Chapter 259: Encounter with the Whitebeard Pirates
"That request can't be granted… but…"
"…the title of Warlord of the Sea, that I can give him."
Kong's eyes flickered with a glint of light.
He was in the process of selecting powerful and well-known pirates across the seas to join the Warlords of the Sea. Crocodile had previously challenged Whitebeard, and as a Logia-type Sand Fruit user with immense strength, he fit the criteria perfectly.
…
The New World
"Captain! I've spotted the Whitebeard Pirates' ship!"
The sky had turned dim again over the vast sea. The Dragon Flame was moving quickly when suddenly Camon, at the crow's nest, shouted out.
Hearing this, Jiang Qize stepped out of the cabin.
He walked to the bow and saw, a kilometer away, the Moby Dick, flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"They specifically 'coincidentally' ran into us."
A light flickered in Jiang Qize's eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Hehe, Captain, if we defeat the Whitebeard Pirates here, does that mean we can claim the title of Emperor?"
Buck approached with a mischievous grin.
"Yes," Jiang Qize nodded.
"Then shall we defeat them? After all, we are the strongest pirate crew, and Captain, you are the strongest man in the world," Wyper said, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Not yet… but a little sparring is fine," Jiang Qize smiled.
Keeping Whitebeard alive still had its uses. For now, their true enemies were the World Government and the Marines. Taking Whitebeard out now would reduce the number of pirates in the world and strengthen the World Government's influence.
Stussy had mentioned the Five Elders were powerful, but exactly how strong was unknown. Without absolute certainty, Jiang Qize wouldn't act recklessly.
"I want to fight their 1st Division Commander, Marco!"
Wyper's eyes blazed with passion.
"You… can only spar with the 7th or 8th Division commander. Marco will be my match!" Buck said, smirking.
"Heh, if you two were a pair, maybe… but you…" Wyper shot back without hesitation.
"Wanna fight?"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who?"
"Next island, we settle this, let's see who's the dog."
The two argued loudly.
The others watched with smiles; clearly, this wasn't the first time they'd bickered like this.
"Marco, I'll take him," came Camon's voice.
Both immediately stopped.
"Since Camon said it, I won't compete with him," Wyper said.
"Hmph, neither will I," Buck agreed.
Camon was the strongest among them. His Devil Fruit wasn't that powerful, but the massive weapons given to him by the senior Ba wang, all specially made, were formidable. Additionally, he had consumed metal, fusing it into his skin for even greater defense.
His speed was no slouch either, thanks to the Strong Wind Shell under his feet, allowing flight and acceleration.
While they argued over who would face whom, the Moby Dick closed the distance.
The nearly seven-meter-tall Whitebeard stood at the bow, holding his weapon, surrounded by a host of division commanders, radiating immense presence.
On the other side, Jiang Qize smiled, his long silver hair flowing in the wind. His white fur-lined coat fluttered, and the Dragon Flame crew behind him radiated sharp, intense energy.
The entire scene fell silent. Between the two ships, it was as if black lightning danced across the water.
However, because the Dragon Flame was taller and larger, those aboard could look down slightly at the Whitebeard Pirates, giving them a subtle edge in presence.
It's worth noting that Raptorex weren't engaged in the standoff at all.