Kitaro vs. Whitebeard

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Crack! Crack!

The skies shifted ominously as winds howled, and black lightning crackled between Kitaro and Whitebeard.

A terrifying shockwave erupted from the center of their confrontation, rippling outward in a devastating surge.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Across the battlefield, countless combatants collapsed, unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure of their Conqueror's Haki.

"Hey! What's wrong with you guys?!"

Startled marines rushed to check on their fallen comrades, their faces filled with confusion and panic.

Sengoku's expression darkened. "Conqueror's Haki?!"

Both Garp and Kizaru, observing Kitaro's display, immediately recognized the truth: So it was him—back at Sabaody Archipelago—that wielded such a potent Conqueror's Haki.

In an instant, the entire war's attention shifted toward Kitaro, momentarily overshadowing the chaos of the battlefield.

"That guy...!"

"He has got Conqueror's Haki?!"

"So what! The New World is full of Conqueror's Haki users, but how many can actually stand against our old man?!"

With a sharp snort, Kitaro pushed his Conqueror's Haki to an even greater intensity.

Crackle! Crackle!

The dense energy surged forward, laced with streaks of black lightning, closing in on Whitebeard.

"Ugh!"

Whitebeard's eyes widened as his body wavered, his feet grinding back across the ice.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He stumbled several steps before regaining his footing.

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"Old man actually lost in a clash of Conqueror's Haki?!"

Both pirates and marines alike gawked in disbelief. For the legendary "strongest man in the world," to falter in a battle of wills against a young upstart was simply unthinkable.

"You brat...!"

But instead of anger, Whitebeard burst into booming laughter. "Gurarararara! Interesting! Truly interesting!"

This kid's Conqueror's Haki... it rivals even Red-Haired Shanks. And the old Whitebeard couldn't unleash all his might.

Time is the greatest enemy to all fighters.

With a resounding clang, Whitebeard hefted his massive naginata, Murakumogiri.

"Kid, it seems you're not all talk. I'll have to take you seriously!"

With a sharp movement, Whitebeard's weapon turned jet black as Armament Haki coated its blade. The crackling intensity of both Armament and Conqueror's Haki entwined along its edge.

Facing him, Kitaro drew his Black Nichirin Blade from its sheath.

Swish!

The blade, already black, gleamed with an even sharper luster under the influence of Armament Haki. As Kitaro infused his blade further, it began to glow blood-red, the sinister hue overpowering the darkened steel.

The fiery energy radiating from Kitaro's sword seemed to absorb all the light from the sky, concentrating it into a blazing inferno along the blade's edge.

From a distance, Aokiji's expression tightened. That blade was a harrowing memory—its slash had inflicted a wound on him that refused to heal, a constant burn even his ice powers couldn't extinguish.

Whitebeard, too, felt the weight of the aura emanating from Kitaro. It had been years since anyone had forced him to truly fight. The last time was merely a brief exchange with Shanks—a sparring gesture, not a true battle.

But this young warrior stirred something deeper—a sense of pressure and danger reminiscent of his clashes with Roger.

Whitebeard's fighting spirit surged as his resolve solidified. His eyes gleamed red—a sign of heightened Observation Haki.

Boom!

With a thunderous stomp, Whitebeard launched himself at Kitaro, gripping his Murakumogiri with both hands, ready to strike.

Kitaro didn't flinch. His blade slashed forward to meet Whitebeard's incoming attack.

BOOM!

The clash of their weapons didn't even require contact. The sheer force of their Conqueror's Haki created an invisible collision, an enormous shockwave tearing through the air.

Crack! Crack!

From the epicenter of their duel, a spherical explosion of pressure expanded outward, pulverizing the ice beneath their feet. Behind Whitebeard, his flagship Moby Dick groaned under the strain, cracks splintering across its hull.

"You brat...!"

Whitebeard's astonishment deepened as his gaze lifted.

"The... the sky itself is splitting!"

All eyes turned upward as the heavens themselves seemed to fracture. The clouds parted violently, rolling away in opposite directions, carved apart by the clash of their Conqueror's Haki.

Witnessing this, Marco's eyes widened in disbelief. "This... can't be real!"

This was the pinnacle of Conqueror's Haki—Conqueror's Infusion, a skill so advanced it allowed attacks to land devastating blows without making physical contact.

In the New World, many wield Conqueror's Haki, but few could release it at will. To take it further, into this elite realm of mastery, was an achievement limited to the absolute strongest.

Marines and pirates alike fell silent, their attention gripped by the battle.

Sengoku, Garp, the Admirals, Mihawk, Doflamingo, and other top-tier combatants—those who understood the true gravity of the technique—watched with solemn expressions.

For someone so young to achieve such a feat... had this kid been training since the womb?!

With the shockwave still echoing, both fighters leaped back, landing on the fractured ice.

Whitebeard shifted his Murakumogiri, its edge now surrounded by a translucent energy sphere—the manifestation of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power.

"Ha!"

Whitebeard swung downward, unleashing a seismic shockwave that raced across the ice toward Kitaro, shattering everything in its path.

Buzz!

In response, Kitaro formed an enormous sphere of swirling energy in his hand.

"Great Rasengan!"

With a powerful thrust, he hurled the Rasengan at Whitebeard's incoming quake.

BOOM!

