That powerful Conqueror's Haki carried unparalleled pressure, weighing down every inch of air on the deck until it felt incomparably heavy.
Under the oppression of that immense energy, the Moby Dick's hull let out a groan of unbearable strain.
Chen Ye could clearly feel the deck beneath his feet trembling faintly!
Could a sickly old man in his seventies really unleash such energy?
"Pops."
Chen Ye spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the frozen air.
"There's not enough room here. We'll destroy this ship."
He raised a hand and pointed toward a black speck on the distant horizon, its outline traced by moonlight.
It was an Uninhabited Deserted Island.
"Let's go there."
"That's right, Pops!"
Marco immediately echoed him.
"On the island! Otherwise, all the brothers on the ship will be awakened!"
He certainly did not want to wake up tomorrow morning and find half the Moby Dick sunk beneath the sea.
Whitebeard slammed Murakumogiri, which rested on his shoulder, heavily against the deck with a dull thud.
He did not look toward the island. His gaze remained fixed on Chen Ye, and his wild grin widened further.
"Gurararara! Good!"
The instant his words fell, his massive body dipped slightly before shooting into the sky like a cannonball, leaving a visible white trail through the air as he headed straight for the distant Deserted Island!
The terrifying force of that leap created air pressure so intense that even the sea surface caved in!
"Keep up, Chen Ye!"
Leaving behind that reminder, Marco's entire body instantly ignited with azure Phoenix Flames. With one beat of his wings, he transformed into a blue streak of light and followed close behind.
Chen Ye did not answer.
The muscles in his legs abruptly tensed, Armament Haki coating them as he stomped down hard!
Bang!
He shot across the sea's surface like an arrow released from its bow, dragging a long trail of white spray behind him.
A barren Reef Island.
The three of them arrived almost simultaneously.
Whitebeard's enormous figure landed at the center of the island, and the rocks beneath his feet instantly cracked apart.
Marco returned to human form and landed dozens of meters behind him, his expression solemn as he prepared for any possible accident.
Chen Ye was the last to stop, a hundred meters in front of Whitebeard.
Not a single unnecessary word was exchanged.
The moment he steadied himself, the curtain rose on the battle!
Whitebeard did not move an inch. He merely slowly raised his right fist, which was as large as a boulder.
Bzzz—!
A visible White Halo, like a spherical glass cover, instantly enveloped his fist.
The surrounding air violently distorted at that moment.
He did not aim at Chen Ye. Instead, he threw an unremarkable punch toward the open space beside him!
Crack—!
A crisp sound rang out, as though the world itself had been torn apart!
It was not a sound, but the wail of space itself!
A pure white crack appeared out of nowhere in the air, rapidly spreading like a spiderweb!
The instant Whitebeard raised his hand, Chen Ye's Observation Haki issued its sharpest warning!
Every muscle in his body reacted instantly, and he became an afterimage as he dodged to the side at his limit!
Rumble!
The spot where he had been standing, along with dozens of meters of ground around it, was completely pulverized by that invisible Vibration Power, turning into a massive crater!
But it was not over yet!
That destructive shockwave came sweeping in right behind it!
Chen Ye did not simply keep dodging.
He pushed the faint Vibration Power he had only just mastered within his body to its limit, coating his right fist with it as well before fiercely punching at the edge of the shockwave!
Bang!
The two forces shared the same origin, but their strengths were worlds apart. Chen Ye felt an irresistible force surge through his arm, yet he used that recoil to launch himself backward at an even greater speed, landing steadily a hundred meters away.
He had successfully deflected more than ninety percent of the damage.
At that very moment, a blue light screen visible only to him appeared before his eyes.
["Edward Newgate" Analysis Progress: 81.33%!]
It worked!
A surge of wild joy rose in Chen Ye's heart.
This kind of direct confrontation on the brink of life and death truly was the best way to raise the analysis progress!
"Gurarara... interesting!"
As Whitebeard watched how Chen Ye had responded, genuine approval appeared in those eyes burning with Fighting Spirit.
He stopped testing him.
He removed Murakumogiri from his back and gripped its long handle with both hands. This time, the white vibration sphere enveloped the entire massive naginata blade!
"Try taking another move from me!"
With a thunderous roar, he violently swung Murakumogiri and slashed through the air toward Chen Ye!
Bzzz—!
A massive, crescent-shaped white shockwave left the blade. With unstoppable force, it tore apart and pulverized everything in its path, whether air or rock!
