"The thunder there is more violent than my mother's Zeus. If I'm not mistaken, 'Thunder God' Asa is fighting someone over there," Katakuri said calmly.
At this point, his Observation Haki far surpassed that of his siblings, showcasing terrifying talent in this domain.
"Then let's head over… If he doesn't pass the test, we kill him," said Armand, the snake-headed clanswoman, smoking a cigarette. Her eyes beneath her hat brim were cold and merciless, brimming with killing intent.
"Go, go!" Perospero licked the candy cane in his hand with his long tongue.
"I am a ship!"
"I am a ship!"
The smiling face on the bow of the Singing Ship moved as it picked up speed.
...
Scuyard floated in the water, his body charred. Only his strong Armament Haki had saved his life.
Large portions of his body were burned by high-voltage electricity. The pain, a mix of numbness and agony, was so overwhelming it made death seem preferable.
But what tormented Scuyard more than the burns was the bitter reality—after having his ambition shattered by the Roger Pirates and suffering grave injuries, he had once again encountered an invincible monster.
That helplessness filled him with deep fear.
"I'm going to find Dad..."
He murmured to himself, as if trying to find solace. Only Whitebeard could give him peace now.
"Going to find your daddy? Hahahahahaha..." Asa laughed coldly, head tilted back, eyes full of disdain.
A fragile psyche that couldn't handle setbacks would be useless even if kept alive.
"Let me send you to hell… pitiful thing."
Asa raised his hand, thunder crackling in his palm. Sparks danced wildly, and a terrible aura surged.
"Wait! Hippolyte D. Asa!" a member of the Big Maelstrom Spider Pirates cried from atop a drifting plank.
"Don't you know who our captain is?!"
"Boss Scuyard is Whitebeard's son—you can't kill him!"
"Whitebeard..." Asa chuckled indifferently. "I saw the symbol on your ship. So what?"
"If you know that, then you've surely heard of Whitebeard's reputation. He's one of the true overlords of the sea! If you kill Boss Scuyard, aren't you afraid Whitebeard will come after you?!"
The underlings tried to intimidate Asa by invoking Whitebeard's name.
At this stage, Whitebeard hadn't yet been recognized as "the strongest man in the world," but no one dared challenge his authority. Among the great pirates of the New World, only three were his equals.
With that kind of power, who on the sea wouldn't be afraid of him?
Did they really think everyone was like Shanks or Buggy—daring to say nonsense like "I'll dye your beard red" or "It's over when you see me" to Whitebeard himself?
...
Zzzzzzzz!
The lightning intensified. Asa didn't even bother responding to their pathetic threats.
Lightning erupted from his palm like divine judgment, reducing the underlings to nothing as they sank beneath the sea to feed the fish.
The waters soon returned to stillness, only pieces of the broken deck drifting aimlessly in the breeze.
"So what if it's Whitebeard?" Asa said flatly. "I'll reach that peak eventually... Besides, great pirates without ambition will be swept away by time."
In this world of pirates, every outstanding person carries a dream—big or small, simple or impossible.
Dreams and freedom are the eternal themes of this world.
When he was young, Edward Newgate—Whitebeard—once said his dream was simply to have a home and a family.
It was a simple dream, and arguably, he had already achieved it...
A man so powerful that he was nearly the strongest in the world at this point still hadn't been officially acknowledged as such.
There was nothing wrong with his dream. Asa respected anyone with a dream...
But someone like that—could he really be called a pirate?
Whitebeard had completely tamed the sons under him. All of them worshiped him like a biological father—except for Blackbeard, Teach.
Once that pillar collapsed, when Whitebeard could no longer hold the sky, those sons would be worthless. A "little Whitebeard" could slaughter them effortlessly.
Could someone with no ambition truly rule the seas? He was bound to be eliminated by the era.
In the coming era, most of Whitebeard's peers would be gone. There would no longer be a ship capable of carrying him in the New World.
Using the last of his strength to be buried in the final war of the world—that would be his most glorious and fitting farewell.
...
Asa looked ahead—there was a ship in the distance that had no business being in this sea.
Unconcealed and bold, it had evaded his internal network entirely.
The Singing Ship split the waterway as it sped forward, arriving in front of Asa within moments.
"You killed Whitebeard's son? 'Thunder God' Asa, you're bold... Daring to provoke such a monster just after entering the New World?" Charlotte Owen mocked, his three-bladed hairstyle and boxing outfit standing out.
Charlotte Perospero, Charlotte Compote, Charlotte Katakuri, and Armand all walked to the bow. Though still young, their presence was overwhelming.
Charlotte Linlin herself wouldn't dare provoke a monster like Whitebeard. Unable to avoid the devastating impact of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, the last person she wanted to offend was him.
The Golden Lion merely shattered islands. But Whitebeard could sink them at will, and the tsunamis he caused would devastate Totto Land.
As soon as they saw the Whitebeard Pirates' logo from afar, the siblings agreed—they wouldn't align themselves with Asa.
To them, offending Whitebeard during his prime meant certain death. Asa's survival chances were minuscule, and dragging the Charlotte Family into that disaster was not worth it.
"Tsk... Can't help but laugh when I hear about who 'can't be offended,'" Asa hovered midair and sneered. "Anyone too scared to provoke monsters is trash. Do you think Big Mom would dare to challenge him?"
"You bastard... do you even know what you're saying?" Owen growled. The air heated, and the deck beneath his feet began to burn.
Katakuri raised a hand to stop him. At the same time, he looked directly at Asa, his calm gaze unwavering.
"BIG MOM's pirate ship doesn't belong in this sea. What exactly are you planning here?" Asa met his eyes coolly.
(End Of Chapter)
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