What was he now?
It was a question Luffy had asked, and one Whitebeard found difficult to answer.
For a Devil Fruit user, only when they died would their fruit reincarnate somewhere on the sea.
Yet Whitebeard was alive, but his fruit's power had vanished.
His body still retained half of its demonic form. Strictly speaking, he was in a half-dead, half-alive state.
"Gurararara. Call it a rebirth." Whitebeard laughed. "The power representing the old era is gone."
He looked down at his open hands.
He could feel it. The Gura Gura no Mi inside him was gone.
The power that had accompanied him through decades of battle, that had helped him reach the pinnacle as the World's Strongest Man, had been stripped away.
He had learned something new today.
Even though Whitebeard had lived for so many years and experienced countless storms on the sea, he had never heard of anyone doing such a thing.
Forcibly taking another's Devil Fruit without killing the user.
But a Devil Fruit chose its host.
"Thinking of it that way, perhaps the Gura Gura no Mi feels I am no longer worthy of being its host." Whitebeard looked at Luffy. "It has now acknowledged you."
That was right. The Gura Gura no Mi was now inside Luffy.
"To be honest, I do not know how it ended up inside me," Luffy said.
Perhaps it was the seawater and Nika working together?
His original intention had simply been to expel the dark power from Whitebeard.
"The sea is the embodiment of miracles. Anything can happen. Gurararara. I have seen far too many miracles."
Whitebeard said, "The outcome now is good."
He moved his body. The feeling of being eroded by darkness, of losing his sense of self, was worse than death.
And now, though he had lost his power, his will was once again his own.
That was more important than anything.
"Captain Buggy! The Den Den Mushi is awake!"
Among the Impel Down prisoners, a man who had just woken from unconsciousness shouted excitedly.
"It is awake?!"
Buggy perked up. He grabbed the Den Den Mushi. The video Den Den Mushi in his hands, which had been unconscious, slowly opened its eyes.
Its antennae twitched. The picture began transmitting again.
Buggy fumbled to point the camera at the two figures at the center of the distant battlefield.
Luffy and Whitebeard.
This angle perfectly captured the entire standoff.
At the Sabaody Archipelago, at the World Economic Times headquarters, and around the world, people watching the broadcast through the relay finally saw the picture again.
"The picture is back!"
"Is that Straw Hat and Whitebeard?"
"What are they saying?"
"Whitebeard looks... different somehow?"
People held their breath, their eyes glued to the screen.
On the battlefield, Whitebeard turned his head. His gaze moved across the shattered ice plain and landed on the giant golden Buddha in the distance.
"Do you want to continue this war, Sengoku?"
Whitebeard's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable pressure. "Now your Marines have to face two of us."
With those words, he had placed Luffy in the same league of strong fighters as himself.
From the start of the war, Whitebeard had seen far too many unbelievable powers in Luffy.
This was not politeness. It was fact.
To have awoken him from that state, to have taken the Gura Gura no Mi from him, such strength and methods demanded respect from anyone.
The words were spoken calmly, but the weight behind them made every Marine who heard them uneasy.
The acknowledgment of an Emperor.
"What do you mean, 'two of us'? What about me?" Golden Lion's dissatisfied voice came from the air.
He had not been able to get involved in the fight against the darkened Whitebeard at all. He could only fly around. The ship's wheel on his head had even started hurting.
By the time he realized what was happening, the fight seemed to be over.
"Hey, Newgate. You are back to normal?" Golden Lion asked.
"Oh, I am back to normal. Thanks to Straw Hat." Whitebeard laughed. "I forgot about you."
Golden Lion nearly turned red with rage.
The old bastard was definitely doing it on purpose.
What did he mean, forgot about him? Was his presence really that low?
Although it was true that Garp and Luffy had done most of the fighting against the darkened Whitebeard.
Shiki slowly descended, frowning as he studied Whitebeard. He could not help but ask, "That dark aura is really gone. Straw Hat, what did you do?"
Had he absorbed it? Purified it?
It was not something that could be explained in a few words.
Luffy grinned. He did not answer directly. Instead, he looked toward Sengoku.
At that moment, Sengoku's expression could not have been worse.
Straw Hat Luffy, Whitebeard, Golden Lion. These three again.
Now the situation was even worse than before.
The difference was that now, though Whitebeard had lost the Gura Gura no Mi, his complexion was ridiculously good. The Haki radiating from him was vast as the sea. He looked like he had returned to his prime.
And what about the Marines?
Akainu had been repeatedly and severely wounded by Luffy and Whitebeard. The hideous wound on his chest was deep enough to see bone. He was now being given emergency treatment by medics. He had clearly lost the ability to fight.
Kizaru and Aokiji still had some strength left.
Most of the elite Vice Admirals were still there, though a few giant Vice Admirals had been lost.
Garp?
He could not really be relied on.
Sengoku glanced at his old comrade. That man was now staring at his grandson, a complex expression on his face.
He had just expanded almost all of his Conqueror's Haki.
So, was this a situation where only Akainu had been hurt?
