When facing enemies like this, there was no room for carelessness. One wrong move could mean total annihilation for the El Pirates.
"We'll be entering Fish‑Man Island before long."
The Whitebeard Pirates were indeed already in the surrounding waters.
They had their own network and forces stationed at Sabaody Archipelago, and shortly after arriving there, they had coated their ship.
Even the Whitebeard Pirates could not bypass the rules—without a protective coating, no vessel could descend through the deep sea to reach Fish‑Man Island.
"WALALALALA!"
Whitebeard threw back his head and laughed heartily, taking a deep draught of strong liquor.
"Finally, we're nearly there…"
"Any news from Fish‑Man Island lately? Have those brats of the El Pirates made a move against our territory?"
The Whitebeard Pirates had their own eyes and ears across the seas.
As one of the Four Emperors, they could not have survived for so long without knowing exactly what was happening around them.
"About that…"
The one who stepped forward to report was Marco the Phoenix, Commander of the First Division—swift, powerful, and gifted with the ability of regeneration.
"Our latest reports say everything on the island remains normal. No unusual activity has been detected."
To be honest, even Marco found this strange. The El Pirates had been causing waves across the Grand Line recently, their fame growing by the day.
For them to arrive at Fish‑Man Island and do nothing at all felt almost impossible.
In truth, the El Pirates had stirred up trouble—but they had also been the ones to resolve it.
No lasting damage was done, and no real threat was left behind.
As a result, their actions had not drawn much attention, and word had not yet spread.
It was this lack of information that gave rise to all sorts of speculation within the crew.
"Could it be that they've already seized the island and driven every last inhabitant out?" one crew member suggested.
"I don't think so," another replied. "Maybe El and his men are just there for a look‑around?"
"Come now—why would anyone travel all this way just for sightseeing?"
"There are countless beautiful islands across the Grand Line. Why pick Fish‑Man Island specifically?"
"I refuse to believe they coated their ship, crossed the Red Line, and entered the New World only to stop here for no reason!"
Many theories were tossed back and forth, but in the end, the final decision rested with their captain, Edward Newgate.
He was one of the greatest figures of the previous era, and even now, he remained the Strongest Man in the World—his strength was his authority.
"Enough chatter," Whitebeard rumbled.
"We'll see for ourselves. We're already at the gates. Once we enter, we'll find out exactly what that young upstart El has been up to… and why the island has gone silent."
For some time, they had received no further messages from King Neptune after the first alert.
This made them wonder if something major had happened—perhaps a full‑scale rebellion or invasion.
Unless the entire island had already fallen into enemy hands, it should have been easy to send word out.
The Whitebeard Pirates' flagship, the Moby Dick, slowly descended through the protective double layers of bubble coating surrounding the island.
At last, they set foot on their own territory.
The very moment Whitebeard's boots touched the ground, El felt a massive surge of overwhelming power wash over the island.
"So…" El nodded slowly. "They have arrived."
Until now, he had held neither favor nor ill will toward the Whitebeard Pirates.
But the chance to test his strength against the Strongest Man in the World stirred a genuine sense of anticipation.
"Captain… does that mean they have already landed?" his officers asked, having heard his quiet words.
El smiled openly. "Yes. I can feel their presence now. They won't be far from us."
Even though the arrival of an Emperor was a momentous event, El showed no sign of anxiety. If anything, his expression was one of eager excitement.
"Captain El… truly a man who lives for battle," Doflamingo sighed, shaking his head.
If it were up to him, the wisest choice would be to retreat first, or at least prepare a well‑laid ambush.
Even the strongest of the Four Emperors was not invincible—every man had his weaknesses, and Whitebeard was no exception.
Yet El had no intention of running away, nor did he care to use underhanded tactics to gain an advantage.
All he wanted was to face the Strongest Man in the World in a fair fight, and measure the gap between them.
While the World Government and the Navy held the greatest power across the seas, in terms of individual strength, Edward Newgate stood alone at the very top.
The title Strongest Man in the World was no empty boast. El was not about to let such an opportunity slip away.
As for King Neptune's offer to mediate—El accepted it out of courtesy, but deep down, he doubted it would make much difference.
When two such powerful crews came face to face, words alone would rarely be enough.
Before long, word reached the El Pirates: the Whitebeard Pirates had fully entered the island, and were drawing closer to their location.
After all, Fish‑Man Island was their domain; moving freely within it was only natural.
---
"THERE HE IS! That young brat named El!"
Edward Newgate himself stepped forward.
It had been years since he personally took the field against an enemy—these days, few opponents across the Grand Line were worthy of his direct attention.
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