The saying that only one in a million possesses such talent is no exaggeration. Every person who awakens the Conqueror's Haki is extraordinary. Whitebeard began to see Ace in a new light, yet a diamond in the rough is still just that—unpolished. Right now, that's all Ace was. Perhaps in the future, this kid could become a threat to him, but for now, Ace was still too inexperienced.
With a slight increase in pressure, Whitebeard intensified the power of his Conqueror's Haki against Ace. Whitebeard's Haki was, of course, top-tier, able to control his target. Focusing solely on Ace, it shattered his final defenses in an instant. Already weakened, Ace's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
After dealing with Ace, Whitebeard turned his attention back to Linton. This was yet another person who seemed completely unaffected by his Conqueror's Haki, which meant he was strong. Considering what his son, Marco, had told him, this guy wasn't simple. It was strange, though—this man seemed stronger than his captain. Why was he on a ship of such an upstart pirate crew?
"Let's pick up where we left off, kid. Who exactly are you?" Whitebeard asked.
"I am Gol D. Linton," Linton replied.
"Gol D. Linton?" Whitebeard was momentarily taken aback by the name. "That name sounds familiar. You wouldn't happen to be related to Roger, would you?"
"That's my brother," Linton said casually.
"What?" A wave of shock rippled through the onlookers. Even though Linton and Whitebeard weren't speaking loudly, they weren't exactly whispering either. The islanders farther away couldn't hear, but Whitebeard's crewmates standing behind him heard every word. This guy claimed to be the Pirate King Roger's brother? The news was too explosive to believe.
"You're Roger's brother?" Whitebeard asked, genuinely surprised as he studied Linton closely. "I never knew that guy had a brother."
"Well, it had to be kept secret. Otherwise, how could I have survived this long?" Linton replied.
Whitebeard nodded, understanding. Judging by Linton's age, he would have been just a child when Roger died. Of course, his existence had to be kept secret, or he would have been hunted down long ago. But now, Linton was openly admitting his identity, apparently no longer needing to hide. This confidence must mean he was sure of his strength.
Even so, Whitebeard wasn't fully convinced. You couldn't just take someone at their word. Claiming to be the Pirate King's brother was dangerous, but it was also the quickest way to boost one's reputation. Who's to say this guy wasn't just seeking fame?
"How can you prove you're Roger's brother?" Whitebeard asked.
"Why don't… you see for yourself?" Linton said, unleashing a sudden surge of powerful Haki. It was Conqueror's Haki, just like Whitebeard's, and in an instant, the two forces clashed, their collision altering the very sky. Dark clouds began gathering as if a storm was brewing.
"This kid's a monster," Whitebeard thought immediately. It was one thing for Linton to have Conqueror's Haki, but for his Haki to actually contend with Whitebeard's was shocking. Even more astounding was Linton's age—he couldn't be much older than Ace, yet his Haki was already on par with Whitebeard's. It was almost unbelievable.
Around them, the sound of bodies collapsing echoed as Whitebeard's crewmates began falling, overwhelmed by the residual force of the Haki clash. Only those at the level of division commanders could withstand it. Whitebeard frowned. This guy wasn't going to be easy to deal with.
Whitebeard started to believe Linton's claim—maybe this guy really was Roger's brother. And with strength like Roger's, it made sense. More importantly, Whitebeard doubted someone with this level of power would have any reason to lie. If he wanted fame, his strength alone would be enough; there was no need to use Roger's name.
"Didn't think I'd ever meet Roger's brother," Whitebeard finally acknowledged Linton's identity. "So, it was you who was really looking for me, wasn't it?"
Whitebeard wasn't foolish; he quickly pieced it together. The one who injured his son had been Linton, and it was likely under his orders that Ace had been taken captive. Ace was too hot-headed—Linton had to be the real mastermind.
"I heard you've been stirring things up lately, old man," Linton said. "The so-called 'World's Strongest'? That's a bit disrespectful to the Gol family, don't you think?"
"So, you came looking for a fight," Whitebeard said, understanding Linton's intention. "If that's all it was, you could have just come to me directly. Why hurt my son?"
