Chapter 163: Whitebeard Arrives!

Boom!

Fiery shockwaves erupted into the sky, filling the air with an intense heat. A green figure, shaken and disheveled, shot out of the thick smoke, soaring toward the distant horizon.

"Damn it, how can this kid be so strong!?" Marco thought, flying high above the battlefield. As he gazed down at the black smoke below, doubt gnawed at him. "Is he really just a newcomer who's been at sea for less than a year?"

As the first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco considered himself well-acquainted with the world's strongest, but today's opponent left him utterly astounded.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" 

Ace's excited voice echoed through the smoke, and in an instant, an orange figure burst forth, chasing Marco through the sky.

"Roar!"

With a muscular build and fiery determination, Charizard swiftly closed in on Marco. Flames gathered in its maw, igniting like the sun itself, before it unleashed a scorching inferno towards Marco.

Despite his Phoenix Fruit's extraordinary regenerative abilities, Marco knew better than to underestimate Charizard's full-strength attack. He quickly flapped his fiery wings, pausing mid-air before darting sideways to evade.

But just as he dodged, another voice rang out, full of laughter.

"Haha, I've got you now!"

Ace, who had been hiding in Charizard's shadow, suddenly leaped into the air, ignoring the nearly 100-meter drop below him. His fists, wrapped in Armament Haki, gleamed like steel. 

Though Ace had only mastered the basic form of Armament Haki, his natural talent and potent life force had allowed him to achieve impressive mastery.

"What!?" Marco barely had time to react.

Boom!

Ace's jet-black fist slammed into Marco's head, sending him plummeting like a blue meteor to the ground below.

As Marco crashed, Charizard swooped down, catching Ace with ease as they descended together.

...

"Is this... for real?" 

On the island below, a member of the Whitebeard Pirates stared in disbelief at the downed Marco.

"No way!"

Another crew member, quickly snapping out of his shock, grabbed a den-den mushi and urgently called out, "Calling Moby Dick! This is the first division! We encountered the Spade Pirates while collecting tribute on Leah Island! Captain Marco is currently battling their captain—requesting immediate backup!"

"The Spade Pirates!?" 

The operator on the other end of the line was momentarily stunned, clearly not recalling that the Spade Pirates were affiliated with any of the Four Emperors.

But the urgency in his comrade's voice snapped him back to reality. "Moby Dick, roger that! Reinforcements are on the way. Hang in there!"

The den-den mushi clicked off, and a wave of relief washed over the first division pirates. 

Though the opponent was formidable enough to put Marco at a disadvantage, each of the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders possessed strength on par with Marco's. With reinforcements, the Spade Pirates wouldn't escape the wrath of the Whitebeard crew.

Reassured, they turned their attention back to the distant battlefield, clutching their weapons tightly. But none dared to advance—facing Ace was out of the question.

"He's so strong." 

One pirate murmured, finally recognizing Ace. Few on the seas were known for their prowess with Pokémon, and it didn't take much to connect the dots.

What had started as a routine collection of supplies on Leah Island had spiraled into a confrontation with the Spade Pirates, who had suddenly declared they would seize control of the island.

The Whitebeard Pirates, proud members of one of the Four Emperors' crews, were quick to respond to such audacity. They aimed to teach Ace a lesson.

But it was they who were taught a harsh reality, and not even Marco's arrival had fully turned the tide.

...

"Cough..." 

In the crater below, Marco, now in human form, coughed heavily. Blue flames instantly flared up, rapidly healing the dents and wounds on his body with the Phoenix's power.

In mere seconds, Marco stood tall once more, seemingly unscathed.

"That's one handy ability."

Step!

Ace dismounted from Charizard's back, eyeing Marco's rapid recovery with a mix of surprise and admiration. With a grin, he said, "How about joining my crew?"

"Your skills as a doctor would be a huge asset aboard my ship. I'm Ace, the man who's going to become the Pirate King! Stick with me—you won't regret it!"

"💢!"

A vein pulsed on Marco's forehead. How bold was this guy? One second, he's pummeling me, and the next, he's inviting me to join him.

But something about Ace's audacity reminded Marco of his own father, Whitebeard, who was notorious for adopting strong individuals into his family.

Did all powerful people have this kind of nerve?

"Sorry," Marco shook his head. "I'm perfectly happy with the Whitebeard Pirates, so I'll have to decline your offer."

"And besides..."

Whoosh!

Green flames erupted from Marco's back as his wings flared to life. Adjusting his glasses, Marco grinned, "The one who's going to be Pirate King is Whitebeard, not you!"

Boom!

Emerald flames shot out like jets, propelling Marco straight towards Ace.

"What a shame!" 

Ace didn't seem disappointed by the rejection. With a resigned sigh, he immediately raised his arm, once again wrapping it in Armament Haki, and swung it at Marco!

Boom!

Another thunderous clash echoed across the battlefield. The immense force unleashed by the two fighters sent shockwaves rippling outward, like waves crashing against the shore.

Thunder crackled around them as the earth beneath their feet trembled.

