Chapter 1 - VALKY D. DAMON

In the year 1507, at some remote point in the vast waters of the New World, an intriguing scene unfolded aboard a ship. The sun shone brightly in the sky, its scorching rays reflecting on the endless waters that stretched to the horizon.

Marco, a man with a head that resembled the shape of a pineapple, suddenly turned to his captain and inquired, "Hm?! Pops? Do you see what I'm seeing?" His eyes were fixed in a distant direction where something unusual had caught his attention.

Pops, a man of imposing stature, sat on the deck, and in response to Marco's question, he emitted a deep grunt, expressing his perplexity. Though he had no words in his response, his expression conveyed a lot, and everyone present on the deck understood that something extraordinary was unfolding.

Another crew member, who had been absorbed in his activity of smoking nearby, asked, "Marco, what the hell is that?" He took the magnifying glass that Marco handed him, observing the distant point on the horizon. His vision wasn't as keen, and the black dot stood out distinctly in the vast blue sea.

As they approached, the true nature of what was approaching began to reveal itself. "That... a child?" The man exclaimed, his voice reflecting surprise and incredulity. His cigarette slipped from his fingers and fell to the deck when he glimpsed the solitary figure approaching in the midst of the vast ocean of the New World.

The initial confusion of everyone aboard gave way to deep surprise at this unexpected conclusion. Initially, they had all been enjoying life aboard their ship as usual, but now they were captivated by something mysteriously approaching. The crew members aboard the ship were baffled by what they saw in the distant horizon. The distance was so vast that their senses couldn't precisely grasp it, but a dark and undefined point stood out clearly amidst the blue expanse of the sea. Only the large man, known as Pops, who possessed exceptional observation skills, could see with greater clarity what was approaching on the horizon, further intensifying the curiosity and amazement of the crew.

"Yes, and strangely, he's rowing in our direction," Marco exclaimed in astonishment. His eyes remained fixed on the solitary figure approaching, and he couldn't contain his surprise.

The man looked to Pops for guidance, expecting some order, but Pops remained silent, his gaze fixed on the small boat being rowed in their direction.

"Let me see, Fossa!" Another voice spoke urgently, demanding the magnifying glass. "Here, Vista," Fossa handed over the magnifying glass, and Vista used it to observe the intriguing scene more closely.

"What the heck is a child doing in the middle of the sea in a small boat in the New World!?" Vista exclaimed, his face expressing bewilderment at the surreal situation unfolding before them.

"And it looks like he's sailing straight toward us with all his might. Doesn't he know the name Whitebeard?" Jozu commented, watching the small shadow approaching with interest and surprise.

"Let him come. Let's see what this brat wants," finally, the big man spoke, his voice carrying undeniable authority. Everyone aboard instantly agreed. He wasn't just the strongest man in the world, but to everyone on that deck, he was a savior, an idol, a guide, and a father.

The boat was slowly approaching, and the people on the deck watched with growing interest as the child inside it rowed with all his might, his teeth clenched in a comically determined expression.

Everyone waited patiently as the boat finally reached the side of the imposing Moby Dick. Marco and his companions could observe a dark-haired boy, his clothes somewhat worn, and his skin slightly tanned and reddened, indicating that he had been at sea for some time.

In the boat, there was a bag, in addition to the boy and the oars, and this left everyone even more intrigued. The crew aboard Whitebeard's ship was about to discover the mystery the sea had brought them on that day in the New World.

When the boat finally docked alongside the mighty ship, a comical scene began to unfold before the eyes of the crew. Everyone could sense the boy getting out of his boat and, without hesitation, starting to climb the ship with surprising determination. No one aboard knew exactly how to react to this unusual situation, so they all waited with attentive eyes, witnessing the hilarious spectacle unfolding before them.

The boy muttered to himself as he struggled to climb aboard, a task that proved to be more challenging than he had imagined. His little hand was the first thing to appear, clumsily grasping the edge of the ship. "AHHHH, I'm going to make it!" a child's voice exclaimed, as the boy's second hand also emerged, clutching the edge for support.

With one final effort, the boy managed to tilt his body, giving a little jump to get on board, all of this without even looking at the astonished crowd on the deck. However, his triumphant entrance did not come without mishaps. He landed on the deck with a thud, his face meeting the wooden floor directly.

"OUCH..." He grumbled as he rubbed his now slightly reddened forehead. After scratching it, he finally raised his head and stared at the crowd that watched him with surprise and admiration.

