Whitebeard's Admiration

On the deck of the Moby Dick.

The Whitebeard ran his fingertips along Natsu's profile picture on the newspaper, a smile of interest playing on his lips.

"Gurgle la la la la! Three and a half billion Beli! This kid reminds me of Linlin from back in the day."

"Pops? You mean Charlotte Linlin?" Marco looked up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief.

Of course he knew how terrifying Linlin was.

At the age of five, that monster could send an adult Giant Tribe warrior flying with a single punch; it was born with the combat strength of Vice Admiral Level.

My Pops always says that if Linlin hadn't spent her whole life having children, she might not be any less capable than him.

While there was an element of modesty in those words, no one knew better than them how amazing Linlin's talent was.

But now, Pops is actually comparing a boy who looks only thirteen or fourteen to that monster?

Marco swallowed hard, pointing at the portrait in the newspaper. "Pops, you're not kidding, are you? Even if this kid can outshine Kizaru, when it comes to talent..."

"Gurglalalalala!" The Whitebeard laughed loudly, patting his shoulder so hard the deck trembled slightly. "Do you know why that kid called me just now?"

Marco frowned, several thoughts racing through his mind. "They can't be here to form an alliance, can they?"

"Silly boy, how could that be?" Whitebeard shook the gourd in his hand, his words causing Marco to freeze on the spot. "He came to ask me about the training methods for Haki. From the most basic introductory techniques to the advanced stages of Ryuo, he doesn't know a single thing."

"What?!"

The newspaper in Marco's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

He opened his mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time, his mind buzzing.

Are you kidding me?

A ruthless character who forced Kizaru into a humiliating retreat and caused the annihilation of the entire Navy, doesn't even know the most basic Haki?

This is even more absurd than the rumor that Kaido gets seasick.

In this New World, who doesn't rely on Haki power to make a living?

Among the Four Emperors, Red-Hair subdues the sea with his Conqueror's Haki and Swordsmanship, Kaido's dragon scales combined with Armament Haki make him invulnerable to blades and spears, and Linlin's Steel Balloon is the ultimate in Haki.

Even the Three Admirals, weren't they all masters of Ryuo?

Despite his seemingly carefree demeanor, Kizaru's Observation Haki Katakuri's.

Haki is the key to unlocking the New World. Without Haki, no matter how strong your Devil Fruit ability is, you won't go far. Take himself, for example. If he didn't have top-tier Observation Haki and Armament Haki as a backup, he wouldn't be able to hold onto his position as the captain of the First Division with Phoenix Fruit.

Not to mention those at the level of "Pops," aren't they all top-tier Devil Fruit paired with the most advanced Two-Color Haki?

But how could this Uchiha Natsu, without any Haki, possibly have a bounty of 3.5 billion?

Marco bent down to pick up the newspaper from the ground, and examined the scarlet Gunbai logo again carefully, feeling a chill run down his spine.

What kind of monster is this?

Marco gasped, his brows furrowing even more deeply. "Pops, if that's really the case, this kid's potential is far more terrifying than we thought. He can overpower Kizaru without even Haki; what will happen when he actually Haki..."

Whitebeard glanced at him sideways, then burst into deafening laughter. "Gururu la la la la! Why think so much! Ace may be a simple-minded idiot, but his judgment of people has never been wrong. Anyone he can open his heart to as a friend can't be a bad person."

"Ace..." Marco repeated the name softly, then fell silent.

Ace was the Second Division Commander. He was a bit simple-minded, but he was loyal and righteous, and his older brothers always trusted him.

As for Teach... that guy was too good at hiding his true intentions. Even those who had lived and worked with him for decades couldn't see through his honest facade and the wolf in sheep's clothing.

"So, Pops, what's our next move regarding the Uchiha Clan?" Marco asked, looking up after a moment's thought.

The Whitebeard tilted his head back and took a large gulp of wine, the liquid running down his gray beard and soaking his shirt.

He casually wiped his mouth, his tone brimming with domineering Haki: "Who cares! Just let nature take its course. I'm Whitebeard old man!"

"That's right! Pops is the World's Strongest Man!" Jozu, who had been silent until now, clenched his fist and shouted excitedly.

Marco smiled with relief. Yes, he did have Whitebeard.

The man who once battled Roger for supremacy over the sea, even now in his old age and with his body not as strong as before, is still the strongest one standing at the top of the sea.

A mere emerging power is not worth them treating as a major threat.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Wano Country.

Inside the Skull Cave on Onigashima, chilling laughter echoed through the empty stone hall, causing pebbles to fall from above.

Kaido carried a huge wine jar in one hand, his scarlet eyes scanning the headlines of the newspaper, his face full of undisguised sarcasm and disdain.

"Hehehe! The fifth Emperor of the Sea? What bullshit about the Void Demon Tamer! He's just a greenhorn!"

He smashed the wine jar on the ground, shards of earthenware flying everywhere, and a strong smell of wine instantly filled the air.

Standing in the shadows, King the Conflagration tilted his head slightly, the Kakkō reflecting off his cold, black mask, giving it a hard, gleaming sheen.

He tapped the scabbard at his waist lightly with his fingertips, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a hint of barely perceptible gravity. "Kaido, we cannot be careless. To force Kizaru to retreat and to annihilate four thousand elite Marines, this is definitely not a story Morgans made up."

They knew Kizaru's strength all too well.

That guy looks carefree, but when it comes to a real fight, he's as slippery as an eel, and his speed is unmatched in the ocean.

The person who could force him into a hasty retreat was no ordinary individual.

"Made up?" Kaido whirled around, his crimson eyes bulging like saucers, and burst into deafening laughter. "Hehehe! You believe that scruffy bird's nonsense? He'll exaggerate a sea cat into Sea Kings just to sell newspapers!"

He stomped his foot and crushed the pottery shards on the ground, turning the fragments into powder under his feet.

With a massive spiked club slung over his shoulder, its tip gleaming coldly, he said, "That guy Kizaru is all about dodging and weaving. Isn't it normal for him to run away when he can't win? Those Navy trash, even four thousand of them combined wouldn't be enough for one hit from my club."

"What Fifth Emperor, what Void Demon Tamer, it's nothing but a fig leaf the Navy is using to cover up their defeat." Kaido spat, grabbed another jar of sake next to him, tilted his head back and gulped down most of it, the sake flowing down his thick neck and into his chest.

"If that brat dares to cause trouble in Wano Country, I'll twist his head off and use it as a drinking bowl!"

Jin remained silent and said nothing more.

Just looking at the cold-eyed black-haired boy in the newspaper, the fingers gripping the scabbard unconsciously tightened a little.