The Whitebeard Pirates were utterly stunned.
Were these really the same people they'd seen in the live broadcast? Why were they here, building houses? And not just any houses—ones that looked impressively well-crafted?
Seeing their shocked expressions, Felix finally let a proud smile spread across his face. He'd been intimidated by the Whitebeard Pirates earlier, but their astonishment now gave him a surge of confidence. "This is our Ninja Guild's construction team," he declared with pride. "Every new house here was built by them!"
The Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders exchanged bewildered glances. Even Whitebeard himself found it bizarre. It wasn't that building houses was strange, but the contrast was staggering. These were the same people who'd fended off tens of thousands of elite Marines?
From a distance, the group didn't exude any overwhelming presence. Yet, they were the ones who'd repelled such a force?
"Boss, can I have a go at them?" asked "Diamond" Joz, the Third Division Commander with the Glint-Glint Fruit, his eyes blazing with eagerness.
The other division commanders shared his enthusiasm. The live broadcast had already sparked their desire to test the Ninja Guild's strength.
Whitebeard hesitated, but before he could decide, a voice cut in: "Let them have a match."
Turning, Whitebeard saw a young man approaching—Lin Xuan, the rising star whose bounty had recently surpassed even his own.
Lin Xuan, meanwhile, was sizing up Whitebeard. The legendary Emperor of the Sea, hailed as the world's strongest man, radiated an aura of raw dominance that exceeded even Lin Xuan's expectations.
Whitebeard let out a hearty laugh. "Gurararara! Alright, boys, go have some fun!"
"Yes, sir!" The division commanders grinned, their fighting spirit ignited as they headed toward the Ninja Guild's "construction team."
After learning their intent, Hashirama Senju raised his hand, forming seals. With a burst of Wood Style, he crafted a battle arena from the ground.
The sparring began.
First Division Commander "Phoenix" Marco challenged Hashirama, only to be swiftly defeated. Stunned by Hashirama's overwhelming power, the other commanders hesitated to challenge him further.
One by one, others stepped up to spar. Word spread, and more Ninja Guild warriors arrived, joining the fray.
As time passed, the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders were left dumbfounded. Who were these monsters? Gasping for breath and sprawled on the ground, they were exhausted, while the Ninja Guild members seemed unfazed, brimming with eagerness for more.
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan had led Whitebeard to a guest building. "Gurararara, you're quite the guy," Whitebeard said, his tone heavy with admiration. "Seeing you makes me feel my age!"
Their brief exchange had already convinced him that Lin Xuan was no ordinary man.
Lin Xuan smiled faintly. He'd already guessed the reason for Whitebeard's visit to the Sabaody Archipelago. The Navy had captured "Fire Fist" Ace, the Second Division Commander, who had ties to Lin Xuan. The war at Sabaody had humiliated the World Government, denting their prestige and causing them trouble. Unable to deal with the Ninja Guild directly, they'd targeted the Whitebeard Pirates instead.
Whitebeard hadn't risen to his status through strength alone. He saw through the World Government's intentions. Before witnessing the Sabaody war—especially the massive Buster Call—he might've charged into battle head-on. But that display of the World Government's hidden power made rescuing Ace a daunting task for his crew alone.
After careful thought, Whitebeard decided to ally with the Ninja Guild, the World Government's sworn enemy.
After lengthy negotiations, Lin Xuan and Whitebeard struck a deal. The Ninja Guild would assist in rescuing Ace, but not for free. In addition to a hefty payment, Whitebeard's crew would provide Devil Fruits. Orochimaru had recently mentioned needing various Devil Fruits for experiments, and with Whitebeard offering, Lin Xuan wasn't about to be polite.
Whitebeard had come prepared, his sincerity evident. Like Monkey D. Dragon, he presented a Devil Fruit as a gesture of goodwill, with promises of further rewards upon success. Even without payment, the Ninja Guild might've helped, but that would've left Whitebeard owing a favor. Given the choice, he opted to pay a fair price, treating it as hiring the Guild.
Lin Xuan took the box Whitebeard offered and opened it to reveal a crimson fruit. A note inside read: "Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Ba Serpent."
What a coincidence. Just yesterday, Orochimaru had mentioned needing more Devil Fruits for research, and here Whitebeard delivered one. The gesture spoke volumes about his determination to save Ace. Without that resolve, a man of Whitebeard's pride would never have sought a partnership.
Lin Xuan had his system appraise the fruit. A chime rang in his mind: "Appraisal complete! This item's recycle value is 20 million reputation points. Proceed with recycling?"
He paused, considering the possibilities.
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T/N:
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