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Arthur's eyes were cold, his judgnt swift and rciless—Squard was a dead man walking.
That casual demand to "move"—it had ignited Arthur's fury.
No one ordered him around, not even Whitebeard himself. He'd have to earn that right—through strength.
"Whitebeard failed as a father... I'll teach his son so manners—starting with a one-way trip to hell." Arthur's voice dripped with icy disdain.
Squard, his sharp teeth bared in a snarl, the veins on his forehead bulging, making his spider tattoo even more grotesque, sneered. "Hell? You little brat... A rookie from Paradise, acting like you own the place—You don't even know the aning of respect."
Squard, hardened by the harsh realities of the New World, saw Paradise pirates as children playing pretend. And he wasn't alone.
Most New World veterans viewed the first half of the Grand Line as a playground—those rookies, coddled and naive—hadn't experienced true terror, the crushing weight of overwhelming power.
They aid for the top, foolishly believing the Emperors were easily dethroned—Only those who'd survived the New World's trials, who'd faced its monsters and lived to tell the tale—were worthy of the title "Great Pirate."
In Squard's mind, the weak yielded to the strong.
It was the natural order of things!
Arthur's laughter bood across the waves. "Respect? You want to step aside for you? Hahahaha! That's a good one! You think you're Whitebeard or sothing?!"
He clutched his forehead, as if struggling to contain his amusent. "The New World is hilarious. Might makes right, huh?"
"You want respect? Go fetch your daddy, Whitebeard. As for you... crawl back to where you belong—"
"—What did you say?! You little punk! Insulting Pops?!" Squard roared, his face contorted with rage as he pulled himself out of the water and onto a piece of floating wreckage.
"Anyone who disrespects Pops—DIES!"
Clang!
He drew his sword, slashing at Arthur from across the churning water.
Squard, consud by his warped sense of loyalty, couldn't grasp the nuances of Arthur's insults. All he heard was disrespect towards the man who'd taken him in, given him a place to belong, after his humiliating defeat by Roger.
Whitebeard, to Squard—was a father figure, a protector, a symbol of strength and unwavering support.
He was the heart and soul of the Whitebeard Pirates—their unwavering faith.
Arthur's insults were an unforgivable transgression.
"Child's play." Arthur scoffed, barely glancing at Squard's attack.
His own future First Division Commander, Shiryu, was ten tis the swordsman Squard was.
The Whitebeard Pirates worshipped their captain, their loyalty absolute.
None of them dared to dream of surpassing him.
And Whitebeard's power—it was monstrous, otherworldly. It was easy to understand their reverence.
But what would happen when that pillar of strength crumbled? When their protector fell? If they continued clinging to past glories, they'd be swept away by the changing tides.
——
Zzzzzzt!
A blade of crackling lightning materialized in Arthur's hand, eting Squard's attack.
"A rookie, fresh from Paradise, barely wet behind the ears—you think you can challenge with a sword?!" Squard's rage intensified, his attacks growing wilder.
CLANG!!!
Arthur's lightning blade shattered Squard's sword energy—the force of the impact surprising him.
He had underestimated Squard. The attack had been stronger than he'd anticipated. Every pirate crew that survived in the New World, even those considered "Weak"—deserved a asure of respect.
But Arthur's arrogance wouldn't allow him to show it.
Opponents beneath his notice—they barely registered, unworthy of his full attention.
"Didn't your daddy feed you enough today?" he taunted.
"KID! You think blocking one attack gives you the right to mock ?!" Squard roared.
"Mock you? Only Whitebeard has earned that right. You're just a—wannabe. You're not even on my radar."
Arthur's lightning blade dissipated. He raised his right leg, blue electricity crackling around it.
Zzzzzzt!
His leg transford into pure lightning, slamming into Squard's sword.
BOOOOOM!!
The force of the impact sent Squard flying backwards, his body tumbling off the wreckage and into the sea.
"CAPTAIN!"
"Captain Squard!"
His crew, clinging to the debris, watched in horror.
Squard's body skipped across the waves like a stone, finally coming to a stop hundreds of yards away. He shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness.
"That power... Lightning?" Squard, despite his idiocy, finally recognized his attacker—The infamous "Thunder God" Arthur.
"The New World—it's not a playground for Devil Fruit users!" He roared, his numb hands gripping his sword once more, coating it with Armant Haki, his body radiating a fierce determination.
He launched himself forward, using the shattered wreckage as a springboard, crossing the distance in a blink of an eye, his speed surprising.
"Resistance is futile... You die here!" Arthur's voice was cold, his gaze fixed on Squard, his fist crackling with lightning, the air around it shimring with a dangerous energy.
Killing intent radiated from him, his arm transforming into a snarling lightning dragon.
Zzzzzzt!
BOOOOOM!!
The Blue Dragon slamd into Squard's attack, shattering the crescent-shaped sword energy.
Its montum unchecked, the dragon's jaws closed around Squard, the brilliant light of the lightning engulfing him.
Bang!!
A figure, trailing black smoke and the acrid stench of burnt flesh, flew backwards, landing in the sea with a splash.
"CAPTAIN!"
Squard's crew cried out, their concern evident.
Even they could see the difference in power—Squard was outmatched, completely and utterly.
——
"I'm a ship!"
"I'm a ship!"
The Queen Mama Chanter, chanting its bizarre mantra, sailed from Raijin Island—approaching the area where ships erged from Fish-Man Island.
"Looks like there's a fight going on over there. Should we take a look?" Perospero asked, munching on a lollipop.
"I sense... lightning... Mama's Zeus has a similar energy—But this... it's much more intense." Katakuri, his lower face hidden by his scarf, his red eyes narrowed.
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