That fist, carrying enough power to destroy everything and wrapped in a white shockwave that shattered space itself, stopped less than three inches from Elderly Whitebeard's face.
Yet Whitebeard's face showed no fear at all.
Time seemed to have been forcibly paused at that instant.
The world-destroying energy came to an abrupt halt.
The pressure that could make the world tremble vanished in an instant like a receding tide.
"..."
"..."
Marco, who had been preparing to help, froze in place.
Chen Ye, who had been about to activate the system's power and forcefully intervene, was Stunned as well.
An utterly bizarre silence fell over the center of the battlefield.
The two Whitebeards—one with his fist raised, the other with his arms crossed—were both down on one knee.
One was as imposing as a rainbow; the other had yet to catch his breath.
They simply looked at each other, at faces identical to their own yet belonging to entirely different ages.
The fury and Killing Intent that seemed capable of burning the world in Peak Whitebeard's golden eyes slowly faded, replaced by a complex emotion even he could not understand.
There was calmness, confusion, and a trace of... recognition from the depths of his soul that even he himself had not noticed.
He saw it.
He saw that this decrepit "impostor" before him had not shown the slightest fear or hesitation in his clouded eyes when facing that fatal blow.
There was only the serenity of someone who had seen through life and death, along with a trace of... nostalgia?
What was he nostalgic for?
Was he nostalgic for the punch that could blast him into nothing but dust?
Absurd!
Yet that absurdity felt incomparably real.
Because if it were him facing such an enemy, he would have shown that same look in his eyes.
On the other side, Elderly Whitebeard slowly lowered his arms from their guard.
Looking at the fist belonging to his younger self, so close before him and filled with boundless power, he grinned.
It was a weary smile, yet one of incomparable exhilaration.
The next second.
A scene that nearly made Chen Ye and Marco's eyes pop out occurred.
Peak Whitebeard looked at the smile on the old man's lips and froze for a moment. Then, the corners of his own mouth uncontrollably rose as well.
That curve, that expression, was exactly the same as Elderly Whitebeard's!
It was as though they had rehearsed the act countless times beforehand.
Both men threw back their heads at the same time.
"Gurararararara..."
"Gurararararara!"
The two laughs—one old and hoarse, the other deep and domineering—followed the exact same rhythm and cadence, merging into a bold roar of laughter powerful enough to overturn the clouds!
There was no longer any Killing Intent in that laughter.
There was only the thrill of meeting a worthy opponent, and even more than that, the relief of "so that's how it is"!
Marco was completely dumbfounded.
Chen Ye was utterly baffled as well.
One moment ago, they had been fighting as though the heavens and earth were collapsing, determined to fight to the death.
The next moment, they were laughing together?
What the hell was going on?
Peak Whitebeard slowly withdrew his fist. With his hands on his hips, he looked down at the old man who was still catching his breath.
"Old bastard..."
Though his voice carried a trace of annoyance, there was no Killing Intent left in it.
"So you really are me."
Elderly Whitebeard forced himself to stop laughing and coughing after much effort.
"Gurarara... What else could I be?"
He raised his head, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at him teasingly.
"You brat, you still don't know how to hold back."
"Hah?!"
Peak Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, about to retort, when his expression abruptly changed.
At almost the same moment, Chen Ye's face turned incomparably grave!
"They're here!"
Chen Ye's Observation Haki sensed several powerful presences crossing the cliff and diving down at astonishing speed!
There was no time to explain!
"Pops! Marco! Don't move!"
Chen Ye barked out a low command.
He grabbed the still-Stunned Marco with one hand and placed the other on Elderly Whitebeard's shoulder.
System!
Concealment!
Buzz!
An almost imperceptible spatial ripple spread outward from Chen Ye.
The three of them vanished into thin air before Peak Whitebeard's astonished gaze.
Peak Whitebeard was briefly taken aback, then immediately understood something.
He looked at the place where the three had disappeared, a meaningful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Then he abruptly turned around and looked toward the top of the cliff.
"Pops!"
"Are you all right?!"
Several figures descended from the sky and landed heavily beside him. They were the young Diamond Jozu, Vista the Flower Sword, and the others.
Looking at the battlefield, which was a complete mess as though it had been bombarded by meteors, every face was filled with shock and concern.
"Did you cause all this commotion?"
Jozu looked at the enormous torn fissures in the ground and swallowed with difficulty.
Peak Whitebeard crossed his arms over his chest, resuming that stance of Reign Over the World, and impatiently waved a hand.
"Quit nagging!"
He roared irritably.
"Roger's bastard self ran off with Oden. I was pissed off, so I blew off some steam. Got a problem with that?!"
That reason was flawless.
The captains looked at one another. Though they felt Pops's outburst this time had been a little too excessive, seeing how furious he was, they could only set their minds at ease.
"So that was it..."
"That's good, then."
Just then, Vista suddenly pointed toward the distant sea.
"Pops, what about that ship...?"
Everyone followed the direction he pointed.
Far out on the sea, an enormous pirate ship of entirely different design sat quietly at anchor.
Concealed within the space, Chen Ye's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He sensed them!
There were several powerful presences aboard that ship, each no weaker than a division commander!
Peak Whitebeard glanced at the ship without the slightest change in his expression.
A crew member behind him immediately understood. He ran to the shore, picked up a signal flag, and waved it at the distant ship several times, sending a complicated and rapid sequence of signals.
A moment later.
The distant ship let out a long blast from its horn, as though responding.
Then the ship slowly turned its bow and sailed away in the direction opposite the Moby Dick, gradually disappearing beyond the horizon.
The crisis had been temporarily resolved.
Yet Peak Whitebeard turned around as if nothing had happened, his gaze seeming to pierce through the void and fall upon the spot where Chen Ye and the other two were Concealed.
A wild, curious smile appeared on his face.
Before you continue