The sea wind howled. Jotaro shook his head. Ripple had only given Whitebeard a portion of life energy, nowhere near as exaggerated as people said.
If Whitebeard really went to fight Big Mom or Kaido, that would just be throwing his life away.
Hearing his sons cheering and shouting, the gentle smile that was always hanging on Whitebeard's face quietly faded.
He stood up silently, his heavy gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone on the ship, as though carving their looks into his eyes.
It was a gaze of remembrance... and also, a gaze of farewell.
"Po… Pops?"
Marco was the first to sense something strange, his voice trembling.
The others also stopped cheering, looking at their Pops with doubt and unease written all over their faces.
For some reason, everyone's hearts suddenly gave rise to a bad premonition.
Sure enough, what Whitebeard announced next shocked them to no end, and would shock the whole world in the days to come.
"I know many of you want me to claim the throne of Pirate King, but I have no interest in that position."
"From the moment I first set sail, what I wanted was you, my family!"
"To me, there is no treasure in this world more precious than this!"
These sorrowful words made the Whitebeard Pirates weep uncontrollably.
Whitebeard closed his eyes, standing in the center of the storm of grief. After a long while, he finally spoke in a deep voice, "From today onward, the Whitebeard Pirates are officially disbanded!!!"
BOOM!
The words exploded in everyone's ears like thunder.
"Pops!! What are you saying!! Are you really going to abandon us?"
"Yeah! Did we do something wrong to make you angry? Just tell us and we'll fix it, won't we?"
Sobs and wails instantly became the main melody aboard the Moby Dick.
The corners of Whitebeard's mouth lifted.
"When a pirate finds the 'One Piece,' it means his journey is coming to an end."
"It was like that for Roger. It is the same for me."
Everyone stared blankly at him.
"One Piece? Pops, you already found the One Piece? Doesn't that mean, you're the Pirate King!"
Jozu shouted excitedly, "Pops, did you really find the One Piece?"
"Our Pops is truly amazing!"
"My foolish sons! You really are a bunch of idiots!" At the corners of Whitebeard's eyes, murky tears welled up.
"You are my One Piece!"
"I… already found it long ago!"
———
The once-boisterous deck had now sunk into eerie silence. The heated atmosphere receded like the tide, leaving only heavy air pressing upon every heart.
Whitebeard, the man who had always been their spiritual pillar, had just declared the dissolution of the crew.
Like a bolt from the blue, the shock left everyone speechless for a long time.
Jozu gritted his teeth, walking to Marco's side, his voice low yet trembling,
"Marco, go persuade Pops… Are we really going to scatter like this?"
Marco did not answer immediately.
He quietly looked out at the surging sea ahead, as if searching for the direction of the future within it.
The sea breeze ruffled his golden hair, and also blew away the last bit of hesitation in his eyes.
"Jozu," he spoke, his voice steady and calm, "I agree with Pops's decision."
Jozu's eyes widened, hardly able to believe what he heard.
"Marco! What nonsense are you talking!"
The Marineford War had left Marco with deep scars. If not for Jotaro's intervention, Whitebeard would have already died there.
Marco sighed lightly.
"We've always lived under Pops's protection, like children held beneath a sheltering wing. But now, it's time to leave the nest."
"We all know it. No matter how we deny it, Pops's age… keeps increasing day by day. He really has grown old."
"No matter if others call him a demon or a monster, we understand that he's still human, just like us, with only one heart beating in his chest!"
"This world won't stop changing just because we refuse to accept it. More and more forces are stirring in the shadows, coveting Pops's position, his prestige, even his very life."
"He is no longer the 'strongest man in the world' he once was."
"One day, he too will fall."
Jozu fell silent, his throat choked.
The other crew members on deck also lowered their heads, their expressions complicated.
"What Pirate King!! As long as Pops can keep living, that's more important than anything!"
"Yeah! It's time for Pops to lay down his mission!"
"Each of us must stand on our own, set sail on our own journeys, and carry the honor Pops entrusted to us."
The howling sea wind still blew. What it carried was the horn announcing the end of an old era, and perhaps, also the prelude to a new one.
Whitebeard looked out the window and smiled in relief at the scene.
"From today on, I will seriously train in Ripple." Whitebeard turned to Jotaro and said earnestly, "I want to live longer, to personally witness the future of these foolish sons."
Jotaro gave a faint smile, "Old man, why did you call me here? What do you want to say?"
Whitebeard said solemnly, "The news of the Whitebeard Pirates' disbandment will soon spread rapidly across the world."
"The places we once protected will inevitably be invaded by other forces."
"I want you to take over those territories! If you want to fight against the World Government, relying on yourself alone won't be enough."
"You must develop your own power!"
"Even so, I won't take over everything." Jotaro's eyes shone. "I'll only seize the places I want!"
Jotaro was a man with strong convictions.
Whitebeard did not say more. He trusted Jotaro had his own plans. Changing the subject, he continued, "Also, I heard you're looking for the Poneglyphs?" Seeing Jotaro nod, Whitebeard went on, "I know the location of one Poneglyph. By chance, I also want to visit an old friend of mine."
"You can come with me."
Jotaro's eyes flickered, "Where is the Poneglyph?"
"Fish-Man Island. To go there, the ship must undergo a special coating process. So before that, we'll need to head to the Sabaody Archipelago first."
Whitebeard smiled meaningfully.
"You haven't been there before, right? Perhaps you'll see some interesting things."
