One Piece: One Punch Man

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Under Ace's persistent inquiries, Whitebeard suddenly remembered something Marco had mentioned. 

One of the Whitebeard Pirates' allied crews had acquired a particularly rare Devil Fruit, rumoured to be a Logia-type. 

It was a considerable treasure waiting to be retrieved by the crew aboard the main ship. 

Initially, Whitebeard planned to send Fourth Division Commander Thatch to handle it, but now he felt it would be better to send Ace instead.

Of course, a single Logia-type Devil Fruit wasn't anything that would catch Whitebeard's attention. 

His real intent was to give Ace something to occupy his mind and divert him from constantly clamouring to throw himself into danger. 

Laughing heartily, Whitebeard said, "Hahaha, my son, it's not that I don't believe in you, but I have something else I need you to take care of."

Whitebeard proceeded to share the news about the Devil Fruit with Ace. 

To emphasize its significance, he exaggerated its rarity, making it seem like consuming it could instantly create a powerhouse on par with one of the First to Fifth Division Commanders. 

Hearing that retrieving the Devil Fruit could strengthen the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace enthusiastically beat his chest and promised, "Don't worry Pops! I'll make sure to bring that Devil Fruit back safely."

"Good! Then we'll have a banquet tonight, and you'll set off first thing in the morning," 

Whitebeard declared with a wave of his massive hand, settling the matter. 

Hearing a banquet, Ace promptly forgot about Byakuya and rushed to find Thatch, demanding more grilled meat.

Once Ace was gone, Whitebeard fell silent as he watched his son's retreating figure. 

After a long pause, he asked Marco, "Marco, why are you so insistent that I shouldn't take action against Byakuya?"

Initially, Whitebeard had intended to personally step in and teach Byakuya a lesson to show him that messing with the Whitebeard Pirates was a grave mistake. 

However, under Marco's fervent dissuasion, Whitebeard had reluctantly abandoned the idea. 

But seeing Ace's obsession with defeating Byakuya, the thought had resurfaced in Whitebeard's mind.

Marco gazed at Whitebeard's scarred body and the IV tubes running along his arm, speaking earnestly, "Pops, there's no need for you to fight Byakuya."

"You think I'm no match for him?" Whitebeard asked, his voice heavy.

Marco shook his head. "It's not that, Pops. While Byakuya isn't as strong as you, he's not someone to be underestimated." 

"To defeat three Yonko-level figures in succession, and on his own, no less—that's a feat even Garp in his prime never accomplished."

At the mention of Garp, Whitebeard's expression grew distant, as if recalling the days when he would clash daily with Roger, Shiki, Sengoku, and Garp. 

With a resolute tone, Whitebeard replied, "Just because Garp couldn't do it in his youth doesn't mean I can't!"

Whitebeard's overwhelming aura flared for a brief moment, and the clouds in the sky silently dissipated. 

Marco, however, stood firm. "Pops, given your current condition, all of us in the Whitebeard Pirates—your family—don't want to see you forcing yourself into another battle over such trivial matters."

Faced with Marco's heartfelt words, Whitebeard once again fell silent. 

He knew full well that his presence largely held the Whitebeard Pirates together. 

As long as the old tiger remained alive, none dared to provoke them. 

But if something were to happen to him, the Marines, the other three Yonko, and countless other forces would all pounce on the Whitebeard Pirates like vultures.

Whitebeard also understood that none of his sons wanted him to risk his health for their sake. 

Even Ace, despite his grudge against Byakuya, had only ever said he wanted to defeat him himself. 

Ace had never once suggested that Whitebeard intervene on his behalf. 

After a long sigh, Whitebeard muttered, "I'm getting old... I can't act as recklessly as I used to."

Marco shared sombrely, saying, "Pops, I'm sure Ace feels the same way."

Whitebeard's gaze softened with paternal affection as he looked at Marco. "You're all such good kids."

Marco observed Ace laughing and playing with his crewmates at the banquet that evening. 

He decided assigning someone to accompany Ace on his mission would be best. 

It would first ensure Ace wouldn't sneak off to confront Byakuya and second, provide someone to counsel Ace along the way.

It didn't take Marco long to settle on the perfect companion: Fourth Division Commander Thatch. 

As the ship's chef, Thatch had a close relationship with Ace, a notorious glutton. 

The two got along like a house on fire, making Thatch the ideal choice.

When Marco brought up the idea to Thatch, he agreed without hesitation, assuring Marco that he would ensure Ace kept his focus on the mission.

As Ace set out with the Second Division the next morning, Thatch and the Fourth Division arrived to join them. 

