"Pops' flag... it's gone."
At the entrance of Fishman Island, a new flag stood tall on the flagpole. The presence of the Beasts Pirates' flag deterred other pirates arriving at Fishman Island from harboring any wicked thoughts. They either passed through obediently or ended up as drifting souls at the bottom of the sea.
But for the Whitebeard Pirates, the change was a harsh blow. Just a few days ago, when they passed through Fishman Island on their way to Marineford, the flag flying here was still theirs. But now, everything had changed.
The same was true for the Whitebeard Pirates. They had only come together because of Whitebeard.
The composition of the Whitebeard Pirates was unlike that of the former Rocks Pirates or the short-lived Blackbeard Pirates, who lacked any sense of morality. Even so, the Whitebeard Pirates were a mixed bunch, with both good and bad people.
After Whitebeard's death, the main crew did not disband. Under the leadership of the division commanders, they maintained their previous structure.
But it was a different story for the subordinate crews. Some of their captains had died in the Summit War, and the remaining ones each had their own ideas. Some chose to continue flying Whitebeard's flag, while others reverted to being independent.
Unless someone could pick up the banner that Whitebeard left behind, the Whitebeard Pirates were already in a state of mere nominal existence.
They were still a formidable force in the New World, but they had already stepped out of the top tier.
The fact that Fishman Island had changed its flag was within Marco's expectations. He was also aware that there were certain ties between Fishman Island and the Beasts Pirates, but the speed of the flag change still took him by surprise.
"Marco, this was something we had no choice about. Fishman Island needs to survive. I hope you can understand our position. Besides... to be honest, Newgate's last words caused us quite a bit of trouble."
The one receiving them was still Neptune. The king had been quite busy lately.
The help that Whitebeard had given them was real and substantial. Even though the Beasts Pirates' flag now flew overhead, Neptune wasn't heartless; he still warmly welcomed Marco and the others.
After Whitebeard's death, Marco had become the acting captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. For them, there would only ever be one true captain.
Whether now or in the future, the position of captain within the Whitebeard Pirates would likely remain vacant.
If Whitebeard were still alive, the successor he would have appointed would most likely be Ace. But now, it was impossible for Ace to take up that position. Neither he himself nor the other crew members could accept it, at least not for the time being.
Listening to Neptune's explanation, Marco sighed. He knew he had no right to say anything.
"I understand. But Fishman Island won't need us anymore in the future, will it?"
"."
Neptune didn't respond, but everyone understood—now that Fishman Island was under the protection of the Beasts Pirates, it no longer needed the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. Moreover, the remnants of Whitebeard's crew no longer had the strength to protect Fishman Island.
"In that case, we won't stay any longer. King Neptune, we're heading back to Pops' territory."
That their territory had been taken over by other pirates was something Marco and the others had already anticipated. It also wasn't surprising that the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom had made their moves. Right now, they don't have the power to provoke opponents with Four Emperors' level strength.
And at this point, they didn't need as much territory as before. The current goal of the Whitebeard Pirates was Whitebeard's homeland — Sphinx Island.
This impoverished island couldn't afford the Heavenly Tribute, and naturally didn't qualify to become an affiliated nation. Over time, it had degenerated into a lawless land.
Although Whitebeard had gone out to sea as a pirate from a young age, he always held a deep concern for his birthplace. He regularly sent supplies to the island. Even though he had neither family nor friends there, Whitebeard still carried a special emotional bond with his homeland.
What Whitebeard had always protected was also what Marco and the others now wanted to protect. That island, and that island alone, was something they were unwilling to give up to anyone.
Sphinx Island was far from Big Mom's territory. The only possible threat was the Beasts Pirates, but they had intentionally left the island untouched. That decision came from both Kaido and Arceus.
Sphinx Island was simply too poor. Its geographic position was unfavorable, and it held no special strategic value. Occupying it brought no benefit whatsoever. Under these conditions, they simply left the island to the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Giving these people a fixed territory was far better than letting them wander the seas aimlessly.
Later on, Shanks arrived on the island and attended Whitebeard's funeral. As for the future of the Whitebeard Pirates, that wasn't something he intended to concern himself with.
Whitebeard Pirates' actions also remained rational. They picked their battles carefully, steering clear of powerhouses like the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom, whom they couldn't afford to cross. But those pirates who had stirred up trouble in the chaos? They could still handle those.
They buried their grief deep in their hearts, and began to numb themselves with fresh battles.
Elsewhere, within the territory of the Beasts Pirates, the residents of most islands were filled with joy. The relationships in the pirate world were fundamentally distorted, and under such circumstances, the Somali Pirate Banking System of the Beasts Pirates managed to survive.
Many people received investment dividends due to the Beasts Pirates' victory. As for those who were grieving...
In war, people die. Even if they were the attacking side, they couldn't avoid this outcome. Although compensation would be provided to the families, friends and loved ones still felt sorrow. That said, such people were not many in number.
The pirate community largely consisted of individuals without close ties. Pirates like Mandrell, who focused on promotions and retirement, were a minority. Delia, the hedonist, represented the more common type.
Their crewmates would mourn their deaths for a while, but it wouldn't be long before they joined a banquet to celebrate their victory.
As the leaders of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido and Arceus had yet to return to Wano Country. Unless there was an emergency, Arceus wouldn't speed up the voyage. Genesis would sail at its standard pace.
Kaido, on the other hand, couldn't sit still. He had already ridden Hydrachton off to find someone to fight. Or more accurately, to go crush weaklings. He, too, had heard rumors of unrest sweeping across the seas and planned to teach those arrogant little upstarts a lesson.
Before leaving, however, he had made the date of the banquet known and promised he would return to Onigashima on time.
During Genesis's voyage, they occasionally came across lifeboats. The kind-hearted Yamato often lent them a hand. At first, the people they rescued were full of gratitude, but the moment they saw the pirate flag on her body, their expressions turned to fear.
"Dad, I don't get it. Why do these people think that just because Whitebeard is dead, the seas will become peaceful?"
That was something she heard from the mouths of people from shipwrecks.
"Whitebeard is dead, so why are the seas still so chaotic?"
Even she couldn't understand these words.
"Exactly. It's something even you can understand, but most people still don't get it. Or rather... it's not that they don't know, it's that most people simply don't want to believe it."
"Right... Wait a second, Dad, were you just praising me?"
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