It's Time to Relinquish the Throne, Whitebeard!
This was Sanders' strength even without relying on his Devil Fruit abilities.
It could be said that, even if stripped of his Devil Fruits, he would still be one of the most formidable powers on the seas.
This was one of his achievements after a year of relentless training.
Ever since obtaining the Azure Dragon Fruit and inheriting Kaido's indomitable physique, Sanders had honed his body and skills to perfection.
Now, his martial arts were at an apex level.
Even without his Devil Fruit abilities, he was confident enough to challenge—and even defeat—Emperors and Admirals alike!
Whitebeard's Murakumogiri came slashing down, radiating the destructive power to tear Sanders apart.
Yet, it was blocked by Sanders' fists.
This time, Whitebeard was no longer merely testing the waters like before.
"Come on, Whitebeard! Let me witness the might of the 'Strongest Man in the World'!" Sanders clenched his fists, the crackling sound echoing as he charged at Whitebeard with an excited grin.
His fists, wrapped in Armament Haki, rained down on Whitebeard like a torrential storm.
Whitebeard, though massive in stature, was surprisingly fast.
Wielding his Murakumogiri, he parried Sanders' punches with exceptional precision, each swing ferocious and sharp.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing reverberated through the frozen sea.
The shockwaves from their collision rippled outward, buffeting the nearby Moby Dick and other ships.
Some of the vessels began to show visible damage from the sheer force of the battle.
"Move the ships farther away," Marco instructed as he watched the distant figures of Whitebeard and Sanders.
"If we're too close, it might interfere with Father's fight."
"Should we stay here?" Flower Sword Vista asked, referring to the division commanders.
After all, the rest of the crew could do little more than stand idle and risk becoming liabilities.
"No need," Marco replied, shaking his head.
"If someone sees us here, they might think the Whitebeard Pirates are ganging up on Sanders. I won't have Father's reputation sullied over something like that."
"Got it," the others agreed without hesitation.
In no time, the fleet moved to a safer distance, leaving Marco and the division commanders watching anxiously from afar.
They weren't worried that Whitebeard would lose.
To them, Whitebeard's strength was beyond question.
But they were deeply concerned about his health.
Marco, in particular, was acutely aware of the toll on Whitebeard's body.
Back on the battlefield, Sanders attacked with unabated excitement.
Every time his fist collided with Whitebeard's strikes, he could feel an overwhelming tremor—a power that seemed intent on shattering his Haki and his very body.
If it weren't for his Kaido-like physique, that vibration alone would have been enough to incapacitate him.
"Amazing… Whitebeard!"
Boom!
Whitebeard landed a powerful punch, sending Sanders skidding back across the ice.
Standing tall with his Murakumogiri planted in the frozen sea, Whitebeard's coat billowed in the wind. A faint smile played at his lips.
"What's the matter, Lightning Kid? Where's that thunder and lightning of yours? Are you looking down on me?"
Sanders grinned without answering.
Bending his knees slightly, he suddenly launched himself into the air.
His fists, cloaked in Armament Haki, crackled with red and black lightning.
Descending from above, he aimed a devastating punch straight at Whitebeard's head.
Whitebeard's expression remained calm.
He brought his right hand to his chest, clenching his fist tightly.
His bulging muscles rippled with power, veins popping as an ethereal shockwave surrounded his hand.
Boom!
The two strikes didn't even make direct contact.
Yet, the space between them seemed to shatter like glass under the force of their collision.
The impact obliterated Sanders' attack, while the aftershock reverberated across the battlefield.
"Kid, after you stirred up trouble with Kaido, didn't he retaliate against your territory? It seems you've mastered his kind of power as well."
Whitebeard's voice rumbled as his sharp eyes locked onto the red lightning sparking from Sanders' fists.
The display of Sanders' mastery of martial arts, Haki, and even Conqueror's Haki infusion had deeply impressed Whitebeard.
The sheer quality of these skills alone was enough to place Sanders among the apex of the world's strongest.
Conqueror's Haki was not rare, but the ability to infuse it into attacks was exceedingly uncommon.