This strike sealed off every angle of escape!
Chen Ye's pupils contracted to the limit.
There was no retreating!
He planted his feet firmly into the ground, crossed his arms before his chest, and activated his top-tier Armament Haki without holding anything back, forming a pitch-black, incomparably heavy suit of armor!
Boom!!!!
The crescent shockwave slammed solidly into his crossed arms.
At that instant, Chen Ye felt as though he had been struck head-on by a mountain range charging at high speed.
His feet carved two deep trenches through the ground, his body uncontrollably blasting backward as the bones in his arms let out a groan on the verge of shattering.
But he endured it by force!
["Edward Newgate" Analysis Progress: 87.50%!]
Chen Ye coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet a crazed smile appeared on his face.
"Again, Pops!"
"Gurarararararara!"
Whitebeard answered him with even heartier laughter and even more violent attacks!
A punch!
A kick!
A slash!
The entire Deserted Island began truly falling apart beneath the power of the World's Strongest Man.
The earth split open, boulders turned to dust, and waves were hurled a hundred meters into the sky!
And Chen Ye was like a lone boat at the center of the storm, frantically dodging, blocking, and enduring the shockwaves amid tides of Destruction.
Every collision, every time he was sent flying, brought him one step closer to death.
Yet at the same time, the blue Data Stream before his eyes was wildly jumping at an unprecedented speed!
[Analysis Progress: 91.10%!] [Analysis Progress: 94.68%!] [Analysis Progress: 97.25%!]
Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick.
The unprecedentedly violent tremors woke every sleeping crew member!
"What's going on?!"
"Was that an earthquake?!"
"No! It's a tsunami!"
Cabin doors were flung open one after another as the Division Commanders and Whitebeard Pirates Crew Members rushed onto the deck, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
They saw abnormal, towering waves rising one after another in the distant sea, as though some ancient beast beneath the ocean was awakening.
"Look! That island!"
Diamond Jozu, sharp-eyed as ever, pointed toward the source of the tremors and shouted.
Everyone turned their gaze toward it.
Then, they saw a sight they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
That island was collapsing and breaking apart.
And at the heart of that Destruction, they saw Pops's enormous figure standing tall enough to hold up the sky.
And... another figure engaged in a fierce battle with Pops!
"Th-That... is that... Chen Ye?!"
"Am I dreaming? Chen Ye is fighting Pops?"
"How is that possible?!"
Everyone on the deck was petrified, their minds blank as they could not comprehend the sight before them.
Just as several impulsive Division Commanders were preparing to rush over and investigate, an azure figure descended from the sky and blocked everyone in their path.
It was Marco.
"Everyone, go back!"
His voice was harsher than ever before.
"But, Marco! Chen Ye is in danger!" Rakuyo shouted anxiously.
"Pops is giving him guidance!"
Marco used the excuse he had long prepared, his gaze sweeping across everyone present.
"No one is allowed to go over and interrupt them! This is Pops's order!"
Pops's order!
Those five words calmed every agitated person down.
They were filled with doubt, but no one dared defy Whitebeard's command.
Still stunned and confused, everyone returned to their cabins, looking back every few steps.
Marco was the only one left on the deck.
As he stared at the island in the distance, which was nearly sinking, and felt the battle's aftermath that made even his heart pound in fear, cold sweat covered his forehead.
Guidance?
How was this guidance?
This was clearly island demolition!
On the island.
Chen Ye knelt on one knee, gasping heavily. He was drenched in blood, and the ground beneath his feet had become a field of rubble.
Across from him, Whitebeard still stood upright, his breathing only slightly hurried.
"Kid, can you still stand?"
Chen Ye raised his head, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and revealed a weary yet incomparably radiant smile.
Within his vision, a line of crimson warning text was flashing wildly.
[Warning! Analysis Progress has reached 99.80%! About to break through the critical threshold!] [Final data collection in progress... Please endure the final strike!]
Using the last of his strength, he braced himself against the ground and shakily rose to his feet.
"Pops..."
"One final move!"
"Use everything you have right now!"
Whitebeard looked at him, the heroic spirit in his golden eyes burning at its peak.
He bared his teeth and let out an earthshaking roar.
"Gurararara! As you wish!"
He suddenly raised his right fist. The white sphere enveloping it shrank to its utmost limit at that moment, radiating destructive light powerful enough to make the entire world tremble!
Before you continue