Yake flew around the Eternal Truth for a thorough inspection and felt extremely satisfied.
Anything produced by the system was guaranteed to be top quality.
Robin and the others went to inspect the rooms below deck. Only after seeing that all their clothes and belongings were still where they had been did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The Eternal Truth was now comparable to a luxurious ocean liner. Its lavishly furnished interior had everything one could need, and even the turf could be moved aside to reveal an open-air swimming pool.
"Not bad. Let's sail straight for the New World!"
Yake immediately gave the order to set sail. The mobile power bank that was Yake pressed his right hand against the helm to supply electricity, and the Eternal Truth began speeding forward.
Out on the sea, a massive ship was sailing along. Its bow resembled a whale, and it was none other than the Moby Dick, the ship of Whitebeard—the world's strongest man.
Whitebeard held a huge bowl in his hand and drank deeply from it.
"Pops, we've spotted a strange ship ahead. It's moving incredibly fast, and it's a pirate ship. Should we go over and take a look?" Marco asked as he peered through his telescope.
"Gurararara! Go take a look. If they're enemies, wipe them out," Whitebeard said nonchalantly.
"No need, Pops. It looks like they're coming straight at us," Marco said with a strange expression. Pirate crews this unafraid of death were truly rare. After all, they were the Four Emperors' pirate crew that shook the seas of the New World.
"It's Whitebeard's ship. There's no mistake. How could I pass up the chance to challenge such a powerful man?" Yake had spotted this fleet from far away. He had approached them willingly to challenge Whitebeard and see just how large the gap was between himself and the strongest fighters on these seas.
"Captain, how about reconsidering? That's the world's strongest man, waaaah!" Perona clung tightly to Yake's leg, trying to stop him, but it was ultimately futile.
"Normally, we should fight side by side, but the difference in our strength is far too great. Stay quietly on the ship. If anyone boards our ship, you must stop them with everything you have. Understood?" Yake said sternly.
"Okay, Captain."
"Leave it to me."
Only after hearing Reiju and Robin's replies did Yake leave in reassurance.
Yake transformed into a flash of lightning and appeared on the Moby Dick, surrounded by Whitebeard's sons, who watched him like tigers stalking prey.
"Whitebeard, I'm here to take your title as the world's strongest man!"
Yake shouted with overwhelming momentum, his fighting spirit rising without end.
"Gurararara! So it's you, you brat who calls himself a god. I won't let you take my title so easily!" Whitebeard recognized Yake at once—the God Yake who had made headlines in the newspapers time and again.
"Let me see what kind of power the world's strongest man possesses!"
"Pops, there's no need for you to make a move. Let me handle him!" Marco stepped in front of Whitebeard.
"Move aside, Marco. This is my battle!" Whitebeard boldly sent Marco flying with a swipe, releasing an astonishing aura at the same time.
Naturally, Yake refused to be outdone. He unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, beginning the first clash with Whitebeard. The weaker crew members aboard Whitebeard's ship fell one after another as if they had lost their souls.
"No wonder you dared to kill Celestial Dragons, brat. What astonishing spirit! Gurararara~"
Yake's aura rose to its peak, lightning surging across his body.
"Lightning Armor."
"Overload: Thunder Susanoo!"
The lightning on the Lightning Armor began to spread, wrapping around Yake's upper body and forming a phantom of thunder. Yake could have stood high in the sky and directly bombarded Whitebeard's ship with devastating heavenly lightning, but that would have gone against his original intention. He had not come to challenge the Four Emperors and conquer the New World; he merely wanted to see how great the gap was between himself and the monsters of this world.
Even if he lost, it would be fine. Whitebeard would not outright beat Yake to death, probably.
Yake drew Tensa Zangetsu and coated it in a layer of flowing Haki.
"Whitebeard, take this!!"
There were no flashy sword techniques, only unparalleled speed as he slashed at Whitebeard.
Whitebeard instinctively sensed danger and raised Murakumogiri, blocking Yake's attack at precisely the right moment.
The two weapons had not even touched when a massive shockwave shot into the sky, as if it would tear the heavens apart.
"That brat is actually this strong?" Marco stared wide-eyed at the fierce battle between his Pops and Yake.
"Damn it, Whitebeard's power is too strong." As the two clashed, Yake gradually fell into a disadvantage. He hurriedly changed tactics—he could not take Whitebeard head-on.
Yake flashed behind Whitebeard, intending to slash him first and draw some blood from the old man.
"Who do you think I am?!!!" Whitebeard immediately sensed Yake's intent. He clenched his right fist as white light gathered around it. Space itself seemed to tear apart, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass, before he slammed his fist fiercely into Yake's Tensa Zangetsu.
Yake had not expected Whitebeard to still be this strong, and that terrifying blow sent him flying.
Yake's palm split open from the shock. It was the first time he had ever suffered such a serious injury. If he did not treat it soon, it might heal on its own.
Yake pulled himself out of the Moby Dick's bow and flashed before Whitebeard once more.
"Whitebeard, don't tell me you think that's enough to defeat me!"
Murakumogiri and Tensa Zangetsu clashed continuously, black-and-red lightning intertwining without end.
"Lightning Torrent!"
"Arbitrating Dragon!"
The Thunder Susanoo behind Yake continuously unleashed lightning as well, but Whitebeard relied on his astonishing physique to endure Yake's high-voltage currents and counterattack, even as his body had been scorched red by the electricity.
After one clash with Whitebeard, Yake was forced violently backward. A sweetness rose in his throat, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Yake spat out a wad of bloody phlegm, and only then did his breathing smooth out.
"So you're not just a brat who relies on his ability! Cough, cough. You're truly a monster!" Whitebeard was not in particularly good shape either. After all, age was catching up with him. Though his offensive power remained formidable, his stamina was no longer so abundant.
"Whitebeard, you're this old and still have such strength. You're the real monster! Hahaha, try this!"
"Super Railgun Barrage!" Yake flung twelve coins into the air, forming a ring as immense energy continuously gathered.
Twelve orange-yellow bolts of electricity converged into a single point and shot toward Whitebeard. The Moby Dick's deck was completely overturned on both sides. Whitebeard did not dare take it lightly—if he took this attack head-on, he might die...
"I am... Whitebeard!!!"
Whitebeard tensed his arm muscles and raised his right hand beside the left side of his head. Energy capable of changing the color of heaven and earth gathered in his hand as the seawater surged wildly, forming a Tsunami.
White and orange-red collided, locked in a stalemate before Whitebeard's fist.
In the end, it could not withstand the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's devastating power. The concentrated Railgun was shattered and dispersed into nothingness.
"The real killing move is only just beginning!"
Yake was not surprised that Whitebeard had blocked his attack, but the true fatal strike had been concealed.
Yake flashed before Whitebeard. Tensa Zangetsu, wrapped in black-and-red Haki and carrying blue-white lightning, stabbed fiercely into Whitebeard's abdomen, piercing straight through...
"Pops!!"