"AHHHH! So many people!" He exclaimed, making a comical face upon seeing the crowd and letting out a surprised cry. His expressions and spontaneous reactions drew laughter from the crew, who were now in ecstasy with the unexpected arrival of the boy.

The boy's

 arrival on the ship was an event filled with comical and surprising details. Marco, the first commander known for his kindness, couldn't help but express his curiosity: "Who are you, little friend?" The boy seemed to have no awareness that he was intruding on the ship of the world's strongest man, creating an unusual and surreal moment on the Moby Dick's deck.

The boy's gaze bypassed Marco and swept over the crew, who watched the approximately 10-year-old boy in astonishment. However, his gaze eventually settled on the large man sitting in the center of the deck, the famous Whitebeard. The boy studied the giant with the same intensity with which he himself was observed, and then his gaze turned to the pirate flag fluttering above Whitebeard.

"YOU!! WE FINALLY MEET, WHITEBEARD!!" The boy shouted with enthusiasm, quickly getting to his feet and pointing his finger directly at the man known as the strongest in the world, without any trace of fear. An astonishing silence fell over the Moby Dick, leaving everyone speechless, as questions about how the child knew Whitebeard and whether she was suicidal or simply insane rushed through the minds of the crew members.

"I'M HERE FOR THE TITLE OF THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN, I CAME HERE TO DEFEAT YOU, SO GET READY TO LOSE! HAHAHAHA," the boy declared confidently, placing his hands on his hips and boldly laughing as he looked up at the sky. The entire crew, without exception, fell to the ground in astonishment at the fearless behavior of this 10-year-old troublemaker.

"Who are you, you cheeky brat?" Whitebeard asked, but his voice conveyed more curiosity than anger, and a smile was on his face in response to the youngster's audacity.

"I AM VALKY D. DAMON, REMEMBER, IT WILL BE THIS NAME THAT BRINGS YOUR DEFEAT, FOR THE TITLE OF THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN!" the boy exclaimed, knowing that he was of short stature and, to challenge the imposing Whitebeard, he needed to raise his voice to reach him.

"GURARARARARA. Interesting!" Whitebeard's smile widened, and he rose from his seat, showing that he was willing to accept the young boy's challenge.

"MAKE WAY FOR THE KID!" Whitebeard ordered, and the crew immediately stepped back, creating a space between him and the fearless stranger. None of them seemed to feel anger; many expressed curiosity, while others maintained smiles on their faces. They knew Whitebeard well enough to understand that he was having fun with this unexpected encounter. It was evident that the boy posed no threat to him or his crew.

"GET READY, WHITEBEARD!" The boy declared, drawing a rusty sword from his back.

"Come on, cheeky brat..." Whitebeard invited, gesturing for the boy to attack.

"AHHHHHHHH!" The boy charged with his sword, surprising everyone with his speed. While not a challenging opponent, the sight of a 10-year-old child running with such agility was unusual.

The boy leaped to attack, and Whitebeard simply raised his forearm to block the strike.

*hit*

"GURARARARARA, you do have some speed, brat, but you're still 100 years short of being able to beat me!"

"IMPOSSIBLE! HOW CAN YOUR SKIN BE SO TOUGH!" The boy exclaimed in disbelief as Whitebeard stopped the cut with his forearm, leaving everyone amazed by the strength of the world's strongest man and the peculiar humor of the situation.

"Is that all you've got, kid?" The man taunted with an air of superiority, pushing the child back, causing the boy to fall directly to the ground.

"Ouch! Ouch!" The boy exclaimed, holding his head due to the fall. His sword had been thrown away during the confrontation, leaving him unarmed to continue the attack. However, he quickly got up and faced his opponent without showing any sign of surrender.

"I MUST SAY, YOU'RE A LITTLE STRONGER THAN I THOUGHT! HAHAHAHA," the boy mocked, making everyone around them fall to the ground, stunned for the second time. "A little stronger? You're a flea to Pops!" Everyone on the crew exclaimed, emphasizing the power gap between the boy and the legendary Whitebeard.

"YOU FORCED ME TO USE THIS POWER! GET READY, WHITEBEARD!" The boy announced with determination, and everyone watched curiously. It seemed like the boy had some hidden ace up his sleeve, and he was about to use it.

From the boy, a purple aura burst out like a raging fire, completely enveloping him. This astonishing manifestation indicated that he was a user of an Akuma no Mi, a Devil Fruit. The atmosphere on the deck was filled with anticipation, and everyone was eager to find out the nature and category of this mysterious fruit. As was the case with all Akuma no Mi users, the unknown and unexpected were sources of endless curiosity, and the sight of this new and unknown power was something that captivated the attention of all present.

