Whitebeard's fist, imbued with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, was not something Vic would be foolish enough to take head-on without any defense—whoever wanted to take it could, but Vic wouldn't be stupid enough to do so!
Vic's eyes suddenly hardened like cold iron, and the sword at his waist hummed as it was drawn from its sheath. On the blade, the azure spatial power and the wildly dancing purple lightning intertwined and entwined, transforming into a black and white slash that was accompanied by a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air. Like a thunderbolt falling from the heavens, it collided violently with Whitebeard's fist!
"Snap--!"
A crisp yet ear-piercing sound of shattering glass suddenly rang out, and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit power that swirled around Whitebeard's fist like boiling bubbles was directly cleaved in two by this slash!
The power of space spread rapidly, gnawing at the Iron Fist like a malignant tumor, and in the instant a cold light flashed, it forcefully sliced off half of his hand!
Hot blood gushed out like a runaway fountain, staining the scorched earth beneath their feet. The stench of blood and gunpowder filled the air, sending chills down one's spine.
As Vic looked at the genuine pain that instantly flashed across the Whitebeard's face, his brows furrowed involuntarily.
The furrowed brow, the twitching corners of the mouth, even the cold sweat seeping from the forehead—it all felt terrifyingly real.
This caused Vic's tense expression to relax slightly, and he even felt a momentary daze!
Is this really a puppet that Imu summoned from paper?
The raw realism of the pain, the subconscious, instinctive reactions during battle, even the ferocity that flashed in his eyes after being wounded—it was all exactly the same as that of the " World's Strongest Man " who once roamed the oceans.
But Whitebeard is still Whitebeard —even with half his hand severed and blood still seeping from the wound, he remained completely calm.
With a sharp whistling sound, the naginata in his left hand slashed towards Vic's side like a silver Inazuma!
Despite being severely wounded, his fighting spirit remained undiminished; even when in perilous situations, he remained as calm as ever.
This once powerful figure who stood at the pinnacle of the ocean, even as a puppet, still retains top-tier combat instincts. His follow-up moves are flawless, and every action reveals the decisiveness and ruthlessness of someone who has been through countless battles—this is the profound foundation of a peak powerhouse that lies behind the name " Whitebeard "!
When Vic came to his senses, the naginata's sharp edge was already inches away, the icy wind from the blade stinging his skin, and it was too late to swing his sword to block.
At the critical moment, he twisted his body sharply, and his other arm was instantly wrapped in dark, solid Armament Haki that seemed to reflect light, like a solid shield erected and held horizontally at his waist!
"Clang--!"
A dull metallic clang rang out as the blade and arm collided violently, the sound waves spreading outwards as if they were tangible, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
Vic felt a tremendous force, like a tsunami, surge through his arm, and his body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.
Fortunately, he reacted extremely quickly and used Armament Haki Hardening his body and block the tricky attack in time. Otherwise, he might have repeated the fate of Shanks losing an arm!
"Boom!"
Vic crashed heavily to the ground, creating a large crater of unknown depth, with shattered soil and rocks flying everywhere.
But the immense force did not dissipate. His body continued to pound against the hard earth and rocks at the bottom of the pit, plowing a long tunnel through the ground like a plow, while a small mound of earth and rocks rose up on the ground, extending for more than a hundred meters.
Finally, Vic burst out of the ground from the other end of the cave, kicking up a cloud of dust and rubble, before he could finally steady himself.
"Call!"
Vic leaped up from the underground passage, shaking off the dust and rubble, exhaled slightly, and looked up at the Whitebeard not far away, his eyes sharpening once more.
"You really can't be distracted during a battle. No matter how unbelievable the thing is, you can't let your emotions cloud your judgment!"
He thought to himself— the Whitebeard before him could no longer be called a human being.
At the severed half of the hand, flesh was visibly writhing and regenerating, and the bleeding quickly stopped, showing signs of full recovery.
Even if he winces in pain when his hand is severed, it's merely a biological instinct to manifest the intangible, and it doesn't prove anything at all!
"A fake is a fake."
Vic's voice turned colder, a resolute glint flashing in his eyes.
"Let the departed be gone forever; why let them become puppets, disturbing the peace of those who come after!"
Before he finished speaking, his figure vanished from the spot once more— his Speed Domain unfolded, making him move as fast as teleportation, virtually indistinguishable from instantaneous teleportation.
The next second, he appeared diagonally above Whitebeard, his right fist wreathed in Conqueror's Haki that resembled crimson flames, carrying a world-destroying force as it mercilessly slammed towards Whitebeard's head!
He wanted to shatter this puppet with one blow, kill this imposter who had disturbed so many people's minds, and let the deceased Whitebeard finally rest in peace in the afterlife!
Vic's speed was too fast, exceeding even Whitebeard's reaction limits at his peak.
The moment the fist landed, Whitebeard's head exploded like a shattered watermelon, splattering blood and brains everywhere. His massive body crashed heavily to the ground, raising clouds of dust.
"Hey! No, Vic!"
A cry piercingly broke the silence. Marco's eyes were red and swollen with tears, and his voice trembled.
He knew, of course, that wasn't his real Pops, but when he saw that familiar face and those familiar moves, he couldn't help but want to look at it more closely!
That was the image and voice he had longed for day and night, even if it was just a puppet, he couldn't bear to part with it. But now, it was all over, ended by Vic himself!
"Wake up, Marco!"
Rayleigh's voice boomed like thunder, carrying a hint of reprimand and a touch of helplessness.
"That's just a puppet with Newgate's body!"
The real Newgate is the man who sees you as family and would give anything to protect you!
This puppet only has eyes for battle and slaughter; it has absolutely no trace of your Pops's tenderness!
Stop fantasizing! Newgate is gone. He wouldn't want to see his child so lost in memories, unable to move on!
Rayleigh felt the same way. He had just arrived at the battlefield when he saw Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks!
That was their peak, their most dazzling moment. The moment he saw Roger, he was also a little dazed, as if he had returned to the days when they sailed together and laughed together in the face of storms.
But he quickly came to his senses— Roger had already left with a smile, carrying his love for the sea and his hopes for the future, facing death with equanimity.
" Marco, I'm going to shatter your illusions!"
Hearing Marco's call, Vic stopped and turned around, his eyes serious and focused.
"People should always look forward; there's no need to live in the past!"
Whitebeard was so good to Marco and the others during his lifetime, treating them like his own children. This kindness became their deepest obsession.
The slightest rumor about Whitebeard can easily trigger their emotions—this is the most irrational behavior.
In the original story, near the end of the Paramount War, Ace turned back in anger because of a disparaging remark made by Akainu against Whitebeard, which ultimately led to his death.
Now, Vic has saved Ace and has also tempered him along the way, making him more mature and stable, and no longer easily swayed by his emotions.
But Marco and the others were different. They had followed Whitebeard for too long, and Pops image was etched into their very bones; it wasn't something they could easily let go of.
Therefore, Vic showed no mercy to the imposter with the Whitebeard, and also intended to teach them a lesson.
After saying this, Vic ignored the agitated Marco, because a new enemy was already close at hand!
The clone of Roger rushed towards him like a ghost, his Supreme Great Grade Sword " Ace " wreathed in awe-inspiring Conqueror's Haki, the blade gleaming with a cold light. A horizontal slash, like a crescent moon, with the power to tear through space, came down towards his waist and abdomen!