"Pops!"
With that shout, the movements of Lancelot and Mihawk instantly drew everyone's attention.
The already intense battlefield seemed to freeze, as attacks from both sides came to an abrupt halt.
Especially among the members of the Whitebeard Pirates, deep concern was etched on their faces. They were well aware of their captain's physical condition.
Though his strength remained unparalleled, time had taken its toll, and his body was no longer as robust as it once was.
He often required treatment from Marco.
If the attackers were merely ordinary strong fighters, or if only one of them had launched an assault, they might not have been so worried.
Whitebeard's power was undeniable, and handling such threats would have been effortless, even trivial.
However, the ones making their move now were no ordinary figures.
One was Mihawk, hailed as the world's greatest swordsman, and the other was Lancelot, whose strength rivaled even Kaido's.
Facing such formidable enemies, and in an unfavorable two-against-one situation, even their captain would likely struggle to handle it with ease!
How could they not be filled with anxiety?
Yet, Marco and "Diamond" Jozu, standing guard beside Whitebeard, would never allow Lancelot and Mihawk's intentions to succeed.
In that critical moment, the two of them moved almost simultaneously, swift as lightning.
Marco's legs erupted with immense force, as if infused with boundless power, propelling him into the air like an arrow released from its bow.
Immediately after, the massive wings on his back unfurled rapidly, resembling a pair of magnificent feathered wings.
With a powerful flap, they stirred up a tremendous gust of wind.
Propelled by this forceful current, Marco's figure shot toward Lancelot like a blazing meteor, his speed astonishing.
At the same time, "Diamond" Jozu darted forward, leaping into the path of Mihawk's slash.
His ability activated instantly, encasing his entire body in an indestructible, shimmering layer of diamond, gleaming and unyielding.
BOOM…
The first to collide were Marco and Lancelot in mid-air.
As the two closed in at breakneck speed, Marco's legs underwent a startling transformation, morphing into a pair of razor-sharp talons.
These talons gleamed with a cold light, like the scythe of death, carrying a fierce momentum as they slashed viciously toward Lancelot.
Faced with Marco's thunderous strike, Lancelot remained calm.
A faint, disdainful smile curled at the corner of his lips, as if he regarded Marco's attack with indifference.
At that moment, Lancelot suddenly threw a punch, streaking through the air like a shooting star.
In an instant, talon and fist collided violently in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very world.
The force of the impact was immense.
Clearly, Lancelot's strength held the upper hand.
Under the ferocious collision, Marco's entire leg was instantly shattered, and even half of his body suffered severe destruction.
Nevertheless, despite this, Marco had successfully blocked Lancelot's attack, forcing him to come to a halt.
Meanwhile, on the ground, "Diamond" Jozu was also facing immense pressure.
Mihawk's terrifying slash came down like lightning, carrying an unparalleled force.
Seeing this, Jozu immediately caught the deadly slash with both hands.
However, the power of this slash was simply too overwhelming.
Even a powerhouse like Jozu found it difficult to withstand it completely. Under the immense impact of the slash, Jozu was forced to retreat continuously, his legs dragging two deep grooves into the icy surface.
"Hah!"
But Jozu's defense and strength were equally terrifying. With a sudden roar, all his power erupted like a volcanic explosion.
He forcefully raised his arms, using every ounce of his strength to push Mihawk's slash upward into the sky.
With a deafening boom, the slash exploded in mid-air, generating a powerful shockwave.
This shockwave spread outward at an astonishing speed, like raging tidal waves, scattering the clouds in the sky.
Seeing this, Mihawk gave "Diamond" Jozu a deep, meaningful look before refraining from further action.
He knew that with Jozu present, directly attacking Whitebeard was nearly impossible.
At the same time, he was astonished by Jozu's strength.
Meanwhile, in mid-air, Lancelot watched as Marco, whose body had been half-shattered by his powerful attack just moments ago, was rapidly regenerating at a visible pace, completely restored in the blink of an eye!
Although Lancelot had heard of Marco's regenerative abilities before, witnessing it firsthand left him shocked.
This god-like recovery power was astounding!
Lancelot couldn't help but exclaim, "Marco's Phoenix Fruit is truly incredible! With such an ability, it's almost impossible to inflict substantial damage on him before his stamina runs out!"
At the same time, Marco also noticed Lancelot's presence. His gaze fixed intently on Lancelot, as if flames were about to shoot from his eyes.
He recognized Lancelot as the Marine who had captured Ace!
If looks could kill, Lancelot would have already been reduced to ashes by Marco's burning fury!
Not only Marco, but even Whitebeard now locked his imposing gaze firmly on Lancelot.
His right hand gripped the Murakumogiri tightly, as if merging with it.
His eyes stared unwaveringly at Lancelot before he emotionlessly uttered, "Brat, was it you who captured Ace?"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Murakumogiri in his hand swung with lightning speed.
Simultaneously, the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit within him was unleashed, generating a powerful shockwave.
Crash…
With that thunderous sound, Lancelot was sent flying like a cannonball before he could even react.
His body soared through the air before crashing violently into the wall of the naval port.
Rumble…
The wall emitted a deafening roar under the impact, then collapsed in a large section, unable to bear the force.
Lancelot's body was buried beneath the rubble.
Hiss...
Seeing this scene, everyone present couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.
Especially the Marines, who were well aware of Lancelot's strength.
In their minds, Lancelot had long been equivalent to an Admiral.
...
However, it was unbelievable that such a formidable being could be so easily defeated by Whitebeard!
With just a casual swing of his blade, he sent him flying as if swatting a fly.
This scene was so shocking that they couldn't accept the reality unfolding before their eyes.
Boom…
Just as they stood in stunned silence, the rubble pinning Lancelot down was suddenly pushed aside by an immense force.
Accompanied by a dull, heavy impact, the ground trembled violently.
Lancelot emerged from the wreckage unscathed, as if it hadn't been him who was sent flying moments ago.
Yet, as he walked, he gently rubbed his abdomen, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face.
He had to admit, Whitebeard's earlier strike was astonishing in its power—it had genuinely hurt.
At the same time, Lancelot was deeply shocked by Whitebeard's Quake-Quake Ability.
This ability was terrifying, as if it defied all logic.
It could unleash such immense force from a distance, striking its target as if materializing out of thin air.
Moreover, the sheer destructive power of that strike was breathtaking.
He finally understood why, in the original story, Whitebeard could so effortlessly send Aokiji into Elementalization with a single long-range attack, sending him plummeting into the sea like a kite with its string cut.
This kind of power surpassed ordinary comprehension—it was nothing short of miraculous.
Lancelot deeply realized that Whitebeard's title as the world's strongest man was no empty boast.
His strength was unfathomable, as vast and intimidating as the boundless ocean.
This single strike alone would be enough to send the vast majority of people fleeing in terror, utterly incapable of dodging it, let alone withstanding it.
Simultaneously, Lancelot was awestruck by Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The power contained within this Devil Fruit was truly cataclysmic.
It could unleash such terrifying vibrations that even the earth trembled in response—a spectacle both awe-inspiring and fearsome.
And yet, it was equally devastating in single-target attacks.
It was simply perfect.
Originally, he had planned to ascend to Sky Island after this war concluded, capture Enel in one fell swoop, and thereby seize his Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
But now, it seemed his own perspective had been rather shortsighted.
In comparison, Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit was far more compatible with him.
Because of this realization, the look in Lancelot's eyes as he gazed at Whitebeard shifted subtly.