Shiki was met with Ares's brutal, blazing red fist.
Like a red-hot branding iron, it packed tremendous force, every bit as powerful as Shiki's Armament Haki.
Ares's mind was still clouded, swinging wildly and instinctively with a chaotic, crude version of Haki.
This "mutated" Armament Haki burned more energy than normal but it was also stronger.
Tougher. Heavier.
He burned through his strength recklessly, and in his drunken state, the primal brutality of every collision filled him with raw joy.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Each impact rang like thunder, shaking the earth itself.
Shiki shouted down to Whitebeard, "Oi! Help me restrain this brat! He's drunk out of his mind!"
"We can't let him keep going like this!"
Shiki really didn't want to draw his sword. Hurting Ares by accident would be a disaster.
Besides, after all these punches, Shiki's own arms were starting to go numb.
Whitebeard grinned from ear to ear. "Gurararara... This is perfect. Let's see just how strong this little monster really is."
"You can't even beat him in a fistfight?"
He casually tossed his naginata to a nearby crewman. His legs thudded heavily against the ground as he walked forward.
Whitebeard roared, "Outta the way!"
Shiki instantly darted aside.
Whitebeard leaped high into the air like a charging bull.
Veins bulged across his muscled arms.
"Ares! Let's see if you can take my punch!!"
His fist drew back, coiling with terrifying might.
With a shout, he unleashed it.
The air twisted from the force of the blow. Ares instinctively reacted, still drunk, throwing his own punch upward.
BOOM!!!
Their massive fists collided Whitebeard from above, Ares from below.
The result was instant.
Ares's feet shattered the ground beneath him, legs sinking deep into the earth.
Stone slabs around him exploded outward, forming a wide crater.
A tremendous impact. A force like an earthquake.
Ares felt the shockwave ripple through his entire body.
Suddenly, his hazy eyes cleared.
He looked up, dazed. "What... what happened?"
"Newgate? Why are you here? Wasn't I just drinking with Shiki?"
"Drinking..."
"..."
Whitebeard's face twitched. He lowered his fist and landed beside Ares. "You got drunk, kid."
"You're sober now."
This kid was a monster.
Whitebeard hadn't gone all out, but he'd estimated Ares would at least get flattened.
Yet the punch just sobered him up?
He'd seen many drunk pirates in his day but never one who got stronger, fought the First Division Commander, and only snapped out of it after taking a punch from Whitebeard himself.
Most shocking of all? Shiki had actually been forced on the defensive.
Whitebeard laughed heartily. "Next time, pace yourself. That was your first time drinking, wasn't it?"
"Once your tolerance builds up, we'll drink properly, you and me!"
"Drink all you want, as long as you can handle it!"
Shiki flew over with a dark look. "Oi, Ares! You downed seven or eight bottles of my best vintage in one go!"
"That stuff's priceless! Not something you can just buy with a bag of Berries!"
"If I'd known you were a lightweight, I'd have given you cheap rum!"
He was clearly heartbroken. He'd genuinely wanted to welcome Ares, even if the kid wasn't ready to join his division yet.
It was supposed to be a gesture of goodwill.
He never expected this disaster.
"Sorry..." Ares scratched his head awkwardly. The destruction all around them made things pretty clear.
He must've caused serious trouble.
"Uh... how much would it cost to fix everything?" he asked sheepishly.
He had no money. Just the pants he was wearing.
He'd gone shirtless for nearly two years now, wrestling beasts in the wild and shredding every outfit he owned.
Whitebeard stepped up and slapped his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We'll handle the repairs."
"Just pull your weight during the next mission. You can pay me back then."
A few million Berries would cover the damage a trivial sum for Whitebeard.
Shiki floated down beside Ares. "This started because of me. Let me pay for it."
After witnessing Ares's strength, he wanted this kid badly.
That strange state Ares entered while drunk had boosted his power immensely.
He'd stood toe-to-toe with Shiki's Armament Haki.
And he wasn't even fully grown!
That level of talent was impossible to ignore.
Whitebeard glanced sideways at Shiki, eyes narrowing. "Yellow-haired lion, why don't you go ask Captain John for some bruise cream?"
"You've got a nice bump on your forehead. Maybe if you get another, it'll balance out!"
"Gurararara!"
Shiki gritted his teeth. "I let my guard down, that's all! How was I supposed to know this brat hits like a madman when drunk?!"
Ares smiled awkwardly.
It was him who gave Shiki that lump.
Captain John finally stepped forward, chuckling. "This kid's gonna need training in holding his liquor. Let's all head back."
He didn't even care about Shiki's bump.
With a body like his, it'd heal fast. Just looked a bit ridiculous in the meantime.
Whitebeard suddenly slung an arm around Ares's shoulder. "So, kid... how'd it feel to clobber the Golden Lion?"
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced at Shiki.
Pride and mockery radiated from his smirk.
The First Division Commander, Shiki the Golden Lion flattened by a kid who'd only just joined the crew.
Whitebeard couldn't stop grinning.
Shiki seethed. "White-haired bastard! If you bring this up again, I'll shave off your precious beard in your sleep!!"
"You dare?!" Whitebeard's eyes flared.
"You touch my beard, I'll rip out every yellow strand on your head!"
"I'll make you the first bald lion in history!"
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