Commander's Meeting! The Birth of a Monster!

Dead silence.

The noise and laughter on the deck seemed to be strangled by an invisible giant hand, vanishing without a trace.

All movements froze.

They looked at the Fifth Division Commander, "Flower Sword" Vista, who had been blasted back seven or eight steps, the tiger's mouth of his sword hand still trembling faintly.

Then they looked at the newcomer standing in place, retracting his fist, completely unharmed.

The air seemed to solidify.

Vista took a deep breath, shaking his numb wrist. The playful, cynical expression on his face was long gone.

In its place was pure shock and disbelief.

He stared at Chen Ye and spoke word by word.

"You little brat... you're really a monster."

This Old Man underestimated you!

Even though This Old Man only used thirty percent of his strength!

But to achieve this much!

You're not bad!

These words, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly ignited the entire crowd.

"Did... did I see that right? Commander Vista... got knocked back by a punch?"

Even though Commander Vista was holding back big time!

"But that newcomer... used his fist to block Commander Vista's sword?"

"What the hell! That's a world-famous great swordsman!"

Gasps and sharp intakes of breath rose and fell.

The crew members' gazes toward Chen Ye had completely changed.

If before it was curiosity, a desire to watch the show, now there was only pure awe and scrutiny.

Chen Ye didn't respond to Vista's assessment. He simply gave a slight bow.

"Thank you for the guidance, Commander Vista."

His attitude remained humble, but from then on, no one dared to treat him as an ordinary, lucky kid who had boarded the ship.

This battle had proven his worth in the most direct and shocking way possible.

"Monster Newcomer."

No one knew who first shouted that title, but it spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Moby Dick in just one afternoon.

Night fell.

Bonfires were lit on the deck again. The crew drank heavily and ate heartily, the atmosphere seemingly no different from usual.

But in the gaps between drinking, many people's gazes would unconsciously drift toward the youth sitting alone in a corner, quietly wiping down a plate.

There was a hint of awe in their eyes, an awe they themselves hadn't even noticed.

But in the meeting hall below the captain's room, the atmosphere was completely different from the noise outside.

Here, it was suffocatingly oppressive.

Around a round table sat the core of the Whitebeard Pirates—all the division commanders currently on the ship.

First Division Commander, "Phoenix" Marco.

Third Division Commander, "Diamond" Jozu.

Fifth Division Commander, "Flower Sword" Vista.

And several other commanders.

No one spoke.

Marco's knuckles tapped unconsciously on the table, making a light "tap, tap, tap" sound—the only noise in the room.

Finally, it was Vista, the other protagonist of the day's events, who broke the silence.

"Marco, that kid is off."

His tone was extremely grave.

"I fought him. The precision of his Observation Haki... it was like he could see my moves in advance. Eerie."

"And that last punch."

Vista paused, as if recalling the sensation, a lingering trace of fear on his face.

"The strength of his Armament Haki... was astonishing. That's definitely not power a newcomer should have."

Jozu, who was sitting across from him, crossed his thick arms and spoke in a gruff voice.

"True. When I fished him out of the sea, he was as weak as an Ordinary Person. How could he have gained this kind of strength in such a short time?"

All the commanders' gazes eventually converged on Marco, who sat at the head of the table.

He was the actual decision-maker on this ship when Pops wasn't around.

Marco stopped tapping his fingers on the table. His eyes, usually half-lidded and somewhat lazy, were now clear and sharp.

"We know nothing about his background."

"He says his whole family was killed by Kaido's men—that can't be verified."

"The admiration he shows for Pops is almost fanatical, even... deliberate."

Marco's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck clearly in everyone's hearts.

"And now, he's shown terrifying strength that doesn't match his 'Newcomer' status at all."

"All of this is too coincidental, and too sudden."

The air in the conference room seemed to grow heavier.

Marco looked around at his brothers and slowly stood up.

"We're family, but we can't accept a dangerous person with an unknown background and possibly other motives by Pops' side."

"This matter must be clarified."

He pushed back his chair, his expression turning extremely serious.

"I'll go ask him myself."

Jozu and Vista exchanged a glance, then immediately stood up and silently followed behind Marco.

The invisible aura emanating from the three top commanders made the temperature in the entire conference room seem to drop several degrees.

Chen Ye had just finished wiping the last plate and was about to head back to his temporary bunk.

Suddenly, he felt the light around him dim.

He Looked Up.

Three tall figures, like three mountains, stood before him, their shadows completely enveloping him.

Phoenix, Marco.

Diamond, Jozu.

Flower Sword, Vista.

The surrounding crew members, who had been laughing and joking, wisely shut their mouths when they saw the three commanders appear together with such serious expressions. They stepped back, casting concerned and curious glances.

Chen Ye's heart sank heavily.

He knew It Has Come After All.

He slowly Stood Up, still wearing that harmless, humble smile on his face.

"Commander Marco, Commander Jozu, Commander Vista, good evening. Is there something you need me to do?"

Marco didn't acknowledge his politeness.

He simply stared at Chen Ye, his half-lidded eyes piercing as if they could see through a person's soul.

Behind him, Jozu and Vista stood on either side, subtly blocking all possible angles for Chen Ye to retreat.

Silence.

Oppressive silence.

After a long moment, Marco finally spoke, his voice steady but carrying an undeniable pressure.

"Chen Ye."

"Who are you, really?"