The boy's aura expanded, and a bony formation began to develop around him, creating a kind of shield. "GURARARA. These bones seem to be some kind of shield; let's see if it's strong," commented Whitebeard with a curious air.

Without giving the boy time to react, Whitebeard instantly advanced several meters and delivered a powerful punch, without using Haki or his Akuma no Mi powers. The boy, completely taken by surprise, was thrown backward, colliding with the edge of the deck. Despite breaking the wood, the boy emerged unscathed, protected by the astonishing bony structure surrounding him, and quickly got up after the attack.

"Interesting, kid... You have a solid defense there, but I don't recognize or have heard of a Devil Fruit like yours..." Whitebeard pondered, examining the mysterious bone aura that protected the boy.

"Eiei! Don't attack me without warning!" the boy exclaimed with a comical and furious face, showing his displeasure at the sudden assault.

Some crew members who were watching the fight from a distance shared their own impressions of the boy's strange power. "Marco, have you ever heard of something like this?" Thatch asked, as they observed the interaction between the two combatants.

"No, I've never seen or heard of a power like this, and I haven't come across it in our Devil Fruit encyclopedia," Marco replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the mysterious aura.

"This energy is eerie..." Jozu commented, expressing his discomfort with what was happening.

"I agree, I've never witnessed anything like this on the seas before," Curiel added beside him.

"Let's see how Pops handles the kid..." Marco concluded, remaining focused on the unfolding fight.

Back in the battle, the unharmed boy stood firm in front of his opponent, ready for the next challenge.

"TAKE THIS!" The boy shouted with determination, and his aura expanded even further. Bones began to form on the right side of the boy, expanding to create a humerus, forearm, and a giant hand that was approximately 6 meters long. Everyone on the deck was even more surprised by this bone manifestation, including Whitebeard, who was directly in front of it.

"I ATE THE SUSANOO SUSANOO NO MI, MODEL: AZURA!" The boy announced with enthusiasm, and the purple-armored arm attacked Whitebeard with a powerful punch.

"GURARARARARA. A Mythical Zoan type? Interesting! Truly interesting!" Whitebeard exclaimed with an even broader smile. He was genuinely intrigued by the boy's unique Devil Fruit.

Whitebeard closed his fist and collided it with the purple bony fist coming toward him. When the two fists met, Whitebeard quickly realized that the battle wouldn't be limited to conventional physical strength alone. He imbued his hand with Haki and continued to push against the bony fist with determination.

*crack*

The sound of the collision echoed across the deck, and a crack formed around the points of contact between the fists. The battle was reaching an incredible level of intensity, with both opponents displaying phenomenal strength. Whitebeard's crew and Whitebeard himself were fully aware that they were witnessing an extraordinary clash between two powerful Devil Fruit users, and the anticipation was at its peak.

Soon, the giant fist showed signs of weakness, cracking under the friction of Whitebeard's Haki. The world's strongest man pushed the bony fist back, causing the boy to be thrown into the ship's wood. The impact created a break in the deck, leaving a hole with the giant hand cracked on the outside. However, this hand began to disintegrate rapidly, leaving only the aura in the air before disappearing completely.

The boy emerged unharmed from the deck, proving that the bony shield had protected him all along, revealing himself as a Devil Fruit capable of withstanding Whitebeard's powerful Haki. The boy showed no fear in his gaze. On the contrary, he looked at the world's strongest man with a fierce look and declared:

"TODAY, I MAY HAVE LOST TO YOU, BUT TOMORROW, I WILL DEFINITELY CLAIM THE TITLE OF THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN!" The boy exclaimed with determination. Without warning, he ran to his sword on the ground and secured it back to his back. Then, he headed to the ship's edge along the same path he came from and jumped directly into his boat, which had remained next to the Moby Dick.

Throughout all this time, no one had spoken a word. The crew was simply too stunned to react. However, Whitebeard finally broke the silence as he remained in the spot where he had struck the gigantic bony hand.

"Marco..."

"I know, pops. Vista, can you retrieve the boy?" Marco asked, still lost in his thoughts about everything that had unfolded thus far.

"WHAT?" Vista was so bewildered that he could hardly pay attention, and his Observation Haki was also disoriented.

Marco looked at him and sighed. "The boy missed the boat when he jumped; now, he's sinking into the sea..." Marco concluded, realizing the tragedy unfolding through his Observation ability. The boy was drowning and sinking into the sea, leaving everyone in shock at the unexpected outcome of this unusual confrontation.