492 The Coming Great Battle

"Pops, I'm so sorry." Marco, facing the Whitebeard, couldn't lift his head, his eyes filled with tears.

The losses are enormous; I don't know how many brothers sacrificed their lives.

Before them lay a sea of flowers, but also a burial ground, where the bodies of many Whitebeard Pirates lay buried.

The beautiful sea of flowers and the gentle sea breeze could not soothe the pain in their hearts.

Tens of thousands of simple tombstones stand amidst a sea of flowers, forming a unique scene, a testament to the blood and tears of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Surrounded by members of the Whitebeard Pirates, Whitebeard himself had arrived to join them in mourning their fallen comrades.

Marco and the others were very excited when they received the news that their Pops was coming.

But when Whitebeard actually arrived, they weren't happy at all. They felt ashamed to face their Pops, and all the members of the Whitebeard Pirates felt the same way.

They were suppressed all along, and the so-called gap was very obvious in all aspects.

"It's not your fault, the Night Pirates are just too strong," Whitebeard said in a deep voice, looking at the sea. His willingness to acknowledge the strength of his opponent showed Whitebeard magnanimity and courage.

"Besides, our family members died in battle, didn't they? To die in battle at sea is an honorable thing; they sacrificed themselves for our family."

Whitebeard had long since come to terms with this. If one couldn't even accept the sacrifices of the Whitebeard Pirates, how could one survive and sail on this sea?

"Now that we recognize the gap, let's continue to strive to become stronger, so that we can better protect our families."

Whitebeard's few words rekindled the fighting spirit of the surrounding members.

People only develop an intense desire to become stronger after suffering setbacks.

If one cannot muster the will to fight, one may very well become despondent. There are far too many people like this on the high seas. Whitebeard himself has encountered many such people along the way, and there are also some within the Whitebeard Pirates.

The morale of the pirate crew is very important.

However, this does not dispel the pain in their hearts; instead, it remains within them, becoming a driving force to unleash their potential and enabling them to grow rapidly.

Whitebeard remained silent, but his anger grew even stronger. He had witnessed this scene firsthand; these were his family members!

"Clang!"

Whitebeard swung his arm forcefully, smashing it into the air, which shattered like glass.

"Don't worry, Pops, I will avenge you. I will definitely teach that Teach guy a lesson." This was Whitebeard's promise to his family.

In the war between pirate crews, the Whitebeard Pirates suffered a major defeat, but the true strength of a pirate crew ultimately depends on the captain's ability.

The war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates is not over yet.

His clenched fist, deep within Whitebeard's pupils, contained a palpable killing intent.

Teach, let me see where you get your confidence from. Don't die.

He would never allow anyone to harm his family.

Between the battle lines of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates, amidst the gazes of countless people, lies an island that has become the center of world attention.

The Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates tacitly agreed to make this island their final battleground.

It has no name, nor does it need one. Everyone knows that after this battle, this island will cease to exist.

The Whitebeard Pirates' army has arrived. Each pirate ship is filled with members of the Whitebeard Pirates. The massive fleet stopped a kilometer away from the island, not wanting to get too close.

On the other side was the Night Pirates, who also did not approach.

This was a major battle between the two. The other members of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates were there to guard against other forces and prevent them from interfering with the battle between the two captains.

Besides the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates, various other forces have come to this sea area, their purpose being to watch the battle and witness this great war firsthand.

Many renowned powerful figures from the New World were drawn to this impending great war.

"Hello everyone, I'm Morgans, the President of World Economic News." The live broadcast was already on, and the screen switched to show Morgans.

Morgans greeted the Den Den Mushi with a smile, then took a black Den Den Mushi from his pocket. "Hehe! I'll be hosting this live broadcast myself, and I'll introduce my Den Den Mushi to everyone."

Many people's eyes fell on Morgans' black Den Den Mushi, its black body being twice the size of a regular Den Den Mushi.

Morgans chuckled, holding the black Den Den Mushi, "Soon, the great battle between Whitebeard and the Dark Emperor will begin, and this Den Den Mushi will be broadcasting the images to you."

"This is a battle between two of the world's top powerhouses. Their aura is enough to destroy the will of the Den Den Mushi and render it ineffective. Just in case, and to bring you a better visual experience, we have specially brought out this King Den Den Mushi."

