Chapter 580: New Family Member
Whitebeard held his naginata in his hand, walking step by step toward this side. The butt of the weapon struck the ice surface, producing a clanging sound. Cold sweat gradually broke out on Sengoku's forehead with each noise.
He understood very well that what Whitebeard called a "greeting" was truly just a greeting!
If it weren't for the concern that the pirates and Marines were entangled in battle, that earlier Sky-Shattering Fist would have done more than just stir up a hurricane...
Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru—the veterans of their generation had all crossed swords with Whitebeard before. Yet Whitebeard had survived until now and become one of the Four Emperors—that alone spoke volumes.
Whitebeard's strength was beyond doubt. Among those present, even Sengoku was no match for him...
"What exactly happened?" Sengoku asked, sweating as he looked toward Whitebeard's chest. However, he saw no trace of injury on Whitebeard's torso and couldn't help but say, "What is this all about!? Could it be that this was a play put on by the Whitebeard Pirates, and that Blackbeard Teach deceived us!? The goal was to lure the Marines into a trap?"
"I don't know, but it's very possible!" Vice Admiral Tsuru had retreated to Sengoku's side by now and frowned as she said, "This might explain why Teach disappeared just as battle was about to commence!"
"If this is a scheme by the Whitebeard Pirates, then we're in big trouble!" Tsuru sighed.
However, at that moment, Garp on the other side crossed his arms and said, "I think it's impossible! That old man Whitebeard wouldn't do something like this! Though he's an enemy, I have to admit, the old man is quite honorable!"
"Indeed..." Sengoku calmed down as well, agreeing with Garp's assessment.
Besides, thinking carefully, the previous hypothesis had too many flaws. The most suspicious point was: if this really was a scheme by Teach and the Whitebeard Pirates, why hadn't Teach appeared by Whitebeard's side?
"From the looks of it, Whitebeard's appearance is definitely related to that brat Ian!" Sengoku gritted his teeth and said, "He used some method to actually cure Whitebeard! Damn it, we were too careless. If I'd known this earlier, I should have desperately stopped him! Just how many abilities does that Pay-to-Win Fruit of his have!?"
As he spoke, Whitebeard Edward Newgate had already entered the battlefield, with Ian, Ace, and that Mew following behind him.
With a clang, he thrust his naginata into the ice, then spread his arms wide and suddenly burst into loud laughter, "Gurararara!" He announced loudly, "Sons, I'm back!"
This single sentence ignited the already excited members of the Whitebeard Pirates who had been watching him approach with emotion. Marco, Jozu, Vista, and the captains of the other 43 allied crews erupted in earth-shaking cheers and surged toward Whitebeard!
"Old Man! Great, you're okay!?"
"Old Man, we were so worried about you!"
"Old Man..."
"Old Man..."
The division commanders and captains cheered as they threw themselves at Whitebeard, hugging his legs and looking up at his tall, imposing figure with excitement. Whitebeard smiled warmly, his eyes filled with tenderness, and bent down to embrace his children with his arms.
At that moment, Whitebeard felt the most gratitude toward Ian.
He had once thought he might die on his sickbed, or even if he dragged his severely injured body to the battlefield, he would ultimately fall in defeat and bid a permanent farewell to his beloved sons...
But Ian's appearance had changed all that.
That mysterious power had healed his fatal wounds and removed all the toxins in such a short time.
Although Ian had told him he could do nothing about the natural aging of the human body, even so, Whitebeard could feel the powerful vitality surging within him.
The strength in his clenched fists was something he hadn't felt in a long time. It was as if he had returned to his peak state overnight...
"Old Man, your wounds... how did they disappear?" Vista, held in Whitebeard's arm, asked in surprise as he looked at the Old Man's chest.
His question was also the doubt of many.
Whitebeard released his arms, straightened up, took a deep breath, and then suddenly roared, "All members of the Whitebeard Pirates, hear me!!!"
This shout spread across the entire battlefield. All the pirates pricked up their ears, holding their breath as they prepared to listen to the Old Man's command.
However, Whitebeard pointed at Ian standing by his feet and declared loudly, "From today onward, the Whitebeard Pirates have a new family member! That is Ian! Though he hasn't joined the Whitebeard Pirates, he is your companion! Your brother! Your family! Anyone who dares to lay a hand on him will be making an enemy of the entire Whitebeard Pirates! Do you understand!?"
Everyone had expected Whitebeard Old Man to issue a battle order, even causing the Marines to tense up. But in the end, Whitebeard's words turned out to be this!
Still, after a brief moment of surprise, the pirates of the Whitebeard Pirates suddenly raised their weapons and shouted in unison, "Whoa—————!!! Family! New family member!"
