Thatch, incandescent with rage, charged forward. His longsword tore through the curtain of rain, a torrent of sharp sword qi erupting from its blade as Bege sidestepped the attack with a single, fluid motion.
Thatch pressed his assault relentlessly, his longsword a blur of motion, each strike delivered with astonishing speed.
As the 4th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Thatch was undoubtedly skilled. However, against Bege, he was still leagues outmatched.
No matter how furiously Thatch swung his blade, Bege dodged each blow with ease.
Clang!
Bege lifted his leg, intercepting Thatch's longsword. Immense force surged from his foot, shocking Thatch's arms and body. A pained expression flickered across Thatch's face as he struggled to hold his ground.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. A bullet streaked directly towards Bege's head.
Bege tilted his head, the bullet whistling past. Immediately, a series of shots followed, each bullet aimed from an incredibly difficult angle, effectively sealing off Bege's escape routes.
Bege activated his spatial ability, creating a barrier that blocked all the incoming bullets. He looked up to see Teach, dual-wielding pistols, aiming at him. Teach's expression was even uglier than before.
"Oh-ho? Still got the guts to make a move?" Bege's gaze turned icy. "Looks like I'll have to teach you a more thorough lesson."
But just then, Thatch exploded with a sudden burst of power. With a flick of his wrist, he forced Bege back with his longsword, then thrust viciously towards Bege's heart.
"You won't lay a hand on my crewmate!"
Bege's body swayed, evading the sword. He lashed out with a horizontal strike, his arm connecting solidly with Thatch, sending him flying once more. Then, with a single step, Bege appeared instantly before Teach.
Teach fired rapidly. As the bullets neared Bege, they bizarrely veered off course, flying past his sides.
Within his released space, he could effortlessly redirect bullets.
Bege stared intently at Teach, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki. The terrifying, ferocious aura made Teach feel suffocated, plunged into despair. It was as if Bege was a peerless, savage beast, ready to choose its prey and devour it.
"No… No! NO!" Teach's face contorted, his roars of defiance battling against Bege's Conqueror's Haki. He even mustered all his strength to throw a punch at Bege. Bege met it with a punch of his own, sending Teach hurtling backward, crashing heavily into the shattered remains of the ship's cabin.
The wreckage of the collapsed cabin rained down on him. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth.
Thatch's crewmen yelled, swarming forward to attack. Bege's Conqueror's Haki flared out again, repelling them all.
Thatch, seething with anger, charged forward once more. Bege directed his Conqueror's Haki straight at him. Thatch's expression changed dramatically, becoming extremely dark and grim. "Demon Dragon! Are you trying to make an enemy of us, the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
Bege shrugged, unconcerned. "Relax. I just wanted to test the strength of a Whitebeard Pirates' commander. Now I have."
He then chuckled. "Though, your strength as the 4th Division Commander doesn't even seem to match that big, dark, chubby fellow under your command. You've got a lot of work to do."
Thatch clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Alright, alright. I'm not going to do anything to you lot. I just wanted to hitch a ride," Bege said, nonchalantly pulling out a deck chair and a large umbrella, then lounging on the deck as if no one else was around.
Thatch and his men didn't dare to move.
Teach, bearing his injuries, walked over and whispered a few words in Thatch's ear.
Thatch's expression turned vicious, but he ordered his crew to continue sailing.
Bege glanced casually in their direction. Teach immediately lowered his head, not daring to meet Bege's gaze.
Bege had crushed Teach with absolute power, overwhelming him with the full force of his Conqueror's Haki, leaving him with considerable psychological scars.
A smile played on Bege's lips. This was exactly the result he'd been aiming for.
The pirate ship struggled onward through the raging storm, battling the violent waves. This catastrophic weather persisted for a full two years, severely hindering their voyage. They could only pick up speed when the skies finally cleared.
And even when the weather improved, Bege still hadn't left the ship. Thatch and the others had no idea what he was planning.
Finally, the pirate ship rapidly approached a small island.
"We're finally here! This time, I'll make sure Pops teaches this damn Demon Dragon a harsh lesson! It'd be best if he just killed him!" Teach muttered, a thrilled grin spreading across his face as he gazed at the pirate ships docked along the island's edge.
"Marshall D. Teach, it's quite rude to speak ill of others behind their back," a chilling voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
The supremely ferocious Conqueror's Haki washed over him once more. He's going to kill me!
Teach's pupils contracted in terror. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, his heart pounded uncontrollably, and his body began to tremble. He felt as if a prehistoric behemoth, its face contorted with murderous intent, was looming over him.
"Demon Dragon! Pops is on the island! Are you still planning to cause trouble?!" Thatch gripped his sword hilt, his voice grave.
Bege spared him a glance, his gaze calm as he looked towards a colossal pirate ship in the distance, one that resembled a gigantic whale's head.
The flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Moby Dick.
"Why do you think I haven't left these past few days? I simply wanted to meet Whitebeard."
An electrifying battle intent flashed in Bege's eyes. That was right. On a whim, he'd decided he wanted to spar with Whitebeard, to test if he possessed the strength of an Emperor by facing the World's Strongest Man.
"You want to challenge Pops?!" Thatch sensed Bege's fighting spirit, his expression one of utter shock.
Teach was equally stunned, but then an immense joy washed over him. He began to laugh silently. Go on! Go on! Go and die! Pay the price for your arrogance!
The pirate ship sped towards the Moby Dick.
A crewman aboard the Moby Dick spotted the approaching vessel and shouted, "It's Thatch! He's back!"
Along the ship's railing, various figures, each distinct in appearance, watched the returning ship with smiles of confidence.
"That boy's taken his sweet time getting back," remarked Marco, who had a golden pineapple-shaped hairstyle, his eyes widening in surprise as he spotted Bege at the bow of Thatch's ship.
Upon the deck, seated on the only enormous chair, was a giant of a man, built like a small titan. He had long, golden hair, and his face, though showing signs of age, still radiated an overwhelming aura of power and magnanimity.
This was the heart and soul of the Whitebeard Pirates, the World's Strongest Man, Whitebeard—Edward Newgate.
"Huh? There's a stranger on Thatch's ship. That person looks a bit familiar." Marco, with his distinctive golden pineapple-shaped hairstyle, squinted at Bege on the bow of the approaching ship.
"That's the Demon Dragon, captain of the Fire Tank Pirates, Capone 'Demon Dragon' Bege. Have you forgotten him, Marco?" a tall, powerfully built, and honest-looking man beside Marco, Jozu, stated with a serious expression, his voice deep.
"It really is him! What's he doing on Thatch's ship?" Marco's expression shifted slightly. Though three years had passed, Bege's appearance hadn't changed much, and Marco recognized him instantly.
"Could it be the super rookie with the 950 million belly bounty? Let me see, let me see…" Other crewmen stared at Bege in astonishment.
"Why do I get the feeling he's not here with good intentions?" a refined-looking middle-aged man with two distinct whiskers and twin swords at his waist said gravely.
"Not here with good intentions? Surely not. The Demon Dragon is strong, but he wouldn't dare pick a fight with us, would he?"
"You never know. Youngsters these days get a bit of power and become incredibly arrogant, thinking they're second only to the heavens. Weren't you the same, challenging Pops back in the day? You ended up getting pinned to the ground and thrashed."
"Hey! Don't bring up my embarrassing stories!"