"It's too strong… is this really the aura of Vane?"
Marco sat on the rail of the Moby Dick, his eyes fixed ahead. The rest of the crew gathered along the deck, watching in silence.
The pressure radiating from Vane was suffocating. He wasn't moving, wasn't even trying to release killing intent, yet an invisible weight pressed down on all of them. Marco, who had long grown used to the constant overwhelming aura of Whitebeard, still found himself shaken.
It wasn't weaker than Whitebeard's.
"Sure enough, he really is different… the Emperor of the Sea," Marco muttered, his face tense.
No one could deny it. Every member of the crew felt the same oppressive dread. How could a boy, barely sixteen, emit such power? Even Shanks had shocked the world by rising young, but now, Rhett Vane had surpassed every expectation, standing on equal ground with Whitebeard himself.
He looked so young. Despite his composure and mature bearing, traces of youth still clung to him. That made it even more terrifying. A teenager should not have this kind of strength.
Whitebeard finally broke the silence, his voice rumbling like thunder. "I'm curious, boy… how did your strength grow so quickly? In all my years, I've never seen anything like it. The monsters of the New World… they can't even be called monsters compared to you. You're the real monster."
The crew exchanged glances. Whitebeard spoke the thoughts on everyone's mind. Who wasn't curious about this boy?
It had been less than a year since Vane set sail. His name first appeared in the news after he killed a Celestial Dragon, an act that shook the world and earned him his first bounty. Not long after, he defeated Big Mom in combat. She had always been infamous for her unstable mind, but since her loss to Vane, her condition had worsened dramatically. Many even wondered if she would remain broken forever.
Then came Mariejois. Together with Kaido, Vane stormed the Holy Land, wreaking havoc on the world's core of power. The reports claimed half of Mariejois had been destroyed, and every Celestial Dragon slave had been freed.
It was insane. Even Rocks D. Xebec, the madman of the previous era, hadn't dared to go that far.
And yet, Vane still lived, stronger than ever.
His bounty had skyrocketed to six billion Berries. Just the number alone was enough to make most men tremble.
"There are always exceptions in the world," Vane replied calmly, sipping from the large bowl of sake in his hands. "Every era brings forth its own legends."
Whitebeard studied him carefully. His own body radiated vitality, his spirit strong, unlike the rumors that painted him as an ailing, dying man.
In the past, Vane had seen that Whitebeard's health was failing—that he relied on IV drips and constant medical care to keep him alive. But here, on the deck of the Moby Dick, there were no nurses, no equipment, only Whitebeard's powerful presence. His body thrummed with life, not weakness.
Legend said Whitebeard was on the verge of death. Yet the man before him looked like someone who could still dominate the world.
"I heard rumors your health had been failing," Vane admitted, lowering the empty bowl, "but your life force feels strong. Too strong to match those claims."
He had no idea that his own [Investment System] had contributed to Whitebeard's recovery, restoring vitality little by little.
"I don't know the reason myself," Whitebeard confessed with a hearty laugh. "My health was bad before, but in the past months, it improved steadily. I even sent the doctors away. And it feels damn good to be healthy again! Gu-ra-ra-ra!"
His laughter rang out like a storm, the sound fitting perfectly with his image as the strongest man in the world.
"Then congratulations," Vane said with a small smile, before finishing the last drop of sake in his bowl.
Ace walked over, pouring him another drink. "Here, Vane."
The boy nodded in thanks, though his gaze shifted toward another figure.
Teach.
Blackbeard sat nearby, close to Ace, as though nothing were amiss. To any other eye, he was just another loyal son of Whitebeard. But Vane knew better. This man was a schemer, a viper lying in wait. To remain hidden within Whitebeard's crew for so many years, suppressing his ambitions until the perfect moment—that kind of patience was terrifying.
A storm brewed silently within the Whitebeard Pirates. Vane could see it clearly.
But he said nothing.
Even if he revealed Teach's true nature now, Whitebeard would never believe it. His greatest strength—his devotion to family—was also his greatest weakness. Whitebeard despised traitors, but he trusted his sons more than anyone.
To accuse one of them would not only spark disbelief, but conflict. And conflict with Whitebeard was not something Vane needed.
No… some things were best left unsaid. The truth would reveal itself in time.
Besides, how could he miss the war that was surely approaching?
____
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