"Pops, I'm sorry. I couldn't bring that bastard Teach back!"
In the New World, aboard the Moby Dick, Marco stood before Whitebeard, who was chugging down sake, his voice filled with guilt.
"Marco! Even you couldn't defeat Teach? Is he really that strong?!"
The division commanders were all shocked. They knew Marco's strength better than anyone. If even he couldn't take Teach down, just how powerful had that bastard become?
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard set down his massive sake bottle and let out a long breath—nothing like drinking in peace, especially when Marco wasn't around to nag him...
"Marco, it seems that bastard Teach got his hands on a truly formidable Devil Fruit..."
Rather than dwelling on Marco's failure, Whitebeard focused on learning everything about his journey.
"Gurararara... Blackbeard? Gurararara..."
Whitebeard laughed heartily, the veins on his forehead bulging. It had been a long time since anything could truly anger him at his age. Thatch's death was one such thing—and now, this was another.
"That bastard Teach… is he saying he wants to stand on equal footing with me?!"
"Pops, even though I couldn't take down Teach, there's no way he's worthy of standing on the same level as you!"
Marco scoffed. "Even with a Devil Fruit that counters abilities, it still depends on the person! That power of his—I seriously doubt it was worth the price he paid!"
"Marco, I saw this coming a long time ago... so don't blame yourself."
Whitebeard took another few gulps of sake, his expression growing slightly more serious.
"Ever since Thatch... I've had a bad feeling..."
"But in this era, my name still carries weight—'Whitebeard.' And right now, I have the strength to bear any consequence!"
"That means Teach must bear the consequences of his actions as well!"
"Marco, Teach must be brought back. I'll teach him personally what 'justice' truly means!"
As Whitebeard slowly rose to his feet, his towering figure radiated an overwhelming, unmatched presence. To the world, he was an unstoppable force—but to his crew, he was their unshakable mountain of support.
"Yami Yami no Mi? A power that counters Devil Fruit users? Gurararara..."
Whitebeard firmly planted his naginata, Murakumogiri, into the deck, a deep, knowing grin forming on his face.
"That fool Teach… after over twenty years, he still hasn't learned that those who get too full of themselves never live long?"
"Vista! Izo!"
"Yes, Pops!"
Fifth Division Commander, the master swordsman "Flower Sword" Vista, and Sixteenth Division Commander, the kimono-clad dual-pistol wielder Izo, stepped forward.
"Neither of you are Devil Fruit users... Go with Marco and bring that bastard Teach back!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates are more than just 'Whitebeard' alone! Every one of my sons is a man worthy of respect!"
Tears welled up in Marco's eyes as he dropped to one knee. Together with Vista and Izo, they shouted in unison:
"Yes, Pops!"
"In the name of Whitebeard!"
...
These past few days, Admiral Kuzan's thoughts had been... complicated.
When he first heard that a certain someone, long thought to have disappeared, had resurfaced as a pirate, his initial instinct was to wipe them all out.
Nico Robin was already a huge problem. Add the Straw Hats into the mix, and who knew what kind of trouble they'd stir up?
If they caused a major incident, he'd be the one dealing with the mess...
How troublesome!
The news had come from Vice Admiral Jonathan of G-8, who reported that the Straw Hats had literally fallen from the sky into the G-8 stronghold, causing quite a ruckus.
Though they ultimately escaped, Jonathan confirmed that the Straw Hat Pirates had gained two new members—a crewmate and a pet.
And their method of escape? The uniquely Sky Island-exclusive "Impact Dial."
Upon seeing Nico Robin's photo and analyzing the crew's movements, Kuzan decided to pedal his bike straight to their next stop—Long Ring Long Land, where he could also pay a visit to Garp's grandson.
But now, face-to-face with the Straw Hats, Kuzan found himself sighing more often than usual. His naps weren't as restful, and even pedaling his bike didn't feel as enjoyable.
Just look at this bunch. What a ridiculous crew.
Setting aside the long-nosed guy and the cook, what was with the resonance of five Lightforged Crystals as soon as he arrived?!
There were only seven people in this crew!
"Ah la la… what a pain."
Kuzan scratched his head as he looked at the Straw Hats, who were ready for battle, and at Nico Robin, whose face had turned deathly pale.
"Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, 'Aokiji'!"
There was no way they couldn't be tense. The Straw Hats were no longer naive rookies. Thanks to the world broadcast of Wright's promotion to admiral, they had not only learned about the fourth admiral, "Orange Horse" Wright, but also gained insight into the Marine high command.
That included the other three admirals—"Akainu" Sakazuki, "Kizaru" Borsalino, and "Aokiji" Kuzan.
"An admiral… it's not like we haven't seen one before! Nothing to be afraid of!"
The ever-headstrong Luffy shouted—before Nami promptly knocked him out with a single punch.
"Idiot! That's an admiral! An admiral! You've seen one before, but this isn't a learning opportunity!"
Usopp and Chopper clung to each other in tears. Chopper recalled a conversation he once had with Wright:
"Does becoming a pirate mean Dr. Wright will kill me? So scary~"
"Idiot, you're not a pirate, so why would I kill you?"
"Waaah… Now that I really am a pirate, I'm going to be killed after all~ Even if it's not by the doctor~"
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji positioned themselves in front of Robin, staring down Kuzan. Despite knowing how powerful admirals were, they still had the courage to face him head-on.
Kuzan forced a smile, resisting the urge to just turn around and leave. Come on, I'm an admiral—I have to maintain some dignity!
"Alright, alright, you little brats… What's with all the tension? Can't we just have a nice chat?"
Kuzan tucked the flickering Lightforged Crystal back into his pocket, eyeing the crew members who he could easily eliminate with a wave of his hand.
"I was just curious and decided to take a walk."
"A walk?!"
Zoro tightened his grip on his swords, remaining on high alert. Though Aokiji was known for being lazy, he was still an admiral—and Wright's senpai!
Even if Wright himself were standing here, Zoro wouldn't let his guard down. After their encounter in Loguetown, Zoro understood one thing—pirates were still pirates. After that farewell, they had become enemies.
Kuzan might spare them out of consideration for Wright, but if they were killed, it wouldn't be surprising.
If they didn't have that resolve, what right did they have to call themselves pirates?
The entire crew shared this sentiment, making it impossible to believe Kuzan's "casual stroll."
Robin took a deep breath, steadying herself.
Ever since she met the boy in the straw hat and his crew on Skypiea, she had known—these were the people Wright had told her about.
"Waiting won't be meaningless..."
Convinced that she had finally found the ones she had been waiting for, Robin left a letter for Wright and joined the Straw Hats—as an archaeologist, accepting Luffy's invitation to chase her dream.
And she wasn't the only one. The brilliant reindeer doctor, Tony Tony Chopper, who had been honing his medical skills in Shandora, had made the same choice.
"I have real comrades now. I won't repeat my past mistakes!"
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