New World, Fodervitan Island, one of the strongholds of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Under Whitebeard's intimidation, this island was one of the few peaceful trading hubs in the New World.
Since Hachinosu Island had been occupied by the Marines, more and more pirates had chosen to conduct their business here, causing the usually orderly town to appear somewhat chaotic.
Whitebeard had no choice but to personally oversee and maintain order in this place.
...
Night fell, and the Moby Dick was docked at the port.
Whitebeard sat upright on his massive chair, the Murakumo Splitter standing beside him, the IV tube gleaming coldly under the moonlight.
The shadow cast by his enormous frame nearly swallowed half the deck.
...
Marco approached, looking at the bustling lights and noise on Fodervitan Island with a sigh. "There are too many unruly guys lately, what a hassle~"
"Old man, you should go rest first. It's late, I'll keep an eye on things here."
...
Whitebeard shook his head gently, a faint smile on his face. "No... there's a guest you can't entertain."
Drip...
Drip...
Water dripped from the hem of a faded cloak, and the sound of bare feet stepping across the deck clearly reached Marco's ears.
Marco turned in surprise, seeing a face that was all too familiar, differing only in hair color.
"Rayleigh!!!"
...
Rayleigh looked up, the scar at his temple shifting in the flickering deck light.
"Long time no see, Newgate."
...
"Rayleigh..."
Whitebeard's voice came from above, like a deep-sea thunderclap.
"If you came here for Shanks... don't bother saying such foolish words."
Rayleigh naturally sat cross-legged. Marco nervously waved away the ordinary crew members as the various Captains quietly drew closer.
After more than twenty years since the Roger Pirates disbanded, this was the first time Rayleigh had set foot on the Moby Dick.
The relationship between the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates was complicated, but ultimately, they were still adversaries.
The psychological shadow left by this Dark King on Marco was significant.
...
Rayleigh first tossed out a bottle of sake, then spoke. "I know your character. If you truly disliked that Marine, he would never have left the Whitebeard Pirates alive."
"So..."
"What if I said I came to ask for your help in rescuing Uchiha Griffin!"
!!!
"What did you say!!"
Marco exclaimed urgently, seeming to realize he was too agitated, and lowered his voice. "That kid returned victorious and is probably holding a celebration banquet at Marine Headquarters right now."
"You're joking, Rayleigh!"
...
Rayleigh ignored him, staring intently at Whitebeard's lowered eyes.
"Have them leave first. What I'm about to say next... involves that King of Nothingness!"
Only then did Whitebeard's expression change. His massive body leaned forward, tearing the IV tube.
"Marco, you all go have some fun on the island for a while."
"Old man!... Alright."
...
...
"What have you discovered, Rayleigh."
The shadow of Whitebeard's body completely enveloped Rayleigh, the intense pressure impossible for even the Dark King Rayleigh to ignore.
Even in such severe illness... he still possessed such terrifying power!
Rayleigh took a swig of liquor and said gravely, "You know about Harald, right?"
Harald...
Whitebeard's mind conjured that colossal figure.
The King of the Giants, who had repeatedly refused Rocks' recruitment yet maintained friendly interactions with them.
But after the God Valley incident, he went to the World Government to break his horn in atonement, willingly becoming a servant.
...
Whitebeard understood him.
After all, unlike himself and the others, Harald bore the weight of the Giant Kingdom. Faced with the irresistible might of the World Government, choosing submission for the sake of his people was understandable.
At least the outcome back then was favorable—the Giant Kingdom successfully engaged in trade with the outside world, and some giants even joined the Marines. Everything seemed to be progressing toward peace.
Unfortunately...
About seven years ago, Harald was killed by his own son.
When Whitebeard heard the news, he sighed with lament for a while.
...
"Why bring up the Giant King? What does this have to do with that kid Griffin?"
"You also said it involves that man... Stop beating around the bush!"
Whitebeard snapped back to attention.
Harald was a close friend of Rocks, while he himself had only been acquainted with him.
Even he had only joined Rocks after losing a Davy Back Fight.
What he cared about most was that foolish son he had spent several years with.
...
Rayleigh sensed the impatience in Whitebeard's tone. After a brief moment of thought, he tried to convey his meaning as succinctly as possible.
"I suspect Uchiha Griffin, like Harald, has been marked by that man!"
"Something like... the mark of the God's Knights!"
"Harald's cause of death is suspicious, likely related to the former Rocks..."
...
"Enough."
Two words, spoken softly, yet they silenced the sea breeze and stilled the waves.
Rayleigh looked up at Whitebeard, who had risen to his feet, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
"You only need to see Uchiha Griffin now to know—his consciousness has been overtaken by something terrifying, making him extremely paranoid and cold!"
"With his already unparalleled talent, if he becomes like Rocks... If we don't stop him now—"
"I said, enough!"
Crack—!!
The deck splintered, terrifying arcs of Conqueror's Haki tearing through the atmosphere!!
Clang—
Rayleigh drew his sword. Faced with such overwhelming Conqueror's Haki pressure, he had no choice but to release his own.
At the center of their confrontation, space twisted and shattered layer by layer!
From within the chaotic space, Whitebeard's voice echoed.
...
"Submit to that guy... If you had truly seen Griffin, you wouldn't spout such nonsense!"
Whitebeard's eyes seemed to flicker with lightning, his Conqueror's Haki completely suppressing Rayleigh's. The terror of the world's strongest man was on full display!
"Get off my ship, Rayleigh!!"
Swish!!!
The Murakumo Splitter descended with ferocious force!!
Where the blade passed, space itself was cleaved open, leaving a ghastly pale fissure. Even the moonlight appeared fragmented!!
"You're too stubborn, Whitebeard!!"
Rayleigh didn't even make a motion to raise his sword. The seemingly ordinary longsword simply appeared before him, perfectly intercepting the trajectory of the Murakumo Splitter!
The blades never truly made contact, instead intertwining in a mass of black and red arcs.
There was no sharp clang of metal—only the sound of a giant hammer striking the drumhead of the world!!
—
All sound vanished.
...
The sky split open—and this was no metaphor.
Then...
The world shattered.
Boom——————————!!!!!!!!
Rayleigh's figure was engulfed in the torrent of black and red Haki, continuously flying backward until he vanished into the dark sea surface.
...
When the sea breeze began to flow once more.
"Cough, cough..."
Whitebeard leaned on his knees, coughing softly. This strike had agitated his old injuries, causing a tearing pain in his internal organs.
"Pops!!"
The massive commotion made Marco and the others ignore their orders, rushing back one after another.
Whitebeard took a deep breath and sat back down on his massive chair. Marco hurried over to check his condition.
"Are you alright! Pops!!"
...
Whitebeard raised a hand to signal he was fine, his gaze fixed on the dark sea.
He scoffed at what Rayleigh had said, but...
Those words had still planted a seed of unease in his heart.
What if...
No, Sengoku and Garp would never allow such a thing to happen!
Even as sworn enemies, Whitebeard believed they would not let that man run rampant over the Marines.
...
Kid, if it's you...
...
No one noticed the flicker of light in Teach's eyes in the corner.
How could this be...
The world's strongest, Pops, has truly grown old.
To be pushed this far by a mere former subordinate of the Pirate King!