"Cough—cough—!"
Vista spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The force of that kick felt terrifying—almost on par with Kizaru's light-speed strike. It was as if his internal organs had been rattled apart.
He stared at Marco in disbelief.
"Marco… when did you become this strong?"
Marco smiled faintly.
"After the war, my Armament Haki broke through its previous limits. I can now project it outward." His gaze was calm, confident. "That last strike—your Armament Haki couldn't stop it. Mine penetrated straight through and damaged your insides. This is what the old man used to call the advanced application of Armament Haki."
"Internal destruction…" Vista murmured, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "I see."
Marco had once been known for overwhelming defense but comparatively modest offense. Now, with this breakthrough, he possessed both terrifying defense and crushing power.
Vista knew the truth—he couldn't win.
Still, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, forced himself upright, and laughed.
"I'll be more careful next time. Come on—again!"
"Alright."
Marco didn't hesitate.
He pressed the attack once more. Unafraid of injury, he fought aggressively, forcing Vista onto the defensive from the very first exchange. The battle quickly turned one-sided, leaving the onlookers—both the Whitebeard Pirates and their allied crews—stunned.
Vista was the Whitebeard Pirates' greatest swordsman. Every challenger he had ever faced had fallen.
And yet now—
He was being completely suppressed.
The reason was simple.
Marco didn't fear damage. More accurately, his strategy was to trade injuries. Against someone with near-limitless regeneration, such exchanges were brutal and decisive.
Less than ten minutes later, Vista finally faltered.
"Stop—stop!" he shouted, raising a hand. "I surrender!"
Marco immediately halted his attack.
For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then—
"Marco won!"
"Idiot, it's Captain Marco now!"
"That's right—Captain Marco!"
"Captain Marco!"
Cheers erupted across the clearing.
Marco smiled softly at the sound. Vista, too, laughed, shaking his head as he stepped forward.
"Your fighting style is truly shameless," he teased. "Trading injuries like that—who among normal people could keep up with you?"
He extended a hand.
"From now on, please guide us, Captain Marco."
Vista wasn't a sore loser. The Whitebeard Pirates weren't bound by ambition or greed—they were family. Marco's strength didn't threaten him; it reassured him.
Marco clasped Vista's hand firmly.
"The old man isn't with us anymore," he said humbly. "From now on, we'll have to rely on each other. I'll be counting on you, Vista."
The other captains stepped forward, grinning.
"Our new Captain—Marco!"
"Let's celebrate!"
"That's right—time for a banquet!"
"I believe Captain Marco will lead us back to the top!"
"The strongest pirate crew—once again!"
Laughter and cheers filled the air.
Seeing everyone's excitement, Marco knew there was no turning back. He raised his voice and laughed.
"Brothers—let's have a banquet!"
"OOOOHHHH!!"
Cheers erupted across the deck.
At the same time, the familiar system voice echoed in Marco's mind:
"Mission complete. You have become the new Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Reward granted: 1,000 attribute points."
Marco glanced at the newly acquired points, hesitating.
'Do I invest them into Spirit… or save them until I can push Observation Haki to Top-tier?'
Before he could decide, the system's mechanical voice returned.
"New mission issued…"
Again? Marco sighed inwardly as he opened the mission panel.
Mission: Renaming
Now that the host has become the Captain, the pirate crew's name no longer matches the host.
Rename the Whitebeard Pirates and replace the pirate flag.
Reward: 500 attribute points.
Mission: Become a Yonko.
Although the host has inherited a Yonko-level crew, the host's personal strength and bounty do not yet match that of a Four Yonkos.
Increase your bounty to over 3,000,000,000 Berries.
Reward: 10,000 attribute points.
Marco exhaled slowly.
Along with the mission to eliminate the Blackbeard Pirates, it was clear—everything would have to be handled step by step.
'First things first… the crew's name.'
Five hundred attribute points wasn't much, but every bit counted.
The banquet soon began in earnest.
Sitting at the head of the table, Marco raised his glass.
"Brothers—before we start, there are two things I need to say."
The noise faded as everyone turned their attention to him.
"The first," Marco said calmly, "is that the old man is no longer with us."
A hush fell.
"So I intend to rename the Whitebeard Pirates…"
He paused, then declared,
"From this day forward, we will be known as the Phoenix Pirates."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Though many had expected change with a new Captain, hearing it spoken aloud still struck deeply. The name Whitebeard Pirates had been built entirely on Edward Newgate's legend. Without him, the name no longer carried the same weight—or fear.
For some, the name had been part of their lives for decades.
A few of the allied captains looked uneasy. Many had joined not for Marco—but for Whitebeard himself. With the old man gone and even the name changing, they felt adrift.
Marco saw it all.
This was the most dangerous moment—the fragile bridge between old and new.
He continued firmly,
"Of course, the original Whitebeard flag will not be discarded."
That eased some of the tension.
"We will carry it alongside the Phoenix flag. Only when the world fully accepts the Phoenix Pirates—only when we can stand without relying on Pops' name—will we have truly stepped out from under his shadow."
His gaze swept across the room.
"Until that day, we remember him. But we move forward."
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