New World, Moby Dick.
Compared with the high spirits before setting sail, most of the Whitebeard Pirates now looked rather dispirited.
They had dispatched the majority of their fleets to gather information, yet after all these days they hadn't even caught a glimpse of the Morning Star Pirates.
The feeling was simply unbearable.
A dearly-missed friend, now returning to the New World in glory—of course his old pals should come to welcome him.
And now the friend had vanished!
"Dad," Marco mumbled.
"Little Brother Seven's two ships are like ghost ships—one moment they're near Raijin Island, the next they're off Dressrosa."
"Dad, is our ship too slow?"
Whitebeard shook his head.
"Gurarara, it's them—too fast."
"Foolish sons, have you forgotten that Golden Lion is aboard little Sev's ship right now?"
Marco's eyes lit up; he pointed to the sky.
"You mean the east blue emperor hasn't been found because both ships are up there flying?"
Using flight to slip past every eye and descend straight on a target, seizing a stronghold by surprise—Little Brother Seven—
As sharp as ever.
"Where exactly is Little Brother Seven headed?"
Whitebeard unrolled the navigator's chart, his gaze sweeping Raijin Island, Dressrosa, Wano Country, Totto Land, Hachinosu Island, Elbaf… and finally settling on Hachinosu again.
"Gurararara, that brat."
The lad's got good taste: he deliberately avoids zones held by the Whitebeard Pirates, Kaido, and Linlin, choosing Hachinosu as his base.
Raijin Island suits little Sev's moniker, but it borders the Red Line, sits too close to Mary Geoise and the Marine G-5 Branch.
As a pirate base it would face the Marine head-on; conflict would be unavoidable.
Once a war of attrition turns serious, it becomes a fight to the death with the Marine.
Dressrosa is a World Government affiliate.
With little Sev's shrewdness he'd never openly break with the Government now—he favors keeping a low profile while he grows.
Wano Country is closed off, but with Oden's return it should be fine, and since little Sev sailed with Oden on Roger's ship for years… he naturally wouldn't pick Wano.
Linlin occupies Totto Land's many islands; the Morning Star Pirates currently lack the manpower to hold them even if they won.
They'd still be dragged into war with Linlin.
Only Hachinosu—the former base of the Rocks Pirates, called the pirate paradise—boasts rich gold mines and a prime location.
Advancing, one can strike at Wano or Totto Land; retreating, one can fortify Hachinosu and stay invincible.
It also offers access to Elbaf and Mercury-Sentinel Island.
For the present Morning Star Pirates, Hachinosu is unquestionably the perfect base among all New World isles.
Though Ochoku is hailed the pirate patriarch, against little Sev he'll likely suffer defeat—and probably die on the spot.
Having reasoned it out, Whitebeard swept his hand.
"Marco, tell every division—we're heading home for a banquet."
All powers unable to track the Morning Star Pirates will watch the Whitebeard Pirates' movements to guess where little Sev has gone.
Since that was so,
Whitebeard didn't mind ordering every division back to headquarters, making a grand spectacle to draw every eye.
By the time Ochoku realizes, little Sev should already be storming Hachinosu.
"Dad, we're giving up the search?"
Whitebeard grinned.
"Gurararara, little Sev will come."
Sigh—sons, you can't even read little Sev's intent; a bunch of fools. Good thing Dad's reputation can still shelter you.
A wild notion sprouted: in a few years he'd simply retire to his hometown and entrust these silly sons to little Sev.
With that character, the lad would never mistreat the blockheads.
You won't be my son? Then I'll send all your foolish brothers under your flag.
Only regret: the prettiest in the Whitebeard Pirates—was a man; otherwise he could have become little Sev's father-in-law.
A son-in-law is still a son, isn't he!!!
Moby Dick and the Whitebeard divisions sailed home in force; news of it made every power even more expectant.
The Morning Star Pirates, like a prehistoric megalodon, had barged into the New World and were about to stir a bloody tempest and rewrite the New World order.
World Economic News headquarters.
Morgans even shifted the floating HQ to cruise above the New World, desperate to personally capture the coming cataclysm.
"Barzeb, charge on!"
Should Barzeb defeat Whitebeard this time, he would surpass him as the world's strongest man and the Morning Star Pirates would become the strongest crew.
It would be an unprecedented feat… the pirate paradise, Hachinosu Island.
Hearing the news, Ochoku cackled. "Whitebeard, get in there, hit him!"
"Fight, fight already!"
Since the Edd War Battle, the New World hadn't seen two great pirates clash for the title of world's strongest.
Ochoku could already picture the scene—
It would be savage beyond words.
The Whitebeard Pirates were numerous; though their division commanders weren't on par with the Morning Star officers, sheer numbers could fill the gap!
Ten-odd commanders, three to a team—
They could surely hold off the three Great Swordsmen: Hawkeye Mihawk, Fujitora Issho, and Golden Lion Shiki.
Add in more than thirty allied crews—close to thirty thousand pirates—taking down the Morning Star Pirates would be easy.
(During the Marineford War, the Whitebeard Pirates had sixteen commanders and forty-three allied crews; but this is twenty years earlier, so there's room to grow.)
Of course, the decisive fight would be between Barzeb and Whitebeard.
"Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk."
Ochoku flicked his forked tongue.
"Such a spectacle—how I wish I could watch: who is stronger, Whitebeard or the upstart Barzeb?"
Sunlight flooded in, matching his delight: joyful, utterly joyful.
Yet the once cloudless sky suddenly thundered—
Thick bolts of red, white, yellow, and violet lightning filled the heavens in an instant, forming a hemispherical cage that clamped down on all of Hachinosu.
Ochoku froze, muttering,
"Crap—he's coming for me?!"