"Hahaha, what a haul."
Though it lay on the seafloor, Fish-Man Island burned. Smoke rolled over coral streets as pirates sward, caging rmaids and fish-n. There were too many to pen, so burly thugs simply slipped sacks over glittering tails and heaved their prey onto their shoulders.
Tiny fish-children crouched among reefs, watching in terror as traffickers lunged for the rmaids. A colossal fist swung in from the glare and sent a knot of slavers cartwheeling into the distance.
A towering silhouette stood against the light, face unreadable.
"Who's there?"
The pirate boss glared, then fear elbowed aside his anger and finally crumpled into pleas.
Because the figure was the world's strongest man.
Whitebeard, Edward Newgate.
"Spare . I will never touch rfolk again."
They scattered in panic, desperate to flee the titan who could end them with a single punch.
"Do not lay waste to a friend's country."
"Now get out."
Boats grounded and gangplanks dropped as the Whitebeard Pirates poured ashore, Marco, Jozu, Vista, even Teach with his hooked claw.
At the sight of that legendary back, fish-n who had dared to resist suddenly found hope. Even the swaggering punks from Fish-Man District held their breath.
A young Jinbe stared, stunned. This man's presence was real. His strength was real.
Under that na, pirates fled and the island's people were pulled from cages and nets.
"Gurararara. This island is my territory now."
A roar answered him.
Crewn grinned, watching raiders run for their lives. Citizens embraced one another, tasting peace for the first ti in too long.
Which was when a coated ship rose from the deep, sailing against the stream of retreating vessels toward the island.
As it drew near, sharp eyes picked it out.
"Look, a ship's coming in."
"Late-to-the-party pirates? Open your eyes, fools."
"Yeah, we have the Whitebeard Pirates watching over us."
Grins stayed wide among the rank and file and the islanders. None of them noticed how the division commanders had gone stone-faced. Nor how Whitebeard himself fixed his gaze on the newcor.
They knew that ship too well.
A golden ram at the prow, twin rmaid carvings flanking it. Red and gold glead along an elegant hull. The sails no longer bore a skull, but nothing could hide its pedigree.
"The Oro Jackson."
"Roger's ship?"
"Then aboard her must be…"
Teeth clenched, Marco and the others stared hard at the approaching silhouette.
Whitebeard's hand tightened on Murakumogiri. His eyes narrowed.
"Is that…"
From the depths, a casual voice drifted across the water.
"Long ti no see, Whitebeard."
The world shook.
A pressure like an abyss roared across the seafloor, black and red lightning raking Fish-Man Island. Colossal Sea Kings rolled belly-up. Deep currents heaved. Coral avenues cracked. Fish-n, rmaids, and scores of pirates collapsed where they stood. Even among the commanders still on their feet, faces blanched and sweat broke cold along their brows.
Teach's gap-toothed grin froze. Dread flashed naked across his eyes. It was not only the ferocity of that Conqueror's Haki. It was recognition.
The monster whose shadow still fell across their mories.
"Worst-case scenario," Teach rasped, easing behind the other captains, claw hand tightening. "We really ran into him."
"Brat from Roger's crew."
Whitebeard slamd Murakumogiri's butt to the ground and stared the ship down without a flicker of fear. Conqueror's Haki burst from him and crashed head-on with the storm.
Ground split. Undercurrents scread. The apocalyptic weight of their wills blanketed the island until it felt the place would shatter.
As head of the Fish-Man royal guard, Jinbe watched, horrified and helpless.
To et Whitebeard as an equal. Who was this man?
The Oro Jackson blinked into place beside the island, and at last the figures upon her stood clear.
"Dotor Ozz, the Black Emperor."
The only two fish-n still upright, Jinbe and, farther off, Fisher Tiger, felt their pupils knife-tighten.
Living beneath the eyes of Ozz's network, they knew what that na ant.
Dominion over the next era.
Now the World's Strongest Man and the Heir to the Next Era faced each other on Fish-Man Island.
"Whitebeard, showing up at the edge of my sphere without a word is poor manners."
Ozz stood at the prow, black coat stirring. Hawkeye stood at his side, face cool. Crocodile glared past them, hatred plain.
Black-red lightning crackled where Ozz's will t Whitebeard's. For now, neither side gave an inch.
Ozz's eyes kindled, crimson bright, as he looked down at the man on the shore.
"Gurararara. I am Whitebeard. Why would I report to a brat like you?"
His voice was iron. Quake energy and Haki crawled along Murakumogiri's edge as he heaved a trendous shock-blade toward the Oro Jackson.
Ozz's face did not change.
He drew Ace. Black-red thunder plated the blade. Wherever the edge traced, space itself seed to pinch and sink.
He swung, eting the quake-blade head on.
"Voidfall Divine Departure.
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The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.
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