the sea.
Whoosh…
The fireball crashed into the ocean, creating gigantic waves.
A massive cavity was burned into the sea's center, with the surrounding seawater continuously pouring into it, even causing the Moby Dick to sway.
Soon, rolling steam engulfed the entire Moby Dick.
"…"
Sasuke's mouth hung open as he felt his entire chest burning.
His skin felt as if it had been scalded by hot water, turning bright red within a few seconds.
But Sasuke seemed unaware of the discomfort. His eyes were glazed over as he stared at the sea.
"Hey, Sasuke, snap out of it."
At some point, Marco had returned to his normal form and patted Sasuke on the shoulder.
"…"
Sasuke looked up at him, his mind blank.
He didn't know how Marco would handle Itachi's tricky jutsus and genjutsu, but one thing was certain: in terms of direct combat ability, Itachi couldn't match the man in front of him.
"Can… can I become that strong too?"
At that moment, Sasuke was convinced that these people could make him stronger.
Having the power to kill Itachi Uchiha wasn't just a dream!
"Not necessarily. Everyone has different talents and areas they excel in. We'll have to see what you're good at to guide you properly."
Marco stroked his chin thoughtfully, giving Sasuke some encouragement while not making any promises. "But you're young and have plenty of time. If you work hard, reaching my level should be possible."
"I love cooking, so I naturally excel in combat involving kitchen tools. Jozu is big and not suited for agile combat, so he focuses on his frontal assault abilities."
Thatch chimed in, explaining to Sasuke, "It's just like with Pokémon; each Pokémon has its own strengths in battle."
Thatch aimed to become a renowned breeder and had been taking specialized courses at the Pokémon Academy. Naturally, he was keen on discovering the potential and characteristics of both Pokémon and people.
He intended to carefully observe Sasuke's combat style and guide him in the direction that suited him best.
"Please help me become stronger! I beg you!" Sasuke bowed sincerely, not forgetting to add, "And thank you for saving me."
If this had been Sasuke from ages twelve to sixteen, he would never have said words like "thank you," "please," or "I beg you."
During that period, Sasuke had been so manipulated by Itachi, Orochimaru, and Tobi that he wasn't himself, always thinking of "killing Itachi," "getting stronger," and "destroying Konoha."
When he was twelve, Sasuke was at least somewhat salvageable. During the battle in the Valley of the End, Sasuke claimed he wanted to kill Naruto but ultimately refrained from doing so after Naruto was down. He decided to gain power his way rather than kill his comrades to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But by sixteen, Sasuke was completely lost. At the start of Shippuden, he planned to kill Naruto and his friends, showing no mercy.
This mentality persisted until the previous Hokage were revived by the Edo Tensei and explained everything to him. Only then did Sasuke inherit Itachi's will and decided to support Naruto in secretly protecting Konoha.
However, the eight-year-old Sasuke hadn't reached that level of darkness yet. The upbringing by Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha still had a significant influence on him.
"Don't you want to see two more demonstrations?"
Newgate teased Sasuke, knowing the kid had been convinced.
"No need!"
"Alright, but I'll show you my power anyway."
Newgate stood up and spoke to Marco, "Marco, check the surrounding sea for any bystanders and have them move away."
Whether it was during the pirate era or now in the Pokémon era, Newgate had no intention of harming innocents.
After a short while, Marco flew back.
"How is it?"
"All clear, no one around."
Marco gave a thumbs-up, signaling everything was safe.
Without further ado, Newgate raised his Supreme Grade sword, Murakumogiri, and began to spin it.
Gusts of wind roared past.
The Moby Dick was swayed by the wind, with the crew holding tightly onto nearby fixtures. Marco held Sasuke close to the mast.
Numerous Pokémon huddled together, with many smaller Pokémon leaning against the likes of Snorlax and Aggron for support.
Seeing everyone bracing themselves and Newgate's imposing figure, Sasuke couldn't help but swallow hard.
He widened his eyes, and even as the wind brought tears to them, he didn't dare blink, afraid of missing what would come next.
"Gurararara…"
Newgate laughed as he swung his massive sword while glancing at Sasuke's serious expression.
The next moment, he swung Murakumogiri at the sea beside him.
With a whistling sound, the sea was split, revealing an abyss so deep the bottom couldn't be seen, with the waters on both sides clearly divided.
Sasuke was stunned, too shocked to notice a small Rattata clinging to his pants, almost blown away by the wind.
Just as Sasuke thought it was over, he realized Marco hadn't let go of him.
Not just Marco, everyone, including all the Pokémon, remained vigilant, still staring at the sea.
As Sasuke began to feel puzzled, he witnessed a scene that shattered his understanding.
Cracks appeared in the space around them, and the sea seemed to break apart like building blocks rising into the air.
It was a power that could move mountains and overturn seas.
Sasuke watched, his scalp tingling.
Faced with this power, he couldn't think of any jutsu that could avoid it.
If Marco's attack could be dodged with the Body Replacement Technique, then this one was unavoidable.
The attack range was too vast; even using the Body Replacement Technique wouldn't get him out of trouble. He'd still get hit after switching places.
With such power, Itachi Uchiha wouldn't stand a chance!
Sasuke's eyes now burned with fervor.
"So, Sasuke, what do you think? Is this power enough for your revenge?"
Newgate grinned as he looked at the small Sasuke.
"It's enough! More than enough!"
"Gurararara, but to be as strong as me, you'll need to put in a lot of effort and sweat."
"I won't give up!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, his resolve unwavering.
"…"
Newgate looked at the small, stubborn boy before him and asked, "Sasuke, do you live alone now?"
"…Yes, I don't have any family left, and I don't really have friends."
Sasuke calmed down quickly, replying after a brief silence.
"In that case…"
Newgate looked around the Moby Dick, his gaze sweeping over his crew.
The Whitebeard Pirates understood what Newgate meant.
They exchanged glances, then smiled and nodded at Newgate.
"Sasuke, become my son."
"From now on, this will be your home, and they will be your brothers and sisters."
"No matter what you want to do, we will always support and help you."
"The Whitebeard Pirates have only one rule: betrayal is never tolerated!"
(End of Chapter)