Compared to the massive Moby Dick, the Spade Pirates' ship looked like a toy. But Whitebeard didn't just arrive with one ship this time; he had four frigates and several smaller vessels alongside him. The grand fleet was a sight to behold, and the crew of the Spade Pirates, who had never seen such a spectacle before, were awed by the presence of one of the Four Emperors.
Whitebeard stood at the bow of the Moby Dick, surveying the scene like a king looking over his domain. Without any special gestures, he emitted an aura of authority that made others instinctively submit. The moment Ace saw him, he felt a surge of emotion: *So this is a Four Emperor?*
It wasn't just awe; Ace also felt a strong desire stirring inside him. He, too, wanted to stand at the peak. Unlike the Ace who would later become Whitebeard's "son," the current Ace longed to be the world's greatest. That's why he had come to challenge the strongest man in the world: Whitebeard. His fighting spirit surged as he faced his target.
"Who hurt my son?!" Whitebeard bellowed from the ship's bow, his voice filled with anger. Anyone who harmed his sons had to pay. He had heard of Ace before — a rising rookie — and had even considered making him a new son. But now, since Ace had harmed one of his children, Whitebeard saw him as an enemy.
"I am Portgas D. Ace, here to challenge you! Whitebeard, surrender your title as the world's strongest! I am the man who will become the Pirate King!" Ace boldly stepped forward.
"Pirate King?" Whitebeard glanced at Ace and then let out a booming laugh, "Gurararara… What an amusing young man."
"Hahahaha…" The rest of the Whitebeard Pirates laughed as well. Ace's ambition seemed naïve; he thought that defeating Whitebeard would make him the Pirate King. But even Whitebeard, the strongest in the world, wasn't the Pirate King. Ace's thinking was far too simple.
"Bastards! What's so funny?" Ace yelled, enraged by the mocking laughter.
"You want to challenge me? I don't mind that," Whitebeard said, suddenly becoming serious. "But you made one mistake — you hurt my son! No one hurts Whitebeard's children!"
His commanding voice echoed across the island, and even the nearby islanders, who were secretly watching the confrontation, cheered in support of Whitebeard.
"I've come as promised. Now hand over my son, Marco!" Whitebeard shouted. Though furious and ready to teach this insolent rookie a lesson, his priority was his son's safety.
"Give him back," Ace instructed Deuce. Soon, they brought out a severely injured Marco. Though Deuce had treated his wounds slightly, as a captive, Marco hadn't received full care. His injuries were still severe.
Seeing Marco's battered state only fueled Whitebeard's rage further, but he held back and let his men retrieve Marco. A group approached and exchanged Marco for nothing in return — Ace had no tricks up his sleeve. He truly only wanted to challenge Whitebeard in a fair fight.
"Sorry, Pops… I was useless," Marco murmured as he was brought to Whitebeard.
"It's fine. Taking care of reckless sons is a father's duty," Whitebeard reassured him, relieved that Marco wasn't mortally wounded. "Gurararara… Rest now. Your father will get justice for you."
"Pops, please let me witness your strength," Marco said.
"Hmm…" Whitebeard thought for a moment and nodded. Though Marco was still injured, his wounds weren't fatal.
With Marco safely returned, Whitebeard's fury subsided slightly. Ace, at least, hadn't used his son as a bargaining chip, indicating he really only wanted to challenge him. But vengeance was still necessary. Whitebeard turned, "You want to challenge me? I'll give you a chance. Come, and I'll show you how naïve your dreams are."
"Pops, let me handle this guy," said a nearby crew member, a man with scruffy blond hair who looked a bit disheveled. This was Marco the Phoenix, Whitebeard's first division commander.
"No, I'll take care of this," Whitebeard waved him off. "It's a senior's responsibility to teach a lesson to such naïve youngsters."
Whitebeard's words were not subtle; they clearly conveyed contempt to Ace, implying he didn't see Ace as a real opponent. This riled Ace up, and he could no longer hold back. Flames burst from his body as he leapt into the air, hurling a fiery punch toward Whitebeard.
"A Logia type, huh?" Whitebeard commented, showing no intention of dodging the attack.
With a bang, flames exploded against Whitebeard's chest. But when the smoke cleared, Whitebeard stood unharmed, not even a scorch mark on him. Linton, watching from the sidelines, was unsure if Whitebeard had used Haki for defense or if he had simply tanked the hit with raw strength. Either way, the display of power was so impressive that Linton felt his own "cool" factor was threatened.
"What?!" Ace was stunned. If Whitebeard had dodged, it would've been understandable, but landing a direct hit and causing no damage? That was a heavy blow to his confidence.
"Disappointing… Is this all the so-called 'supernova' has to offer?" Whitebeard said flatly.
"Damn it!" Ace, now enraged, recklessly charged at Whitebeard again, his right hand engulfed in powerful flames.
But the outcome was predictable. Whitebeard casually threw a punch, his Haki-coated fist connecting with Ace's face. Ace flew through the air like a cannonball, crashing into the ground with a loud thud, leaving a crater in his wake. It was clear to Linton that Whitebeard hadn't even used his full strength or his Devil Fruit power.
To the Whitebeard Pirates, this result was unsurprising. However, Whitebeard himself seemed puzzled.
"Marco," Whitebeard suddenly asked, "How… did you lose to this kid?"
Indeed, Whitebeard was confused. Ace's abilities weren't bad, but they weren't extraordinary either. Why had Marco, one of his trusted commanders, lost to such a rookie?
"Pops, I didn't lose to *this* kid," Marco immediately explained. "The problem wasn't him; it was the person next to him. That guy's Devil Fruit power is really strange, Pops — it's him!"
Marco pointed directly at Linton, and Whitebeard finally took notice of him. Up until now, Linton hadn't spoken, simply observing from the side. Whitebeard hadn't paid him much mind. But now that he focused on him, Whitebeard realized something was off. Unlike the rest of the Spade Pirates, who were clearly intimidated, Linton stood there completely relaxed, unaffected by Whitebeard's presence.
"Are you the one who hurt my son?" Whitebeard pointed his naginata at Linton. "State your name!"
"I am…" Linton began to speak, but was interrupted.
"Wait!" Surprisingly, the person who interrupted was Ace. Bloodied but standing, Ace said, "Our fight… isn't over yet!"
"Arrogant brat. You are not my opponent. Stand down!" Whitebeard roared, releasing a powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki. Instantly, several of the Spade Pirates collapsed, foaming at the mouth. Even Deuce, who was stronger than most, fainted after a brief struggle. Whitebeard had unleashed his full presence.
But to Whitebeard's surprise, two figures remained standing: Linton and Ace. Not only had Ace withstood the Conqueror's Haki, but he was also starting to emit his own faint aura. Whitebeard's eyes gleamed with interest; Ace had the potential for Conqueror's Haki, though he wasn't fully aware of it yet.
"A diamond in the rough," Whitebeard mused, genuinely impressed.
(End of Chapter)