"Then you'd better grip that weapon tightly!"
Kairos Flint grinned as he spoke.
And then—
Clarity Sword Flow!
Kairos swung his blade with both hands. The strike was cloaked in a fusion of Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, tightly intertwined, humming with raw power.
Although this technique was something he had developed in his early days, after a series of fine-tuned improvements—thanks to his exceptional talent—it had evolved dramatically.
The core mechanics of the strike hadn't changed. But the way he now channeled force through it?
That was a different story entirely.
The revamped technique unleashed shocking power and speed. Every bit of energy behind it was proportional to his own strength. And Kairos Flint now wielded strength that was nothing short of terrifying.
"Don't underestimate me!"
Whitebeard roared as he gripped his massive bisento, Cong Yunqie, with both hands. His Haki flared—his Observation Haki had already locked onto Kairos's form. The young man's speed was staggering.
But Whitebeard wasn't someone who would fall easily.
Not to this kid.
Not to anyone.
Buzz!
Whitebeard's weapon surged with his own Armament Haki and Observation Haki. Then, the air shimmered—the Shock-Shock Fruit's ability activated. The familiar quake bubble wrapped around the blade.
BOOM!!!
Another shockwave detonated across the island.
A hurricane-like force blasted through the terrain.
And then—
A figure was thrown from the collision's epicenter.
It was Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard! What's wrong—did you skip lunch or something?!"
Kairos called out as the older man got back to his feet.
"So weak!"
"If you're still hungry, I don't mind letting you eat and try again!"
Those words landed like a slap across Whitebeard's pride.
He was Whitebeard, after all.
A man of dignity.
Yet now he was being mocked—openly—by a junior.
It burned.
"I'm not that old yet!"
Whitebeard growled stiffly.
But deep down, he knew his limits better than anyone.
Returning to peak condition?
That would only last for a short burst—a minute at most—before his energy burned out completely. A last flash of strength. A final blaze before the flame died.
And in that brief confrontation with Kairos, he had realized just how monstrous the kid's power was.
Whitebeard had assumed Kairos was just showing off. But that wasn't it.
This was Kairos Flint at full strength.
It was unreal.
He began to suspect there was a giant living inside the kid's body.
No—scratch that.
Even a giant couldn't compare to this.
This was the strength of ten, no—hundreds of giants stacked together and compressed into one man.
Of course, that was just his speculation.
But the truth remained—he had been knocked back not only because of Kairos's power, but because his own aging body could no longer maintain the demanding entanglement of Conqueror's Haki.
At the moment of impact, his aura had simply collapsed. That failure let Kairos's strike land without resistance.
And it had nearly ripped his weapon from his hands.
If he hadn't caught it at the last second, Cong Yunqie would've flown clean out of his grip.
"Come on, Whitebeard!"
Kairos suddenly shouted.
Then—he tossed something toward him.
Whitebeard instinctively caught it.
He opened his palm.
There, resting in his hand, was a black crystal.
"What is this...?"
He looked at Kairos in confusion.
Why would this guy toss something at him mid-battle?
Was this... a bribe?
Money?
Ridiculous.
He had treasures far more valuable than a small dark crystal.
But as he looked up, Kairos spoke again.
"Whitebeard, you're too weak."
The words pierced through like a dagger.
Before Whitebeard could react with rage, Kairos continued.
"This crystal can heal your internal injuries. I'm not saying it'll bring you back to your prime, but you should regain about 70 to 80 percent of your former strength."
"Honestly, fighting you at 30% or 40% is boring. I'd rather take on the Whitebeard who stood tall over the seas—at near-full power."
"But if you think it's poisoned or you're scared, feel free to toss it away."
Kairos said it with a calm, almost arrogant tone.
It was a blatant challenge.
And Whitebeard's eyes narrowed.
Afraid?
Him?
"Gu la la la!!!"
"Kid... I don't know what the hell you just gave me, but let me tell you something—'fear' has never been part of my vocabulary!"
With that, Whitebeard popped the crystal into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
It was the Legendary Body Crystal—the last one Kairos Flint possessed.
But this wasn't a loss.
To him, crushing an aged and weakened Whitebeard with full power wouldn't be a victory—it would be meaningless.
That's why he handed over the crystal.
To bring back the real Whitebeard—the man who once ruled the seas.
He didn't care about the cost. Because once the fight was real, Whitebeard would pay him back twice over.
Seconds ticked by.
Whitebeard stood motionless.
And then—
BOOM!!!
A monumental aura erupted from him.
It blasted outward like a tidal wave.
This was Conqueror's Haki—but not like before.
This wasn't the weak, faded dominance of an old emperor.
This was the true presence of the strongest man in the world.
Whitebeard had returned.