———
The Whitebeard Pirates had disbanded. Though many crewmates were reluctant, they had no choice but to wipe their tears, walk out of their grief, and embark on their new journeys.
As small groups departed one after another, this shocking news quickly stirred tidal waves across the world.
With Morgans, president of the World Economy News, fanning the flames, the great powers of the sea all received the most detailed intelligence in the shortest time.
———
[Totland]
"So Whitebeard really stepped down. That's quite unexpected."
In a pitch-black room, Charlotte Linlin suddenly opened her eyes wide. Like a beast that had caught the scent of prey, she let out a strange, terrifying laugh.
"In that case, all his territory is now unclaimed land!"
"Someone! Gather my forces immediately! Hurry and seize those areas, I'll build candy factories everywhere!"
———
[A Certain Island]
"Whitebeard stepped down!?" Blackbeard Teach's eyes bulged as he read the newspaper carefully, afraid to miss a single useful detail.
A crooked grin spread on his face, exposing a mouthful of rotten teeth.
"So his trusted subordinates are no longer at his side? That's good news for me!"
Nearby, Shiryu leaned against a tree, his body wrapped in bandages, splashing cold water over himself.
"We're just broken soldiers without even a proper base. This plan has already failed. Maybe it's time to disband our crew too."
Blackbeard burst into wild laughter, completely ignoring his words.
"A tiny setback like this won't make me abandon my dream!"
"We've suffered heavy losses, yes, but at least our core strength remains."
"But you're right about one thing, we must grow stronger before we move on to the next step!"
Shiryu shot him a sideways glance, "So what are you planning next?"
Blackbeard clenched his fist hard, bones creaking.
"Plundering Devil Fruits!"
———
[Near the Waters of the Sabaody Archipelago]
In recent days, people had been leaving the Whitebeard Pirates one by one, going to their own futures.
But the core strength, the elite tempered in the flames of war, remained still, as if waiting for something, or as though brewing a storm.
Until this morning. The skies cleared, the sea calm, as though making way for a certain decision.
Marco, Ace, and the others finally moved.
Yet, just as they were about to set sail, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking the bow.
Doflamingo.
With his usual smile on his lips, he slowly spread his fingers.
"Marco! Serve under Lord Jotaro!"
He knew well that if the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates could come under Jotaro's command, it would tear open a huge rift in the New World.
Even if only part of them joined, it would become an important chip in shaping the future balance.
Marco glared coldly at Doflamingo.
"Jotaro is our Pops's benefactor and our friend. If he came to invite us, of course we wouldn't refuse."
"But if the invitation comes from you, then we have to think twice. Is this his idea, or yours?"
Sweat beaded on Doflamingo's forehead. His smile stiffened, and he said nothing.
Truth be told, this was his own decision.
Seeing this, Marco snorted coldly, too lazy to talk further.
He had no goodwill toward Doflamingo.
After all, before Jotaro arrived at Marineford, Doflamingo had been an enemy of the Whitebeard Pirates, and had injured many of their members.
Ace's friend Little Oars Jr. had even had his leg cut off by Doflamingo.
If not for Jotaro's face, Ace would have already attacked him.
"Ace, let's part ways here. We'll keep in touch with Den Den Mushi."
Marco and the others split into two groups, boarding different ships.
"Marco, thank you for helping me. Blackbeard is the only stain in Pops's life! I will erase him!" Ace said gratefully. "Actually, you really want to join Jotaro, don't you?"
He knew many in the Whitebeard Pirates wanted to join Jotaro's force, and Marco was clearly one of them.
Marco smiled lightly.
"More than that, I want to properly deal with Teach. Don't worry, Jotaro is a considerate man."
"We've already talked it through."
———
[Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 13. Shakky's Rip-Off Bar]
The heavy wooden door creaked open, tearing apart the delicate silence in the bar.
Rayleigh slowly put down his glass, raised his eyes, and when he saw that tall, familiar figure, a smile touched his lips, tinged with the warmth of reunion.
"Whitebeard. Long time no see."
"Just call me Edward," Whitebeard sat across from him, his expression gentle. "I've already laid that name down."
They lifted their glasses in tacit understanding, a soft clink echoing like the overlapping of old times.
Shakky leaned against the bar, smiling as her gaze sized up the man who once shook the world.
"Never thought I'd see the famous Whitebeard dressed up like some ordinary old man." She teased as she deftly poured more wine.
After a few drinks, Rayleigh finally spoke, his tone somewhat heavy, "Why did you come to me? Honestly, I thought… I'd never see you again in this life."
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly, "What, you thought I'd die?"
Rayleigh's eyes suddenly turned cold, "That's right. If it weren't for that man showing up…"
His voice cut off sharply, the air seeming to freeze. The bar sank into silence, broken only by the ticking of the clock.
But Whitebeard chuckled, shaking his head gently to break the gloom, "We can catch up later. I came today to ask a favor."
"My friend wants to go to Fish-Man Island. His ship needs coating. In all of Sabaody, no one is more suited to this than you."
Rayleigh laughed heartily, "No problem, but it'll cost you. Life hasn't been easy for me. I was even thinking of auctioning myself at the human auction."
Shakky interrupted, "Wait. That friend of yours, is it that man?"
"After the disbandment, you've been with him, haven't you?"
Whitebeard did not hide it.
These two were people worthy of trust.
"Yes. He's on this island right now."
Rayleigh's eyes immediately locked onto him.
"He's more defiant than Roger ever was. You brought him here… heh… looks like something big is about to happen on this island."
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