Chapter 233: End of Old Era

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Although people might have interpretations, rumors like this wouldn't sound good if they spread.

Seeing Garp's expression—like he had just swallowed something foul—Whitebeard suddenly felt lighter, as if his injuries weren't as painful anymore. 

With renewed vigor, he roared, "Come at me again!"

However, Byakuya frowned at the sight of Whitebeard, who was clearly on the brink of death. A man like Whitebeard shouldn't go down so easily.

Reaching into his coat, Byakuya pulled out a vial and tossed it toward Whitebeard.

"This healing serum won't completely cure your injuries," Byakuya said calmly, "but it will allow you to fight at full strength for a while." 

"I want to see you at your peak. You wouldn't want to die in such a pathetic state, would you?"

"Gu la la la! I never expected to have a chance to return to my prime before I die!"

Without a second thought, Whitebeard injected the serum into his body. 

He knew that if Byakuya wanted to kill him, he wouldn't need to go through this trouble.

The moment the serum took effect, Whitebeard could feel the changes within him. 

As Byakuya said, his wounds and long-standing internal injuries were significantly alleviated.

The power locked away due to age, and accumulated damage returned to his body. 

It had been over a decade since he last felt such overwhelming strength coursing through his veins.

With heartfelt gratitude, Whitebeard laughed, "Gu la la la! It feels damn good to be back in my prime! Thanks, Byakuya, boy!"

Byakuya's move completely dumbfounded everyone watching—those present and the hundreds of millions who tuned in to the live broadcast.

Handing over a precious healing serum to an enemy in the middle of battle? Just how confident did he have to be to make such a move?

And it wasn't just any enemy—Whitebeard, the man who dominated an entire era.

Even with the countless drawbacks of age, injuries, and declining strength, he still held the title of the world's strongest.

Zephyr and the others couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. 

They knew firsthand how terrifying Whitebeard's peak strength was and feared Byakuya was being reckless.

Some onlookers even secretly hoped to witness a scene where a fully restored Whitebeard would defeat Byakuya.

Now that would be something!

Whitebeard clenched his massive, barrel-like fists, and with just a slight collision, the air cracked like a shattered mirror.

It was a testament to just how monstrous his peak strength truly was.

"Byakuya, take my full-powered strike!"

Whitebeard roared as his fists, momentarily clashing against each other, suddenly parted.

It was as if an invisible wall behind him had exploded, sending his fists flying forward at lightning speed.

CRACK!

The shockwave ruptured the air, shaking the entire ocean.

The once-solid ice crumbled, revealing the raging waters beneath. The waters surged violently, sending towering waves crashing in all directions.

Even the G-5 Marine base was affected—its fortress walls cracked, and the entire island trembled as if being lifted by the force of the waves.

Fujitora's expression darkened.

He immediately activated his Devil Fruit ability, increasing the island's gravity to stabilize it. He let out a breath of relief only when the island stopped shifting.

But in that moment, Fujitora truly grasped the sheer magnitude of Whitebeard's power.

Just the aftershocks of a single full-powered strike had required his full strength to suppress.

Could Byakuya defeat Whitebeard in his prime?

Staring at the incoming destruction, Byakuya's face finally showed a trace of seriousness.

"So this is Whitebeard at his peak? Not bad."

Endless torrents of seawater, mixed with razor-sharp ice shards, came crashing toward Byakuya like a natural disaster.

At the same time, Whitebeard concentrated all his power into his right fist, forming a violently vibrating white sphere.

This was his strongest attack—his ultimate blow.

This punch would determine whether the Whitebeard Pirates could carve a path to survival.

Charging forward with the waves, Whitebeard struck with all his might, his entire spirit and will behind the punch.

A strange gleam flickered in Byakuya's eyes as he murmured, "Now this is getting interesting... I guess I'll get serious, too."

With a low shout, he threw a punch of his own to meet both the tsunami and Whitebeard head-on.

The moment his fist connected—

The colossal wave split cleanly in two.

The seawater turned into deadly projectiles, shot backward like bullets, embedding themselves into the ground and leaving several meters deep craters.

After deflecting dozens of these water bullets with his Iron Fist, Garp felt his hand numb.

One could only imagine the sheer force behind that punch. The massive waves split apart, revealing Whitebeard behind them.

"Quake Fist!"

"Normal Punch!"

The two said their attack names, but compared to Whitebeard's move, Byakuya's naming seemed almost casual.

However, no one dared to think that Byakuya's punch was weaker.

When their fists clashed, the resulting shockwave tore open the sky, leaving a deep rift overhead. 

Unfathomable pressure crushed the ocean beneath them, violently splitting the water to either side. 

The sea levels on both sides rose hundreds of meters higher than the battlefield.

Only when the exposed ocean floor was fully revealed did the towering waves stop rising.

This apocalyptic sight left everyone in stunned silence. Only after a long pause did their attention return to the two warriors.

Byakuya and Whitebeard remained locked in their stance, fists pressed against each other. At first glance, it seemed like an even match.

However, a closer look would reveal the truth—beneath Whitebeard's skin, his body was dyed a deep crimson.

With Byakuya's strength, a single Serious Punch could have reduced Whitebeard to dust.

Yet, out of respect for the man, Byakuya had chosen a Normal Punch.

Instead of obliterating Whitebeard outright, he controlled the force of his attack, sending a devastating impact through Whitebeard's body.

On the surface, Whitebeard appeared unharmed. But inside, his organs, bones, and meridians had been completely shattered.

He was already dead.

Compared to Big Mom, whose skull had been blown apart, or Kaido, who had been ripped in half, Whitebeard's death was, in a way, far more dignified.

As the world watched silently, trying to comprehend the outcome, Byakuya suddenly turned and struck the ocean floor with a single punch, carving out a deep crater.

Without hesitation, he placed Whitebeard's lifeless body inside.

Then, with a mere thought, Byakuya gathered the shattered fragments of Murakumogiri and pieced them back together, laying the great naginata beside its owner.

After a brief contemplation, Byakuya also removed his gloves and placed them in the grave.

This was his way of showing respect to Whitebeard's strength.

Byakuya carved a name on a massive stone slab—Edward Newgate's Grave.

With that, countless stones and sand poured over the body, covering Whitebeard completely.

Finally, the sea rushed back in, filling the void as if nature was sealing the burial site of the man once known as the world's strongest.

Someday, someone might stumble upon this gravestone and learn that the greatest warrior of an era rested beneath the waves.

Marco and the remaining Whitebeard Pirates had witnessed it all. Though their hearts ached with grief, they still bowed deeply to Byakuya.

"Thank you!"

Byakuya killed Whitebeard but gave him an intact body and a proper burial. This was the greatest mercy he could offer.

Byakuya simply waved them off. He had no interest in their gratitude.

Once the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates were dealt with, he would finally know just how much World Source Energy he had gained from this battle.

Turning to Fujitora and the others, Byakuya issued a cold command.

"Finish it."

And so, under the might of the Night Organization, the Whitebeard Pirates stood no chance.

Even Teach, who had revealed Admiral-level strength, was utterly powerless.

Surrounded by Fujitora, Sonic, and Tatsumaki, he was beaten down without any hope of escape.

Bloodied and broken, Teach collapsed to his knees before Byakuya, frantically kowtowing.

"Lord Byakuya! Please, I'll do anything! Let me join the Night Organization! Spare me!"

Byakuya's gaze was indifferent.

"Sorry," he said flatly. "The Night Organization only takes men, not a trash like you."

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