This absurd thought inexplicitly crossed Sengoku's mind. His expression darkened further.
Should they continue fighting?
That was the decision Sengoku had to make immediately.
If they continued, the Marines might pay an even heavier price. They might even lose an entire generation of their elite forces here.
If they stopped, and surrendered to pirates in front of the whole world, the Marines' prestige would plummet.
"Hm? These things have not been destroyed yet?"
Luffy heard the sudden sound of machinery operating nearby.
Several giant silver-white figures emerged from the ruins somewhere. Yellow lights flickered on their chests, indicating stored energy.
They were Pacifistas.
As mass-produced weapons of the World Government's science corps, they had the appearance of Warlord Bartholomew Kuma and Kizaru's laser ability.
Their performance in this war had been quite impressive.
"Hey, PX-5! I did not give the order!" Sentomaru's expression changed.
"Targets detected: Straw Hat Luffy, Whitebeard Newgate."
There were no pirates left around the Pacifistas. They naturally locked onto the two figures in the distance.
The yellow lights around their bodies reached their peak.
"Do not take Kuma's form, you things."
To the Straw Hat crew, Kuma had done them a great favor.
Though they had only met twice, Luffy's impression of Kuma was quite good.
Seeing these weapons wearing Kuma's appearance made him very angry.
A good time to test his new power.
He casually reached his right hand back. His arm stretched like rubber. He made a fist. Then, toward the direction of the Pacifistas, he threw an empty punch.
There was no contact.
His fist stopped in midair.
But in that instant, a terrifying sound came.
Bang.
Crack!
The atmosphere shattered like glass.
Visible white cracks spread in all directions from Luffy's fist.
Where they passed, space twisted and shook.
Gomu Gomu no Shindō Ken!
The terrifying shockwave, like an invisible tsunami, hit the five Pacifistas.
Boom, crash, rumble!
The earth trembled. The ocean roared.
The entire ice plain where the Pacifistas stood was overturned. Thick ice was shredded like paper. The five expensive war machines could not even fire their attacks before they were twisted into knots by the terrifying vibrations, then completely crushed by the subsequent impact.
The escaping force continued forward, crashing into the sea.
Crack. A hundred-meter-high tsunami rose.
"How... how is this possible?!"
The Marines who had just woken up from the Conqueror's Haki clash saw this and were all in shock.
The one who had attacked was clearly Straw Hat Luffy. So why had he used Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi power?
"What is going on?"
"Is that not Whitebeard's power?"
"Did Straw Hat take Whitebeard's ability?!"
The Marines thought they were still dreaming. That they had not woken up.
How could one person have two Devil Fruit abilities?
Not only the ordinary soldiers, even the Vice Admirals were pale.
The elite Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters had seen many things, but never this.
Not just them. Even Sengoku and Garp, the highest-ranking Marines, were extremely shocked.
"Impossible!"
Sengoku's pupils suddenly contracted. The face of his Great Buddha form visibly stiffened.
Garp's mouth fell open. His jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
One person could only eat one Devil Fruit. This was an iron law of the sea. No one had ever broken it.
Not even the Emperors. Not even the legendary Rocks or Roger.
And yet, before the eyes of the world, Luffy had used the Gura Gura no Mi, the power belonging to Whitebeard.
This defied all reason. It subverted all understanding.
They had noticed that Whitebeard had recovered from his earlier abnormal state. And that Whitebeard had just been held underwater by Luffy. And the move Luffy had just used...
All of this pointed to one thing.
"Whitebeard's power was taken by Luffy?!"
Sengoku instinctively clenched his fist.
One person possessing two Devil Fruits.
Straw Hat's Gomu Gomu no Mi had already been so troublesome. Add the Gura Gura no Mi to that. If Luffy left here, it would be even harder for the Marines to deal with him in the future.
Sengoku's expression grew even darker.
He had already been considering ending the war.
"Fufufufufu."
Doflamingo could not help but laugh. He covered his face, his shoulders shaking violently. "How terrifying. Straw Hat, what kind of monster are you?"
The pattern of the sea was about to be completely rewritten.
His eyes behind his sunglasses were fixed on Luffy. The power of the Ito Ito no Mi silently wrapped around his fingertips.
A pirate with this level of power, alongside a restored Whitebeard and Golden Lion Shiki, with the Whitebeard Pirates not far away...
Would they counterattack?
Then they, the Warlords, would have to consider their own position.
To join them and completely wipe out the Marines.
Let there be chaos. The more chaos, the better.
Two Devil Fruit abilities in one body... if that secret could be cracked, what would this world become?
He was more and more intrigued.
Those above had been in power too long. It was time for someone to threaten their position.
"Acquiring the Gura Gura no Mi, along with that strange Gomu Gomu no Mi, plus terrifying swordsmanship and Haki."
Hawkeye slowly sheathed his blade. His hawk-like eyes locked on Luffy. "A truly monstrous man."
This was the acknowledgment of the World's Strongest Swordsman.
