Michael's words struck a nerve with Whitebeard.

The moment they left his mouth, Whitebeard's booming 'Gurararara' laughter cut off abruptly.

Behind him, the Whitebeard Pirates were at a complete loss.

"This Marine's talking to Pops pretty disrespectfully… Should we be mad? And look, Pops pride seems kinda wounded…"

"Yeah, and he called him 'old man'… But considering he's a Marine, this is practically polite by their standards."

The crew's already struggling CPUs whirred furiously—before promptly overheating.

Instant system overload!

But only Marco, the man who had followed Whitebeard the longest, turned his head away and secretly wiped his reddened eyes.

Others might not know, but he was aware of every detail of Whitebeard's life.

Whitebeard had absolutely no interest in becoming the Pirate King.

He didn't even feel any sense of belonging to the identity of a pirate.

There was only one reason he set sail...

He wanted to find a family.

He wanted a home.

That was all.

And it was this obsession with family that drove him—even after leaving, though he never returned to his hometown, he anonymously sent back all the treasures that belonged to him.

Even if not a single person he once knew remained there.

Even if, aside from a very few, no one even knew Whitebeard had come from that place.

He still did it.

Michael's words weren't so much an insult to Whitebeard's pride as they were a strike at the softest part of his heart.

The reason Whitebeard had come to Fish-Man Island wasn't just because of his friendship with Neptune or his admiration for Queen Otohime.

It was also because he didn't want Fish-Man Island to become a regretful 'former home' in the hearts of all fish-men.

And so, he decided...

To let the name of Whitebeard descend upon this island.

Hanging the flag of the Whitebeard Pirates over Fish-Man Island's territory was giving the entire nation, the entire race, a chance.

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

I won't give you strength, but I can give you the opportunity to gain the strength to protect yourselves.

"You really are... sharp-tongued." Whitebeard didn't continue his trademark 'Gurararara' laughter.

Instead, his face showed a trace of anger at having his feelings exposed, and he snorted coldly before asking.

"How do you plan to cooperate?"

"Ahem, lower your voice. This is a private job I took on behind the World Government's back... Not that I fear them, but it's best to avoid causing trouble for the Marines for now." Michael shrugged and smiled.

"Let's head to Ryugu Palace. After all, this is a three-party collaboration—we should discuss it together."

Without waiting for Whitebeard's response, he turned and left the square with Garp and the Marines.

"Pops... should we really go?" Vista moved closer to Whitebeard. "Can we really trust the Marines?"

"Either way, with that angel guy and Garp here, our original goal is already out of reach." Instead of answering, Marco took over the conversation.

"So, this collaboration is definitely worth considering..."

*****

"The remnants of that battle just now were truly terrifying. It was an extraordinary fight!" Otohime recalled the Holy Light that had flashed in the distance and the massive angelic silhouette visible to all, her heart filled with worry.

"It seems the Marines still clashed with the Whitebeard Pirates after all."

"I don't think Queen Otohime needs to worry about this," Fisher Tiger mused before looking up.

"The Marines, led by their hero, are naturally trustworthy. And Whitebeard has had good relations with King Neptune as well, so he's also reliable. No matter which side ultimately prevails, it won't be a bad thing for Fish-Man Island."

"I hope it turns out as you say... But being friends with both Garp and Whitebeard at the same time is quite a dilemma for me personally."

Neptune shook his head and sighed.

His two friends were natural opposites, belonging to opposing factions, leaving him somewhat awkwardly caught in the middle.

Supporting either side didn't feel quite right.

As Neptune's words faded, soldiers from Ryugu Palace rushed through the palace gates in a panic, reporting to him.

"Your Majesty! The Marines... and the Whitebeard Pirates... they're all here!"

"Wha—?!"

Everyone present immediately wore the classic Oda-style shocked expressions.

Weren't they just engaged in a fierce battle moments ago?

The commotion had been so intense it seemed like they were preparing for an all-out war!

Yet now, why were they all heading to Ryugu Palace?

"Quickly! Tell the guards on the way not to obstruct them—let them pass unimpeded!"

After issuing the command, everyone in the palace began to wait.

Before long, the sound of commotion could be heard outside the palace.

Then the gates swung open, revealing the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates standing in two clearly divided groups.

Garp and Whitebeard walked side by side at the forefront.

Meanwhile, the Marine Rear Admiral Michael, who had initially spoken with them, took a Den Den Mushi from a communications officer and dialed out...

"Hello? This is Sengoku."

"Oh, old man, it's me—your favorite son, Michael."

"...Why are you talking in such a disgusting tone?" Sengoku's voice was clearly laced with disdain.

"Your weird way of speaking is even more punchable than Borsalino's!"

"Ahem, enough joking. There's something serious I need to discuss with you."

"Serious? What is it? Have you found a solution to the Fish-Man Island problem?"

"Sort of." Michael nodded, smiling as he asked, "Speaking of which, I need to confirm something—your promise to grant me the highest level of operational authority still stands, right? That includes signing certain cooperation agreements with... certain violent organizations?"

"W-Wait, why are you suddenly asking me this?" Sengoku's voice instantly grew wary. "Who are you planning to sign a contract with? Are you about to stir up trouble again?"

"That 'again' really hurts my feelings."

"Cut the nonsense! Just tell me already!"

"Ah, this person is an old acquaintance of yours—that old geezer Whitebeard."

"...What the hell?" Sengoku's voice was filled with disbelief. "Is my hearing failing, or are you slurring your words?"

Michael rolled his eyes.

At this point, he was still pretending not to hear clearly, clinging to false hope!

"You heard right—Whitebeard, that old man who keeps adopting sons all over the sea."

The next moment, Sengoku abruptly hung up.

Michael glanced at the Den Den Mushi, then looked up at Whitebeard, grinning as he said.

"Didn't expect Sengoku to crack so fast. And the real fun hasn't even started yet!"

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