"Ian!"
"Ian!!"
"Ian!!!"
They chanted Ian's name in unison, their eyes filled with fervor and joy.
Marco and Jozu laughed and threw their arms around Ian's shoulders. They weren't fools. Ian had suddenly left and returned with a fully recovered Old Man, and the Old Man had so solemnly announced Ian's status as a family member of the Whitebeard Pirates in front of everyone. This meant that the one who had healed the Old Man was undoubtedly Ian!
The Whitebeard Pirates, who had been worried sick that the Old Man might meet with misfortune, felt an indescribable joy when they saw him appear in high spirits.
And now, that happiness and delight had fully transferred to Ian!
"Hahaha!" Even Ace laughed, leaping into a flying hug and tackling Ian, and then a group of them piled on top of him, crushing him. They celebrated the Old Man's return in this way...
In contrast, the Marines wore expressions of extreme displeasure. Whitebeard's high-profile appearance and return to the battlefield were all caused by that guy Ian!?
Aokiji remained serious and silent. Kizaru scratched his head in frustration. Akainu squinted, lit a cigar, and puffed on it vigorously. The glow of the cigar smoke flickered in the shadows under his cap...
The Marine soldiers were all stunned. They trembled as they looked at Whitebeard. The sunlight shining from behind him made his figure seem like a god descending to earth, making it hard to muster the courage to oppose him.
Those watching this scene through the live broadcast clutched their heads and crouched on the ground in terror.
"It's over... that terrifying monster Whitebeard has really appeared..."
"Old Man..." Jinbe looked at Whitebeard with joy, walked up to him, and said, "Great, it's good that you're okay!"
"You've worked hard, Jinbe!" The Old Man looked at him with a warm smile.
But at that moment, a figure suddenly appeared beside Whitebeard's neck—it was that guy Crocodile!
He turned into a sandstorm and flew into the air, suddenly striking out with a Desert Saber aimed at Whitebeard's neck.
"Old Man!?" The pirates who saw this cried out in alarm, wanting to stop him but unable to react in time.
However, Crocodile's attack failed. Whitebeard raised his hand, and a fist glowing with white light punched the Desert Saber. The recoil not only shattered Crocodile's Desert Saber but also blasted Crocodile's body into a cloud of sand.
Crocodile's figure reformed on the ground, crouching, with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Crocodile..." Whitebeard looked at him with a complex expression and said, "Did you come with Ian?"
"...So what!?" Crocodile wiped the blood from his mouth and stood up.
"Then from now on, follow him well!" Whitebeard said this and then ignored him.
"Damn it...!" Crocodile gritted his teeth as he stared at Whitebeard's back.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the fight between Zoro and Hawk-Eye had temporarily stopped. Zoro was now panting heavily, covered in wounds. He stared intently at Hawk-Eye before him, but Hawk-Eye wasn't looking at him; instead, he was gazing at Whitebeard's position.
"Move aside!" Hawk-Eye suddenly said to Zoro.
Before Zoro could react, Hawk-Eye suddenly swung his black blade, Yoru. A massive, colossal sword energy shot from his hand, splitting the ground as it flew toward Whitebeard!
Zoro could only dodge quickly. The sword energy flew past his chest, the sharp aura stinging his face painfully.
"Not good!" After Crocodile's attack on Whitebeard, the Whitebeard Pirates had set aside their joy, remembering that the war wasn't over yet. So when Hawk-Eye's sword energy came flying, they immediately wanted to block it for the Old Man.
Jozu was the strongest shield of the Whitebeard Pirates, so without thinking, he moved forward. But at that moment, Whitebeard spoke up, "Jozu, move aside!"
Jozu was startled and quickly stepped aside. Whitebeard faced the incoming sword energy and swung his naginata horizontally!
The muscles on his arms bulged with veins. Whitebeard let out a great shout and swept his naginata. A sword energy glowing with white light shot out with a dull humming sound, meeting Hawk-Eye Mihawk's incoming slash!
Boom! The two sword energies collided mid-air. A violent shockwave erupted from the point of impact, sending pirates and Marines within a hundred meters screaming as they were blown backward.
The world's greatest swordsman and the world's strongest man had clashed in an instant...
Whitebeard's face broke into a smile, while Hawk-Eye Mihawk wore a serious expression. Zoro, standing beside him, stared in shock at the direction the sword energy had flown. Only now did he realize that Hawk-Eye hadn't been fighting him seriously all along...
Sengoku and the others, after witnessing Crocodile and Hawk-Eye's successive tests of Whitebeard, looked even worse.
"Whitebeard... he's really fine... and it seems he's returned to his peak state..."