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The news of the Thunder God Pirates declaring war on the Whitebeard Pirates swept across the ocean like a cataclysmic storm, whipping the seas into a frenzy.
A heavy, suffocating atmosphere permeated the New World. Everyone—from the lowliest deckhand to the highest power—watched from the shadows, breath held, waiting for the first report of gunfire.
Would Whitebeard, the sole legendary figure of the older generation still active on the high seas, continue his myth? Or would the Thunder Emperor, Arthur, eclipse him with an even more brilliant light?
This was destined to be the most terrifying war of the New Era. It would determine if Arthur could seize the scepter of legend from the remnants of the past.
Once again, the eyes of the entire world converged on a single point.
.............
Whitebeard Territory.
The Moby Dick, a vessel that had defined an entire era, stood as the vanguard. It carried the man himself, Whitebeard, along with over a dozen formidable Division Captains: Marco, Jozu, Thatch, Vista, Namur, and more.
Behind the Moby Dick was a massive armada—fully fifty allied pirate ships. A grand fleet of thousands had gathered in one place, prepared for a collision that promised only a blood-soaked massacre.
The atmosphere was solemn. Every pirate stood with sharp, focused eyes, hands gripping blades and firearms. There was none of the usual carefree singing and dancing; today, they faced a threat that demanded absolute gravity.
In the past, the Whitebeard Pirates could send a single Captain to crush any challenger and hurl them back to the first half of the Grand Line. Whitebeard rarely needed to lift a finger.
But this time, they faced an equal: the Thunder God Pirates. In the dark corners of the world, some already whispered that Arthur's crew was the Number One Pirate Crew in the World. While they had fewer Captains, their individual strength was monstrous.
First Division Captain, "Shiryu," was rumored to be on par with the Four Emperors themselves, merely lacking a duel to prove it. The other Captains were all, at the very least, beyond the level of a Marine Vice Admiral. Furthermore, Sanjuan Wolf, commander of the Giant Warrior Pirates, had mastered the terrifying combat techniques of Elbaf under the tutelage of the legendary giant captains.
Though they lacked the numbers of Whitebeard's fleet, their individual prowess was even more terrifying.
"Pops, the grudge for Squard has waited over a decade. Today, we finally settle the score!" Marco's sleepy, half-lidded eyes suddenly snapped wide, filled with cold intent.
"Thinking they can just start a war with the Whitebeard Pirates? They're still a hundred years too early!"
"Pops is the World's Strongest Man! If the Thunder God Pirates come to our door, they're only coming to die!"
"World's Strongest Crew?? We'll show them what real strength looks like!"
As long as a man does not die and has not yet succumbed to the frailty of age, he continues to grow—especially in the crucible of the New World. Marco was leagues beyond the young man who had been blasted into the sea by Arthur's lightning years ago. Jozu, Vista, and the others had grown significantly more powerful. Backed by the long-standing prestige of the World's Strongest, their confidence was unshakable.
With the supernatural recovery of the Mythical Zoan: Phoenix Fruit, Marco knew that as long as he wasn't killed in a single blow, he would always stand back up.
"Gurararararara!" Whitebeard sat tall on his throne, facing the sea and laughing toward the sky, his spirit as indomitable as ever.
His laughter possessed an aura that could swallow the mountains and rivers. Though age was catching up to him—evident by the beautiful nurses in pink uniforms tending to the IV drips at his side—his sheer presence remained untarnished.
His bare, muscular chest was a map of dense scars. These were his medals of honor, silent testaments to decades of war where he had never once been truly defeated.
"That lightning brat, Arthur... his growth has exceeded my expectations. But to challenge me? It's too soon! Because I am... WHITEBEARD! Gurarararararara!!"
"POPS IS THE STRONGEST!"
"THE WHITEBEARD PIRATES ARE INVINCIBLE!"
The oppressive dread that had hung over the fleet vanished, replaced by a surge of morale fueled by Whitebeard's fearless aura.
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The only one who remained calm was Blackbeard. He had remained dormant for over a decade, watching silently from the sidelines. He neither cheered nor joined the chorus of praise; instead, he sat apart, stuffing his face with cherry pie.
"Zehahahaha... Pops is only human after all," Teach muttered, his toothy maw agape as his gaze drifted toward the IV needles in Whitebeard's chest. "He's old. In the end, a man can only rely on himself."
'How much longer until the Yami Yami no Mi appears?' Teach thought. 'If Arthur kills the Old Man here, my years of waiting go up in smoke. The best outcome is for the Thunder God Pirates to be repelled!'
'If I'd known Arthur would become such a collector of Devil Fruits, maybe I should have joined his crew to wait for it instead...'
Teach had joined Whitebeard because he believed this crew offered the highest chance of encountering the Dark-Dark Fruit. But with Arthur's meteoric rise and his obsession with collecting fruits, the Thunder God Pirates were becoming the more likely destination for the fruit of his dreams.
"My sons, prepare yourselves!" Whitebeard set down a sake jug larger than a man and glanced at the calm horizon. "They're here!"
The moment the words left his lips, dozens of ships bearing Arthur's emblem crested the horizon. At a glance, there were at least three thousand men!
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Arthur stood at the prow of the Kuja Pirates' flagship. Boa Hancock stood to his left, and Acting Vice Captain Stussy to his right.
His expression was cold as he stared ahead. Suddenly, he tilted his head, as if feeling a domineering gaze cutting through the vast distance of the sea.
Flanking his ship were dozens of vessels, carrying thousands of pirates who were roaring with excitement. Their momentum was like a rising tide. The Kuja Pirates held the center, while the other Captains commanded the flanks. The absolute elite of the Thunder God Pirates had arrived.
"To fight alongside Lord Arthur... I'm so excited! I absolutely cannot lose to this wretched woman!" Hancock whispered, her hands clutching her flushed cheeks, though her expression soured the moment she glanced at Stussy.
"Snake Princess! Lord Arthur! The Whitebeard Pirates are dead ahead!" a female warrior shouted down from the crow's nest.
Simultaneously, scouts from the surrounding ships spotted the enemy fleet spreading across the sea.
"Finally... we're here!!"
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On the Moby Dick, the moment he saw Arthur, Whitebeard rose from his throne. His Haki was absolute. He tossed his sake jug aside and violently ripped the IV needles from his chest. His eyes, full of disdain for all things, swept over the aggressive Thunder God fleet.
"Finally... you've come!!"
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