You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.p*treon.com/darkshadow6395
Roy Amos.
His name became widely known throughout the world after the World Economy Newspaper reported on his "draw with a warlord."
After the Three-Forces Military Exercise, he sent tremors across the sea once again.
However, this time was different.
Previously, he was recognized across every sea in the world as "Admiral Zephyr's disciple" and "the Marine's Supernova."
What exactly is a supernova?
It refers to a rising star of the younger generation.
While fighting a Warlord was commendable, some believed the Marine was merely promoting Roy or that Hanafuda held back out of respect for Zephyr.
But now...
No one would ever call Roy a "supernova" again.
[The Three-Forces Military Exercise has concluded, with Roy Amos emerging as the victor.]
[Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku has confirmed Roy Amos's promotion to Vice-Admiral and the bestowal of the title "Admiral Candidate. Inheriting the legacy of his master, Black Arm Zephyr, his epithet will be "Black Kirin."]
[The Black Kirin is a legendary mythical beast said to possess a single horn capable of discerning good from evil. Many believe this symbolizes the Admiral Candidate's unwavering commitment to Justice.]
[Naturally, legends also claim that while the Black Kirin can distinguish between good and evil, it will immediately disregard legal constraints and strike down evil with its horn, perhaps hinting at a less temperate approach to Justice by this Admiral Candidate?]
[Regardless of the Admiral Candidate's personal brand of Justice, viewers who watched the live broadcast of the Three-Forces Military Exercise understood one thing: his power would undoubtedly make him the next legend of the Marines.]
A week after the Three-Forces Military Exercise, the World Economy Newspaper dedicated extensive coverage to its outcome. This was a rare occurrence, as their recent headlines had been dominated almost entirely by "The Twelve Zodiac."
Naturally, the name "Black Kirin" spread across the sea at an astonishing speed.
It was precisely at this moment...
New World, night.
A ship shaped like a colossal whale sailed across the sea.
A pirate flag bearing a grinning skull with crescent-shaped whiskers hung prominently from the ship's main mast.
It was the emblem of the "strongest" on the sea in this era.
This ship was none other than the Moby Dick, the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Hoh...a new generation's legend? Isn't that a bit much?"
On deck, a man wearing a chef's uniform and sporting a pompadour was reading a newspaper. He was Thatch, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fourth Division.
"Not at all."
Standing before him was Marco, the pineapple-headed commander of the First Division, who shook his head. "I watched the broadcast, too. That Marine named Roy is ridiculously strong. He fought 'Black Arm' Zephyr head-on and held his own."
"Zephyr? That old man must be in his seventies by now."
"Even at seventy, he's still a former Admiral. The Old Man even acknowledged his strength as 'monster' level," Marco said, shaking his head.
"Really? That's incredibly strong," Thatch muttered as he flipped to the next page of the newspaper. He exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, it's not just that Marine. Look at this: "Fire Fist" Ace. This newcomer's impressive, too."
"Not only did he sink Hanafuda's fleet earlier, but now he's actively hunting Hanafuda's pirate subordinates?"
As Thatch spoke, the ceremonial swordsman beside him chuckled. "I've been keeping an eye on that newcomer myself. Apparently, his ship was recently attacked, and his crew suffered heavy losses. That must have really pushed him over the edge."
"He cares deeply about his crewmates?"
Thatch's eyes lit up even brighter. "Sounds like a decent guy, right? Teach?"
"Mm-hmm, definitely, Commander Thatch." A burly man sat nearby, munching happily on pizza and grinning widely.
And just then...
"Gū lā lā lā lā lā!"
A deafening, distinctive laugh cut through the air, interrupting their discussion.
Everyone looked up and saw a tall, imposing man emerge from the medical bay at the center of the deck. He was still hooked up to an IV drip.
With his snow-white, crescent-shaped mustache and massive frame, not to mention the crew's collective cry of "Old Man!" there was no doubt as to his identity:
"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate, undoubtedly the strongest pirate of this era, was undoubtedly the man they saw.
"Black Kirin Roy."
He settled into his captain's seat, picked up a newspaper, and saw the ravaged Martial Exercise Island, as well as Zephyr being helped up by Roy.
A curve identical to his mustache curled at the corner of his lips. "So, Zephyr's finally found a true successor, has he?"
He felt neither worry nor apprehension.
This was only natural. After all, the Sea had never lacked the Strongest for decades. Whether it was the current Three Admirals or the other Yonko, new figures always rose to prominence in every era.
Yet Whitebeard always stood at the pinnacle of the sea.
"Brings back old memories, eh? Marco, get the sake!"
