30 Years in Whitebeard’s Crew, I Became Invincible

Ace stood up amid the flames, smiling, "So that's how it is. Commander Oden left a scar on you... In that case—"

"You think you can leave a scar on me, too?"

Kaido's voice dripped with disdain. He felt insulted. To him, Ace was a weakling.

"You won't know unless you try."

Ace shifted his stance, his flames erupting violently, their color shifting into a crimson red.

"Hmm?!"

Kaido's eyes narrowed, and he noticed something unusual: Ace's flames had changed.

"Interesting."

Kaido grinned and began walking slowly towards Ace.

Ace took the initiative, swinging his arms. Two fire dragons shot forth.

"Twin Dragons Flame Rush!"

Under Ace's control, the two dragons charged directly at Kaido.

Kaido dodged one, but the second grazed his scales on his body, leaving behind a charred stench.

"These flames...!"

Kaido's tone turned serious. The heat seemed greater than an ordinary fire.

Of all natural elements, fire was the greatest. Humanity's discovery of fire was what ushered in civilization. With fire came cooking, agriculture, forging, and ultimately shaping evolution itself, and it all started with its discovery.

Fire isn't as simple as it appears

Theoretically, flames had no upper temperature limit. Magma, for all its fury, had a ceiling—Oven could swim in molten rock, but not in these flames.

Ace's flames were clearly getting hotter, more terrifying. Deadlier. Hot enough to burn Kaido's scales.

Ace controlled the dragons to strike again. Kaido didn't dare take it head-on this time. He smashed one dragon with his club, but the other bit down on his arm.

Where the fire touched, black smoke rose, and a scorched stench filled the air.

Kaido turned and punched the other dragon away, only to see Ace within the flames, arms outstretched, and the fire dragons regenerating.

"Looks like you've developed your fruit quite well," Kaido said.

"Thanks for the compliment," Ace replied.

"It's impressive—but still not enough."

Kaido dashed forward at a speed faster than Ace could react.

"Flame Dragon!"

Ace roared. Fire erupted beneath his feet, forming a dragon's head that engulfed him. Its eyes opened, Ace and the fire dragon fused into one.

"Conquered Three Worlds, Attracting Hell" (Kosanze Ragnaraku)

Kaido leapt into the air, swinging his kanabo, coated in Conqueror's Haki, calling upon the power of thunder.

Dark clouds covered the sky. Lightning flashed above.

A sea of fire blazed below.

Light and darkness, fire and lightning, fought for dominance.

Two dragons faced off, Ace as a Flame Dragon, and Kaido the Azure Dragon.

BOOM!

A single blinding flash lit the sky, brighter than daylight. Even distant islands saw it.

"The sky just lit up. Was that a freak weather event?"

"Doesn't look like lightning…"

"It's like the sky was on fire…"

When the surrounding islands saw this, their hearts were uneasy.

Back at the battle, the land was engulfed in a sea of fire. Kaido lowered his club and looked down.

Ace lay on his back, coughing blood, arms outstretched. He wasn't giving up, his Conqueror's Haki still burned.

Kaido reached up to touch his forehead. A scale was missing. Blood flowed.

"Worororo! Not bad. You managed to wound me." Kaido said.

Ace couldn't move. Though he had turned into flame, he was still struck by Kaido's Haki—it hit his true body.

Just like how Garp once knocked Marco down with a single punch.

"Looks like you're going to die. In that case, I'll send you off… and then I'll go kill Newgate, too," Kaido raised his club high.

Ace widened his eyes, trying to move, but he couldn't.

"So this is it... Luffy... Sabo... Pops..." he whispered in despair.

Kaido was pleased by the look in Ace's eyes. Weakness. Fear. Helplessness.

"This is the fate of the weak. Blame yourself for being too weak."

He brought the club down.

CLANG!

"Don't you dare hurt our captain!!"

Members of the Spade Pirates charged at Kaido.

But the club still fell.

Clang!

Deuce rushed forward and blocked the blow, holding up his sword with both hands.

"Pfft…" Blood spilled from Deuce's mouth, but he still stood firm.

"I won't let you kill our captain," Deuce said through gritted teeth.

"Worororo.... then you die first."

Kaido pressed down, forcing Deuce to his knees as the ground cracked beneath him. Still, Deuce held on.

He knew, if he fell, Ace would die.

"Hmph!"

Kaido snorted. Deuce's bones creaked and twisted, but he still resisted.

"Deuce!!"

Loxus stood frozen, his legs trembling.

He felt death looming. Fear. Dread.

"Move! Dammit, move!"

He had never faced such a crisis. His heart screamed, but his body wouldn't budge.

In his mind, he heard Roy's voice:

"Some things can't be solved by shouting. Barking loud doesn't make you strong—dogs bark, but masters rule."

Loxus had once looked down on his "useless" father, Roy. Even when Roy proved his strength, Loxus sneered and mocked him for being a coward.

Only now did he understand, he was the coward.

While his crewmates fought, he trembled in fear.

He had become a barking dog, shrinking in front of a man with a club.

He recalled Roy's words again:

"Yelling doesn't make you right. Fists do."

Everything he had done was under the shelter of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Now, his grandfather, Whitebeard, was gone. Roy was gone. His captain lay broken, and his comrades were dying all around him.

And he was afraid.

"You're not worthy of being my son!!"

Loxus's eyes shot open. In his mind, he saw Roy's disappointed, scornful gaze, eyes he hated.

"I won't let you look down on me!!!"

His frustration exploded into a roar, his Haki bursting upward as he charged at Kaido.

Kaido paused and turned.

Ace also turned to look at Loxus.

"Loxus... you too..."

...

If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.

[email protected]/DaoistJinzu