The two attacks collided in a cataclysmic explosion, a shockwave reverberating through the battlefield.

Before the dust could even settle, both warriors charged at each other once more, their determination unwavering.

BOOM!

---

The clash of weapons resumed with ferocious intensity.

Crack! Crack!

Black lightning burst forth in rapid succession as a terrifying shockwave rippled outwards.

"Impressive, Whitebeard. Even at your age, with your body declining, you still possess such overwhelming power."

"You brat, don't think I'm helpless just because I'm old. Bring out your full strength! Without it, you'll never defeat me."

"Full strength, huh? Honestly, I don't even know where my limit lies. Defeating you isn't my goal. I'm just here to complete a mission," Kitaro replied calmly as a strange pattern emerged on his forehead.

Boom!

Whitebeard's expression shifted as he sensed the surge of power radiating from the young man.

He swung his massive Murakumogiri towards Kitaro.

"Sun Breathing: Eleventh Form - Fake Rainbow!"

Swish!

Whitebeard's blade appeared to cleave Kitaro in half—only to meet thin air. Something was off. The strike lacked the sensation of cutting through flesh. Activating his Observation Haki, Whitebeard detected Kitaro's presence behind him and quickly turned, thrusting his blade.

"Sun Breathing: Twelfth Form - Flame Dance!"

Kitaro leapt high into the air, somersaulting as he evaded the attack. With a fiery arc, his blade descended, slashing Whitebeard across the back.

Squelch!

A deep cut opened on Whitebeard's back—his first-ever wound in that area.

"I've always disliked the idea of leaving no wounds on the back. So many great individuals bore scars there, having taken hits to protect others," Kitaro thought to himself.

"Father!!!"

Whitebeard's crew was stunned, their faces pale with disbelief.

Meanwhile, the Marines erupted in cheers.

"This is great! Whitebeard is injured!"

Sengoku allowed himself a rare moment of relief. His plan had been to let Kitaro exhaust Whitebeard. If the young Uchiha could also wound him, it was an added bonus. Whitebeard's age and deteriorating health meant he couldn't endure prolonged combat. Once he was sufficiently weakened, the Admirals could finish him off.

"Ugh!"

Whitebeard winced as the wound seared with fiery pain. His defense, reinforced by Armament Haki, hadn't been enough to fully block Kitaro's blade.

He grimaced. What's with this kid's swordsmanship and blade? Even my Haki couldn't hold up.

Enduring the pain, Whitebeard clenched his fist and retaliated with a quake-infused punch aimed at Kitaro.

"Crack!"

The air itself shattered as the tremor surged toward Kitaro.

Boom!

Kitaro was sent flying backward, crashing into the fortress wall with explosive force.

"Kitaro!!!" Boa Hancock's eyes widened with worry. She was about to rush over when—Boom!

Kitaro emerged from the rubble, his clothes slightly disheveled but otherwise unharmed.

"What?!"

Both pirates and Marines stared in disbelief. How could someone take a direct hit from Whitebeard's quake power and emerge unscathed?

"As expected of the world's strongest man. You are indeed formidable," Kitaro admitted, dusting himself off. "But I suppose it's time for me to get serious."

Being sent flying in front of a global audience bruised his pride. His purpose in fighting Whitebeard wasn't merely personal—it was to engrave the name Uchiha Kitaro into the annals of history.

---

Activating his Mangekyō Sharingan, the tomoe in his eyes shifted, forming a five-pointed star.

"His eyes!"

"What's happening to his eyes?!"

"Look! The pattern in his eyes has changed!"

The transformation, broadcast live across the world, left viewers mesmerized. Even through their screens, many felt as though Kitaro's gaze could pierce their very souls, forcing them to look away.

Closing his eyes momentarily, Kitaro formed a single-hand seal. When he reopened them, faint markings appeared around his eyes.

Sage Mode!

As a fan of Naruto, Kitaro had naturally sought to acquire this incredible ability. Borrowing the technique from Namikaze Minato—Konoha's selfless hero—Kitaro had learned Sage Mode alongside Rasengan and Flying Thunder God. Minato had willingly taught him, believing in strengthening Konoha's forces and appreciating Kitaro's invaluable contributions to the village. Of course Kitaro had used some tricks.

Though there was no formal master-student bond, Kitaro still respected Minato deeply. After Minato and Kushina's deaths, Kitaro took care of Naruto, imparting life lessons to the young boy and only stopped because of the village.

---

Kitaro's transformation captivated everyone's attention. Curiosity about his next move was palpable.

"An eye for an eye," Kitaro murmured, gripping his blade. His voice was calm yet carried immense weight.

"Sun Breathing: First…"

Boom!

The ground beneath him exploded as Kitaro vanished, reappearing instantaneously in front of Whitebeard.

"So fast!!!"

The sudden burst of speed left everyone stunned. Whitebeard barely had time to react before Kitaro's blade descended.

"…Form: Dance!"

Whitebeard hastily raised Murakumogiri to block.

Boom!

The impact was devastating. The ground beneath Whitebeard shattered violently as Haki-infused shockwaves radiated outward.

"Ugh!"

Whitebeard grunted as a monstrous force surged through his weapon.

"Argh!"

Whitebeard was sent hurtling backward, crashing through the Moby Dick from bow to stern.

Everyone who saw this scene was shocked.

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