"Wait, kid. Did you say you were blind?"
"Yes. Why else would anyone wrap a strip of black cloth around their eyes?"
Barn pointed at the black cloth over his eyes with a wry smile and slowly stood up, asking a seemingly casual question.
"So, Newgate, your ship is pretty big, right?"
"Hey, brat! Who gave you permission to call Pops by his name?"
Marco pointed at Barn with an utterly obnoxious expression. Although Barn couldn't see the look on his face, he could still hear the contempt in Marco's voice.
Barn said nothing. He simply turned away while using his right hand to unwrap the bandages around his left shoulder.
"Wave Insignia, activate."
Barn murmured so quietly that only he could hear.
Most of the bandages on his left arm came loose, revealing the hideous dark-red arm beneath.
Everyone aboard Whitebeard's ship cried out at the sight of Barn's arm. Even Whitebeard's brow furrowed a little deeper. "Of course my ship isn't small."
"Mind's Eye, activate."
Barn murmured again. The outlines of a dozen or so people appeared in his mind. One sat in the center, surrounded by a dangerous red glow, while several others gave off green glows like elite monsters.
The one in the middle must be Whitebeard. Those glowing green should be his division commanders. Only a few of them? Looks like this isn't the Whitebeard Pirates' full lineup.
As Barn thought this, he slowly surveyed his surroundings, then spoke in a relaxed tone, as though his worries had been put to rest.
"That's good, then."
Being ignored by this unknown brat dealt a blow to Marco's fierce pride. He was about to lash out on the spot, but Whitebeard stopped him with a wave of his large hand.
Barn's Mind's Eye caught all of it.
Then Whitebeard asked,
"Kid, what are you planning to do?"
Barn answered nonchalantly.
"I was just worried I'd break too many things."
Hearing that, Marco ignored his Pops' warning and immediately used his Devil Fruit power to transform into his Phoenix form, charging at Barn as he spoke.
"Brat, do you know who you're standing in front of? How dare you say something like that! I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
In Barn's mind, one of the figures glowing green suddenly turned into a bird and lunged at him. He knew it was Marco!
"Fitz!"
Barn called out to Fitz while Marco was speaking. After living together for so many years, Fitz understood immediately, flying off Barn's head and landing on the Moby Dick's mast.
"Teach me a lesson? Heh..."
Barn's cold laugh was his only answer. Marco grew even angrier, putting more strength into his talons.
"Hmph. Murderous Intent Wave, activate!"
Barn barked coldly. An almost tangible killing intent erupted from his body, its range and power far greater than during his battle on Amazon Lily fifteen years earlier. Everyone present except Whitebeard was affected, especially Marco, who was closest to Barn.
In midair, Marco felt a terrifying killing intent invade his mind, involuntarily slowing his talons.
"Armament!"
Barn silently invoked it. His hideous red left hand instantly turned black, and he swung it straight at the "bird" in his mind.
"Aah!"
Marco was sent flying backward. After crashing through several objects, he slammed headfirst into the cabin and finally stopped.
"Marco! Damn it! You bastard!"
Seeing Marco's miserable state, another figure glowing green charged forward.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp! (He's using swords!)"
Fitz immediately warned him from the mast.
Almost the instant Fitz's warning reached him, Barn drew the Nidai Kitetsu at his waist. Its red blade flashed as it met the two incoming blades.
Clang!
The three blades collided.
"Swords, huh? You're a little short on strength!"
Barn swung his left hand hard, sending the man flying backward just like Marco. But the man adjusted his stance and prepared to charge again.
"Enough, Vista. You're no match for him!"
Whitebeard's expression was thunderous. He waved Vista back and slowly stood up.
Vista the Flower Sword? So it really was him.
Barn had already guessed who his attacker was and murmured to himself.
"I'll take you on myself, kid!"
Whitebeard said in a deep voice.
"Oh, the youngster couldn't handle it, so the old man is stepping in? Still, I forgot to tell you, Newgate. Don't call me kid. Technically, I'm your senior!"
Hearing that, Whitebeard studied Barn closely. His face slowly began to overlap with one in Whitebeard's memory.
"What's your name, kid?"
"Tch. Still calling me kid? You'll find out soon enough!"
Gripping the Nidai Kitetsu, Barn lunged forward. The eerie red flame pattern along its blade reflected a flash of crimson light.
Seeing that Barn had no intention of answering and was charging straight at him with his sword, Whitebeard swung his own massive blade to meet the Nidai Kitetsu.
Clang!
So heavy!
The instant their weapons met, Barn gauged Whitebeard's strength from the force transmitted through the Nidai Kitetsu.
Whitebeard should be at his absolute peak right now. That strength is no joke. But this isn't my only move!
Realizing he couldn't match Whitebeard's strength, Barn chose to retreat rather than remain locked against him.
He decisively leaped backward, escaping Whitebeard's attack range.
"That's some strength, Newgate. Now try this!"
Whitebeard laughed and replied,
"Guhahahaha! Come on, kid!"
