"What does 'no clashing phenomenon' mean?" Marco's mind hadn't quite processed it yet, and he blurted out the question unconsciously.
Nero didn't answer, and Whitebeard also remained silent, just staring at Nero.
After a long moment, Whitebeard spoke.
"Nero, what exactly happened to you?"
"Eh? Is that the question?" Nero was a little surprised; she had expected Whitebeard's emotions to be more intense!
"Haoshoku represents a person's spirit. Although I've lived a relatively peaceful life these past few years and my Haoshoku has declined somewhat, it hasn't reached the point of being shattered at a touch."
Whitebeard's expression was solemn: "What instantly broke through and suppressed my Haoshoku just now definitely wasn't pure Conqueror's Haki. What is the origin of the demonic quality you've carried since before?"
"Mwahaha! Was I seen through so quickly?" Nero scratched her head.
"Actually, I don't really understand it either! It's been like this ever since I came down from Mary Geoise. Some potential within me seems to have been fully unleashed."
"When did you go to Mary Geoise?" Whitebeard asked, puzzled.
"Uhm, that time with Tiger! I went to join in the fun too!"
"You, you really are..." Whitebeard's expression was hard to describe after hearing that: "So, do you have any ideas about the World Government now?"
"No, not at all! I genuinely just joined in the fun! I only want to enjoy life freely now. After all, from a class perspective, I'm not like you all. I am a true Emperor!"
Nero waved her hands, indicating that she had no intention of overthrowing the world.
"And I'm about to become a Celestial Dragon! How could I possibly ruin my own rice bowl!"
"Celestial Dragons, huh... Wait? Did you say Celestial Dragons?" Whitebeard reacted, looking at Nero in shock: "Are you going to become one of those pieces of trash too?"
The other members of the Whitebeard Pirates also lost control of their expressions; becoming a Celestial Dragon was unheard of on the high seas.
"How rude! I won't become one of those pieces of trash. It's just an additional identity, and it will make many things more convenient!"
Nero pouted, expressing her displeasure at Whitebeard saying she would become one of those trashy Celestial Dragons.
"Huh? You're already one of the Four Emperors, right? What could possibly be inconvenient for you?" Marco still hadn't recovered from his shock.
"Uhm, well, a lot of things! For example, I can drink tea brewed by Sengoku at Marineford, eat Garp's senbei, and have Tsuru-chan give me a massage! Can Newgate do that?"
"This..." Marco was speechless.
Even his Pops couldn't do something like that, but if Nero gained the identity of a Celestial Dragon, what she said might actually be possible.
"Even so, you'll still be controlled by the Celestial Dragons in the future, won't you?" Whitebeard frowned. If things developed this way, then he would have to consider a situation where he might one day confront Nero.
"How could that be! I will become a Celestial Dragon in Nicuss." Nero then pointed to the sky: "Those guys up there also seem to fear this strange power within me."
Although Nero said "those guys," Whitebeard knew who she was referring to: the Celestial Dragon King who sat on the Empty Throne, whom he had also heard Roger mention.
"Is there really no D in your full name?" Whitebeard asked curiously. In his opinion, no one in this world resembled D more than Nero, that so-called Natural Enemy of God.
"Nero Claudius! There's no strange letter like that in my name!"
Nero crossed her arms, clearly not fond of 'D'.
"I see! Then let's skip that topic for now! It's enough for me to just ride the seas with these idiotic sons of mine."
Whitebeard sat down with a thud, picked up the nearby sake flask, and took two more gulps.
"By the way, do you know Oden?"
"Uhm, I heard he died, quite disgracefully too." Nero showed no reaction.
"Disgracefully? Guralalala... It was indeed very disgraceful... Too disgraceful!"
Whitebeard burst into laughter upon hearing Nero's assessment, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.
Nero, however, had regained her composure, her expression looking somewhat cold: "I once warned him that even when he returned to Wano Country, it wouldn't be too late. Rayleigh or Jabba, they all would have been willing to lend a hand, wouldn't they?"
"But he chose that sole path of death, ending his life in the most ridiculous way, and his country fell into Kaido's hands."
"Nero!!! How dare you... how dare you insult Oden-sama like that?"
Izo, the 13th Division Commander, stepped forward, looking at Nero angrily. As Oden's vassal, he could not tolerate Nero's words under any circumstances.
"Uhm, it's Izo! You're still as charming as ever!" Nero ignored his words, instead blowing him a teasing kiss.
"You!" A vein popped on Izo's forehead, and his hands trembled as he reached for the pistols at his waist.
"Enough!" Whitebeard raised a hand to stop Izo, then looked at Nero: "You didn't include yourself in the list of people just now!"
"Uhm, because even if he had asked me for help, I wouldn't have helped." Nero's eyelids drooped, and she casually sat on the ground, unconcerned.
"Because I am an Emperor! Oden was also a crown prince of a nation. On a pirate ship, Rose Nero was his companion, but off the pirate ship, he and I were leaders of two different nations!"
"Both he and I should be responsible for our own countries. Newgate, you should know this, and you probably have the same thoughts, right! That's why, even after hearing the news, you didn't lead the Whitebeard Pirates to attack Kaido!"
Whitebeard fell silent, then took two more deep gulps of strong liquor.
"Oden was once my sworn brother. Later, he traveled with you all on Roger's ship to Raftel, and finally returned to Wano Country..."
With a dark expression, Whitebeard took two more drinks: "As you said, that guy made the stupidest decision. Not only did he not ask you for help, he also didn't ask me for help..."
"By the time we received the news, that idiot Oden had already been dead for several years."
Putting down the sake flask, Whitebeard wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth and looked into Nero's eyes: "I am a pirate; responsibilities and obligations have nothing to do with me!"
"If Oden were still alive, the Whitebeard Pirates would never abandon any family member! But he's long dead. I won't allow my family members to die in a war of revenge!"
"Pops!" Izo cried, looking at Whitebeard, choked with sobs.
The others also patted Izo's shoulders and back in comfort.
"Uhm, a pure pirate wouldn't be like this, Newgate. Children need to stand on their own two feet."
Nero also looked into Whitebeard's eyes without flinching, her words directly hitting Whitebeard's inner pain.
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