A Young Fan's Victory, the Main Event Begins (Six) / King of Knights vs. the Whitebeard Pirates (Seven)

"Gurara... The more you suffer losses, the greater your gains." The Whitebeard man laughed heartily, speaking without a care in the world.

"That's true!" Marco said with a smile.

To outsiders, Whitebeard is the heart of Whitebeard Pirates.

Marco was undoubtedly the second-in-command, a view shared by Ace and all the crew members.

But only Whitebeard and Marco knew that Ace was the successor they wanted to groom.

Ace was very talented.

After all, it is a 'sea turtle', possessing incredible potential.

It was only because of Whitebeard Pirates's escort that Ace's talent could not be fully unleashed.

Thinking back, Ace's talent before joining Whitebeard Pirates was on par with that of another 'King of Knights'.

If fate is truly unpredictable, then Ace is undoubtedly the one favored by the world.

Losing an arm isn't a big deal. Shanks lost his left arm, and he still became one of the Four Emperors.

"Hehehe... You made the first move, so now it's my turn to attack."

While others were discussing, the two main characters on the field began a new round of combat.

Bartolomeo, having deflected Ace's attack, let out a distinctive laugh, then crossed his middle and index fingers to create a curved, transparent barrier in front of him. Carrying this indestructible barrier, he charged towards Ace like a charging bull.

"The ability to cause trouble."

Watching this scene, Ace frowned slightly and muttered something under his breath.

After testing him with Fire Fist and Firefly Daruma, he had analyzed his opponent's abilities.

This is absolute defense!

Moreover, its comprehensiveness surpasses even Jozu's strongest physical defense, which is attributed to the Diamond-Diamond Fruit.

Unless one possesses the power to break through the limits of this barrier, all attacks will be deflected.

Thinking of this, Ace's entire body burst into orange-red flames.

Chapter 263 The Little Fanboy's Victory, The Main Show Begins (Part 6)

"Fire Ring·Fire Pillar!!"

Engulfed in raging flames, Ace suddenly soared into the sky, transforming into a miniature Sun tens of meters above the ground.

Endless flames formed a thick pillar of fire, like Divine Judgment, crashing down upon Bartolomeo, who was charging at the bull below.

"Hahaha... no, there isn't!"

The orange-red flames painted the ground within hundreds of meters around, as well as everyone's faces, with a Sun -like glow.

Gazing at the enormous pillar of fire, Bartolomeo, who had been running wildly, stopped in his tracks. A transparent energy shield appeared on his right fist, and he threw a punch towards the sky.

"Barrier Crash!"

The transparent barrier attached to his fist suddenly magnified dozens of times, creating a rectangular protective barrier that shot into the sky at high speed, colliding with the descending pillar of fire.

'Boom--Bang!!'

A heavy bang was heard.

The scorching pillar of fire crashed down on the ground, creating a huge crater.

Meanwhile, Ace was blasted down from the sky by an irresistible force.

After the flames that had scattered from the pillar of fire dissipated, a platform remained in the center of the crater.

Bartolomeo was tightly protected by a transparent square protective barrier.

It was jumping around on the platform, waving at Arthur as if it wanted Arthur praise.

The collision between the Barrier Crash and the pillar of fire just now did not result in the pillar of fire winning; rather, the Barrier Crash achieved an overwhelming victory.

However, the Barrier Crash is smaller than the pillar of fire.

Therefore, the Barrier Crash only shattered the core of the pillar of fire, leaving the surrounding area intact.

In other words, the pillar of fire we just saw was all bark and no bite.

Ace, whose Observation Haki was extremely weak, not only failed to react in time, but also revealed his true form while using his technique, so he was directly hit by the Barrier Crash.

This is a complete and utter injury!

Unlike Arthur and Charlotte Katakuri, who immediately entered Elemental Transformation state the moment they were struck by lightning, and who could regenerate their arms simply by expending energy even if they lost them.

Ace fell from the sky, coughing up blood, as if he had been struck head-on by a giant's fist.

Absolute defense is not only indestructible, but also, when combined with high-speed movement, it becomes one of the most irresistible weapons.

However, such a powerful ability also has a counter to other Devil Fruit abilities.

That was Whitebeard, not far away. His Tremor-Tremor Fruit could shatter Bartolomeo's incredibly confident protective barrier in an instant.

"...` ~..."

Watching Ace fall from the sky, coughing up blood, Arthur, leaning against his saddle, couldn't help but shake his head.

Her opinion of Ace dropped even further.

Two years have passed, although almost a year of that time was a defensive period for Whitebeard Pirates, as they faced those Sea Emperors who were trying to challenge Whitebeard's status as one of the Four Emperors.

However, in many cases, it was the Whitebeard man who made the move.

However, in many cases, it was the Whitebeard man who made the move.

Over such a long period of time, Ace's changes have only been in his Devil Fruit abilities.

If Luffy's strength is the same as it is two years later in the original story, then the gap between his older brother Ace and Luffy will be huge.

They simply developed the Devil Fruit's power without improving their physique and Haki.

Ace could probably fight Aokiji for a long time, which makes him seem worthy of being the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.

