"This… this is…"
"The awakened power of the Gomu-Gomu no Mi!"
Whitebeard, who knew Ace well, had sensed that at first, Ace hadn't unleashed his full strength.
But what came next completely took him by surprise…
Ace, now serious, surged with power and a sudden shift in battle technique so drastic that it caught Whitebeard completely off guard.
However, for a pirate of seventy-two years like Whitebeard, what he never lacked was combat experience to handle the unexpected.
High above, Whitebeard twisted his body midair, turning his front toward Ace below, ensuring he could observe every movement.
With the terrifying speed Ace had just shown—enough to evade even Whitebeard's perception—Whitebeard knew: at this moment, Ace had become a flawless powerhouse in both strength and speed.
In that case…
He had no choice but to use other methods of attack.
Propelled by his own momentum, Whitebeard straightened to his full height at the peak of his ascent, his expression tense.
A transparent energy layer suddenly enveloped his massive fists.
His muscles bulged violently.
In midair, Whitebeard unleashed his power!
A shockwave erupted from his body!
The feeling of watching his son grow, of sparring at full strength with him…
It was exhilarating beyond words!
A wild laugh rang out, but Whitebeard did not pause his movements.
His colossal fists swung downward toward Ace with the force of gravity itself.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Instantly, the air above shattered like glass.
Space itself seemed to fold and warp under the impact.
Whitebeard's aura surged violently, betraying none of the frailty expected from a battle-worn elder.
The fearsome energy shot downward, cleaving the air into vacuum slashes that seemed capable of tearing the very void, rushing toward Ace below!
"Yohohoho~"
"Is this what a world-destroying Devil Fruit looks like!?"
Brook, watching from afar, exclaimed in awe.
He glanced at Koby beside him.
If even Whitebeard could be this terrifying… then this obedient young man in their crew must be even more dangerous!
If I don't work harder, I'll be left in the dust!
Yohohoho…
…
For Ace on the ground, Whitebeard's sudden surge seemed almost invisible. His expression returned to calm.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Ace slowly closed his eyes, whispering softly so that only he could hear:
"Dad…"
"You're too slow."
Just as the first shards of the descending attack were about to graze his forehead, Ace vanished, leaving behind a fleeting afterimage shredded by the slicing air.
The real Ace stood beside the illusion.
His slender frame made him appear tiny beneath the onslaught from above—but no one could underestimate him.
Ssshh!
BOOM!
The air slashes hit the ground, splitting the ice beneath Ace into fragments.
And this was only the first strike.
Above, thousands of similar attacks of equal power were converging rapidly on Ace's position!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Countless blows smashed down, carving thousands of furrows into the ice.
The shattered ice sent up a chill-filled mist, and across the fractured surface, countless afterimages of Ace appeared—calm, fearless, gliding past the slashes without concern.
Whitebeard hovered in the void, gravity pulling him downward.
Then!!!
Ace's eyes snapped open, a brilliant crimson aura bursting from them, painting the air red.
From within, a surging torrent of blood-energy flowed, pressing down like storm clouds, suffocating those who witnessed it!
The aura recoiled and condensed, funneling into Ace's flesh, blending with his physical form.
With it, an overwhelming presence awakened, flowing through his body and warping the space around him.
Ace clenched his fists. Blue veins writhed like serpents across his arms.
"Huff…"
He exhaled a breath tainted with blood, and the deep red hue in his body softened slightly.
Time… is almost up.
Ace knew he could not delay.
In this state, his Gear Fifth blood-enhanced power would last only three minutes.
A prolonged clash with Whitebeard would be suicide.
He had to seize this moment to unleash his full strength!
Could he defeat Whitebeard?
In their hearts, the answer was already known.
"Then let my power… bloom across this world!!!"
Ace whispered once more.
BOOM!
His body erupted like a detonating bomb. Blood mist seeped from him, swirling around.
The energy in his legs surged toward his fists as if his blood itself were flowing backward.
Enduring the searing pain of his veins, Ace's expression twisted into a grimace.
Blood-red eyes, fierce visage, steam rising from his body, hair lifted by the energy coursing through his arms—he had become a monster.
A true demon!
Blood flowed with every movement of his lips.
Raising his gaze, Ace's crimson eyes fixed on Whitebeard, wild and unyielding.
"Hmm?"
Whitebeard, just landing, sensed the shift in Ace. Danger crept into his mind, urging caution.
But at this point, there was no turning back.
His purpose had been fulfilled.
Victory or defeat no longer mattered.
"Dad!!!"
Ace shouted, a piercing roar reaching Whitebeard's ears—a declaration, a challenge, a display.
"Watch… this!!!"
"This is…"
"My power!!!"
The blood aura around him condensed, clinging to his arms and solidifying.
Muscles swelled like coiling serpents, surging forward!
Hiss!
His blood-steam-laden flesh extended rapidly, emitting a shrieking sound like a striking serpent, ready to devour its prey.
In the blink of an eye, his colossal fists were before Whitebeard.
Whitebeard, however, stood tall, smiling softly.
"Guralalala!"
"Ace! You truly don't disappoint me!"
He trembled slightly, then unleashed an unrivaled force, colliding directly with Ace's fists.
BOOM!!!
The world shook as their fists met.
A shockwave of unparalleled force rippled across the sea!
The Whitebeard Pirates braced for hundreds of exchanges…
But Ace's rubberized arms suddenly recoiled!
Whitebeard's massive fists propelled backward, dark crimson and immense, ready to strike again.
The elasticity of Ace's arms absorbed and stored the force…
…Then returned it!
BOOM!!!
A tearing blast of air echoed.
Ace's serpentine arms struck back, combining his own power with Whitebeard's!
This would be his final strike.
His strongest strike.
The blood-tinged energy surged, and even Whitebeard lowered his guard slightly, impressed.
Those outside the fight held their breath, sensing the magnitude of the attack.
"Dad…"
Ace's calm face revealed a trace of guilt.
Whitebeard shook his head gently.
It was enough…
Already enough…
The march of time never stops, but he had sat in his position far too long.
This sparring match had reached its climax.
From the beginning, both knew that in the face of absolute power, the Whitebeard Pirates had no choice.
Thankfully, the Starry Sky Pirates' option had been acceptable to Whitebeard.
This was always a show.
A performance for Ace!
To let Ace rightfully inherit the Whitebeard Pirates, to showcase a power capable of commanding respect…
This old man had done his part.
The rest was up to the youth.
His massive fists collided with Whitebeard's chest. Blood spurted, yet Whitebeard remained standing.
Ace's relentless assault continued across the sea, splitting the water in two, stretching beyond the horizon.
Whitebeard smiled faintly at Ace's strained expression.
Guralalala.
I never thought I'd retire… losing to my own family isn't so bad.
Pfft!
Amid the overwhelming force, Whitebeard spat blood. Standing firm, his once-proud gaze grew vacant, finally subdued by the terrifying power.
This legendary pirate, who had stood unmatched for decades, could finally take a moment to watch the sunset, to savor a rare, quiet time…
….
Completed version available on [P]atreon.[c]om/Veltoria [remove brackets]