"Just like the Awakening of Conqueror's Haki, this Den Den Mushi is also a king-tier Den Den Mushi that only appears once in a million Den Den Mushi. Not only does it possess the best functions, but it also has extremely strong resistance to Conqueror's Haki and will not lose consciousness under the impact of Conqueror's Haki."

"Of course, Whitebeard and the Dark Emperor both possess world-class charisma. Just in case, I will keep some distance and won't get too close. Please pray for me, and hope that I won't be caught in the crossfire of this battle and die." Morgans even gave a self-deprecating laugh.

In the very first moment, he won the sympathy and gratitude of countless people around the world. As a prominent figure at the World Economic News, it is truly admirable that he was willing to risk his life.

However, some powerful figures in the underworld watched Morgans' feigned performance with sneers. Morgans was no weakling; how could he possibly be killed in the crossfire of a battle between powerful figures?

The predictive properties of the albatross fruit allow him to sense danger in advance.

After saying that, Morgans directly activated the sleeping King Den Den Mushi in his hand. The King Den Den Mushi immediately woke up from its slumber and opened its eyes.

The scene then shifts, and the camera focuses on the King Den Den Mushi in Morgans's hand.

"Here, there, watch out, be careful..." Before the battle even began, Morgans personally took charge, directing the other Reporter Bird to set up positions on the island that was about to become a battlefield.

While watching a live battle is important, other aspects, such as post-production, are also crucial. Compared to the actual battle, the intensity of a fight between strong individuals can be overwhelming, potentially causing viewers to miss important plot points.

And the destructive power of the surrounding battlefield.

The videos produced in post-production are actually more visually appealing and enjoyable than the actual battle itself, making them more suitable for the average viewer.

Morgans employed filmmaking techniques in the scene transitions to deliver the most perfect visual experience.

This costs a lot of money; once it's made, there will definitely be many viewers.

Live video broadcasts typically offer a limited perspective, but post-production can combine footage from various angles to create a more complete and immersive combat experience.

Some classic battle scenes are so captivating that viewers watch them again and again.

Morgans is incredibly greedy. Although the price of video recordings has dropped and anyone can afford them, you can only watch them for a week, and after that you have to pay again.

However, there aren't many videos that people would be willing to watch repeatedly.

This way, he can keep harvesting profits, and although he has to share a lot of the profits, he still makes the most money.

Live video streaming can generate far more revenue than Combat Pyramid, since it connects the entire world.

Suddenly, Morgans raised an eyebrow and his eyes lit up, as if he had heard some good news.

"Whitebeard has already begun his operation." Morgans announced the news with great excitement, then immediately spread his wings and flew swiftly towards the direction of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Soon, the Whitebeard Pirates' Moby Dick sailed out of the fleet. As it drew closer, Whitebeard's massive and muscular figure could be clearly seen, standing at the bow of the ship, holding a small sword, his white cape fluttering in the wind.

With his signature crescent-shaped, upward-curving white mustache, this is Edward Newgate, the "World's Strongest" Whitebeard.

His name resounded throughout the world; even children's songs from all over the world described him as "more terrifying than a monster," and he was known as a "living legend."

"The Dark Emperor has arrived too." The scene shifts to another Den Den Mushi. In Morgans' hand is a "tablet" displaying live feeds from various Transponder Snail, which Morgans can switch between at will.

With its ferocious and Haki three-headed dragon, massive hull, and unmistakably war behemoth, and the numerous cannons whose cold, menacing muzzles send chills down your spine, this is the flagship of the Night Pirates, the "Queen Anne's Revenge."

The Moby Dick had a small crew, and someone was even steering the ship.

However, there was only one person on board the Queen Anne's Revenge, and no one was at the helm.

They guessed that the ship was being controlled by the Dark Emperor himself, but in reality, they had no idea that the ship was alive.

The Queen Anne's Revenge has its own consciousness, a ship spirit named "Lucky".

Looking down from above, on the spacious deck, there is a huge lawn, and at the very back, on a magnificent throne, a figure is resting with eyes closed.

He wore a magnificent black pirate coat with gold trim and dragon patterns, and underneath, an open dark blue shirt revealed his muscular chest.

