Shiki blew white smoke from his mouth and grinned. "Gyahahaha... What an arrogant and conceited brat!"
"I'm finding myself more and more impressed by this little fellow!"
A fearsome gleam burst from Whitebeard's eyes as he met Golden Lion's unruly gaze and laughed heartily. "Gurararara..."
"I like this kind of brat too. This one's mine, Whitebeard's!!"
Their gazes met in midair, colliding in a fierce shower of sparks.
The pirates standing behind them were all utterly confused. They couldn't understand why Ares, the brat who had clearly been sent flying by Kaido, seemed to have earned even greater regard from these two "big shots."
Their hearts were filled with doubt.
Streusen, one of Linlin's subordinates, wore a solemn expression as he stared in shock toward the direction of the smoke. He spoke in disbelief. "That brat... that brat..."
"Could he be another monster?!"
As a great swordsman, he had seen everything that had happened clearly.
That brat called Ares had actually charged toward Kaido's punch at astonishing speed.
It was as if...
He had longed for that punch to slam into his body. He had done it deliberately!!!
Streusen found it utterly incomprehensible!
Linlin licked her alluring red lips. Her eyes brimmed with an almost tangible, intense desire as she praised him with extreme hunger. "Only a body this powerful could give me outstanding offspring!"
"The union of monsters..."
"Will inevitably give birth to a 'monster'!!"
Her heart was even filled with anticipation. "Kaido, Ares..."
"As long as I unite with them, I, Linlin, will definitely create the strongest family in the world!"
The reactions of the squadron commanders made every pirate realize that something was wrong.
All the members of the Rocks Pirates turned their gazes toward the smoke.
Sure enough.
A huge black shadow emerged from the billowing dust.
It had to be Ares, who had been sent flying by Kaido!
He hadn't been defeated by Kaido.
A single thought filled everyone's minds. "Could it be that even the monster newcomer Kaido's attack failed to hurt that guy?!"
Everyone gazed curiously at the shadow in the smoke. They knew how powerful the newcomer Kaido was. Perhaps his strength didn't count for much within the Rocks Pirates yet.
But few could match the terrifying power contained in Kaido's body.
With one punch like that...
Even an incredibly hard boulder could be shattered!
With everyone's eyes focused on him,
Ares slowly walked out of the smoke and spoke as if talking to himself. "That punch was pretty good. It actually made my body tremble."
"It was much more effective than ramming my body into a mountain."
"And it seems his technique for exerting force is different from mine as well."
He wanted to know how the people outside fought. The pirate from before had said that fighting could temper a person into a sharp sword.
A hard sword.
Ares believed him without a doubt!
That was why he had chosen to receive Kaido's punch head-on with his own body.
At the same time, he rapidly pondered and analyzed the secrets behind Kaido's punch.
Ares had never come into contact with anything beyond this island. This was his first time facing a powerful pirate, and everything filled him with hope.
Hope that he could forge himself into a supreme Famous Sword and surpass the Twelve Kizuki!
As they watched Ares slowly emerge from the smoke, the pirates present bulged their eyes so far out of their sockets that they nearly popped free. Their jaws even dropped straight to the ground in exaggerated fashion.
Their bodies seemed to be assembled from toys. Their jaws could actually be detached.
"What's going on?! He took Kaido's punch and is actually fine?!"
"What kind of freak is this?! His body's defenses are harder than steel!"
"We completely misjudged him. That guy is definitely a... monster!!!"
"No wonder he dared to challenge the captain. He really isn't some ordinary nobody!!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... This is going to be good. In the clash between two little monsters, who do you think will win?!"
"Want to make a bet? I'm putting a million Berries on Kaido!!!"
"Then I'll put fifty million Berries on the brat!"
"..."
Exclamations rang out around them without end. By taking Kaido's punch head-on, Ares had completely subdued every pirate present.
That was absolutely not something an ordinary person could accomplish.
Kaido was instantly dumbfounded and cried out in shock. "He... He's actually fine?!!"
The force behind his punch was fierce enough to shatter a pirate ship in a single blow.
Aboard the entire Rocks ship, he believed that aside from the squadron commanders, no one could withstand his fist.
But...
He had personally watched this brat take his punch, and yet...
He was completely unharmed!!!
What the hell?!
"His body... is incredibly powerful!!" Kaido's expression turned solemn as he discarded his previous contempt.
This time, he truly didn't dare underestimate the brat before him.
"Hiss..."
The members of the Rocks Pirates nearby couldn't help sucking in a cold breath. Their expressions were filled with shock as they said, "We really ran into a monster today... Could that guy's defense be as strong as Linlin's?!"
"The clash between monsters... Kaido should win, right!?"
He had always followed Kaido and knew Kaido's strength and power well.
If he had received that punch head-on with his own fist, he would have vomited blood and suffered severe injuries.
There were only a handful of people who could take that punch without using any defense!
At that moment.
Whitebeard's lips curled upward as he proposed to Golden Lion with great interest, "Yellow-Haired Lion, how about the two of us make a bet?"
"White-Haired Beard, a bet is a bet. Who are you choosing?!" Golden Lion looked at Whitebeard without backing down, intense hostility flashing in their eyes.
Whitebeard shifted his gaze to Ares and Kaido, moving it back and forth between them before finally deciding. "I'm betting on that brat. One hundred million Berries. Dare to take the bet?!"
A provocative smile hid beneath his white beard as he deliberately goaded Golden Lion.
"White-Haired Beard, a bet is a bet. Then I'm betting on Kaido!!" Golden Lion immediately responded, then laughed. "Kaido isn't just a monster. He's always worked hard, too."
"His combat experience is something that brat can't compare with!"
"Even a full-fledged crew member might not be able to defeat that guy."
"This time... I'm guaranteed to win. Just obediently prepare that hundred million in treasure!"
Whitebeard smiled without concern. "That's not necessarily true. I think that brat Ares will be the final victor."
"His physical strength is the most powerful I've seen, aside from Linlin's. Perhaps he can create a miracle?"
He watched Ares, who had remained expressionless the entire time, with great interest. In his heart, he admired this "brat who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."
No matter who stood before that brat, it seemed they were all the same.
None of them could stir the slightest emotional ripple in him.
Both men focused their attention on Ares and Kaido, because Ares had once again walked out of the smoke and stopped in front of Kaido.
That same cold voice rang out. "Your punch..."
"Still isn't strong enough."
Before you continue