It was a power possessed by only a handful of the most elite warriors.
Whitebeard had dominated the seas for decades, witnessing countless geniuses and powerful figures. However, those who could master the ability of Conqueror's Haki coating were few—only around a dozen in total.
While a dozen might sound like a lot, in the vast world of the sea, it was incredibly rare. Presently, the Four Emperors alone occupied four of these positions.
"However!"
Whitebeard clenched his left fist, black and red lightning intertwining and coating his arm. "If you want to defeat me, just this isn't enough!" He threw his left fist forward with tremendous force.
At that moment, his strength, Haki, and Devil Fruit power were displayed to perfection.
The sheer force of the impact sent Sanders flying, sliding across the ice for hundreds of meters before finally coming to a halt.
Shaking his head, Sanders stood back up from the icy surface. His eyes showed no trace of discouragement. Instead, they burned with fighting spirit!
So this is the strength of the world's strongest man? Truly formidable! Sanders thought to himself.
The overwhelming physical strength was something that deeply shocked him, even now.
It wasn't human strength; it was monstrous. Even after obtaining the power of a giant, Sanders couldn't compare to Whitebeard's raw might.
No wonder those who stand at the peak of the sea are all monsters!
Relying solely on physical combat and Haki to defeat him seemed like an uphill battle.
With this in mind, lightning began to crackle around Sanders.
"Lightning Flash!"
In the blink of an eye, Sanders transformed into a bolt of lightning and disappeared from his original spot.
When he reappeared, he was already in front of Whitebeard.
"Three Hundred Million Volts: Thunder Fist!"
Terrifying lightning surged from Sanders' fist, crashing toward Whitebeard with overwhelming power.
The sound of electric charges crackling filled the air, and the boundless lightning seemed as though it would obliterate everything in its path.
Whitebeard remained calm, raising his fist high and throwing a simple, unadorned punch toward Sanders.
Boom!
The thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield.
Blinding blue and white light engulfed Whitebeard.
Crack!
The sound of space shattering like glass echoed loudly.
The lightning, powerful enough to obliterate everything in its path, was extinguished the moment the space broke apart.
"Is that all you've got, Lightning Brat?!" Whitebeard's domineering voice thundered across the sea.
"Still trying to scare children, huh?!"
"Is that so?" Sanders raised an eyebrow. Blue and white lightning gathered in front of him.
"Five Hundred Million Volts: Thunder Dragon!"
A ferocious and domineering dragon of lightning materialized between the two combatants.
Its scales gleamed with electricity, and the red lightning of Conqueror's Haki swirled menacingly around its massive head.
Roar!
The deep and powerful roar of the beast echoed. Under Sanders' command, the Thunder Dragon, like a living creature, opened its ferocious maw and lunged at Whitebeard!
Whitebeard raised his weapon, the Murakumogiri, and swung it in an arc through the air.
The power of his quake fruit combined with his Haki coated the weapon as he struck the dragon head-on.
"Break!"
The veins on Whitebeard's arm bulged as his immense power tore through the dragon. The colossal Thunder Dragon split in two with a desperate roar before disintegrating into nothingness.
However, in the moment Whitebeard split the dragon apart, Sanders had already closed the distance, appearing in front of him.
He raised his fist and punched Whitebeard squarely in the chest.
The tremendous force of the blow sent Whitebeard flying.
"Father!"
Onboard the Moby Dick, the division commanders' faces changed drastically, unable to hold back their startled cries.
Yet, none of them made a move.
They all knew that their invincible father wouldn't fall so easily!
As expected, Whitebeard plunged his Murakumogiri into the ice mid-slide, creating a deep trench as he came to a halt.
"Gurararara!"
"Not bad, Sanders!"
"Come on, if you want to defeat me, then show me your true power!"
As soon as Whitebeard's words fell, Sanders was already in front of him again.
"You've sat on this throne long enough. It's time to give it up, Whitebeard!"
With a cold expression, Sanders threw another punch.
Whitebeard burst out laughing and engaged Sanders in battle once more.
--------------
T/N:
Access 30 chapters in advance on my P@treon: p@treon.com/OneFic