He wore a black captain's hat with the Night Pirates' flag printed on it.

Her long, slightly wavy black hair cascaded down her back, radiating an aura of Haki and immense power.

This is Marshall D. Teach, the captain of the Night Pirates and a leading figure in the new era of pirates.

The two figures appear alternately in the scene, representing the two main characters about to engage in battle.

People around the world have different ideas.

"Whitebeard, Dark Emperor." In the home of a female bandit named Dadan in Foosha Village, many bandits were watching the live broadcast, including a child of seven or eight years old.

With freckles on her cheeks, she stared intently at the image on the screen.

Although they are still young, they are very mature. Looking at the two figures in the video, Ace couldn't help but think of their names.

The appearance of the videos helped him understand the world better, and he often used the money he earned from fighting thugs to watch battle videos, especially those featuring strong fighters.

Those terrifying battle scenes completely shocked him, making him realize how vast this world is, how many people are stronger than him, and how there are mountains beyond mountains. He was astonished that there could be such terrifyingly powerful individuals, and that human beings could not possibly reach that level.

And that man, to become the Pirate King, naturally possessed such immense strength.

Among these images, he also discovered footage of the old man in battle. He never imagined that the annoying old man who always wanted him to join the Navy would possess such formidable power.

Ace thought to himself, "A world-class powerhouse, a monster among monsters—that's the concept he'd gleaned from countless images."

Although the battle hadn't started yet, Ace's heart was already in his throat. A "legend" on par with that man, a Dark Emperor whose power shook the seas and whose pirate crew possessed terrifying overall strength.

In the same windmill town, many villagers gathered in a bar, intently watching the video.

Even in small villages like theirs, people pay attention to these kinds of things; it's a way to pass the time. This has become the norm worldwide. Whenever there's an important event and it's broadcast live, they'll watch it.

Among them was a child around five years old who, while watching the video, noticed his empty cup, picked it up, and said, "Sister Makino, a glass of milk, please."

"Okay, Luffy," the girl named Makino said gently, pouring the child a glass of milk.

Luffy is the grandson of the Marine Garp the Hero. Since Garp is often away, Luffy was practically raised by the entire Foosha Village, and usually lives in the village chief's house where he is taken care of.

"What a huge ship! It's even bigger than Grandpa's iron ship!" Luffy was still young and didn't quite understand, so he wasn't as nervous as the others. His attention was instead focused on the pirate ships of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Night Pirates.

Both the "Moby Dick" and the "Queen Anne's Revenge" are among the world's top-tier pirate ships, built with the finest shipbuilding materials and crafted by top-notch shipwrights.

The others smiled at Luffy's words but said nothing. Instead, they were more concerned about the upcoming battle and felt a little nervous. They could feel the pressure from Whitebeard and the Dark Emperor even just by seeing their figures.

On the table, drinks and food were already prepared. Some people even brought straw mats and blankets, intending to sleep in the bar. After all, it was normal for powerful people to fight for several days and nights. Makino's bar had also prepared plenty of drinks and food in advance.

Such scenes occur in bars all over the world, and whenever similar events happen, these bars are packed with people and make a fortune.

Meanwhile, on an Island of Akas, inside a clinic, the three were watching a video. Mody stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the window, while Monica sat in a chair, her eyes shining as she watched the Haki figure flash across the screen.

Beside her was a child, with a composure unlike that of other children.

He inherited Teach's natural curly hair, Monica's hair color, and the same eyes as Teach. He bears a slight resemblance to Teach in appearance, but looks even more like his mother, Monica.

Looking at the figure appearing in the video, I wondered, "Is this my father?"

In fact, he had already determined that the child named Saga was the son of the Dark Emperor who inherited Teach's bloodline.

Saga, meaning "legend," represents Teach's hopes for him.

Teach's constitution is abnormal and special. After Saga was born, Mody and Monica discovered that Saga inherited Teach's constitution, which means that Saga, like Teach, is unable to sleep.

They knew all too well how much pain Teach had endured, and Monica didn't want her child to suffer the same Teach.

With Teach's covert support, they developed a drug that was effective yet harmless for Saga, helping him sleep and allowing Saga to sleep for two hours a day, but that was the limit.

