Chapter 456: The Sky Cracked!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Storms surged, and clouds churned as lightning flashed and thunder roared.
A massive shockwave collided with the fierce winds of the headwind layer, stirring up enormous waves.
The ships caught in this shockwave trembled violently.
Some, already strained, capsized under the gusts, like the final straw breaking the camel's back.
Across the sea, the expressions of those aboard numerous ships, including the Buggy Pirates and Pizarro Pirates, shifted dramatically.
"What is happening?" someone shouted.
"Look! The sky is splitting open!" another exclaimed.
Pirates, hunters, and magic pattern users alike gazed skyward in shock.
"It's the Whitebeard Pirates and the Beasts Pirates clashing. They are truly monsters!"
In the distance, two renowned pirate ships stood out. The shockwave and fractured clouds centered around them.
Even in this era, witnessing such a spectacle up close left people in awe.
The vast sky, torn apart by human power, was a realm unattainable for many at the bottom.
"It is the clash between Whitebeard and Kaido of the Beasts. Boss Buggy must possess such power too!" a pirate from the Buggy Pirates shouted.
Feeling the ship rock more intensely, he called out enthusiastically, shielding himself from the wind with his wrist.
Inside the captain's cabin, Buggy, standing by the window, nearly spat blood hearing this.
His heart screamed, 'I do not! I cannot! Stop talking nonsense!'
But his inner protests went unheard.
Only the fervent cheers below suggested Buggy had gained another fabricated feat.
"These guys are hopeless. Have they been charmed by Buggy?" Galdino muttered.
On the ship, Galdino shielded himself from the wind with a candle wall as hard as steel, grumbling to himself.
Fortunately, several strong pirates on board seemed relatively clear-headed.
This kept Galdino from feeling like he was in a den of lunatics.
"That kind of power is truly terrifying." he said.
Gazing at the shattered, endless clouds above, Galdino sank into thought.
It reminded him of a lean man with fearsome strength—Piccolo, the gem-level hunter known as the Power King, capable of splitting the earth and shattering peaks.
Yet, despite his might, Piccolo was inexplicably defeated by Buggy.
This world was truly baffling.
While Galdino pondered, the confrontation unfolded elsewhere.
"Worarara, Old Man, you are still so strong! You must have drunk plenty of Holy Light Potion!" Kaido taunted.
On a massive ship resembling a white whale, a towering figure with curved horns clashed with Whitebeard's Murakumogiri using a mace.
Their weapons did not touch.
Yet, shockwaves spilled out, generating terrifying waves.
This was their Conqueror's Haki-infused clash.
"Gulalala!" Whitebeard's heroic laughter rang out.
"Brat, has anyone told you how annoying you are?" he said.
Veins bulged on his hands gripping Murakumogiri, and visible steam rose from his skin.
Crack!
Crack!
A white light flashed at their clash point, and the atmosphere shattered like a mirror.
Boom!
A tremendous roar echoed across the sky.
Centered on the Moby Dick, the sea seemed to overturn.
Massive waves swept outward.
Kaido, jolted by the force, staggered back several steps.
He crouched slightly to brace against the power.
The deck beneath him splintered, creaking under the strain.
"Old Man, your abilities seem even stronger." Kaido said.
An excited grin spread across his face as he slung his mace over his shoulder.
"But…"
"Even if you are stronger, it is useless against those monsters."
The wind whipped Kaido's long black hair wildly.
"How about it, Old Man?"
"Join forces with me this time!"
Hearing Kaido's sudden offer, Whitebeard fell silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.
His booming laugh drowned out the howling wind.
"Gulalala! Brat, I am Whitebeard!"
"Even now, I stand alone."
"You're really stubborn, old man."
After hearing Whitebeard's reply, Kaido picked up his mace and turned away.
Pausing briefly, he lingered and said, "It is too early to refuse. Are you not doing this for your sons?"
With that, Kaido walked off, heading toward the Beasts Pirates' ship nearby.
King, who had accompanied Kaido and observed from a corner, followed him.
"Pops, do not mind what Kaido said." Marco said.
Flying over and seeing Whitebeard's silence, Marco wore a cheerful smile and spoke.
"That is right, Pops." Vista added.
"We are not weak now. At least we can help a bit." He said, approaching in a dark blue hat, looking more mature than two years ago.
A glint of bloodlust flashed in his eyes.
Other Whitebeard Pirates captains gathered as well.
Over the past two years, the Whitebeard Pirates' strength had grown.
In the Great Age of Martial Arts, future challengers to Whitebeard would only grow stronger.
This, coupled with past shortcomings, fostered a strong training culture within the crew.
Among them, Marco had improved the most.
Beyond his own training, he had gained tricks.
After participating in Orochimaru's experiments, he acquired mythical beast powers, greatly enhancing his Phoenix abilities.
Now, he could hold his own against an average Marine Admiral.
His phoenix vitality had surged, making him nearly unkillable.
In a prolonged or desperate fight, he held the advantage.
With such strength, Marco was poised to inherit Whitebeard's mantle and lead the crew.
Besides Marco, Vista was close behind, only slightly less powerful.
He too had cheated, gaining magic pattern user abilities.
Magic pattern users grew not only through training but also by absorbing materials from powerful monsters with matching attributes, boosting growth rates.
However, this method had downsides.
It complicated the body's magic power and increased mental strain, though it was a viable path.
Thanks to this, Vista's strength had soared.
He could handle a Marine Admiral with ease.
At a recent kendo tournament, he shone brightly.
Morgans dubbed him, Hawkeye, and Red Hair the Three Great Masters of Kendo in the papers.
"Gulalala, my sons have truly grown!" Whitebeard said.
Looking at his sons comforting him, he flashed a heroic, gratified smile.
(End of Chapter)