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Chapter 51: The Moby Dick
🕑 Added 2025-08-30 10:05:08 +0000 UTCKyle had just felt the weight of "Roger's fate" lift from his shoulders, but before he could enjoy even a few days of peace, things got lively again.
The Oro Jackson sailed at a leisurely pace, the atmosphere aboard as cheerful as ever.
Shanks and Buggy were having their daily sparring session, but this time they weren't just swinging swords and blocking—they were trying to incorporate what they'd learned from Roger, Kyle, and the others into their own fighting styles.
"Take this, red nose!!" Shanks shouted, stomping hard and suddenly picking up speed.
Buggy was ready for it, dodging to the side with a yelp as his dagger traced a cunning arc: "I'm not falling for that twice! That move doesn't even have a tenth of Kyle's power!"
"Shut up!"
The deck rang with the clang of metal on metal—what a racket.
Roger sat on the figurehead in his flashy pink shirt, drinking and cheering loudly for the two kids. Rayleigh leaned against the mast, reading a book, a faint smile playing at his lips. Kyle lounged in his deck chair, orange juice swirling gently in his glass.
Everything seemed so perfectly peaceful, as serene as an oil painting.
Until Doringo's urgent shout from the crow's nest shattered that tranquility.
"Massive ship spotted at three o'clock! Coming straight for us at high speed!"
In an instant, all the playful noise on deck stopped dead. Every crew member froze, their eyes turning as one toward where Doringo was pointing.
Where sea met sky, a massive shape was cutting through the waves—far larger than any ordinary vessel.
It looked like a moving mountain, its bow shaped like a majestic white whale. Just seeing it from a distance, you could feel its overwhelming presence.
"Come on, you're kidding me, right? What kind of monster is that?" one crew member gulped.
Buggy frowned, quietly moving to shield Shanks as he poked his head out: "That ship... looks like it wants to eat us!"
Though Shanks was nervous too, he was more excited than anything. He gripped his sword tightly, eyes blazing as he stared at the gradually approaching giant ship.
As it drew closer, that iconic pirate flag came into view—a white background with a skull sporting a crescent-shaped white mustache.
"It's 'Whitebeard' Newgate..." Rayleigh set down his book, his expression sharpening.
"Gu ha ha ha!" Roger stood up on the figurehead, his face exploding with unprecedented excitement and fighting spirit. "It's that bastard Newgate! This is gonna be great!"
Kyle also stood and walked to the ship's rail, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.
The Moby Dick.
That legendary ship carrying the strongest man of an era and his countless family members had burst into his view without warning.
He could clearly see the man standing like a giant at the bow—"The World's Strongest Man," Edward Newgate.
Well... though Roger in his prime was still a cut above, and in some ways Scopper Gaban had more authority with that title!
But Whitebeard wasn't the only one who caught Kyle's attention.
He spotted a lazy-looking kid with pineapple hair leaning against the railing behind Whitebeard, yawning. A stocky, square-jawed youth stood with arms crossed, eyeing them warily. A young man with a thin mustache and a rapier at his waist was chatting with interest to his companions...
Marco, Jozu, Vista...
Good grief, these future terrors of the New World who'd give Marine Headquarters headaches were still just a bunch of teenagers, baby-faced and clustered around their "Pops," curiously watching the Roger Pirates.
"Hey, Shanks, look!" Buggy tugged at Shanks' sleeve, whispering, "That guy's ship is huge—bet it's loaded with treasure!"
"Idiot! Is that what you're thinking about right now?!" Shanks lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his excitement. "That's the Whitebeard Pirates! Legends on par with Captain Roger! Look, they've got kids about our age, too!"
Both boys' gazes met those of the teenagers on Whitebeard's ship.
Invisible sparks seemed to crackle through the air—the first sizing-up between the younger generation.
The two legendary ships drew closer and closer, finally stopping less than a hundred meters apart on the open sea.
The wind whipped both equally defiant pirate flags.
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard's signature laugh rolled across the water, making ripples on the sea surface. "Roger! You troublemaking bastard, instead of staying in your little rat hole, what are you doing in my territory again?!"
"Gu ha ha ha! This ocean isn't your private backyard, Newgate!" Roger put his hands on his hips and threw back his head with equally booming laughter. "I heard there's a gourmet island up ahead—figured I'd grab a good meal! What, you want a piece of the action too?"
"Hmph, my sons are getting hungry too!" Whitebeard lightly tapped the deck with his supreme grade sword Murakumogiri, producing a dull thud. "But before that, how about we loosen up a bit first? We never finished our last fight!"
"My thoughts exactly!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Roger drew Ace from his waist. At the same time, Whitebeard hefted Murakumogiri in one hand.
Two waves of Conqueror's Haki, powerful enough to split the sky, crashed together!
At that moment, the sky took on the shape of a rooster's comb!
Dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and the air over the entire sea became thick and heavy.
Kyle stood at the ship's rail, and that black and red crack in the sky reflected in his golden pupils.
He watched those two god-like men facing off, then looked at the battle-ready crew members behind them and the eager Shanks.
This was the true landscape of this era.
No scheming, no conspiracies—just the purest greeting when they met: let's throw down first, talk later!
"Hey! Pops! Let us fight too!" young Marco shouted at Whitebeard's back, his perpetually sleepy eyes now bright with excitement.
"Newgate, your sons look pretty fired up!" Rayleigh said with a smile, drawing his sword.
Scopper Gaban hefted his twin axes with a grin: "Perfect timing—my bones and these axes have been getting rusty lately!"
Pirates on both ships brandished their weapons. An epic crew battle that would shake the seas was about to break out.
But just as tension reached its peak, Roger suddenly shouted at Whitebeard: "Hey! Newgate! Just so we're clear—after we fight, we're partying together! I brought the best rum from the East Blue!"
Whitebeard paused, then broke into hearty laughter: "Gurararara! We'll see if you've got what it takes to steal food from me! My ship's cook is a famous gourmet!"
The tense atmosphere vanished instantly, replaced by something more intense—the wild party spirit that belonged to pirates.
"Boys! Prepare to board! Time to steal some booze!" Scopper Gaban roared.
"Sons! Show them who the strongest pirate crew on these seas really is!" Whitebeard raised his arms and cheered.
The two massive ships began slowly closing in as crew members eagerly prepared to board.
Kyle watched this chaotic yet harmonious scene and couldn't help but laugh, then drained the last of his orange juice.
There'd be no time for drinks after this.