Not far away, Hancock held her cheeks in her hands. Her eyes were filled only with Luffy's figure. Her cheeks were flushed. Her breathing was rapid.
"Ah. I knew it."
She murmured, entranced. "Luffy-sama is not just my god... no, he is only my god!"
"Is this guy even human?"
Buggy pointed the Den Den Mushi at Luffy. His mouth was wide enough to stuff an apple inside.
He had personally seen legendary figures like Captain Roger, Whitebeard, and Golden Lion. But this scene still surpassed his understanding.
But then...
"Captain Buggy! What is wrong with you?"
"Straw Hat is only looked up to by Whitebeard because of Fire Fist Ace!"
"That is right. Straw Hat is strong, but we have Captain Buggy too!"
"Yes, no matter how strong he is, he could never be a match for our Captain Buggy!"
"Exactly! Our Captain Buggy is the strongest!"
"Ooooooh!!!"
Behind Buggy, the underlings who had just woken up from the Conqueror's Haki shock saw their captain's shocked expression and thought he was wary of Straw Hat. They immediately started shouting, each louder than the last.
Listening to them, their voices full of passion, Buggy, with his back to them, had a face that looked worse than crying.
You bastards were all unconscious just now. You did not see what happened, did you?
Are you serious?
Comparing him to Luffy now?
That was a monster who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Whitebeard, who had taken the Gura Gura no Mi, who had nearly beaten an Admiral to death.
If you want to die, do not take me with you.
But despite what he thought, Buggy crossed his arms and put on an inscrutable expression.
Here he goes again.
Nearby, the just-woken Mr. 3 held his dizzy head and could not help but complain. "Are you really not worried about how this will end?"
He did not know what had just happened, but the war had clearly reached its most critical moment.
What was going to happen?
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard's laugh cut through the shock. He looked at Sengoku. "Well, Sengoku? Are you still going to stop us?"
He tapped his Murakumogiri. Though he had lost its power, the Supreme Grade blade still gave off a cold gleam.
"This old man feels better than ever!" Whitebeard laughed.
It was true.
Though he had lost his Devil Fruit power, Imu's Kokuten Shihai had modified and eroded Whitebeard's body, repairing in some way the hidden injuries and illnesses accumulated over years of battle.
Whitebeard was now old. But his physical condition was much better than before the war. The Haki radiating from him was vast as the sea. He still gave off the terrifying pressure of an Emperor.
Damn World Government!
Sengoku cursed under his breath.
However one looked at it, those World Government bastards had only come to cause trouble.
Not many results to show, but the more they fought, the more powerful enemies appeared.
"This war should end." Luffy stepped forward and spoke.
He looked over the Marine ranks. "We can keep fighting without any worries. What about you?"
The Whitebeard Pirates and Ace had already boarded their ships. They could leave through the Gate of Justice any time.
And Luffy and his group did not even need ships.
With Jinbe and Golden Lion, they could come and go as they please.
Golden Lion's Fuwa Fuwa no Mi let him fly. Jinbe was a fish-man. He could move freely in the sea.
If they fought to the end, there would be no ice left. The half-dead Marines would have nowhere to go and would sink to the bottom of the sea.
"Can you afford it?"
Luffy's gaze swept over the wounded Marine officers, finally stopping on Sengoku, Garp, Kizaru, and Aokiji. "If we keep fighting, how many will die?"
"Will all the elites of Marine Headquarters be buried here?"
His words were like knives, stabbing into Sengoku's heart.
Sengoku's expression shifted.
He knew very well that Luffy was telling the truth.
In terms of top combat power, they no longer had the advantage.
Whitebeard had regained his senses. Straw Hat Luffy had shown two abilities. Golden Lion, though not in top form, was still troublesome. And there were the hidden prisoners.
If they kept fighting, even if the Marines won, it would be a pyrrhic victory. They might even lose an entire generation of their core strength.
But to surrender to pirates before the eyes of the world?
Sengoku clenched his fists. His nails dug deep into his palms.
"Hey, brat."
Garp ignored Sengoku's inner conflict. He strode toward Luffy, staring at his grandson with a grim expression. "What is going on with you?"
One person could only eat one Devil Fruit. That was an iron law of the sea. No one had ever broken it. Not even the Emperors.
But Luffy had now used two different Devil Fruit powers.
Garp was genuinely afraid Luffy might explode right in front of him.
"Hehehe. Do not worry, Gramps. I do not know how it happened either, but I feel better than ever." Luffy grinned.
Two powers inside him. It was a wonderful feeling.
"Who is worried about you?!"
Garp roared. "Would this old man worry about a pirate?!"
Hearing this, Sengoku's mouth twitched violently.
Garp, you bastard. Do you have any idea if you would worry or not?
But Sengoku no longer had the energy to complain about his old comrade.
His gaze swept over the Den Den Mushi in Buggy's hands.
That Den Den Mushi was broadcasting everything, in real time, to the entire world.
That was another of his miscalculations. He had let almost this entire war be broadcast live.
To surrender to pirates in front of the entire world?
***
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