Sensing the overwhelming power erupting from Whitebeard Jr. in his maddened state, Ren's heart was struck with a rare flash of alarm. A faint but undeniable sense of danger filled the air.
Clang!
Blades clashed again. Sparks flew.
Space cracked and groaned under the pressure!
Ren was blasted several meters backward. Though uninjured, he was deeply shocked by the sheer force behind Whitebeard Jr.'s attacks.
He hadn't expected such incredible speed and monstrous strength—combined with an insane level of durability.
"No wonder this guy managed to slice off Teacher Zephyr's arm in the original timeline… He's even more of a monster than I thought!"
Just as Ren was stabilizing himself, Whitebeard Jr. vanished again—so fast the air didn't even ripple.
Whoosh!
Space split open as the naginata came crashing down with the force of a mountain.
"You're throwing a tantrum already? Don't be so hot-headed!"
Ren growled, and his Armament Haki flowed like molten metal over his fists. He punched out with full force, colliding directly with the descending naginata.
He had switched back to his fists. His swordsmanship, while at the level of a swordsman, was still not enough to match his opponent in this state.
CLANG!
The collision shook the heavens. Shockwaves rippled outward in a spherical blast, and the space between them distorted visibly.
As blade and fist clashed, a howling whirlwind tore through the battlefield.
Only Ren and Whitebeard Jr. remained on the massive pirate ship—everyone else had long since retreated to other ships and joined the clash between Marines and pirates.
But under the command of Zephyr and aided by elite fighters like Ain, the pirates under Whitebeard Jr. were getting thoroughly trounced.
Especially after seeing Ren holding back the strongest enemy on his own, morale among the Marine cadets surged—and they quickly seized the upper hand.
"Excellent. That brat Ren is doing great. Garp, your disciple's ready to graduate! Hahaha!"
Zephyr, keeping an eye on the battle, was clearly satisfied.
Whitebeard Jr. wasn't just some thug. Word had it the World Government was already eyeing him as a future Warlord of the Sea.
That was a title equivalent to an Admiral. Without power beyond a Vice Admiral's, no one could even dream of the position.
Seeing Ren keep up with such a monster using just Haki, Zephyr finally relaxed.
"Truly, there's no such thing as having too many skills," he muttered with pride. Ren's versatility and strength were outstanding.
Meanwhile, the cadets on the warship were still in shock—watching the terrifying battle unfold in complete disbelief.
In the sky, Ren's Haki-infused fists seemed to turn into blazing white streams, like thunderclouds ripping across the heavens.
BOOM!
A punch slammed into Whitebeard Jr.'s chest, shattering his ribcage with terrifying force.
CRACK! CRACK!
PUH!
Blood sprayed. His massive body crashed down like a meteor, smashing through the deck.
The impact left a gaping hole in the ship, and his form disappeared into the shadows below.
BOOM!
The vessel crumbled, steel beams raining down.
Ren slowly descended toward the gaping pit, his black eyes flashing with a hint of surprise.
That punch had seriously injured his opponent—but he could still sense Whitebeard Jr.'s aura. It hadn't weakened much at all.
DING! Congratulations, Host! You have received one Frozen-Fruit Shard!
The system's sweet voice rang out, and Ren smiled.
The Frozen-Fruit was the perfect summer power—a top-tier tool for keeping cool.
In the original series, he had always envied Aokiji's ability. Freezing the sea underfoot, striding across the ocean… The entrance potential was incredible.
A true king's fruit for dramatic flair.
"But what kind of Devil Fruit did this guy eat? How can he recover from damage this fast?"
Ren frowned.
He remembered: awakened Zoan users had incredibly tough bodies, insane recovery, and stamina to keep getting back up—no matter how many times they were knocked down.
But strangely enough, Whitebeard Jr. hadn't shown any transformation typical of Zoan-type fruits.
This only made things more confusing.
A howling wind swept through the sky. Dust clouds scattered.
Whitebeard Jr. suddenly leapt out of the wreckage, naginata still gripped tightly in both hands—his appearance unchanged.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"
His eyes flared with murderous rage, but just as he prepared to strike again, Ren's calm voice cut through the tension.
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