Dead silence.
The noise and laughter on the deck seemed to be instantly strangled by an invisible hand, vanishing without a trace.
Everyone froze.
They looked at Vista, the Fifth Division commander, "Flower Sword," who had been sent staggering back seven or eight steps by a single punch, the hand gripping his sword still trembling slightly.
Then they looked at the newcomer standing where he was, his fist withdrawn and completely unscathed.
The air seemed to freeze.
Vista took a deep breath and shook his numb wrist. The disdain and mockery had long vanished from his usually carefree face.
In their place was utter shock and disbelief.
He stared at Chen Ye and spoke slowly, one word at a time.
"You brat... you really are a monster."
This old man underestimated you!
Though this old man only used thirty percent of his strength!
To think you could still reach this level!
You're not bad!
Those words were like a boulder thrown into a still lake, instantly detonating the entire scene.
"I... I didn't see that wrong, did I? Commander Vista... got pushed back by one punch?"
Even if Commander Vista was holding back!
"That newcomer... blocked Commander Vista's sword with his fist?"
"You've got to be kidding! That's a world-famous great swordsman!"
Gasps and cries of shock rose one after another.
The Crew Members' gazes toward Chen Ye changed completely.
If they had once merely been curious and entertained, now there was only pure awe and scrutiny.
Chen Ye did not respond to Vista's assessment. He merely gave him a slight bow.
"Thank you for your guidance, Commander Vista."
His attitude remained humble, but from that point on, no one dared to regard him as an ordinary brat who had simply gotten lucky enough to board the ship.
With that battle, he had proven his worth in the most direct and shocking way possible.
"Monster Newcomer."
No one knew who had shouted the title first, but like a wildfire, it spread to every corner of the Moby Dick within a single afternoon.
Night fell.
Bonfires were lit on the deck once more. The Crew Members drank heavily and feasted on meat, and the atmosphere appeared no different from usual.
Yet between drinks, many of them could not help glancing toward the boy sitting alone in a corner, quietly wiping down his plate.
There was a trace of reverence in their eyes that even they had not noticed.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the meeting hall beneath the captain's room was completely different from the boisterous deck outside.
It was oppressively tense.
Around a round table sat the Whitebeard Pirates' core members, every division commander currently aboard the ship.
The First Division commander, Phoenix Marco.
The Third Division commander, Diamond Jozu.
The Fifth Division commander, Flower Sword Vista.
As well as several other commanders.
No one spoke.
Marco's knuckles tapped lightly against the table without conscious thought, producing soft knocks. It was the only sound in the room.
In the end, Vista, the other central figure in the day's events, was the first to break the silence.
"Marco, there's something wrong with that kid."
His tone was incomparably grave.
"I fought him. The precision of his Observation Haki was like he could see my movements before I made them. It was deeply unsettling."
"And that final punch."
Vista paused, seemingly recalling the sensation. A trace of lingering fear appeared on his face.
"The strength of his Armament Haki... was terrifying. That isn't power a newcomer could possibly possess."
Jozu, seated opposite him, folded his thick arms and spoke in a deep, muffled voice.
"Indeed. When I pulled 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.
In Pops' absence, he was the ship's true decision-maker.
Marco stopped tapping the table. His usually half-lidded, lazy-looking eyes were now clear and sharp.
"We know nothing about where he came from."
"He said Kaido's subordinates killed his entire family. There's no way to verify that."
"The admiration he shows for Pops borders on fanaticism. It even feels somewhat... deliberate."
Marco's voice was not loud, but every word struck clearly against their hearts.
"Now, he has displayed terrifying strength that completely doesn't match his identity as a 'newcomer.'"
"Everything is too coincidental, and too sudden."
The air in the meeting room seemed to grow even heavier.
Marco swept his gaze across his brothers and slowly rose to his feet.
"We are family, but we cannot allow a dangerous person of unknown identity, who may harbor other motives, to remain at Pops' side."
"This must be clarified."
He pushed back his chair, his expression turning incomparably stern.
"I'll ask him myself."
Jozu and Vista exchanged a glance, then immediately stood as well, silently following behind Marco.
The invisible pressure radiating from the three top commanders made the entire meeting room seem several degrees colder.
Chen Ye had just finished wiping the last plate and was about to return to his temporary bunk.
Suddenly, he felt the light around him dim.
He raised his head.
Three tall figures stood before him like three mountains, their shadows completely enveloping him.
Phoenix Marco.
Diamond Jozu.
Flower Sword Vista.
When the nearby Crew Members who had been laughing and fooling around saw the three commanders appear together with such serious expressions, they wisely fell silent and retreated into the distance, watching with concern and confusion.
Chen Ye's heart sank sharply.
He knew it. It had come after all.
He slowly rose to his feet, still wearing that harmless, humble smile.
"Commander Marco, Commander Jozu, Commander Vista, good evening. Is there anything you need me to do?"
Marco ignored his pleasantries.
He merely looked quietly at Chen Ye. The gaze in his half-lidded eyes seemed capable of piercing straight through a person's heart.
Behind him, Jozu and Vista stood to either side, subtly blocking every possible route Chen Ye could take to retreat.
Silence.
Oppressive silence.
After a long while, Marco finally spoke. His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable pressure.
"Chen Ye."
"Who exactly are you?"
Before you continue