|3rd POV|
The battlefield gets even more chaotic than before. With Whitebeard staying behind, the other marines start to chase after them. However, Vale decides to stay behind and enter the inner wall, where he watches as Whitebeard wreaks havoc.
He looks around and finds Sengoku, looking down at the others fighting. With a hum, he jumps from one place to another and lands next to him. Sengoku looks at him, one eyebrow raised, and says.
"What are you doing here, Valerian? Aren't you doing your duty?"
"I am done with my duty. No pirates go through the southwest wall."
The older man looks where Vale was and nods his head. The southwest wall is intact and free of scratches. Vale performs his duty perfectly.
"You do. So, what do you want? I cannot give your reward now if that is what you want to ask."
"No. Nothing like that. I come here to ask if I can join the fight against Whitebeard."
Sengoku looks at him strangely and says,
"That is Edward Newgate, the strongest man in the world. You know that, right?"
"Yes, I know."
"And you still want to fight him."
"Yes."
The Fleet Admiral looks at him for a few seconds before saying.
"Suit yourself. However, I will not take the blame if you die from fighting him."
"You will not be blamed, don't worry. Anyway, thank you for the permission."
With a grin, Vale jumps into the battle and releases his Supreme King Haki. His kanabo is now pitch black from his Armament Haki and the red lightning he's releasing. Whitebeard looks up and sees Vale grinning while falling toward him.
For a second, he sees someone familiar. Someone who keeps grinning even on the verge of dying. This person is his rival and the only one who defeats him in battle.
When he returns to reality, something is coursing through his body, and Whitebeard grins. He releases the full might of his Supreme Haki and slams his right foot into the ground. With a mighty swing, he greeted Vale's attack head-on.
Two Supreme King Haki meet and explode, creating a massive crater. The sky darkens as two kings fight for dominance, and the sky splits, parting as if someone cut through the cloud. The Marines who stand around them fall to the ground unconscious as they cannot handle the power of two Supreme Haki.
To the people who are still conscious, something blows their minds. The two strikes do not meet. There is a gap between their two weapons. The sound of impact is not coming from the two weapons meeting, but rather from the haki itself.
"Gurararara! You are still a hundred years too young to beat me, boy!"
"Bwahahaha! Let's see, old man!"
Both of them laugh and increase the intensity of their attack, cracking the ground and setting off a massive explosion that sends people flying. Borsalino, Kizaru, look at the battle and whistle.
"We have a monster on our side~."
His expression might be relaxed, but anyone who knows him knows that he is a little bit nervous. Supreme King Haki is a rarity in the world, and it is even more rare when someone can use it like what Vale is doing right now.
"At least he is on our side."
Kuzan, Aokiji, says with a lazy tone. Half his body is still frozen from using his power.
"Hn. They are bounty hunters. They are not on our side. We should force them to join the Marines."
Sakazuki, Akainu, grunt as he looks at the battle with a frown on his face.
"Ararara~ Don't be like that, Sakazuki. If you force them, they will resent us and instead join the pirates or worse, the Revolutionary Army."
"Kuzan is right, you know?~ We should use a soft approach for now, ne~."
"Hn."
Sakazuki grunts and does not reply. People think of him as a hot-headed and kill first and ask question never type of person who will kill anyone who does not join the Marines. That is true, but it only happens when you are a pirate. Vale and his family do not break any law and even help the Marines by hunting down pirates and joining the war. He will give them a chance and is even willing to be 'friendly' with them.
"Gurararara!"
"Bwahahaha!"
The fight gets even more intense after the first attack as both fighters fight with all they have. Whitebeard might be old, and his strength might be weakening from age, but he is still the strongest man in the world.
He moves very fast for someone his size, and he hits like a giant train coming at 200 kmph (~124 mph). Vale needs to push his body even further, as he can feel his physical strength is behind the giant of a man.
However, even when he is struggling, he does not use his chakra and other powers to even fight. He only uses his physical strength and will to fight against Whitebeard.
Sadly for him, someone does not like this decision. With a mighty push, Whitebeard throws Vale away and looks at him with anger in his eyes.
"Are you insulting me, boy?!"
His voice makes the ground vibrate at how loud it is. Vale looks at Whitebeard in confusion and says.
"What?"
"I've given my all! And you answer my determination with half-baked effort?!"
Vale widens his eyes and takes a deep breath. He looks at Whitebeard right in the eyes, and the air around him changes. Whitebeard nods his head when he sees this. He knows that Vale is getting serious.
"I am sorry, Whitebeard. I am sorry for the insult in our duel. Very well! I, Valerian Milleifore, shall go all out!"
"Good! Come! Come and face me, Edward Newgate!"
Vale releases a deep breath, and his body starts to change. White fire comes out of his body, and he now enters a human-beast mode. The air gets colder, and ice mist dances around him. A white cloud is floating around him, indicating that his Devil Fruit had already awakened.
"Here I come!"
"Gurararara! Come, boy!"
Once again, the two fighters dunk it on. However, this time, they match. Vale's strength is enhanced by entering human-beast form. Each of their strikes shakes the ground, and most of the marines and pirates cannot see them attack, as all they can see is a blur.
As the two powerhouses fight each other, the others keep moving. The Whitebeard pirates retreat with tears running down their faces as they watch their father fighting to let them get away. The Marines chase them and do their best to get away from Marineford.
The pirates form a defensive formation as they try to move their ships trapped inside Marineford.
One by one, the Division Commander manages to move the ships while the others fight the Marines charging at them. The Division Commander tries their hardest to hold back the Three Admirals. They know that they cannot defeat the Three Admirals, but they are here not to defeat them but rather to hold them back.
And it is working.
The others manage to get Moby Dick off the ice and land on the water. They board the ship and set sail. They scream at Whitebeard to retreat and go along with them. However, the giants do not stop fighting Vale.
He only smiles a little as if a heavy weight has been lifted from his shoulder, and he fights even harder.
They continue to fight for a few more minutes, and when Moby Dick finally leaves the Marineford, Whitebeard starts to slow down. Vale notices this and looks at the older man with a frown. Whitebeard grins and takes a battle stance. This will be his last attack, and Vale knows about this.
"Let's go all out, Old Man!"
"Gurararara! Very well! Accept my strongest attack, boy!"
Vale swings his kanabo with all his strength, and Whitebeard follows his example. Once again, an explosion happens, and this time, it rips apart the wall not too far away from them. However, the outcome this time is different from before.
Vale roars and pushes through the deadlock. He pushes away Whitebeard and makes him lose his footing. He uses this chance to jump high and swing his kanabo at his head. His attack lands cleanly, and blood is coming out of Whitebeard's head.
His head is deformed, and some of the bone is coming out of his head. However, he is still standing, and his eyes are still full of life. He paused a little and looked to the sky. He knows that this fight is broadcast worldwide, and he will use this chance.
He takes a deep breath and roars to the sky.
"One Piece does exist!"
With a final grin, he falls to the ground and closes his eyes for good. Just like that, the strongest man in the world died.
And his death creates a massive wave around the world.