As the body develops resistance, the drug's effectiveness will decrease, but by then, Saga will likely have overcome this side effect.

Even so, Saga was in considerable pain, but he persevered with Monica's support, which Saga to mature mentally at a much earlier age.

Although he had never met Teach, he knew who his father was from a very young age.

At home, his mother and grandfather never hid anything from him; Monica collected all sorts of battle videos and newspapers related to Teach and the Night Pirates.

There are even bounty posters for Teach from different periods, and some photos.

Therefore, Saga understood Teach, and even took the initiative to look into his past and asked his mother and grandfather about Teach's past.

I also have some idea of Teach's image is like.

For many, Teach is also a legend, for his upbringing, his rapid growth, and for building the formidable Night Pirates, which possess vast territories.

These are all things that inspire longing and a desire to take their place. This battle is also a crucial one for Teach. Whether he can become emperor depends on Teach's strength and performance, after all, his opponent is the "World's Strongest" who has remained unchallenged for many years.

Saga never rejected the idea of being the son of the Dark Emperor. He knew that although Teach wasn't by his side, he was protecting him in his own way.

His maternal grandfather, Mody, often brought back precious medicinal herbs and a large number of training manuals, which enabled him to grow perfectly and lay a solid foundation.

These were all secretly delivered by someone, naturally Teach.

Saga never asked Teach when he would come, because his grandfather had said that Teach would take him away when he was seven years old, so he should be prepared.

Having seen a wider world, and with Teach's blood flowing in his veins, he naturally wouldn't be content with mediocrity and would inevitably follow in Teach's footsteps sooner or later.

He had long been prepared for this.

He wasn't worried about his mother being lonely, because there were two little ones, his younger brother and sister, who were already asleep.

Before he could remember, Teach had come once and may have considered such a thing. He was lucky to kill two birds with one stone, and fortunately, his body was not alien, so he could grow up safely.

It also allows me to spend more time with my mother.

Younger brother Garron, younger sister Mijela.

His younger sister looks like their mother, while his younger brother looks very much like him, almost identical, but they are also easy to tell apart; his brother has black hair.

Back in the footage, Whitebeard had already landed on the island, and Dark Emperor directly manipulated gravity to fly into the air.

The Moby Dick and Queen Anne's Revenge also returned to their respective fleets after the two men landed on the island.

After flying to the center of the island, Teach's body slowly descended and landed on the ground.

Then he waited quietly. A few minutes later, the Whitebeard figure emerged from the jungle and came to Teach, the two about fifty meters apart.

The two kings met and gazed at each other silently. Morgans, who was filming from the sky, sensed something, shuddered, flapped his wings, and rose into the air.

Below, terrifying auras erupted from the two individuals, greeting each other with Conqueror's Haki even before the battle began.

In an instant, the world changed color, and terrifying Haki expanded their range like an ever-growing protective shield, resulting in a fierce collision between the two centrally located Conqueror's Haki.

The Conqueror's Haki, like an abyss that devours everything, possesses an aura of power that shakes the world.

The whole world seemed to turn into two colors, a clash of Conqueror's Haki. The ground trembled, and cracks appeared one after another. At the center of the collision, the intertwining of two powerful magnetic fields caused "sparks" like black Inazuma to constantly emerge.

A terrifying shockwave swept around.

In the blink of an eye, the sky was covered with dark clouds, bringing a terrifying sense of oppression. Lightning flashed and Thunderclap, with purple Inazuma constantly appearing.

The clash of the two Conqueror's Haki resulted in each side dominating half the sky, making them evenly matched. In terms of sheer power, Teach was not at all inferior to Whitebeard.

Before even making a move, such a dramatic change occurred, bringing a profound shock to those watching the video.

Especially when you see cracks constantly appearing on the ground, quickly spreading like a spider web.

The Conqueror's Haki, which targets the spirit, is very lethal to plants and trees, since all things have a spirit and can breathe.

The area covered by Teach's Conqueror's Haki was visibly extinguished of life. After all, even ordinary strong people could hardly resist it. Fragile souls were easily crushed, leaves fell, and Kogarashi.

The fact that such a sight was noticed was truly terrifying; it was a testament to Teach's enhanced Conqueror's Haki, combined with its extraordinary mental damage.

