Dave and Whitebeard finally landed on the island, a barren desert-like expanse with nothing but sand and the distant sound of crashing waves. The land was surreal—a floating piece of desert in the New World, an isolated arena perfect for their duel.
"Isn't the New World fascinating?" Whitebeard remarked, his voice carrying both awe and amusement.
Dave nodded. "Yeah, a place like this is rare. Makes you wonder about the world's mysteries."
The two exchanged a brief look of mutual respect before Whitebeard planted his bisento firmly in the sand, leaning on it casually.
"Alright, brat," Whitebeard began, his tone turning serious, "I won't hold back. But let me warn you—this world isn't kind to dreamers."
Dave smirked. "Good thing I'm not just a dreamer," he replied, drawing his Rebellion sword. "But remember this, old man—no matter how bad it gets, I have the means to bring even a near-death body back to life."
"So, give it your all"
Whitebeard chuckled deeply, gripping his bisento tighter. "Gurararara, then you'd better show me you're worth the effort!"
The two took their positions, a palpable tension building in the air as they prepared to clash.
"Three," Dave began, his eyes locking with Whitebeard's.
"Two," Whitebeard responded, shifting his stance.
"One."
In an instant, both surged forward, using Soru. Their weapons clashed with such force that the sky above them seemed to split, clouds parting violently from the sheer power. The shockwave rippled outward, sending a powerful gust of wind across the island, flattening nearby dunes.
Whitebeard grinned, his bisento shimmering with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. "You're strong, brat," he admitted as he pushed back against Dave's blade.
Dave chuckled, his Rebellion sword glowing faintly with his energy. "You're not too bad yourself, old man," he quipped, sidestepping and launching a precise counterstrike aimed at Whitebeard's side.
The battle intensified, with Whitebeard's tremors cracking the earth beneath them and Dave meeting his attacks with unparalleled speed and technique. At one point, Whitebeard's bisento was encased in a white tidal glow—the mark of a full-powered tremor—but Dave countered it with his own mastery, nullifying the quake before it could reach him.
"Hahaha, impressive!" Whitebeard laughed, his voice booming across the battlefield.
For the first time in a long while, Dave felt truly exhilarated. This wasn't a fight for survival or domination but a test of strength against a worthy opponent. Whitebeard's overwhelming power, coupled with his indomitable spirit, made him a rare foe.
As the duel continued, Dave couldn't help but think, This... this is what I've been missing. Despite his previous encounters and victories, fighting Whitebeard brought out a side of him he rarely experienced—a genuine thrill in pushing his limits.
The two warriors continued exchanging blows, their laughter mingling with the sound of their clashing weapons. For this moment, amidst the chaos of the New World, they were simply two fighters, testing each other's mettle in a battle they wouldn't soon forget.
The battle raged on, the air thick with tension and the ground cracking beneath the force of their strikes. Dave moved with a fluid grace, his sword techniques sharp and precise, while Whitebeard's massive bisento struck with the weight of a god's fury. Each blow sent shockwaves through the island, dust swirling as the desert floor shifted with the power of their combat.
Dave's eyes gleamed with determination, his body dodging, parrying, and counterattacking with a relentless speed that few could match. He knew Whitebeard wasn't holding back; the sheer might of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was on full display. The old man was a living natural disaster, each swing capable of shattering mountains, but Dave wasn't intimidated. He could feel the raw strength of the fruit in every quake, every tremor that rattled the island, but he also felt something else—an opening.
"Not bad for an old man," Dave called out, his grin wide as he narrowly avoided another devastating swing from Whitebeard's bisento. His blade gleamed in the sunlight, the Rebellion sword cutting through the air like a deadly serpent.
Whitebeard's grin widened, clearly enjoying the fight. "You're not the usual run-of-the-mill pirates," he said with a laugh. "But you better be ready, boy!"
With a fierce roar, Whitebeard slammed his bisento into the ground, and the earth around them began to quake. The island itself seemed to tremble in fear as Whitebeard unleashed the full force of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The ground cracked open, jagged fissures spreading outward, the sea below them beginning to churn as waves rose. It was a display of power that could level entire fleets, a technique that had earned him his fearsome reputation.
Dave's eyes glinted with excitement. "I was hoping you'd do that."
With a single swift motion, Dave vanished, reappearing in mid-air above Whitebeard. His body shimmered with energy, and he slashed downward, his Rebellion sword glowing brightly as he combined speed with raw strength.
Whitebeard raised his bisento just in time to meet the attack, the two weapons clashing with a force so powerful that the very air seemed to vibrate with the impact. The ground beneath them split further, the shockwaves rippling across the island as if the very earth itself was protesting the clash of titans.
"Impressive!" Whitebeard boomed, his voice loud enough to shake the air. His eyes were full of admiration, but also the glint of a man who refused to back down. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But can you keep up?"
The fight continued with relentless intensity, both warriors pushing their limits. Each strike felt like it could be the last, the final blow that would end the battle, but neither side was willing to give in. Whitebeard's experience, honed over decades of battles, kept him on the offensive, while Dave's unpredictability and speed kept him one step ahead.
The island around them was starting to crumble, with pieces of the land breaking off as the two powerful forces clashed again and again. In the distance, Marco and the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates watched anxiously, but they didn't interfere. They knew that even if they tried, they couldn't stop it.
Their own fight had ended, but Whitebeard and Dave had been going at it for days, and now it was the third day, yet neither had shown any sign of stopping.
*******
if you like my fanfic, and want to support me and read advance chaps, checkout my fanfic on Patreon :-
There are regular updates too.
patreon.com/FantasyLi
***
While waiting for new chaps do check out my other books too..