Ace, locking eyes with Marco, couldn't help but grin. There was something exhilarating about facing such a strong opponent.

After losing the Mera Mera no Mi, Ace had devoted all his energy to honing his physical abilities. 

In the original timeline, he had relied too heavily on the Mera Mera no Mi, neglecting his physical training. That weakness had led to his tragic defeat against Akainu.

But this time, having missed the chance to eat the Devil Fruit, Ace had focused on his body's natural strength. With his formidable bloodline and the Haki knowledge gained through dimensional exchanges, Ace had become a force to be reckoned with.

Marco, however, fell into the Devil Fruit's trap.

  He relied too heavily on its power, making him no match for Ace in a pure strength contest.

  Bang!

  Within seconds, Ace's attack sent Marco flying again, crashing into the ground and carving a deep trench.

  But while Marco may not excel in many areas, his recovery ability is second to none.

  In a flash of green flames, all his injuries healed, leaving Ace in awe.

  "The power of the New World really is on a different level from the Grand Line," Ace sighed.

  Marco's stamina seemed limitless; unless Ace could crush him with overwhelming force in a single blow, taking him down completely would be nearly impossible.

  Even when he fought Cobra's Suicune, it didn't feel this challenging, which only highlighted Marco's strength.

  But...

  Ace was determined to claim this Island!

  Although Ace is one of the "Four Kings" in Alabasta...

  Robin could use her unique skills to draw huge rewards from the audience;

  Cobra, ruling over an entire nation, continued to see rapid economic growth in his war-torn land, with the treasury growing fuller by the day;

  Garp, though not generating income, could still train his Pokémon alongside him;

  Ace could clearly sense how rapidly the Pokémon of these three were advancing over the past few months.

  Despite earning significant rewards from the Pokémon Center and the audience...

  In comparison to these three, his progress with Charizard was falling behind.

  After sharing with them the basics of haki experience, they couldn't even afford an energy cube, let alone a powerful Mega Evolution.

  Ace knew this situation couldn't continue, so he set sail once again and ventured into the New World.

  This time, he aimed to challenge the great pirates of the New World and carve out his own territory!

  Leah Island, an essential underground trading hub in the New World, backed by the Whitebeard Pirates, generated nearly 10 billion beli annually!

  As part of their protection agreement with the Whitebeard Pirates, the Island paid 1 billion beli every quarter as protection fees.

  Upon hearing this, Ace resolved to launch his first attack against the Whitebeard Pirates.

  With a substantial fund, he could acquire more power from dimensional merchants and seize more islands!

  It was a positive feedback loop!

  With Ace's fearless nature, nothing would deter him.

  And so, today's battle began.

  ...

  ...

  Leah Island shook violently once more.

  Both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Spade Pirates could feel the ground trembling beneath their feet.

  The thunderous crashes had been relentless.

  The sky frequently darkened, and fierce winds howled.

  The residents of Leah Island locked their doors, praying for the battle to end soon.

  "What kind of terrifying power is this!?"

  The Whitebeard Pirates stared in shock at the distant battlefield.

  Some of the more experienced pirates wore grim expressions.

  In their senses, their Captain Marco, once invincible, was weakening under the relentless assault from Ace and his Pokémon.

  Marco's stamina was rapidly depleting.

  ...

  ...

  "Charizard! Use Scary Face!"

  Ace commanded as Charizard swooped down, displaying a grotesquely exaggerated face toward Marco.

  Instantly!

  A strange force invaded Marco's mind, causing his control over his body to falter.

  "Damn it! What is this!?"

  Marco cursed internally.

  Despite his vast experience, he found himself helpless against this otherworldly power, his movements suddenly slowed.

  And just then!

  Ace, seizing the moment, struck Marco's abdomen with a powerful punch, doubling him over in pain.

  Marco realized that this battle couldn't continue like this.

  He could handle Ace, but against Charizard's relentless attacks and bizarre support moves, Marco was nearly defenseless.

  If not for his Phoenix Fruit's resilience, any other Whitebeard Pirate would have fallen long ago.

  But this couldn't go on.

  His stamina wasn't limitless.

  Once it was exhausted, the outcome of the battle would be decided.

  After using his fruit's power to dull the pain, Marco spread his wings and retreated from Ace and Charizard, gasping for breath.

  "Huff... Huff... If this keeps up... Huff... I'll lose..."

  Reluctantly, Marco, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, faced the possibility of defeat by a newcomer who had just entered the New World!

  Such a loss would be a devastating blow to the Whitebeard Pirates' morale.

  Marco didn't want to be the one to let that happen, and this determination had kept him fighting until now.

  But just when Marco was about to give up and thought that "being driven away" was better than "being defeated," a powerful presence suddenly descended upon the battlefield.

  "Gurarararara!!!"

  "Marco, seems you've been slacking off if a newcomer has pushed you this far!"

  At the sound of the familiar, heroic voice, Ace stopped his pursuit of Marco and looked towards the distant harbor.

  In an instant, his eyes widened.

  With a wry smile, Ace muttered, "Oh man, it seems I really stirred up a hornet's nest."

(End of this chapter)