"Gurararara! As expected! This kind of power I've never felt before! This is truly a battle with no regrets!"
"Tch... you terrifying old monster! Watch those brittle bones of yours!"
Though Michael's expression remained cold, he even had the leisure to banter with Whitebeard.
But inwardly, he was already groaning in distress.
Even though he had estimated Whitebeard's strength to be incredibly high beforehand, actually facing him revealed that the old man's terrifying power still exceeded his expectations!
Damn that old bastard!
Was Whitebeard just ridiculously strong in his pri!?
He'd fought that old geezer Garp plenty of tis!
Garp had never given him this kind of overwhelming pressure...
He'd expected to exchange a few blows with Whitebeard.
But it turned out those "few blows" were just the testing strike and the finishing move!
If this were Marineford War-era Whitebeard, he could still win with minor injuries.
But current Whitebeard...
That was just wishful thinking.
He's really too strong!
Even as Michael marveled at this, an unconscious grin of excitent gradually spread across his face.
Deep in his subconscious, he had always sought battles with the strong!
This!
Was absolute bliss!
The violent collision between Holy Light slashes and Murakumogiri created turbulent air currents that sent weaker onlookers flying.
So were even knocked unconscious, foaming at the mouth from the scattered Conqueror's Haki.
This...
Was rely the aftermath of Michael and Whitebeard's clash.
"Gurararara! With you in the Marines, it seems my days won't be boring from now on! To live is to fight! How exhilarating!"
"Damn it, are you actually enjoying this fight?!" Michael said through gritted teeth.
Then he continued battling Whitebeard.
But this ti, it was purely a contest of speed and strength.
For Michael's peculiar talents, this was actually where the gap between him and Whitebeard was smallest.
Whether in total Haki reserves and application or Devil Fruit ability developnt, Whitebeard far surpassed current Michael.
Yet Whitebeard, clearly in high spirits, indulged Michael in this pure contest of might and speed.
But this very scene left the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders utterly dumbfounded.
They knew their father wasn't even using his Devil Fruit powers, but this was still Whitebeard going nearly all out.
In their hearts, their invincible father should only be evenly matched when facing the likes of Garp, Sengoku, or Zephyr from the Marines!
But now... the one appearing to fight him on equal footing was actually a re Marine Rear Admiral!?
Though this Rear Admiral was absurdly strong... it still felt incredibly bizarre.
"Hey... don't you guys think sothing's off?" Marco suddenly asked the other division commanders with a sweatdrop expression after watching for a while.
"Every single strike is executed with perfect form to deliver maximum power and speed!"
"Uh... what's the problem?" Vista instinctively replied. "Isn't that how Pops fights too?"
"But even with his current stamina, Pops' strikes always have slight variations since the power distribution differs when swinging from different angles!" Marco shook his head, staring intently at Michael who wore a battle-crazed grin.
"Yet this guy maintains absolutely zero deviation from start to finish... Is he so monster that escaped from Vegapunk's lab!?"
*****
Michael grew increasingly astonished—and excited.
Fighting the world's strongest man to this extent, how could anyone not feel exhilarated?
The sensation was completely different from his battles against Gion or Garp.
Michael realized this was practically a perfect...
Learning opportunity!
Thus, he began attempting to study Whitebeard's power application techniques during their clashes.
Gradually, he started coating Morning Star with Armant Haki.
Noticing this, Whitebeard similarly let Armant Haki envelop Murakumogiri, almost as if deliberately demonstrating his mastery and experience with Haki...
Garp watched their exchange from nearby, his lips twitching.
What in the living hell!
That damn Whitebeard... was clearly enjoying this!
He was actually feeding Michael combat insights!
Was he planning to let Michael grow until reaching his level, just to have a proper all-out battle later?
Pirates really were all crazy in the head!
Roger, Shiki, Whitebeard—they're all the sa!
And Michael showed no restraint either, absorbing Whitebeard's combat experience like a sponge.
The results were imdiate!
Whitebeard was shocked to discover that within this short ti period, Michael had already begun refining his power application by incorporating these lessons!
Not through blind imitation, but by using them as reference to develop his own style!
Combat talent like this was even more precious than physical gifts!
"Michael, you must grow stronger!"
"Tch, save your breath, old man... Why don't I slash you once so you can feel exactly how strong I've beco?"
Using Whitebeard's montum, Michael leaped back and unleashed a rapid flurry with Morning Star.
Dozens of massive Flying Slashes materialized from Holy Light!
Vista's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!
Facing these dozens of slashes, Vista honestly assessed he might block four or five before being diced to pieces.
"Gurararara! You little monster! Relying on your vast reserves of stamina and Haki, you're squandering them so recklessly! With the combat talent you've shown, you should be more refined—like... this!"
As Whitebeard spoke, he swung his bisento in a reverse slash, instantly dissipating the overwhelming Flying Slashes filling the sky.
On Murakumogiri's blade, only the very edge bore an almost imperceptible trace of Armant Haki.
Most importantly, Whitebeard had deliberately held back.
The power he used was even less than what Michael would expend for a single Flying Slash.
A textbook example of finesse overcoming brute force!
"Even if the concept of exhaustion doesn't exist for you! Fighting like this will only limit your growth into a true powerhouse! Does flaunting that advanced Armant Haki make you feel cool? Gurararara!"
"Be more refined! More focused, more precise—learn to compress it slightly! Then unleash it!"
If this had started as re sparring, it had now fully transford into a lesson.
Michael tilted his head, staring at Whitebeard.
He genuinely wanted his enemy to grow stronger!
Control…
Focus…
Precision…
Compression…
The next mont, another Flying Slash tore through the air!
But this ti, Whitebeard's eyes widened as he finally poured Armant Haki into Murakumogiri in full.
Only a full-powered strike could extinguish this attack!
------------------------------
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