This was more than just a conversation; it was the entrustment of an era.
If anyone else had uttered those words, the crowd would have dismissed it as a joke and laughed it off. But the one speaking was Whitebeard—the "Pops" of the Whitebeard Pirates and the man with the most authority in the pirate world to make such a statement. Since it came from him, everyone was forced into a state of deep reflection.
"Your name is Monkey D. Luffy, right? Let me put the ugly truth out there first—I want Ace to become the Pirate King!" Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone blunt and uncompromising. "If the time comes and you can't defeat Ace, that throne won't be yours."
"Pops..."
While the crew had their suspicions, hearing Whitebeard explicitly state his desire to see Ace take the throne still sent shockwaves through the deck.
Ace himself practically jumped out of his skin. "Pops! I joined this crew to make you the Pirate King, this is..."
"I've already made my decision. No need for further words," Whitebeard interrupted, his gaze locked onto Luffy. "Well? What do you say?"
"Heh..." Luffy's lips curled into a confident smirk, his expression becoming intensely serious. "Of course! If I can't surpass Ace and the others, I don't deserve to be the Pirate King anyway!"
"I'm going to beat every single one of the Four Emperors and the Navy Admirals. Otherwise, how could I ever claim the title?" Luffy smashed his fists together, looking like he was fueled by a fresh surge of adrenaline.
"Luffy..." Ace opened his mouth, but found himself at a loss for words.
The situation was spiraling far beyond his expectations. To be told he was being groomed for the Pirate King's throne—Pops could have at least given him a heads-up! It was all happening too fast; he hadn't even processed the sadness of Sabo's departure before Pops dropped this bombshell. He had never even considered wanting the throne!
While everyone else was in shock, Hancock stood beside Luffy, her cheeks flushed as she gazed at his relatively small frame. Though he wasn't tall, in her eyes, he was the most dazzling existence on the ship.
Domineering. Handsome. To the Empress, those were the only words to describe Luffy.
"Quite the arrogant brat, aren't you?" Whitebeard's lips twitched upward. "Starting today, Ace will undergo the most rigorous training of his life under my guidance. Don't come crying to me if you lose when we meet again."
"You insolent old man! Do you have any idea who you're talking to!?" Hancock snapped, pointing a finger at Whitebeard. She tilted her head back at a 90-degree angle, looking down her nose at the giant in her trademark "extremely arrogant" pose.
The Crew: "..."
The faces of the Whitebeard Pirates instantly darkened. Marco and the other Commanders furrowed their brows, and even Ace's mouth twitched violently.
He rushed to Luffy's side, realizing that Pops had intentionally brought these issues to the surface to clear the air. There was only one throne, and while Ace didn't yet understand why Pops wanted him to take it, he knew one thing for certain: he had to get Luffy and the Empress out of here before the crew's patience reached its limit.
"Luffy, that should be the ship coming for you, right?" Ace said quickly, pointing to the red-hulled pirate ship approaching the Moby Dick.
"It's Sandersonia and the others!" Hancock waved her hand toward the distance.
Aboard the Kuja ship, Sandersonia's face lit up when she saw Hancock and Luffy on the deck. However, when she noticed the company they were keeping, her face went pale.
The Strongest Man, Whitebeard!
She only calmed down when she remembered that Luffy's brother was the Second Division Commander, Fire Fist Ace. Still, her heart hammered against her ribs; after all, they were approaching the legendary number one pirate crew in the world.
"Sisters, do not be afraid! Luffy's brother is Commander Ace; it's natural for them to be on Whitebeard's ship." Despite her own nerves, she had to steady the crew.
"Yay, it's Luffy!" The Kuja pirates recognized him immediately.
As the Kuja ship pulled alongside the Moby Dick, Hancock turned to Luffy. "Luffy, shall we?"
Ace let out a long breath of relief. To his surprise, the crew's anger had almost entirely evaporated. Only a few Commanders still looked annoyed; everyone else...
Their eyes had turned into hearts. Such was the terrifying lethality of the Pirate Empress. Had anyone else insulted Pops on his own deck, the Whitebeard Pirates would have exploded in a frenzy. But since it was the world's most beautiful woman...
Luffy turned back one last time, looking up at Whitebeard. "I will be the Pirate King!"
"Hahaha!" With a loud laugh, he scooped Hancock into his arms and leapt down toward the Kuja ship. In mid-air, he waved back at Ace.
"Next time we meet, I'll definitely surpass you, Ace!"
"Jimbei! And..." He paused, still unable to remember Kenshin's name. "And you! See you later!"
As the Kuja ship drifted away until it was nearly a speck, Luffy suddenly realized he'd forgotten to say goodbye to the bedridden Dragon Soul. He ran to the deck and cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone.
"ACE! TELL DRAGON SOUL GOODBYE FOR ME!"
But from the Moby Dick, Luffy was already too far away to see clearly, and his voice was completely swallowed by the sound of the waves.
"The banquet is over, so I'll be taking my leave as well," Jimbei said, stepping forward. "Goodbye, everyone. Take care of your health, Pops." With those words, he dove into the sea.
"Jimbei..." Ace watched the splash settle, saying nothing more.
The once-raucous deck grew quiet as the guests departed.
"Ace, come with me," Whitebeard said, turning toward the interior of the ship.
"Osu," Ace replied, following close behind.
"What do you think Pops wants with Ace?" the crew began to whisper as they watched the two giants disappear.
"Well, Pops did say he was starting a special training program. It must be that."
Marco shook his head with a sigh. "Alright, everyone, back to your posts. The banquet is over."
The Moby Dick returned to its usual, rhythmic calm... but the gears of the new era had already begun to turn.
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