"Whoa, Marco actually charged straight in!"
"This young Rear Admiral might be brave, but forget facing Pops—he can't even get past Marco, can he?"
"Sigh, you Marines should just agree to it already. It's so rare for Pops to meet someone he vibes with—he's definitely going to change his mind later."
"Kurararara! You bastards, ganging up on your old man like this!" Whitebeard threw his head back in laughter, his heroic spirit soaring, completely unfazed by his sons' teasing.
But before he could finish laughing, a terrifying burst of pressure exploded in front of Marco, who had just flown out to meet Michael.
The next moment, Marco was sent flying backward at even greater speed.
"Puuh!!!"
In his phoenix form, Marco spat out a mouthful of blood, misting the air in red.
That amount of blood was clearly far beyond what his regeneration could handle.
"...Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or did Marco get weaker? Did he just cough up blood from a single blow?"
"You didn't feel that pressure just now? If it had hit us instead, we'd be in way worse shape!"
"Hahaha! Marco? Finally got smacked down, you bastard!"
Some of the commanders were worried, some were laughing.
But in all their eyes, a seriousness began to form.
If Marco was already struggling, then they had no chance.
"Cough! Cough, cough! Pops, this guy... he's trouble!" Marco stood up with a jolt. His injuries were ghastly, but his regeneration had already begun.
"This guy is definitely not an ordinary Rear Admiral!"
"The Phoenix really is durable—he took that hit and still isn't critically wounded."
Michael looked at Marco with a hint of surprise.
The Mythical Zoan Fruit—Phoenix form—while lacking offensive power, had defense and vitality that were undeniably at the Admiral level.
And yet, despite knowing that, Marco still hadn't been seriously injured?
You had to remember—Hawk Eyes in his younger days took a hit like that and was down for the count, barely clinging to life.
Michael was impressed by Marco's durability and vitality.
And the Whitebeard Pirates?
They were stunned by Michael's sword strike.
Because Marco gave them this assessment...
"Ever since I ate the Phoenix Fruit... I haven't felt pain like this!" Marco gritted his teeth. "Especially that white flame... it felt like it was burning my mind and soul!"
"Besides that terrifying sword... I suspect his Devil Fruit is one we've never seen before—and incredibly powerful."
Upon hearing this, Whitebeard wasn't angry—in fact, he was even more delighted.
"Kurararara! What a surprise!" He lifted his head and looked toward Michael, still floating in the air.
"You're called Michael, right? How about... becoming my son!"
"Seriously, what is wrong with you, Whitebeard?" Michael rolled his eyes, swinging his weapon 'Myōjō' as specks of Holy Light burst in the air.
"Can't we just skip the talking and start fighting?"
"What a fiery brat."
"Honestly, I was a bit unsure. I've made some progress recently, but I still thought I wasn't strong enough to face you." Michael shrugged. "But after what you just said... I've changed my mind!"
He grinned, and in an instant, the Holy Light around him surged.
Before everyone's eyes, a second pair of wings burst out from his back!
Though only half the size of the first pair.
Michael shook his head. Still not strong enough.
He knew this second pair wouldn't fully match the first until he had developed his Devil Fruit to its next stage.
But even at half size, the aura that surged with it was on an entirely different level.
If Whitebeard had thought of Michael earlier as just a strong young man...
Now, even someone called the "strongest in the world" had to take him seriously.
He understood now.
This... was a young monster.
"This level of monstrosity... even I have to sweat a little!"
"Shut up already, old man!" Michael smirked, Holy Light drifting from his mouth like glowing spirits swirling around him. "Return my Marines!"
In his hand, Myōjō flashed with a cold gleam as he slashed toward Whitebeard.
The next moment, the Holy Flames—now tinged with pale blue—transformed under Michael's control into a storm of sword blades.
Each one was a perfect 1:1 replica of Myōjō!
These sword blades, formed entirely from Holy Flame, slashed toward Whitebeard with Michael's movement.
"Kurararara! What an interesting Marine!" Whitebeard's face lit up with excitement as he looked at Michael. "At first I was just curious, but now I'm genuinely thrilled!"
The biting Holy Flames came roaring in. Even Whitebeard felt a rare sense of pressure from the terrifying heat and power!
Whether it was excitement...
Or the thrill of facing a true powerhouse!
Ever since he'd been called "the world's strongest man," it had been a long time since he fought at full strength.
Without hesitation, he picked up the Murakumogiri, one of the Supreme Grade Blades, and swung it through the air.
A surge of Conqueror's Haki instantly wrapped around the blade!
With a single strike, the countless Holy Flame blades flying toward him were obliterated.
And Whitebeard stepped back half a pace.
Michael's eyes widened.
Conqueror's Haki infusion!
Whitebeard, at his peak in every way, could really throw out infused attacks like they were nothing!?
As he felt the terrifying pressure of the infused Conqueror's Haki, Michael was blasted backward through the air over a dozen meters before managing to stop himself.
But he wasn't really injured—just felt his internal energy roiling violently.
"You could definitely match Kozuki—no, I mean Rayleigh! You're absolutely on Rayleigh's level!"
Whitebeard stared at Michael, now floating midair with a cold expression, and got even more excited.
"Click your tongue all you want, you legendary old monster."
"Hmph, and you—this little monster lurking in the shadows." Whitebeard pointed to the sword in Michael's hand. "That blade... it feels very familiar to me..."
"Your instincts are right. Before I reforged it, its name was Ace." Michael shrugged. "Whitebeard, Roger told me a lot about you back in the day. He also made something very clear to me..."
"For people like you, words are pointless. The only language you speak is overwhelming strength!"
"So..."
Michael smiled as all the Holy Light and Holy Flame instantly retracted.
The next second, an endless surge of Holy Light engulfed all of Fish-Man Island from the skies above.
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