"Because I couldn't find you, alright? You're always off somewhere doing who-knows-what. I've been searching for you for nearly twenty days!" Linton said in frustration.
"I see." Whitebeard nodded. "But you still hurt my son, and for that, we have a score to settle. Are you ready?"
When it came to battle, Whitebeard never backed down. If Linton wanted a fight, they would fight.
"Then bring it on!" Linton said, charging forward with a punch aimed at Whitebeard. Whitebeard didn't bother to dodge; he raised his hand and met Linton's punch with one of his own.
With a thunderous boom, their fists collided. A massive shockwave exploded from the point of impact, sending debris flying in every direction. To everyone's astonishment, neither man moved an inch. The first clash had ended in a draw.
"What?" Whitebeard's captains were dumbfounded. This guy had just exchanged blows with Whitebeard and matched him? What kind of monster was he?
But Linton's expression wasn't one of satisfaction. Whitebeard truly was a monster. Linton had used his First Generation Monster Strength Fist, combined with Armament Haki and his 800+ strength, yet he hadn't forced Whitebeard back even a step. Worse, Whitebeard hadn't even used his Devil Fruit ability yet. Close combat was going to be tough.
"Not bad…" Whitebeard grinned, clearly excited. "It's been a while since I've had such a workout. But if that's your strongest attack, I'm going to start getting serious."
"My strongest attack?" Linton laughed. "You're underestimating me. You haven't seen me go all out yet."
"Gurarara… Cocky brat! Let's see it, then," Whitebeard taunted.
"As you wish."
A dark energy began to emanate from Linton, gathering into the shape of a giant figure. Starting from a skeletal form, it slowly materialized into a fully armored figure.
The black, fully-formed Susanoo towered over the battlefield.
All the spectators were stunned into silence by the sight of the massive entity. What was this thing? It was beyond their understanding, leaving them speechless as they stared at Susanoo's imposing form.
"Gurarara…" But Whitebeard, standing directly in front of Susanoo, laughed. "Now this is exciting."
Before Whitebeard could finish speaking, Susanoo swung a colossal punch directly at him. Whitebeard's expression changed, but he still didn't move to dodge. He raised his fist to meet the blow head-on. This time, Whitebeard not only covered his fist in Armament Haki but also activated the power of his Devil Fruit, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, creating white shockwaves around his fist.
Whitebeard didn't underestimate Susanoo. His instincts told him that this thing was terrifying, and he needed to use his full strength to avoid defeat.
With another massive boom, their fists collided once more. This time, the ground beneath Whitebeard shattered as the force from above pressed down on him. Whitebeard took a sharp breath but didn't retreat. He roared and stood firm.
Boom! A secondary explosion rocked the battlefield. Susanoo's hand wavered as if struck by some strange energy. The air itself seemed to tremble, a result of Whitebeard's Devil Fruit power. Had Linton himself taken the hit, his hand would have been shattered. But it was only Susanoo, a magical construct, and Linton didn't care. He could repair it with a bit of energy. Ignoring the tremor, Linton pushed down harder.
Crash! Whitebeard's feet sunk into the ground as the area around him crumbled. Despite the overwhelming pressure, he didn't budge, taking the full brunt of the attack.
"This… is bad!" Marco, standing behind Whitebeard, couldn't hold back any longer. He knew his father's condition was deteriorating. Whitebeard might be holding his own for now, but if this fight dragged on, he wouldn't last.
"Dad, I'm coming to help!" Marco shouted, ignoring Whitebeard's earlier warning. He transformed into his Phoenix form, flames enveloping his body as he soared into the sky, rushing toward Susanoo.
"Stay back!" Whitebeard shouted when he saw Marco approaching.
But it was too late. Linton noticed the incoming Phoenix and retracted his fist,
swinging it powerfully at Marco.
With a single swat, Marco felt an immense force hit him. Like an insect, he was swatted away, bouncing twice across the sea's surface before crashing into a mountain on the distant shore.
The impact knocked Marco unconscious instantly. His last thought before blacking out was, "Is this the kind of monster Dad's fighting?"
"Marco!" Whitebeard roared, his voice filled with fury as he watched his son fly into the distance, his fate uncertain. His anger surged uncontrollably.
(End of Chapter)