But in Arthur's eyes, he was not even as good as Flower Sword Vista, the captain of the Fifth Division.

"Brother Ace, are you alright?!"

Ace landed right where Whitebeard Pirates was.

A large, fat figure leaped up and caught Ace before he landed. With blue skin and a whale shark face, it was Jinbe than Shichibukai Knight of the Sea.

"I'm fine, I was just too careless." Ace wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, feeling as if his internal organs were churning; that blow had indeed been extremely painful.

"Brother Ace, you shouldn't go anymore. That person's abilities are a perfect counter to yours," Jinbe advised, as if stating a fact.

"What a joke! I was just careless!" Ace broke free from Jinbe's support, frowning as he reluctantly admitted, "That newbie clearly doesn't even have Armament Haki. I can neutralize his ability with my Elemental Transformation. I just need to seize one opportunity, and I can win."

"Ace, that's enough, come back!" At this moment, Whitebeard, who was not far away, suddenly spoke up.

"Pops..."

Upon hearing this, Ace's eyes widened in surprise.

"Come back, my son!" The Whitebeard, with his crescent-shaped mustache slightly upturned, grinned and said, "Gurarara... Failure is nothing to be ashamed of. Having the mindset to admit defeat, that's the mark of a strong person."

"That new brat certainly has the strength to match his spirit; your defeat is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm sorry, Pops. I've let you down!" Ace lowered his head in shame and followed Jinbe back behind Whitebeard.

"King of Knights Senior... King of Knights Senior, did you see that? I brought you victory!!" Bartolomeo, with comical steps, flushed face and golden eyes, ran up to Arthur, excitedly saying as if he were a child who had accomplished something and wanted praise from his parents.

Looking at the little fanboy in front of him who had given him such a visual treat, Arthur rarely nodded and crossed his arms in approval, saying, "Well done!"

"Ah...!! Senior King of Knights praised me..."

'Bang!'

Just four words filled Bartolomeo with immense happiness, so much so that he collapsed to the ground, fainting with a blissful expression.

"... hehe!"

This scene made Arthur's lips twitch slightly, and he smiled helplessly.

Is this what makes brainless fans so terrifying?

This is the first time I've ever seen this...

But for some reason, Arthur didn't dislike it; on the contrary, he was in an exceptionally good mood.

So, for the first time ever, Arthur picked up Bartolomeo and threw him onto the back of "East Starion's" horse.

His emerald green eyes looked at the Whitebeard Pirates.

The main event begins!

Chapter 264 King of Knights vs. Whitebeard Pirates (Part 7)

"Here it comes, the ultimate showdown!"

"What kind of battle will it be? Will the King of Knights fight against a hundred men single-handedly, or will it be a series of attacks?"

"Perhaps we should just start the ultimate battle?!"

"..."

The atmosphere on the battlefield changed the instant the King of Knights raised his eyes.

Those who had just experienced that visual feast instantly became excited and tense.

The discussions were widespread, echoing in every corner of the world.

Although Bartolomeo's intervention brought an 'opening performance' to this ultimate showdown, and he defeated Portgas D. Ace, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. Fire Fist Second Division Commander, the world became aware of this fan who chased after the 'King of Knights', and countless fans of the 'King of Knights' also had the idea of going to sea to chase after their idol.

But compared to the ultimate showdown, the 'opening ceremony performance' is ultimately just a performance to add to the excitement.

What the world is still focused on is this epic showdown that will ultimately be recorded in history.

'Boom--'

Arthur did not disappoint the world, pulling the Excalibur from the ground and unleashing his Conqueror's Haki (A+) once again.

'Mana Burst (A)--'

'Armament Haki (A+)--'

'Whoosh!'

Before Whitebeard could unleash his Conqueror's Haki to engage in a battle of wills, Arthur swiftly raised Excalibur, imbuing it with the power systems of both worlds, and wisps of electricity crackled around him.

In the next instant, he suddenly swung a golden sword strike crackling with lightning at Whitebeard Pirates.

'Zzzzz... Boom!'

The golden sword pressure, crackling with blue-white electricity, emitted a faint rumbling sound due to the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

McGuy, who could also unleash lightning-infused Thunder Lord, couldn't help but widen his eyes in astonishment.

He truly deserves the title of 'World's Greatest Swordsman,' standing at the pinnacle of all swordsmen.

With the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, a casual strike from the 'King of Knights' is an attack that even the 'Thunder Lord' McGuy, who has cultivated this skill, can only look up to.

'Boom!!'

Rose petals fluttered in the air, and a blur swept past the Whitebeard. It was still Vista, the 'Flower Sword', wielding Vista in both hands, blocking the advance of the golden sword pressure.

"Uh-huh!"

Unlike the first time, this time the sword pressure, although not as massive as the one that leveled the forest before.

However, with the enhancements of Mana Burst (A), Armament Haki (A+), and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, its speed and power are several times stronger than the previous sword pressure.

If Vista could understand what Ace felt earlier, he would realize that the sword pressure in front of him was like Barrier Crash, impossible to resist.

"The difference is just too big!!"

Vista, locked in a stalemate with the golden sword, began to slide backward, his boots leaving two deep marks on the ground.

But the smile on his face remained unchanged, only a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.