"Pops! Which of them will win?"
Marco asked cautiously.
He was already dumbstruck. According to Whitebeard, Shane was only in his teens.
That made him about twice Marco's age, but most of the Whitebeard Pirates' current crew members were that age too.
They were all teenagers who had followed Whitebeard and accepted him as their pops.
Even Kaido, who was there, was much older than them.
Moria was even more of a nobody. No one knew him at all yet.
By comparison.
Shane stood out all the more. At the same age, he possessed greater strength.
The great pirate Chinjao was, after all, the Happo Navy's long-renowned leader.
Why had he failed to gain any advantage against Shane?
"Pops, Shane's fruit ability is so unusual. He can actually teleport, and his attacks even have properties like yours!"
Marco kept chattering away.
As a young apprentice crew member, he was far more enthusiastic than the languid man he would become.
Perhaps spending too long at sea had gradually worn down his temperament.
Or perhaps he had unknowingly shouldered the responsibility of connecting the Whitebeard Grand Fleet.
In short.
This chattering Marco, who always asked about everything and even wanted to try his hand against powerful opponents.
Was the original young Phoenix.
"You ask too many questions, Marco."
Whitebeard grinned.
Though he said that, he liked it in his heart.
He had personally watched these children grow.
Even Marco was training, hoping to become a real combat crew member.
At this point, no one knew.
That in the future, the apprentice crew member Marco would become the renowned first division commander, the Phoenix.
"Still, their fight really is interesting."
"That brat Shane always brings surprises."
"To think a Mythical Zoan of the Fish-Fish Fruit has shockwaves too. It's somewhat like Sengoku's."
Whitebeard