Chapter 66: Breakthrough And Realize The Dominance! Unexpected Visitor

"Broadside fire!"

Whitebeard's voice boomed across the deck.

Fifteen pirate ships, their hulls bristling with cannons, turned to face the Marine warship. Gunners swiftly manned their stations, setting up each artillery piece with precision.

"Fire!"

A blinding burst of light erupted from the barrels of the cannons.

The next moment, the air was filled with the thunderous roar of cannon fire. Countless solid shells shot forth, whistling sharply as they arced through the sky, darkening the horizon like a storm of iron.

Just then, Momousagi leaped into action. With a swift motion, she unleashed a crescent-shaped slash that soared into the sky, intercepting the incoming barrage.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions lit up the sky as the shells detonated, creating a thick cloud of smoke that billowed out, carried away by the wind. The sea beneath them rippled gently, the only reminder of the chaos that had just erupted.

The sailors aboard the warship exhaled in relief, their tension easing as they watched the danger dissipate.

"Gurararara! You've got some skills, Marines!" Whitebeard laughed heartily, the muscles in his arms bulging as a terrifying aura radiated from him. His giant bisento, Murakumogiri, was now cloaked in a milky white glow. The very deck beneath his feet trembled as he prepared his next move.

In the next instant, Whitebeard swung his weapon with a mighty force. The slash he unleashed was ferocious, carrying with it the power to tear and quake the very fabric of space.

Crack!

A sharp, crystalline sound echoed as the air itself seemed to shatter. Spiderweb-like cracks appeared in the atmosphere, spreading rapidly. The sea split open, revealing a massive, bottomless chasm, and the surrounding water twisted violently, forming a colossal tsunami.

Faced with this devastating attack, the sailors aboard the warship turned pale with fear, their eyes wide with despair. Not a single cry escaped their lips as they stood frozen in terror.

Without hesitation, Yamato and Momousagi stepped forward, drawing their weapons as they positioned themselves in front of Carlos. Though their bodies trembled slightly, their eyes were resolute, fixed on the oncoming destruction. Behind Carlos, Ain stood ready, magical pink flames dancing in her hands, prepared to activate her Retro-Retro Fruit ability at any moment.

"So powerful..." Carlos muttered, his expression grim as he took in the scene before him. A single strike from Whitebeard had caused the heavens and earth to tremble. The sheer aftermath had generated a tsunami hundreds of meters high. The sheer force was unimaginable, even more awe-inspiring than what he had read in the comics. Witnessing it in person was like watching the world end.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Carlos's pupils narrowed, and his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life, blue energy beginning to envelop him. Just as he was about to act, a calm, indifferent voice reached his ears.

"Carlos, have you forgotten our agreement? Leave this battle to me."

The words had barely left his lips when a brilliant sword light erupted from the deck. In an instant, a massive, crescent-shaped slash shot into the air, colliding with Whitebeard's strike.

Boom!

A tremendous roar echoed through the sky as the two slashes met. The resulting shockwave spread out for miles, shaking the warship violently. The steel and wood hull creaked under the immense pressure, straining against the force.

As the two powers clashed, the Marine soldiers felt as though a heavy hammer was pounding against their hearts. Their faces turned ashen, their legs weak beneath them.

On the deck of the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates were in shock.

"They actually blocked it?"

"Is that... the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye?"

"No wonder... he's probably the only one who could block Dad's attack..."

As they recognized their opponent, the pirates felt a mix of relief and unease.

"Why is Hawkeye siding with the Marines?" one of them muttered. "Is he the one who attacked the Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates?"

As the crew whispered amongst themselves, Marco, the second-in-command of the Whitebeard Pirates, stepped forward.

"Don't underestimate the Whitebeard Pirates!" Marco growled, his body suddenly igniting with green flames. In an instant, he transformed into a massive phoenix, his wings stretching wide as they beat against the wind.

With a sudden burst of speed, Marco soared across the sky, closing the distance between him and the warship in mere seconds.

"Phoenix Talon!"

His razor-sharp claws, enveloped in blue flames and reinforced with layers of invisible Armament Haki, slashed down with lightning speed, splitting the air and creating ear-piercing screeches.

"Well done!" A loud shout suddenly echoed in Marco's ears.

Before he could react, an unstoppable force slammed into him. Marco let out a grunt as he was sent hurtling back like a meteor, crashing into one of his own pirate ships with tremendous force.

Boom!

The ship's deck splintered under the impact, the wood groaning in protest as it was cleaved in two. The shockwave from the collision sent ripples through the sea, and Marco's body was driven deep into the ocean floor, a hundred meters below the surface.

A shadow descended from the sky, landing on the bow of the warship beside Hawkeye. Only then did everyone realize that it was Vice Admiral Carlos who had delivered the blow.

The Marines aboard the warship were stunned into silence by the sight.

"He really is a powerful man... to have defeated Charlotte Linlin and now Marco with a single punch... Vice Admiral Carlos's strength is terrifying," one of the soldiers murmured in awe. "Is this even a power a human can possess?"

"That punch... it could probably shatter a mountain," another whispered.

On the Donquixote family's ship trailing behind, gasps of shock rippled through the crew. Doflamingo trembled as he swallowed hard, memories of something dreadful flashing in his mind.

"Killing Marco with one punch? How is that even possible?" Doflamingo muttered, disbelief etched on his face. He had navigated both the underworld and the pirate world for years, and Marco's name was one he had heard countless times. A Zoan-type Mythical Beast user, Marco held a bounty of over a billion berries and was Whitebeard's second-in-command. Yet, here he was, utterly defeated by Carlos in a single strike.

It wasn't just him. Trebol, Diamante, and the others around him shuddered, their eyes wide with fear as they stared at Carlos's back. That punch had opened their eyes to the true dangers of the New World.

