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Hearing Whitebeard's complaints, Leno nearly jumped in anger, pointing straight at his nose as he cursed.
"You old geezer, are you trying to pick a fight? I've tolerated you for a long time!"
As he spoke, his aura suddenly exploded. Dark purple Conqueror's Haki burst forth instantly, sweeping across the surroundings in the blink of an eye.
The previously chaotic atmosphere around them fell silent.
Those with weaker strength collapsed one after another.
Even those who remained standing froze stiffly in place, staring over with horrified expressions.
Then several sharp sounds of air being torn apart rang out.
Several tall, muscular figures rapidly appeared in front of Whitebeard, all of them staring at Leno with vigilant eyes.
The atmosphere between both sides became tense in an instant, as if a world-shaking clash might erupt at any moment.
Standing to the side, Jinbe was sweating nervously. He looked at Whitebeard, then at Leno, and hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"M-Mr. Leno, please don't be impulsive. Pops is just like this by nature, he doesn't mean any harm..."
Leno swept his gaze across the captains standing between him and Whitebeard and curled his lips in disdain.
Just as he was about to speak, Whitebeard's hearty laughter came from above.
"Gurarararara..."
Whitebeard didn't mind Leno's sudden outburst at all. Instead, his eyes were full of amusement as he looked at him.
He picked up the wine jug Leno had given him and gulped down several large mouthfuls before teasing him with a grin.
"The uncrowned king, and this is all the tolerance you have? You can't even take a joke..."
"You..."
Leno was almost exploding with anger. Ever since he arrived here, this old man had been completely controlling the conversation.
If it weren't for the lingering goodwill from the past—and the fact that the old man clearly had no intention of attacking—he would have drawn his blade long ago.
After taking several deep breaths to suppress his anger, Leno withdrew his aura and sat down cross-legged on the deck.
With a casual wave of his hand, several crates filled with alcohol appeared out of thin air.
He glared fiercely at Whitebeard and said irritably,
"Take these. They're fine wines from all over the world. Drink yourself to death."
"Oh?"
Hearing that they were fine wines, Whitebeard's eyes lit up. He grabbed a bottle and immediately started drinking.
"Good wine!"
Whitebeard let out a satisfied sigh, then looked at Leno and scolded with a smile.
"You brat, why didn't you bring out the good wine earlier?"
"Hmph."
Leno turned his head away, unwilling to bother with the old fossil.
Whitebeard waved his hand, signaling the people surrounding him to step back. Leaning lazily against the back of his chair, he said,
"Alright, tell me. What did you come to see me for this time? I don't believe a man like you would visit for no reason."
Hearing this, Leno lifted his head and silently looked at Whitebeard. The meaning in his eyes was obvious.
The burly Jozu glanced at the two of them and hesitantly spoke.
"Pops, then should we..."
"Yeah, you all can leave first. It doesn't look like he came here to fight."
Whitebeard glanced at Leno below and spoke calmly.
This brat clearly had something he wanted to ask for. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tolerated so much earlier.
The teasing just now had already revealed quite a lot.
After hearing their father's words, the captains glanced warily at Leno once more before reluctantly leaving.
The Conqueror's Haki that this man had suddenly unleashed earlier had shocked them all. They had personally felt the terrifying strength of this so-called "king."
Leaving such a frightening figure alone with Pops still made them uneasy.
Once everyone had left, Whitebeard took another bottle of wine from the crate. After drinking a few mouthfuls, he sighed.
"Even now, I still find it hard to believe that someone your age could reach such heights."
"Sigh... In the blink of an eye, there aren't many old guys like me left on the sea."
"Tsk. What's this? Has the world's strongest man finally admitted he's getting old?"
Leno looked at Whitebeard with amusement. Just a moment ago he was lively as ever, but now that his sons had left, he suddenly started sounding sentimental.
Whitebeard shot him an annoyed glance, instantly losing his mood for reflection.
"Hurry up and say it. What exactly did you come here for?"
"What else? I came to ask you about the whereabouts of the red Poneglyph on Fish-Man Island."
Leno spread his hands and looked at Whitebeard helplessly.
If that thing hadn't disappeared within this old man's territory, he wouldn't have come to find him first.
After hearing this, a look of understanding appeared on Whitebeard's face. He sized Leno up for a moment before speaking.
"Brat, you know quite a lot. Interested in that great treasure?"
"Obviously. If I wasn't interested, why would I go through all this trouble?"
Leno truly had no mood left to chat with this old geezer. They were completely on different wavelengths.
Whitebeard curled his lips slightly, then said with a hint of schadenfreude,
"Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I have no idea where that thing went."
"I see..."
Leno didn't show any reaction. After thinking for a moment, he asked,
"Then what about a rubbing? Do you have one here?"
"I don't have that either."
Whitebeard waved his hand indifferently.
"I'm not interested in that great treasure anyway. Why would I keep that thing? It only brings trouble."
"...Goodbye."
Leno silently stood up, stored the crates of wine back away, then turned and walked off without another word.
Whitebeard was momentarily stunned by his actions. After realizing what had happened, he quickly called out to stop him.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"What?"
Leno stopped and slightly turned his head, sounding somewhat impatient.
Since this old fossil didn't have what he wanted, there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
Whitebeard glanced at where the wine crates had disappeared, then looked at Leno and swallowed.
"You brat, leave if you want—but why did you take the wine too?"
Hearing this, Leno turned around and looked at Whitebeard in disbelief, his tone exaggerated.
"Hey, old man, you didn't help me with anything. How do you still have the nerve to ask for the wine?"
Leno's blunt response instantly darkened Whitebeard's face.
This annoying brat didn't play by the rules at all.
Since when could someone take back something they had already brought out?
Where in the world did such logic exist?
He narrowed his eyes, and his aura gradually became dangerous.
Seeing this, Leno suddenly grinned.
So when he got angry earlier, this guy didn't care. But now he was ready to fall out over a few bottles of wine.
Leno casually drew his blade Huangquan and stared at Whitebeard with blazing eyes, speaking proudly.
"Come fight!"
"If you defeat me, you can have as much wine as you want."
"You arrogant brat! Do you know who I am? I'm Whitebeard!"
Hearing Leno's arrogant provocation, Whitebeard's eyes widened in fury.
He grabbed the naginata beside his chair, stepped forward, and slashed down in one motion.
Leno, who had been waiting for a long time, didn't dodge at all. Facing the incoming blade light, he swung his sword horizontally.
Clang!
A piercing sound of metal colliding rang out, and the air around them instantly twisted and distorted.
The terrifying shockwave from the collision exploded outward with the two of them at the center.
The surrounding commanders who had been chatting casually suddenly changed expressions when they heard the massive commotion.
Just as they turned to rush over, a trembling voice suddenly rang out.
"Everyone look up! The clouds—no, the sky has split open!"
"..."
...
...