The Strongest Commander, Deserved Beyond Doubt

"Gurararara! This kid is really interesting. Looks like he doesn't take Marco seriously at all~" Edward Newgate said with a hearty laugh.

"Hurry up and defeat Marco, kill Blackbeard, then go watch TV? Hahaha! What an interesting guy!" Diamond Jozu said as he looked at Ye Yu with great interest.

Though Marco looked like an ordinary nobody, his strength was beyond question! Defeating Marco was no simple matter!

Within the Whitebeard Pirates, other than Captain Whitebeard, no one had ever dared speak to Marco like that.

Vista the Flower Sword also gripped his twin blades tightly, a glint flashing through his eyes.

"For a moment there, why did I feel like Ye Yu might actually defeat Marco?"

"Defeat Marco? Impossible, isn't it?" Diamond Jozu shook his head.

"Marco's Phoenix abilities are extremely troublesome! His defense is no weaker than a Logia's. Without powerful Armament Haki, you simply can't hurt him!" Diamond Jozu muttered.

"Hahaha, it was only a feeling," Vista the Flower Sword said.

That feeling had merely been irrational. After Diamond Jozu's reminder, Vista the Flower Sword regained his composure and still did not think highly of Ye Yu.

"What do you think, Pops?" Diamond Jozu left the question to Whitebeard, who was watching the spectacle with relish.

As the Pops who had appointed Ye Yu captain of Zero Division, he was naturally the most qualified person to speak on the matter!

Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, an unconscious curve forming at the corner of his lips as he slowly spoke.

"I think Ye Yu will be the final victor! Who knows how far that freak's Conqueror's Haki has grown over these past ten years!"

Pops actually believed Ye Yu would be the final victor?!

His opponent was Marco, with his absurd recovery ability! Even Marine Admirals had no reason to fear Marco's Phoenix form!

The surrounding pirate grunts stirred up after hearing Pops's assessment.

No matter how powerful this brat's Conqueror's Haki was, could he truly defeat the immortal Marco without Armament Haki or Observation Haki?

The betting over Ye Yu's chances began once more.

Unlike the battle against Atmos at the beginning, where Ye Yu's odds had been one thousand to one, his odds this time were ten to one.

If Ye Yu won, they would receive ten times their wager!

Some thrill-seekers chose to bet on Ye Yu.

However, most still chose the safer option. A brat under twenty defeating Atmos was possible, but defeating Marco, the strongest commander of the Whitebeard Pirates?

That was difficult!!

While everyone was still discussing it, the battle between Marco and Ye Yu began without the slightest delay!

With a cry, Marco directly transformed into a blue mythical bird and flew toward Ye Yu.

Yet before Marco could react and launch his attack, Ye Yu had already struck first despite moving later!

It couldn't be helped. Ye Yu's means of attack was Conqueror's Haki, and it was several times faster than ordinary attacks!

With only a thought, Ye Yu stopped holding back. The Conqueror's Haki he had previously restrained instantly erupted from his body, surging toward the blue Phoenix like a flood bursting through a dam!

Whitebeard, Diamond Jozu, Vista, and the others stared in shock. Ye Yu had unleashed such terrifying Haki in just an instant?!

At close range, Marco naturally felt the terror of Ye Yu's Conqueror's Haki. However, having fought countless battles, Marco quickly steadied himself.

It only made people feel fear mentally! I'm in my blue Phoenix flame form now. Ye Yu can't hurt me at all!

Massive amounts of blue flames surged from Marco's body.

But... reality was harsh...

Boom!

The Conqueror's Haki instantly manifested into a massive fist and sent Marco flying with a single punch.

Marco was sent hurtling backward by that powerful force.

In the end, he slammed heavily into the deck of the Whitebeard Pirates' ship, smashing a huge human-shaped crater into it.

Diamond Jozu, Vista, and the others stood with their mouths hanging open, their faces filled with disbelief.

The pirate grunts also widened their eyes. The one who had just been sent flying was the first commander of the world's strongest pirate crew!?

No one had expected it!

Marco had been sent flying so easily by Ye Yu?

The strangest part was, how had Ye Yu managed to catch Marco? Marco had clearly transformed into Phoenix flames!

Whitebeard seemed to realize something and smacked his forehead hard!

"I know! This is the highest realm of Conqueror's Haki Manifestation! Conqueror's Haki that can capture Logia Devil Fruit users!" Whitebeard cried out in shock.

This left everyone around him even more stunned, to the point that it felt absurdly fantastical.

Everyone looked doubtfully toward their captain, Edward Newgate.

What was Pops talking about? Did Conqueror's Haki with the properties of Armament Haki really exist in this world?

Wasn't that far too unbelievable?

"It can't be wrong! This is the ultimate application of Conqueror's Haki, an attack method one level above even Conqueror's Coating!"

"An attack method of Conqueror's Haki that not even Pirate King Roger had mastered!"

"The reason I know of this method is because my former captain, Rocks, was a man who had mastered this kind of Conqueror's Haki!"

A sharp light burst from Whitebeard's eyes as he looked at Ye Yu with excitement written all over his face.

Rocks?!

The surrounding pirates all sucked in a cold breath.

According to Pops, he had been a king among kings, even more powerful than the Pirate King!

Even Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido—three top-tier powerhouses—had once merely been underlings beneath Rocks...

It was not difficult to infer just how terrifyingly powerful this brat before them was...

For such a terrifyingly strong brat, defeating Blackbeard would naturally be no challenge!

From the crater in the deck came an angry roar as Marco appeared once more. This time, he directly entered the strongest form of a Zoan user: his hybrid form!

Marco's expression was grave. Though the person before him looked like a harmless young man, his strength was terrifyingly powerful!

Marco had clearly felt it just now: Ye Yu's solid attack, manifested as a huge fist, had even carried the effects of Armament Haki!

Could someone really... reach such a realm before even turning twenty?

Marco considered himself a genius as well. At a young age, he had become the first commander of the world's strongest pirate crew, and he dared fight even Marine Admirals!

Yet all of his glory seemed so dim and colorless beside this listless-looking brat before him!

Ye Yu was... the true genius!

Unwilling to accept this, Marco decided to attack once more. He wanted to test just how great the gap was between himself and a true genius!

"Ye Yu, you're very strong, but without Observation Haki, you can't catch my attacks. How will you deal with me?" Marco said solemnly, his eyes locked onto Ye Yu.

Having entered his hybrid form, Marco's attack power and speed both reached their limits.

Whoosh! A gust of wind swept past!

Marco, in his hybrid form, vanished from where he stood.