Chapter 401: Beyond the End, There is Another End
Chapter 401: Beyond the End, There is Another End
Towering waves swept through, engulfing the Moby Dick in their mighty embrace and dragging it out to the open sea. The anchor, buried deep in the mud and sand, struggled to hold the ship in place, much like a person clinging desperately to a rope in the midst of a raging storm.
On the other side,
Feng Ye's ship rose and fell with the waves, protected by a group of sea monsters who were doing their utmost to keep it stable, perhaps even more so than the Moby Dick. Robin gripped the mast affixed to the ship's rail, steadying herself to avoid being thrown overboard.
Finally,
after a brief moment, everything gradually returned to silence. No more sounds emanated from the island, and it became apparent that it had split into five large chunks and several smaller fragments from its central point.
At that moment,
everyone turned their eyes toward the heart of the island.
"What's the situation? Is it over?"
On the Moby Dick, the fourth squad captain, Sadi, took a deep breath, his voice quivering as he struggled to maintain his composure.
Swoosh!!
Marco's arms trembled as he transformed into his phoenix form, soaring into the sky. Bathed in azure flames, his eyes reflected tension and worry as he swiftly flew toward the center of the island to assess the situation.
There,
Whitebeard stood at the edge of a fragmented piece of land, his grip tight on his naginata, the Kusungiri. Feng Ye hovered in the sky a few dozen meters away.
"Old man!"
Noticing that Whitebeard seemed unhurt, Marco breathed a slight sigh of relief. He didn't approach recklessly but instead landed on a nearby rock.
Neither Feng Ye nor Whitebeard spared him a glance.
Clang!
Feng Ye closed his eyes briefly, savoring the aftertaste of the intense battle before sheathing his sword, which emitted a crisp clang. He then turned to face Whitebeard.
"Let's end it here, Whitebeard."
"Let's call it a draw."
Feng Ye slowly descended from the sky.
His battle with Whitebeard had further enhanced the concentration of his Armament Haki. It had now reached a level comparable to that of Garp's, approaching the pinnacle of what was possible in this world.
The quantity and concentration of Armament Haki were two distinct concepts.
Armament Haki was an energy derived from the body, and in terms of physical prowess, no one in this world could match him. Thus, the quantity of his Armament Haki was unquestionably the strongest in existence.
However, in terms of concentration, he had previously fallen slightly short of Garp, akin to the difference between ordinary iron and high-strength alloy.
And it was for this very reason,
that there was still room for his strength to grow. His goal was to elevate the concentration of his Haki, transforming it from ordinary iron to a high-strength alloy.
After the battles at Marineford and against Whitebeard, the gap between his Haki concentration and Garp's had narrowed significantly.
One could say
that even if he utilized Haki comparable to Garp's, controlling his strength and speed to match the latter, he would still be able to engage Garp in a fierce battle.
Garp's Armament Haki represented the pinnacle and limit of what was achievable in this world. If one were to rate its strength out of 100 points, Feng Ye had now reached 95.
As for his swordsmanship, there wasn't much improvement to speak of.
He was still a step away from attaining the level of a great swordsmaster. That level was not merely about the application of strength and energy but represented a certain state of mind or, rather, a feeling.
It was a power rooted in the heart, not a physical force, and it had no absolute correlation with one's spirit, soul, or body.
"Yes," Feng Ye replied with a smile.
"You are indeed the strongest person I have ever met in this world." Whitebeard acknowledged, his voice carrying a tone of respect.
Feng Ye turned and began walking towards the shore of the island, his back to the legendary pirate.
Watching the retreating figure of Feng Ye, Whitebeard shook his head gently. "You must be joking..." he muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You didn't even go all out, I could sense it. This battle was merely a means for you to temper your Haki; you never truly unleashed your fighting spirit."
Whitebeard's words hung in the air as he stared at Feng Ye's departing back, a faint sense of awe in his voice. The battle they had just fought had given him a glimpse into the depths of Feng Ye's power, a power that seemed to plunge into the abyss, immeasurable and unfathomable.
Throughout their clash, Whitebeard had even felt a spark of battle-lust, something he hadn't experienced in many years. But he saw none of that same passion in Feng Ye's eyes, and it made him realize that this battle hadn't even come close to pushing Feng Ye to his limits.
The title of the world's strongest man, which Whitebeard had held for so long, seemed to have shifted in that very moment. The power Feng Ye exuded was unlike anything he had ever encountered, transcending the bounds of humanity.
That power left Whitebeard feeling a sense of bewilderment.
As the man known as the world's strongest, standing at the pinnacle of the sea, Whitebeard had encountered countless strong opponents. In his youth, there had been those stronger than him, like Rocks.
But since then, he had never lost to anyone, not even the Pirate King Gol D. Roger.
He was the unwavering pinnacle, standing at the very end of the sea.
Yet now, he realized that his position was not truly the end. Beyond him lay an even vaster ocean, and in its distant reaches, the figure of Feng Ye stood tall.
"Just how far does your power extend?" Whitebeard asked, his voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
He, too, wanted to know the answer.
As a user of the Gura Gura no Mi, Whitebeard's every action caused massive destruction, and so he always held back in his battles. But in Feng Ye, he sensed an even greater level of restraint, a restraint that hinted at a power beyond his own.
"If the opportunity arises, I'll show you," Feng Ye replied casually, continuing his walk away from Whitebeard.
Silence fell for a few seconds as Whitebeard considered his words. "To sail on these vast seas, we all have our reasons," he said at last. "Some seek power and wealth, others desire strength and women. There are those like me who long for family. What drives you on your voyage?"
Whitebeard, too, wanted to know the answer to this question.
Feng Ye paused in his steps and turned his head slightly to look back at Whitebeard. His eyes shone with a deep azure light, like a starry sky, as if they held the secrets of endless time within their depths.
"To lead different people to different futures," Feng Ye replied, his voice steady and filled with conviction. "That is what I desire."
A brief silence fell over the area.
Diamond Jozu and Flower Sword Vista, who had rushed over from a distance, remained quiet, sensing the weight of the moment.
After a few seconds of this stillness, Feng Ye suddenly laughed, breaking the frozen atmosphere. "I've answered quite a few of your questions. Won't you offer me a drink?" he asked with a playful smile.
"...Very well," Whitebeard said, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Marco, prepare a feast! We celebrate this day!"
(End of Chapter)
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