Indeed, Xia Chen had already realized halfway through the conversation that the Rocks in front of him was not the real Rocks.
His several tests yielded the results he wanted: confirmation that the person before him was Imu!
It can only be said that although Imu lived for eight hundred years, his expertise in psychology was far inferior to what he had gained in his previous life of a few decades!
Why!
The reason for this is that Imu too powerful. He has already risen to the top of the World Government and has little room for advancement. Therefore, he has not experienced much of the psychological manipulation tactics employed by his superiors.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to discover some things so easily.
So ever since Xia Chen learned that the person in front of him, Rocks, was actually Imu, he began to show off his acting skills.
Anyone can act, right?
Finally Hades, Xia Chen roughly understood Imu's purpose: he wanted him to Awakening his so-called Pluton form.
His insistence that Xia Chen possessed this fruit was the biggest reason Xia Chen suspected him. Family members know their own affairs; didn't he know what kind of fruit Xia Chen possessed?
However, he was happy with this arrangement. Since Imu believed he possessed the Pluton Hades Fruit and wanted him to Awakening, he was perfectly safe until he Awakening!
Imu would never harm him; instead, he would protect him!
So when he encountered CP0 and Garp in Water 7, he was already a little suspicious. Their actions... clearly meant they wanted to kill him!
Then came the Paramount War, where the World Government mobilized its entire force, determined to kill him!
It's obvious to anyone with a brain that Imu is behind all this; otherwise, who could possibly control the Five Elders?
It was from that time that Xia Chen vaguely understood Imu's purpose.
He wants him dead!
This conclusion is the complete opposite of his previous conclusion that Imu would protect him, and theoretically it is entirely impossible.
But... what if his Devil Fruit Awakening requires him to die once?
Pluton, the god of the underworld Hades, is the ruler of the Underworld. It's only natural that he needs to die once, right?
Therefore, Xia Chen believed that Imu must have gotten the information from somewhere that he needed to die once in order to truly Awakening the fruit!
Of course, this is just his guess, and it's a very far-fetched guess, but... it seems to be the only possibility!
Otherwise, why would Imu have anything better to do than try to kill him? There are so many people in the world he doesn't kill, why does he have to come looking for trouble with him!
The reason given—that his strength might threaten the World Government's rule—is clearly impossible!
He only displayed his unparalleled strength during the Paramount War; before that, his strength was nowhere near the world's top level!
The problem is that we had already tried to kill him for the first time in Water 7, and if it weren't for his rapid increase in strength at that time, we would have failed!
However, these are just Xia Chen's guesses, and he is not sure if they are true.
Even if it isn't, it doesn't matter. Give him some more time to develop, and even if it is Imu, he can still kill him!
If his Devil Fruit is also about Imu coming to cause trouble for him after Awakening, then what he'll see then won't be some random Pluton, but rather the Great Sage Equaling Heaven Hades, Sun Wukong!
Haha! Just thinking about that scene is hilarious!
Shaking his head, Xia Chen cleared his mind of these thoughts and refocused his attention. Looking at the Whitebeard, he said calmly, "Alright, we've chatted with you guys for a while now. It's time for us to get back to our own ship!"
"Oh, right, Whitebeard, remember to tell me when you die. I'll buy you a huge firework since you're Ace's Pops!"
"You brat, you want me dead, don't you?" the Whitebeard cursed irritably.
Xia Chen didn't reply to him, but instead looked at the people on the boat and said, "So, are you going to stay here a little longer?"
They had all come together, not only because they had just rescued Ace and wanted to exchange pleasantries, but also because they wanted to meet the World's Strongest Man, one of the Four Emperors, Whitebeard!
Oh, wait! He's not the World's Strongest anymore. The World's Strongest now should be...
They couldn't help but turn their gaze to Xia Chen.
Now that we've met and chatted enough, it's time to go back and rest.
I had already spent quite a while in Impel Down, and then rushed to Marineford without stopping. Then I went through intense battles.
My body is tired, but my mind is even more tired!
"Let's go back!" Luffy said, then looked at Ace.
" Ace, by the time we meet again, I'll definitely be one step closer to becoming the Pirate King, so don't let me knock you away!"
"Tch! Luffy, what nonsense are you spouting? Dreaming in broad daylight, huh? Have you forgotten our countless defeats together?"
"You really need to work on improving your skills, otherwise it'll be pointless if defeating you is too easy next time we meet!"
"Huh? You idiot Ace, what did you say?" Upon hearing Luffy became indignant, rolled up his sleeves, and wanted to fight Ace right then and there.
"Idiot Luffy, is there something wrong with what I said?" Ace also rolled up his sleeves, and then the two of them pressed their heads together, staring at each other with wide eyes.
Everyone:...
Marco sighed and rubbed his forehead, saying, "Like father, like son! Really!"
Then he went over, grabbed Ace by the neck, and pulled Ace back. At the same time, Luffy on the other side was also grabbed by the neck by Sanji and pulled backward as well.
Even after being separated, the two still glared at each other, baring their teeth and exchanging harsh words.
(•́へ•́ ╬)!
"You... stop now!"
A roar came from both sides at the same time, followed by two loud bangs.
Marco and Nami simultaneously raised their fists, their eyes filled with hostility as they looked at Ace and Luffy.
After being punched, Ace and Luffy both became quiet, shrinking back and not daring to say a word.
"In that case, we'll be going now!"
Xia Chen greeted everyone again, then turned and leaped onto Ark Maxim Ark Maxim next to the Moby Dick. The others followed suit.
The Ark Maxim slowly set sail, Luffy waved to Ace aboard the Moby Dick, saying, " Ace, goodbye! Don't get captured again next time we meet!"
Ace's slightly melancholic mood vanished instantly upon hearing Luffy's words. He glared at Luffy with a dark expression and said, "You brat, if you can't speak properly, then don't speak!"
Whitebeard, watching Xia Chen depart, shouted, " Xia Chen, thank you so much this time! If there's anything our pirate crew can do for you in the future, just let us know!"
"Okay!" Xia Chen replied with a smile.
Then, watching them grow further and further away from the Moby Dick, they finally turned to look at the people on board...