Vice-captain of Whitebeard pirates

As soon as Marco appeared on the scene, he drew the attention of everyone present. Truly, he embodied the spirit of the Whitebeard Pirates, showing off Whitebeard and Larson's strength by association.

Others were cautiously engaging the giants with weapons, wary of being tainted by the ominous black substance on their bodies, fearing it would lead to the same fate that befell Blue.

But Marco, in his usual daring fashion, had no weapon at all. Instead, he boldly leaped directly into the midst of the giants.

The eyes of everyone around widened in shock.

"What is he doing? Is this man truly that fearless?"

"Is he courting death?"

"These things can kill on contact; does he not know that?"

The members of the Whitebeard Pirates and Roger Pirates grew anxious—no one wanted to see harm come to their allies.

From afar, Whitebeard glanced at Larson with a questioning expression.

Larson responded with a calm look, signaling, "Don't worry."

Seeing this, Whitebeard felt reassured and resumed fighting.

In the meantime, Marco was elated to be amid the giants, fully aware of the onlookers' worried voices.

He couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. What did these people know? Look at him, brave and armored, standing unbeatable among these threats!

Marco's excitement grew as he imagined himself returning unharmed, basking in the awe of his crewmates' admiring gazes.

But in the very next moment, his expression froze.

A crucial realization dawned on him—a factor both he and Larson had overlooked.

Coating oneself with Armament Haki was indeed an effective way to resist the black tide and giants. However, this tactic only worked if one could maintain the Haki for an extended period. And that, Marco now realized, was beyond his current ability.

Though he had trained with Larson for a long time, he could only sustain the coating briefly; long-term endurance was out of reach for him.

Panic overtook Marco as memories of fallen Roger Pirates members flashed before his mind. His face turned pale, fear unmistakably etched on it.

Seeing his armament starting to waver, all thoughts of bravado vanished.

"Larson, save me!" he cried, his voice echoing through the forest.

He attempted to fly away, but the encroaching black tide and giants cut off his escape route entirely.

Marco's face drained of color—it was truly the end.

Larson, meanwhile, was standing with crossed arms, observing Marco's display with mild amusement. However, when he noticed Marco no longer moving and then heard his cry for help, Larson sighed.

"Larson, save me!"

Larson was momentarily speechless.

Whitebeard cast a confused look from a distance, and Larson could almost hear his silent question.

"Didn't you say nothing would happen?"

"An accident, just an accident," Larson muttered, looking slightly embarrassed.

Seeing Marco's predicament, those nearby shook their heads.

"Is there no hope left? Are all the Whitebeard Pirates this fearless? They know these things are deadly yet still act recklessly."

The other Whitebeard Pirates were beside themselves with worry. What on earth was their commander doing? Why was he taking such huge risks?

Larson, too, was beginning to have second thoughts. Why hadn't things gone as he'd planned?

He had hoped this would be a valuable training moment for Marco, a way to showcase his strength and boost the image of the Whitebeard Pirates. But why had things gone so horribly wrong?

Within two minutes, Larson's plan had backfired spectacularly, leaving him, the mastermind, in an awkward position, completely outdone by the unforeseen chaos.

"You bastard, you're really embarrassing me."

Larson cursed, heading straight into the fray to rescue Marco.

While Marco's Armament Haki had faded, his Devil Fruit abilities gave him some natural resistance to the black substance. It wasn't full immunity, but it could help him hold out a bit longer. His real danger lay in being dragged down by the relentless assault of the giants and the black tide. Although he had defeated several giants, they were simply reconstituting within the black tide, merging back to form new threats. Killing them only led to them dissolving into black matter, flowing into the tide, and rising as fresh adversaries.

If this cycle continued, Marco's energy would deplete, and once he could no longer sustain his Devil Fruit abilities, he would be truly outmatched.

"W-what… what the…?"

The crew members of the two pirate groups, locked in battle, were suddenly spellbound by an unbelievable sight.

Amid the black tide—lethal to anyone else—Larson was strolling through like it was an ordinary day. Enveloped in a golden Susanoo, he advanced casually, unfazed by the dark mass surrounding him. He moved through the black tide as though out for a leisurely walk.

Everyone watching was thunderstruck—even Rayleigh's eyes sparkled with admiration and a tinge of envy.

Rayleigh's mind whirled. Maybe when we get back, I'll see if Larson's bloodline can be inherited. If I could just…

He caught himself, clearing his thoughts. Ahem, don't get carried away…

...

The black giants attacked from both sides, but Larson didn't break his stride. With a mere wave of his hand, the giants were cast back, splitting into pools of black water that merged back into the tide.

So these giants are just extensions of the black tide? Larson mused. It seems the real issue isn't the giants but the tide itself. The only way to end this might be to take down the tide.

He analyzed the situation as he advanced, finally reaching Marco.

"Larson, save me!" Marco's voice held a mix of desperation and relief as he reached out, his eyes tearful.

Larson glanced at him with disdain. "Don't you have legs? Can't you walk out yourself?"

The path Larson cleared was now free of any immediate threats, leaving Marco a safe route out.

Marco sensed a shift in Larson's attitude but dared not question it. He lowered his head and followed Larson.

Suddenly, a giant rushed at them.

Marco yelped in alarm, "Watch out!"

With a swift slice, Larson cut the giant cleanly in half, sending it tumbling into the black tide.

Larson turned back, eyeing Marco. "So this is your idea of bravery?"

Marco averted his gaze, silenced.

Larson chuckled. "Well, it looks like we'll be increasing your training when we get back."

Marco shivered slightly, then mustered his courage. "Actually… this was all just a huge accident."