"Whitebeard, Edward Newgate!"
This is a legendary name. In the future, although this name did not obtain the title of Pirate King, it still sparked a second great era after the era of the great pirates, just like Roger did!
He admitted with his own mouth that ONE PIECE is a real existence, starting the second wave of the Great Pirate Era.
It can be said that Whitebeard is a synonym for greatness on the seas after Roger. Even after the Golden Lion Shiki fell silent, the so-called Four Emperors were still seen differently from Whitebeard by the public.
Although Whitebeard is a pirate, in the chaotic era of the Great Pirate Era, he sheltered countless islands. As long as there was a place where Whitebeard's flag was planted, it would not be attacked by pirates.
Even the Marines, in some respects, admit that Whitebeard has done remarkably well.
And now, Nicholas is facing a living legend at his peak.
At this moment, although Nicholas seemed calm, the powerful heartbeat proved that he was not as calm as he appeared.
Expectation, excitement, exhilaration, all kinds of emotions surged up.
Arriving in this era, being able to truly battle with these legendary figures is incredibly thrilling.
Just like Zoro facing Hawkeye for the first time, even though he knew he was outmatched, he still drew his sword! This is about sticking to one's beliefs.
Moreover, for Nicholas, how could he know who is stronger between Whitebeard and himself without a fight!
"In the upcoming battle, you better be careful, kid. I won't hold back!"
Whitebeard said in a deep voice.
"Hah, talking big already? Be careful not to embarrass yourself later!"
Nicholas retorted without hesitation.
"You guys, we set sail now, or we'll be in trouble later."
Facing the impending collision between Whitebeard and Nicholas, Roger laughed and greeted his crew as he ran towards the ship.
"Dad!"
Seeing Roger and the others' actions, Marco also flew anxiously to Whitebeard's side and asked urgently. After all, Whitebeard fighting Nicholas was no small matter.
"Marco, tell everyone to get on the ship. The upcoming battle is not something you can intervene in."
Whitebeard said to Marco in a solemn tone.
And seeing the look in Whitebeard's eyes, Marco swallowed the words he was about to say, then waved his wings to inform everyone.
"Alright, Lightning Boy, it's time for us to start too!"
When Orojackson and Moby Dick began to leave the range of the island, Whitebeard put down his sake cup, wiped the wine stains from his lips, and stood up slowly.
"Well, don't hold back, Newgate!"
Nicholas stood up, and his coat fluttered in the wind. His gaze at this moment became particularly solemn.
The sea breeze blew, and the sail of the Moby Dick, representing the Whitebeard Pirates, suddenly swelled up, swinging in the wind at this moment.
And on the Moby Dick, the pirates watching from afar suddenly felt nervous in the presence of the two towering figures.
The relaxed atmosphere from earlier when they were laughing and drinking was long gone, replaced by a sense of tension.
In front of these two men, it seemed like even the sea breeze was holding its breath, and the ocean waves ceased their undulation.
"Captain, who do you think will win between Nicholas and Whitebeard?"
On the Orojackson, Rayleigh looked at the two men on the island and asked Roger.
"Haha, no one will win between the two. It's more likely to end in a draw. Although that guy Whitebeard is terrifying, Nicholas is no simpleton either. Who knows if he has any tricks up his sleeve. After all, that guy is the man that even Linlin still hasn't forgotten until now. Hahaha."
Finally, Whitebeard made the first move.
"Whoo!"
Whitebeard tightly gripped his naginata, and the air became heavy at that moment. His eyes suddenly became extremely solemn.
"Leave this place. It's about to begin!"
"The great battle is about to start!"
The Marines on the island, who had just reacted, suddenly roared, their expressions tense and anxious. Many of them rushed towards the half-repaired warships, not even bothering to pack their belongings.
Although the warships were not fully repaired and there was a risk of sinking, it was still better than staying on an island about to erupt in battle.
Then, the bow turned, and the massive warship staggered towards the direction away from the deserted island.
It wasn't until they were several miles away from the deserted island that the people on the warship finally relaxed.
"Don't stop, we could still be affected here!"
Hearing this, the Marines spat and continued to row the warship towards the distance.
"Lightning Boy, I won't hold back at all!"
With a towering figure and a ground-shaking step, Whitebeard's speed surged almost instantaneously. With a swing of his massive strength, the naginata created a tremendous pressure.
"Very strong, kid!"
Whitebeard roared loudly, his thick arms bulging with veins as he exerted all his strength.
And just below the naginata, a long sword intercepted fiercely, firmly blocking it.
In the blink of an eye, Nicholas's figure appeared.
"Boom!"
Under the collision, more powerful force erupted. The trees around them shattered, creating a vast open space in an instant.
"Grrrr!"
The naginata and the long sword trembled violently. The overwhelming aura surged between them, with Whitebeard's naginata surrounded by black-red lightning, while Nicholas's long sword was enveloped in blood-red lightning.
The two locked eyes, both filled with intense fighting spirit.
"It seems you're excited too!"
Nicholas spoke, then shouted loudly. With both hands gripping the long sword, he swung it upwards. With Nicholas's swing, their attacks also separated, releasing intense energy in all directions. Cracks appeared on the ground, and sand and dust filled the air.
"Bang!"
In a flash of lightning and sparks, the collision occurred again. With even greater force this time, the trees around them cracked and shattered, clearing a large area in an instant.
"Haha, that was exhilarating!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily, extremely satisfied with Nicholas's performance in battle.
The blades clashed, sparks flew, but this time, after a brief stalemate, Nicholas was sent flying backward.
Retreating more than ten meters, leaving deep marks in the ground under his feet, he finally stopped his backward momentum.
"Kid, you're no match for me in terms of strength!"
Whitebeard said with a laugh.
With giants blood running through his veins, his physique was countless times stronger than an ordinary person's. And Nicholas, being a regular human, no matter how hard he trained, could not match him in strength.
"Phew!"
Exhaling slowly, Nicholas stood up straight.
"The innate talent brought by racial bloodlines is indeed terrifying. But the warm-up is over now. The real battle begins."
Nicholas admitted straightforwardly that he was not Whitebeard's match in terms of strength. After all, he could train hard to make his physique stronger, but Whitebeard had also undergone rigorous training.
"So, be careful next."
With a serious expression and eyes narrowed, Nicholas's face was extremely solemn.
"Swish!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a blue arc flashed on the blade, followed by a blue light that almost instantly crossed the distance between the two and appeared in front of Whitebeard.
Whitebeard, tilting his head, glanced at the cut on his cheek and said in a deep voice,
"Combining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability with swordsmanship, huh?"
"It's quite unexpected!"
If it weren't for Observation Haki, Nicholas's attack just now wouldn't have been as simple as cutting a slash on his face.