Hearing this, Marco's eyes widened. "You can't, Old Man! You need to cut back on drinking lately."
"Huh?" Whitebeard shot him a glare. "What nonsense are you spouting, idiot son?"
"If I can't drink my sake as I please, what kind of pirate am I? Get the sake!" he roared.
"Hahaha!"
"Commander Marco, just get the sake. The old man won't let up otherwise."
"Hey, Vista! Get over here quick before the Old Man starts lecturing us all!"
Laughter erupted across the Whitebeard Pirates' ship.
Amidst the boisterous laughter, Marco reluctantly handed his father the sake. "Just one cup... hmm, two? Ah, whatever."
Marco knew his old man's stubborn nature well. As the patriarch of the ship, Whitebeard would never compromise when it came to drinking.
Whitebeard raised his massive sake jug and began to guzzle it down.
Glug, Glug, Glug...
He drained the entire jug in one go, let out a satisfied sigh, and picked up the newspaper again. "Speaking of which, Marco, what's the status of the investigation I asked you to conduct?"
Hearing his old man shift to serious matters, Marco straightened up. "Regarding 'The Twelve Zodiac,' I've had Squard, Waibedi, and the others gather information through their channels, but the results have been meager.
"Aside from information already circulating, the only additional detail we've uncovered is that, before the Three-Forces Military Exercise, 'Marine Hero' Garp encountered an unknown member of the Twelve Zodiac in East Blue, possibly Inoshi."
He handed Whitebeard the information, including photos of Garp's battered battleship and a picture of Garp with his hand bandaged during the Three-Forces Military Exercise.
"Garp?" Whitebeard glanced at the face in the photo.
The veteran members of the Whitebeard Pirates all wore grave expressions.
Unlike Zephyr, who had retired from frontline service nearly thirty years ago, Garp was a name they knew all too well.
Though he was renowned for pursuing the Pirate King Roger, Whitebeard had clashed with him countless times as a fellow Great Pirate. They were all too familiar with the terrifying power of this Marine legend.
"Did one of the 'Twelve Zodiacs' actually manage to injure Garp?"
"Inoshi? Is he really that strong?"
"Speaking of which, didn't one of their other members kill one of Big Mom's sons earlier?"
"Not just that. Another one took down Crocodile. I remember that guy challenging the Old Man once. He was pretty strong, right?"
The crew buzzed with chatter on deck.
But Whitebeard paid no attention to the commotion his sons were causing.
"Inoshi?" He merely frowned slightly, then shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Marco, who knew him best, immediately noticed the subtle gesture.
"Old man," He asked softly. "Why are you so concerned about the 'Twelve Zodiacs'? Is something wrong?"
His question silenced the rest of the crew.
Even Teach, who had been quietly eating pizza, turned his gaze toward Whitebeard.
Yes, they all knew...
Ever since the organization known as "The Twelve Zodiac" had emerged and gained notoriety, Whitebeard had secretly tasked them with investigating its activities.
This was highly unusual.
As Whitebeard's "sons," they knew their Old Man's personality well.
He only cared about his "family" and rarely showed proactive interest in other matters in the Sea. Most of the time, Marco and the other officers were responsible for gathering important information and reporting it to Whitebeard.
Yet when it came to the Twelve Zodiacs, Whitebeard not only ordered an investigation, he also displayed an unusually deep concern.
The last time Marco remembered Whitebeard showing such intense interest in an external matter was nineteen years ago when Pirate King Roger was executed.
Naturally, Marco was deeply curious.
"... "
At that moment, however, Whitebeard set down his sake jug.
He remained silent.
Perhaps Marco and the others had mentioned Garp earlier, or perhaps hearing the long-forgotten name Zephyr stirred up memories from the past.
A figure seemed to materialize before his eyes.
"Hey, Newgate."
That hearty voice still echoed in his ears. It belonged to the only man aside from Roger whom Edward Newgate had truly acknowledged and admired since setting sail.
"How did I survive? Hahaha! That's not important! What matters is that I made a promise to someone. Want to join me?"
The voice faded, but the memory remained vivid in his mind.
"It's nothing," Whitebeard said softly. "I just heard the name mentioned once a long time ago.
"A name?" Marco asked, momentarily taken aback.
"Was he a member of the Twelve Zodiac?" he wondered aloud. He was curious about the name and even more intrigued by the words that could have made such an impression on his old man.
But at this, Whitebeard grinned. "Who can say?"
His gaze drifted toward the unchanging horizon.
"Though, I've heard..."
On the distant horizon, the sun rose, making the Sea seem vast and full of endless possibilities.
"That he's the kind of guy who could turn the world upside down."
(End Of This Chapter)