Far from being upset, Ace was thrilled to have Thatch along, knowing he'd enjoy delicious meals on the journey.

As they travelled, Thatch curiously asked Ace about the purpose of their journey. Ace openly relayed Whitebeard's words, his tone filled with pride. 

"Pops said this Devil Fruit is a Logia-type and incredibly rare. There haven't been many like it across the seas." 

"If we get it, it could add another strong fighter to our family, so he specifically sent me to retrieve it."

Thatch was impressed. "A Logia Devil Fruit of such importance must have extraordinary power!"

At that moment, Ace seemed to think of something. 

Patting Thatch on the shoulder, he said, "By the way, out of the top five division commanders, only you and Vista haven't eaten a Devil Fruit yet."

"Vista is dedicated to his swordsmanship and doesn't want one, but this powerful fruit could be perfect for you." 

"Who knows? You might even surpass Marco in strength after eating it."

Hearing this, Thatch laughed, "Hahaha, the way you're hyping it up, I'm starting to get curious about what kind of ability it might have."

Ace grinned. "No problem. Once we get it, I'll mention it to Pops."

With that, the two continued feasting on meat and drinking merrily, completely unaware that their conversation had been overheard by a nearby figure—a large, ugly, and dark-skinned man. 

However, they wouldn't have cared if they had noticed him listening. 

After all, anyone who joined the Whitebeard Pirates was considered one of Whitebeard's sons; among family, there were no secrets to keep.

But to the dark-skinned man, those words meant something entirely different. 

"A mysterious, powerful Logia Devil Fruit… could it be the Yami Yami no Mi?" he murmured. 

"If it is the Yami Yami no Mi and Thatch asks Pops to let him eat it, I won't even have the slightest chance…"

He recalled how he had spent 26 long years in the Whitebeard Pirates, enduring every hardship to find this Devil Fruit. 

For over two decades, he had swallowed his disgust and called Whitebeard "Pops." 

How could he let the fruit he had dreamed of for so long slip through his fingers? 

As the man stared at Thatch, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. 

He thought that if it is the Yami Yami no Mi, then I won't hesitate to abandon 26 years of so-called brotherhood.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Whitebeard Pirates' territory, two figures wearing black cloaks adorned with crescent-moon designs and eerie masks appeared on an island. 

The two exchanged words as they walked.

"According to the intel, an allied crew of the Whitebeard Pirates is on this island. They should know Ace's whereabouts."

"Even if they don't, it doesn't matter. As long as we kill enough of them, Ace will show up eventually."

If anyone had overheard their conversation, they would have thought these two were insane. 

After all, openly declaring an intention to kill members of the Whitebeard Pirates on their turf was practically a death sentence. 

Yet, their words carried no hint of fear, as if Whitebeard's reputation meant nothing to them.

The pair strolled casually through the streets, drawing attention from the locals due to their peculiar attire. 

Soon, someone recognized the cloaks and shouted in alarm, "Those are the Night Organization's uniforms! Why are they here?"

At this time, the Night Organization had risen to become one of the top forces in the New World, even earning the moniker of the "Fifth Emperor." 

However, they had been conspicuously absent from the seas recently. 

The sudden appearance of their members in Whitebeard's territory made onlookers uneasy, as though a major storm was brewing.

The duo stopped in front of a tavern. One of them kicked the door open with a loud crash, wrinkling his nose at the stench of alcohol. 

"Which of you is Publick?" he asked, his tone sharp and disdainful.

In response, a drunken man reeking of liquor waved a bottle in the air and shouted, "We're with the Whitebeard Pirates! Are you here to start trouble because you've got a death wish?"

One of the cloaked figures sneered. "So what if you're with the Whitebeard Pirates? The seas will belong to the Night Organization soon enough."

"The Night Organization?!" The drunkards in the bar immediately sobered up at the name, as it had become infamous in recent times.

Among the crowd, the duo noticed someone resembling Publick, holding a Den Den Mushi and seemingly making a call. 

They exchanged glances, thinking the same thing: the bait had been set. Now, they just had to wait for the fish to bite.

After the man hung up the Den Den Mushi, the bar floor began to tremble violently. 

Before anyone could react, a sharp spike of earth erupted from the ground, piercing through one of the men from below and exiting through his skull. 

In the blink of an eye, countless spikes followed, turning the bar into a slaughterhouse. 

Within less than a minute, the floor was drenched in blood, and every single person lay dead, their bodies mangled and torn.

"What a weak bunch," one of the cloaked figures scoffed.

The other sighed. "I just hope Ace shows up soon. Wearing this ridiculous outfit is getting on my nerves…"

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