The World's Strongest Man

"Gurararara!"

His booming laughter carried over the waves, reaching every warship loud and clear.

Ron gripped Zhenyuan and had barely taken a step toward the railing when the whole ship erupted behind him.

"Enemy attack! All hands to battle stations!"

"It's the Moby Dick! The Whitebeard Pirates' flagship!!"

Gunners raced across the deck pushing cannonballs, signalmen shouted themselves hoarse over their Den Den Mushi, and even the sailor at the helm broke out in a cold sweat.

Vergo stood in the middle of the deck, staring at the skull flag with its crescent mustache. The corner of his eye twitched violently.

"Whitebeard?!"

He had once been a top executive in the Donquixote Family and had seen plenty of danger in the North Blue.

But the North Blue's underground dealings were on a completely different level from the man before him, who could turn the New World upside down.

"Rear Admiral..."

Vergo forced the words out. "Didn't we bring Law out for combat experience?"

"That's right."

"Then what do we do now?!"

Ron narrowed his eyes at the massive white whale-shaped ship in the distance, his voice remarkably steady. "Let's see how things go."

Vergo: "..."

Did he really fucking need to see how things went?!

The communications officer rushed over. "Rear Admiral, should we request reinforcements from headquarters immediately?!"

"If we're really going to fight an all-out war with Whitebeard, we'll probably have to call old man Sengoku and Garp here together."

The communications officer's face turned green.

But Ron smiled. "Still, that old man doesn't look like he came specifically to pick a fight with us."

He raised a hand, and his voice suddenly grew stern.

"Pass the order! All warships except the flagship are to fall back and maintain a safe distance!"

"No one is to fire without my orders! Medical team, get belowdecks. All noncombatants, clear the deck!"

Vergo froze. "Rear Admiral, are you planning to face him alone..."

"If a fight really breaks out, these few warships won't even be qualified to intervene."

Ron glanced at him. "What's the point of them sticking around? To be target practice for Whitebeard?"

The orders were quickly passed down.

Several warships turned together and withdrew.

Only the flagship remained where it was, facing the Moby Dick alone.

Only after watching the ships draw away did Ron pull out a Den Den Mushi.

Vergo breathed a sigh of relief. The rear admiral finally knew to call for reinforcements.

"Blu blu blu..."

"Hello~ Little Ron?"

Ron smiled as soon as he heard that lazy voice.

"Uncle, come quick! Your wonderful nephew caught a big fish!"

"Oh~? How big a fish?"

"The World's Strongest Man."

The other end of the line fell silent at once.

"...Whitebeard?"

"Correct!"

"You brat, do you think I've had too much leisure time lately?"

Borsalino's voice finally lost its languid tone.

"Which route in the New World are you on? Give me your position. I'll set out immediately."

Ron gave him the coordinates, sounding relaxed. "Don't be nervous, we just happened to run into him. I'm planning to say hello."

"You call challenging Whitebeard saying hello?!"

"It's a rare opportunity. I have to see for myself just how strong the World's Strongest is."

"You and your father really do have the same temperament..."

After Ron hung up, Vergo couldn't help asking, "When will Vice Admiral Borsalino get here?"

"No matter how fast he is, he still has to travel. Do you expect him to crawl out of the Den Den Mushi?"

Vergo decided to keep his mouth shut.

Aboard the Moby Dick.

Whitebeard had just finished his trip to Fish-Man Island and was preparing to take his sons back to the depths of the New World when he unexpectedly ran into the Marines along the way.

Marco leaned on the railing, looking at the lone flagship in the distance. "He actually had the other ships withdraw first. That rear admiral isn't a brat who only knows how to play the hero, yo."

Jozu folded his arms and frowned. "A Marine rear admiral actually dared to draw his sword in front of Pops. He's got some nerve."

"Don't just look at his rank."

Vista looked at the pitch-black greatsword across from them, a hint of interest entering his smile.

"That's Ron, the monster rear admiral who's been making a name for himself lately."

"A Great Swordsman who uses spatial abilities. I hear he's Sakazuki's son, too."

"Akainu's son?"

The nearby crew immediately broke into discussion.

They knew Sakazuki's reputation all too well.

If you ran into that guy while flying a pirate flag, nine times out of ten, you'd get a Meteor Volcano before anything else.

Marco glanced at the retreating warships. "Still, this brat seems a little different from his old man."

At the back of the deck, a tall, black-haired man was watching the commotion along with everyone else.

Teach narrowed his eyes.

Spatial abilities?

If a power like that fell into the right hands...

He soon scratched the back of his head and burst out laughing. "Ze hahahaha!"

"That Marine brat's got some nerve, blocking Pops's ship!"

Whitebeard stood in the middle of the deck. After listening to his sons' discussion, he fixed his gaze on the young Marine across from him.

The young man was slowly raising the black sword, which was over two meters long.

"Gurararara!"

Whitebeard burst into laughter, making the railing hum.

"Sakazuki's brat actually wants to challenge me?"

Marco asked, "Pops, want me to go over and talk first?"

"No need."

Whitebeard waved a hand and grasped Murakumogiri beside him.

"He's already drawn his sword. If I don't even return his greeting, won't the brat laugh at me?!"

Jozu grinned. "Pops, don't go splitting his ship in half with one swing!"

"I'm not bored enough to bully a ship full of small fry."

On the warship's deck.

Law had already heard all about Whitebeard from Vergo: the World's Strongest Man, a Tremor-Tremor Fruit user, and a monster said to possess the power to destroy the world.

He looked at the towering figure in the distance, then at his master, who was limbering up his wrists. With a cry, he lunged over and grabbed Ron's Justice Coat.

"Master! Aren't we retreating?!"

Ron looked down at him. "Didn't you just say you wanted to practice against a strong pirate?"

"I didn't say I wanted to find the World's Strongest!!"

Ron couldn't hold it in, and his shoulders shook twice.

"Kid, scared already?"

"Of course! That's Whitebeard over there—!!"

Ron patted his head, his tone growing a little more serious. "It's normal to be afraid. Knowing fear means you still know your own limits."

Law froze.

"But don't let fear keep you from moving forward for the rest of your life."

Ron looked up at the Moby Dick, the smile gradually fading from his face.

"Today, your master will show you how people say hello in the New World."

"Say... hello???"

Vergo glanced at the greatsword, his eyelids twitching.

"Vergo, take him to the back of the deck."

"Yes, sir!"

"Keep a close eye on him. If the shock knocks him out, remember to catch him."

Before Law understood what he meant, Vergo had pulled him behind the mast.

Ron gripped Zhenyuan with both hands and slowly raised it over his head.

The next instant.

Boom!!

Black and red lightning suddenly burst forth!

Terrifying Conqueror's Haki swept across the sea, heading straight for the Moby Dick!

The Marines on the flagship felt a weight press down on their chests, making it difficult even to breathe.

But Ron had already directed the truly terrifying pressure at the massive white whale-shaped ship in the distance!

Thud! Thud!

Aboard the Moby Dick, several young crew members' eyes rolled back as they fell one after another.

"What?!"

Jozu jerked his head up.

Vista's smile vanished in an instant.

Marco's expression turned grave.

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

"This brat actually has that kind of potential too?!"

Whitebeard tightened his grip on Murakumogiri, the smile on his face growing wider and wider.

"Gurararara!"

"Good lad!"

He abruptly took a step forward!

Boom!!

Terrifying Conqueror's Haki erupted!

The sea sank sharply, and even the air between the two ships seemed to tremble!

Black and red lightning crisscrossed in midair!

"Since you want to say hello to me..."

"Then let me see just what you're capable of, brat!"