Roya walked straight into the captain's quarters.
Whitebeard, though noticeably thinner, exuded a more refined and steady vitality. His spirit remained sharp and full of life.
As soon as Roya entered, Whitebeard gave a wry smile.
"Can you believe that kid is only eight years old?"
Roya rolled his eyes.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten what you were doing eight years ago."
Whitebeard laughed bitterly.
"Honestly… I might have. That kind of thing..."
He let out a long sigh and continued:
"But those two tufts of mustache—look exactly like mine, don't they?"
There was a hint of barely concealed pride in his voice.
Even someone as mighty as Whitebeard couldn't help but feel deeply gratified that his bloodline would live on.
Roya shrugged noncommittally, leaning against the wall.
Whitebeard rubbed his hands together awkwardly and asked cautiously:
"Your Observation Haki… I know you can probably see something about his origins. Could you help confirm it for me?"
Roya sighed.
"It's not like I can see someone's family tree or anything."
"But yes—his bloodline, his aura… they're indeed aligned with yours. That's all I can tell you. What to make of it is your decision."
"Either way, he's definitely not just eight years old…"
Whitebeard scratched his head in embarrassment and let out a hearty laugh.
As his laughter echoed through the cabin, a sudden spike of battle intent flared on the deck outside.
Whitebeard Jr.—Edward Weevil—had launched an unprovoked attack.
His massive glaive, now wrapped in Armament Haki, swept diagonally toward Squard's waist in a fierce upward strike.
Squard let out a cold snort, planting his thread-forged longsword into the deck and blocking the strike with ease.
Back in the captain's quarters, Roya said nothing. He waited in silence for Whitebeard's final request.
Whitebeard's laughter stopped abruptly. He spoke rapidly, as if pouring out everything at once:
"He's my son. I've truly failed him over the years…"
Roya gave a small nod.
"Old man, don't forget—you're the one who forced that 'Vice Captain' title onto me."
"I've still got a few things to take care of. So… your eight-year-old eldest son is your responsibility now."
Whitebeard instantly deflated, muttering:
"Damn it… can you not read people's minds like that? Can't I have any privacy?"
Roya chuckled.
"I'll leave it at that, old man."
"In the New World ahead—see you again."
Without looking back, he turned and left the captain's quarters.
Whitebeard let out a silent sigh but didn't follow.
Before, he had stayed hidden in the captain's quarters to allow Roya to assert his authority quickly.
Now, he stayed back out of necessity—because of this suddenly appeared "son" demanding his place.
Even if the boy had shown up without warning, that innate bloodline connection… was undeniable.
So what if he was one of the Five Emperors? Blood was blood.
---
Roya paid no attention to Weevil, who was still squaring off against Squard. He stepped into the air and returned to his warship.
Squard snorted coldly, sheathed his blade, and followed Roya back aboard.
Jinbei, Fujitora, Law, Magellan, McGuy, and the others all boarded without a glance back at the Moby Dick.
Marco watched the departing ship and sighed helplessly.
On Weevil's bloated face was a triumphant smirk—unashamedly basking in what he believed to be victory.
Marco frowned slightly, then turned and walked silently back to his quarters.
---
The unexpected appearance of Whitebeard Jr. had left the atmosphere aboard Roya's warship slightly tense.
Fortunately, the silence was broken when the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang out.
A faint, crackling voice came through:
"This is… Baltigo… requesting backup…"
Jinbei blinked.
"Baltigo? The White Earth Island—headquarters of the Revolutionary Army?!"
Though the Revolutionary Army operated largely in secret, its strength was undeniable.
Now, a distress signal was coming from its stronghold—clearly something serious was happening.
Could it be… the World Government had launched an assault and overrun their base?
Jinbei looked toward Roya, who gave a silent nod.
Jinbei immediately adjusted the ship's course toward Baltigo.
On the lower deck, Saint Juan roared to life at full speed.
The massive warship cut across the sea like an arrow, slicing through wave and wind.
As they drew closer, the distress signal became clearer:
"This is Baltigo, the White Earth Island—we're under full-scale attack by the Blackbeard Pirates! All defenses have collapsed—requesting backup, requesting backup!"
The message now loud and clear, everyone aboard froze in shock.
Blackbeard—again.
Jinbei, remembering his close bond with Ace, felt a knot form in his gut.
"Didn't Ace go after Blackbeard? Why would Blackbeard have the time and strength to attack the Revolutionary Army?"
Panic and urgency overtook him. He longed for the ship to go even faster—to reach the truth as soon as possible.
---
At last, they reached the waters off Baltigo.
From afar, they could see four pirate ships—varying in size—lined up and unleashing a relentless bombardment on the island.
Squard let out a disdainful snort.
"So that's how they dared attack the Revolutionary Army—throwing these worthless cannon fodder in first."
"My lord, should we capture these ships to bolster our fleet?"
Roya shook his head.
"We're already too late. Blackbeard's main force has left."
"Hmm… Ace has already landed on the far side of the island. Let's meet up with him first."
Jinbei nodded and turned the ship's wheel. The warship smoothly skirted past the four pirate vessels and glided into a suitable bay.
The pirate ships, upon seeing the arrival of a full-sized Navy flagship, didn't dare make a move. They even ceased their bombardment entirely.
Roya disembarked first, striding swiftly toward the Revolutionary Army's base.
All around them were crumbling ruins from the shelling—everywhere, the broken remains of walls and shattered homes.
Among them lay the bodies of countless innocent civilians, half-buried in rubble. The devastation was unbearable.
Fujitora clenched his fists.
"This was at least a coordinated strike from three Navy flagship-class warships!"
"How could Blackbeard possibly have access to three ships of that level?!"
There was no way Blackbeard could have captured them by force.
The answer was clear:
The World Government had handed them over. Strategic support—gift-wrapped.
Fujitora's fury boiled over.
"Even Blackbeard—this depraved pirate—they support him with everything they've got?! The World Government has rotted beyond redemption!"
A young but resolute voice echoed from the rubble nearby:
"You're absolutely right!"
"That's exactly why we're fighting to overthrow it—no matter the cost!"
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