The stone pillar cracked in two. He struggled to his feet, blood soaking through the shirt over his chest, his imposing presence diminished.
Whitebeard was in bad shape too. Mu Chen's Conqueror's Coating had torn a gash in his left shoulder, and blood streamed down his arm.
He braced his hands on his knees and panted, his chest heaving, yet his laughter still boomed.
"Ha ha ha! Now this is a fight, brat! We're not done yet!"
Mu Chen grinned, baring bloodstained teeth.
He suddenly charged forward, Red Conqueror's Coating condensing into a pillar of light around him.
Golden light blazed in Whitebeard's eyes. Shock waves and Conqueror's Coating condensed into a ball of light in his palm, and he charged straight at the pillar.
The pillar and the ball of light collided, shaking all of Marineford.
When the dust cleared, both men were on their knees, their bodies covered in wounds and their auras much weaker.
Mu Chen coughed up blood as he struggled.
Wang Qizhan said calmly to Whitebeard, "Well? I won this fight, didn't I?"
But Whitebeard looked at him and suddenly laughed.
"Heh, good lad. I was right about you. But I don't think I've lost yet."
Whitebeard strained, then suddenly pushed himself upright. He managed to stand too, though he swayed badly, and the two lunged at each other again.
The instant their fists collided, Whitebeard let out a muffled grunt and lurched sideways. His old wounds had been torn open by the impact.
Mu Chen seized the opening and slammed his fist, wrapped in Conqueror's Coating, into Whitebeard's chest.
Whitebeard staggered backward from the blow, stumbled, and dropped to one knee.
The plaza fell silent in an instant. Everyone stared at Whitebeard kneeling on the ground, then at Mu Chen, who was still standing