On the Moby Dick

After a brief scramble, the Whitebeard Pirates managed to pull Marco from the depths. Whitebeard's expression was dark, his mood even darker. Marco had been with him for decades, surviving countless battles together. Whitebeard knew his strength better than anyone.

But to see him defeated so decisively... it didn't seem real.

"You're not bad, Marine..." Whitebeard growled, taking a deep breath as he raised his Murakumogiri once more.

But before he could act, Vista's voice rang out urgently beside him.

"Wait, Pops!"

"That guy... he looks like Garros!"

"What?" Whitebeard and the rest of the crew turned to Vista in surprise.

Vista nodded solemnly. "I'm certain. Even though it's been months since the Sabaody auction, I still remember him clearly. That's definitely Carlos."

After receiving the confirmation, Whitebeard frowned.

"Why is this guy with the Marines? Could it be...?"

An incredible realization struck him suddenly. He turned to the warship in the distance and shouted, "Boy, are you Garros? The Garros who defeated the Beasts Pirates?"

Carlos nodded and admitted, "Yes, that's me."

Whitebeard fell silent for a moment before speaking in a deep voice. "You defeated the Beasts Pirates and avenged my best friend. For that reason, I will not attack you again."

"But before that, there's one more thing to confirm."

"How about it? Are you willing to come aboard and discuss this?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Momousagi stepped in front of Carlos, looking nervous. "Hey, don't agree to this. It might be a trap!"

Carlos smiled lightly. "Since they've extended an invitation for talks, how can I refuse?"

"It seems there's no hostility from the other side. It's good that the misunderstanding is being resolved," Momousagi said, but added, "Still, it's too dangerous for you to go alone..."

Momousagi was about to say more when Carlos's eyes suddenly sharpened. A breathtaking aura emanated from him.

"If you don't have the courage to face pirates, what kind of Marine are you?"

As he spoke, his Conqueror's Haki erupted, radiating like a volcanic explosion, soaring into the sky!

In that moment, the wind howled, the sea churned, and even the heavens seemed to change color. The deck and ship walls trembled as if struck by an immense force, cracking layer by layer.

The crowd around them felt darkness encroaching and almost lost consciousness.

Carlos's body trembled as he absorbed the realization. The monstrous Conqueror's Haki gathered around him, bursting out as black lightning.

The sheer power was overwhelming, causing everyone present to recoil in fear.

"I see, this is Haoshoku..." Carlos murmured to himself, looking at his hands wrapped in black lightning. Over the past few months, he had challenged and defeated two Sea Emperors. Unbeknownst to him, his physical and mental strength had undergone a massive transformation. Now, facing Whitebeard's invitation, it felt like he had broken through some barriers.

Conqueror's Haki had advanced from "Grandmaster level" to "Penultimate level"!

"It's truly remarkable..."

Hawkeye shivered slightly, his sharp eyes blazing with fierce anticipation. He was eager to test himself against Carlos. Recalling their previous agreement, he sighed.

"In that case, I'll accompany you."

Under the nervous gazes of everyone on both sides, Carlos and Hawkeye left the warship and boarded the Moby Dick.

They climbed the long stairs to the deck. Directly in front of them, more than ten meters away, sat a tall, muscular man over six meters tall, shirtless. His crescent-shaped white beard confirmed his identity.

It was Edward Newgate, the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, known as the strongest man in the world!

His body was covered in bandages, and exhaustion marked his features. He had clearly been seriously injured in recent battles against the Marines, Kaido, Bullet, and others.

Whitebeard said nothing and ignored Hawkeye, focusing solely on Carlos. Despite the ships being thousands of meters apart, he could still feel the immense pressure Carlos had just exerted.

Whitebeard's eyes held a mix of surprise and deep-seated fear.

On either side of the deck stood the Whitebeard Pirates' captains. Carlos and Hawkeye walked to the center of the deck, where everyone assumed a defensive stance, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Carlos silently took in the familiar faces around him:

Marco, the "Phoenix," the captain of the first division, who had been defeated by him.

Jozi, the captain of the third division, a towering figure with the Paramecia-type Shining Fruit ability.

Bista, the "Foil Bista," whom he had briefly fought at Sabaody.

Izo, the warrior from Wano who resembled a woman.

The atmosphere was tense and heavy. If an ordinary person were here, their legs would probably be shaking with fear.

But Carlos and Hawkeye were no ordinary people. They felt unperturbed. If it came to a fight, their combined strength could easily ensure their escape unscathed. Yet, Carlos sensed that the Whitebeard Pirates were not very hostile, at least for now. Since Whitebeard was silent, Carlos chose to remain quiet as well to avoid trouble.

After a while, Whitebeard spoke.

"Kozuki Oden was once my son, but unfortunately..."

He paused, shaking his head as he recalled the past. "You have avenged him and helped his descendants liberate Wano. I won't make things difficult for you, but..."

Whitebeard's tone suddenly grew harsh. "Did you kill my son, Scuyard?"

Whitebeard viewed his subordinates as family, and the death of his son demanded a serious response.

"The Great Vortex Spider Pirates?"

"I did it."

Hawkeye, standing beside Carlos, acknowledged the truth. The sharp murderous intent in Whitebeard's eyes flashed momentarily before his tone turned solemn.

"Good, very good!"

"Pay your life for Scuyard!"

Hawkeye unsheathed his black sword, Yoru, from behind him.

"Fight? I'd be glad to."

At that moment, the sky darkened. Everyone looked up as a massive black shadow descended from the clouds.

The shadow revealed itself as a giant dragon, several thousand meters long, its vast and powerful presence radiating downwards like a tidal wave.

The faces of everyone present turned grave. It was Kaido, the King of Beasts!

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