Hearing Whitebeard call him kid again, a vein bulged on Barn's pale forehead. He wasted no more words and unleashed the cursed power of his left hand.
"Ice Blade Wave Sword!"
An ice blade shot from the Nidai Kitetsu. Whitebeard's eyes widened in surprise at the sight, and he swung his blade to cut it apart.
But the ice blade froze his weapon, leaving him unable to pull it free for the moment.
"Ground Wave Sword! Ghost Seal Bead!"
Barn sent a Ground Wave Sword slash straight at him, immediately following it with a Ghost Seal Bead!
This Ghost Seal Bead held a full five insignias. Barn had activated Wave Insignia before the fight began, and the insignia gathered by his Ice Blade Wave Sword brought the total to exactly five. Whether in size or damage, a Ghost Seal Bead containing five insignias was far beyond one containing only a single insignia.
Seeing Barn's slash and the white sphere brimming with tremendous energy right behind it, even Whitebeard had to take them seriously.
He abandoned his temporarily trapped blade and began gathering the power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit in his left hand. Veins instantly bulged along it, and a white halo appeared around his fist.
First, Whitebeard kicked his frozen blade straight into Barn's Ground Wave Sword. As the weapon dispersed the slash, Whitebeard thrust his left fist, charged with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power, at the Ghost Seal Bead.
Space shattered at once, and Barn's Ghost Seal Bead, despite its tremendous power, broke apart with it.
But Whitebeard wasn't finished. His free right hand caught his blade as it spun through the air. He stepped forward and swung!
"Chirp, chirp! (Watch out!)"
Seeing Whitebeard's blade sweep toward Barn, Fitz immediately cried out a warning.
Barn hadn't expected his Ghost Seal Bead, charged with all five insignias, to be neutralized so easily. But Fitz's warning immediately brought him back to his senses. Facing the blade slashing toward him, Barn raised his sword horizontally to block.
"Ugh!"
Whitebeard's massive blade forced Barn's shoulder down. Faced with that overwhelming strength, Barn truly had no answer.
"Wave... Burst!"
"Roar!"
Barn roared, and a phantom ghost burst from above his head with a bellow, knocking Whitebeard's blade away!
Whitebeard staggered back several steps with his weapon, but before he could regain his footing, Barn was upon him!
"Pops!"
The surrounding crew members immediately shouted a warning, but it was already too late!
Barn used Triple Slash to get behind Whitebeard!
"Evil Light... Wave Formation!"
Streaks of white evil light gathered along the Nidai Kitetsu's blade as Barn slammed it against the deck.
An evil light barrier appeared out of nowhere, trapping Whitebeard. Barn immediately leaped back twice to put distance between them, then raised the Nidai Kitetsu high. His hideous left hand pulsed around its hilt as all the wave energy in his body gathered in the blade.
"Asura... Evil Light Slash!"
A massive white slash carrying terrifying energy hurtled toward the trapped Whitebeard!
At the last instant before it struck, Whitebeard forced his way against the pressure of the Evil Light Wave Formation, gathering the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power into his massive blade. He cut straight through the evil light barrier and met Barn's Asura Evil Light Slash head-on!
Boom!
The two powerful energies collided with a tremendous crash. Even the resulting gusts forced everyone else aboard to shut their eyes.
When they opened their eyes again, they saw Barn with his sword already sheathed and Whitebeard standing opposite him, still holding his blade.
Whitebeard spoke first.
"Guhahahaha! So it really is you! Barn the 'Evil Ghost'! The pirate with a bounty of 130 million Beli twenty years ago!"
Hearing Whitebeard's words, the others aboard broke out in cold sweats.
"No wonder he could fight Pops like that. He's a great pirate whose bounty was already over a hundred million twenty years ago!"
Marco, who had regained consciousness, was already stunned by the battle between his Pops and Barn. Whitebeard's words only filled him with belated fear.
Was I really mouthing off to someone that powerful...?
Seeing that Whitebeard had recognized him, Barn stopped concealing his identity and simply nodded.
"Let's call this one a draw, Barn!"
Barn nodded at Whitebeard's words, but only he knew that he had no strength left to fight. That burst of attacks had left him completely spent. He was merely pretending to be composed.
Whitebeard, on the other hand, still had plenty to spare, aside from his slightly unsettled breathing.
Seeing Barn nod, Whitebeard burst into laughter.
"Guhahahaha! It's been ages since I've had such a satisfying fight! But come to think of it, Barn, how do you still look so young after twenty years?"
"It's nothing. I ate the Life Fruit. It's just its power."
Barn's answer piqued Whitebeard's interest, and he asked another question.
"Oh? The Life Fruit? Then what were all those strange moves you used during our fight?"
Barn had expected Whitebeard to ask that and had already prepared his explanation.
He pointed at his hideous left hand with his right and said,
"When I was little, someone calling himself Kazaan the Wave Devil abducted me. Before he died, he thrust my left hand into his heart. After that, my left hand became like this. It's a hand cursed by a devil, but it gave me tremendous power."