Many powerful individuals have noticed this, indicating that the Dark Emperor's Conqueror's Haki is special and possesses extraordinary abilities.

"Red-Haired Pirates, it seems you're not the only one, but our paths are different," Beckman said calmly to Shanks beside him.

He naturally knew that his captain possessed an extraordinary talent for Conqueror's Haki, making him even stronger and able to influence matter—something that could only be achieved by the collision of two Conqueror's Haki.

Upon seeing Teach, he knew that Teach also possessed a special talent for Conqueror's Haki.

With his black pirate coat billowing in the wind, Teach, under the influence of Conqueror's Haki and the surrounding scenery, resembled a Teach from the abyss.

The sky cleared up suddenly, and everything returned to calm.

Many people were panting heavily, their bodies covered in sweat. The brief clash of their Conqueror's Haki felt like an eternity to them.

My mind and spirit were completely immersed in it.

"Not bad, Teach. You have such spirit." Whitebeard exclaimed. Teach's spirit was on par with his own and truly reached the world's top level.

Moreover, he could sense that his Conqueror's Haki had reached its limit, while Teach's Conqueror's Haki had the potential to increase further. Conqueror's Haki with such a terrifying mental impact was unique on the sea.

"Of course." Teach accepted Whitebeard's praise.

Darkness surged from his body, and two small wine jars emerged from them. One of them, under Teach's control, flew rapidly toward Whitebeard.

With a flick of his wrist, the Whitebeard caught the wine jar steadily.

"What? You want me to go easy on you, Teach?" Whitebeard joked. "You didn't poison it, did you?"

The Whitebeard gently opened the lid of the wine jar, and a rich aroma of wine wafted out.

Teach paid no attention to Whitebeard's joke, looked at Whitebeard, opened the sake jar, and took a small sip.

"You're Whitebeard! Besides, this jar of wine isn't worth a hundred million Beli. You've never been one to treat others to drinks, so I brought it especially for you."

Teach's words didn't anger Whitebeard; instead, he raised his head and burst into laughter, "Gurararararara!"

No one knew why Whitebeard was laughing like that, except for the members of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Teach knew Whitebeard well. Whitebeard was very stingy; he donated all his wealth to his hometown, so he had no money of his own and never treated others to drinks, always preferring to drink his son's.

Unexpectedly, the two sides started chatting before the battle even began.

After laughing, the two started drinking at the same time, finishing a small jar of Monkey King Wine in one gulp, and then throwing the jar aside.

Whitebeard had already experienced the effects of Monkey King Wine, but the effects were not significant, especially for a powerful figure like Whitebeard. The effects of Monkey King Wine were not miraculous and required long-term consumption to be effective.

"How is it? Not bad, right? It should help you last a bit longer in the upcoming battle," Teach, smiling at Whitebeard.

The air suddenly became heavy, and Teach's words were undoubtedly a provocation to Whitebeard.

"Gurgle! This is the first time I've tasted such fine wine. I hope your performance isn't as impressive as you make it out to be, Teach!" Whitebeard cracked his neck.

"Hehe, I've been looking forward to this battle for a long time. Let's have a fight before you get old, because we might not have another chance like this." Teach his head slightly, his eyes narrowed, and a smile appeared on his face.

"After all, my era is about to begin!"

The meaning of this statement is quite clear: Whitebeard's prime is coming to an end, and he will soon grow old.

This also made many people realize that although Whitebeard was powerful, he was still a mortal with a heart, and how long could his immense strength be sustained?

Now, Whitebeard is a fifty-eight-year-old man who will soon be in his twilight years.

Teach's words, "My era," are like a declaration, full of extreme confidence, which is clearly felt, calm yet convincing, and incredibly Haki.

It's so exciting to hear!

The members of the Night Pirates were cheering.

Of course, some people were not satisfied, such as other Sea Emperor.

"Hehehehe! I'm not old yet!" Golden Lion Shiki laughed, refuting Teach's words. "But that brat is right, Newgate is old. I like his Haki, hehehehe!"

Whitebeard grinned and said, "Come on, try it, but don't get slapped in the face, Teach! I'm Whitebeard, you have no right to talk back to me!"

"Don't die!"

"Let's go then!"

492 The Great War Is About to Begin