"Ace..."
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates slowly gathered around the approaching Ace.
"Marco, Vista... everyone..." Ace offered a gentle smile to the crowd. "I'm sorry I'm late."
For the past two years, he had lived in total isolation from the world. He had only heard of the Whitebeard Pirates' current plight after emerging from his training. Even though he had rushed here almost without rest, his heart still ached at the sight of the crew's current state. His comrades had been suppressed by Teach for two years, and countless brothers had fallen at sea. Even though no one blamed him, there was a weight in his heart that he couldn't quite set aside.
"Hahahaha! Ace, what are you talking about?" Marco threw a friendly punch into Ace's chest. He knew Ace's personality—the man always tried to shoulder everything himself.
"Exactly, Ace!" The other captains looked at him with smiles. For a moment, they had truly feared that the glory of the Whitebeard Pirates was a thing of the past. But at the critical moment, Ace had returned with peerless might to turn their fantasies into reality. They were still the Whitebeard Pirates who once reigned over the New World!
"Commander Ace, it's been too long!" The crew surrounded him, their faces filled with hope and admiration.
"That's right! Our Second Division Commander has finally returned."
"Hahahaha!"
"Hey, ahem... show some respect. You should call him 'Captain' now!" Marco said with a mock-serious tone.
"Ah, right, right! Captain Ace! Hahahaha!" The crew quickly caught on, their laughter echoing across the shore.
"Wait, isn't this little Qing'er? How did you end up coming back with Ace?" one of the crew members asked in surprise, noticing the girl on Ace's shoulder.
"Haha, Ace and Qing'er's bond is as strong as ever."
The Whitebeard Pirates tactfully avoided asking about Blackbeard's fate. They simply wanted to cherish this beautiful reunion. Since Ace had returned almost unscathed, and considering the island-consuming inferno they had just witnessed, they had a pretty good idea of the outcome. They didn't want to bring up the ultimate stain on the Whitebeard Pirates' history. To them, Teach was a traitor whose treachery was better left unmentioned in such a joyful moment.
"Everyone..." Qing'er's face was bright with smiles. Looking at the captains, her big eyes were full of awe. To the ordinary residents of Alteila, the Whitebeard Commanders were like the pillars of heaven. But her favorite was still the approachable and gentle Big Brother Ace.
While the Whitebeard crew celebrated, Vale D. Drake and his companions walked over. The Whitebeard pirates gave the brothers some space and returned to their duties.
"Ace..." Drake grinned.
"Hahahaha, it's been a long time, Drake! And Kenshin too." Ace laughed, his smile widening as he saw the rest of the group. "You must be Drake's comrades. I'm Drake's older brother, Ace."
Seeing that Drake had found new companions, Ace felt a sense of relief. Among the four brothers, Ace never worried about Sabo or Drake; the one who always kept him on edge was Luffy. But now, he was finally at ease. The Straw Hat Pirates were already famous across the sea, and Ace felt that with such a crew, Luffy was in good hands.
"H-hello..." Bell looked at this "Big Brother," who seemed even more mature and gentle than Drake, with a bit of trepidation. Having witnessed Ace's power, his admiration for Drake—originally number one in his heart—now had to share space with Ace. So this is the eldest brother of Captain Drake? He's so gentle...
At this moment, Bell was dying to meet the other two brothers. Ace was nothing like the "vicious pirate" stereotype.
"I am Jin Bell, the chef of the Dragon Flag Pirates." Bell looked at Ace with burning eyes. The Legendary Four Brothers... they were truly more like myths.
"I'm Locke."
"Ann. I'm the ship's doctor," Ann said with a graceful smile.
"Uh..." Kuzan thought for a long time at the back, unable to figure out how to introduce himself. Finally, he just said, "And me."
Marco stood dazed at the side. He had seen Drake talking to the former Admiral, but he never expected the man to actually join Drake's crew!
"A former Navy Admiral joined the Dragon Flag Pirates?" The Whitebeard crew found it utterly unbelievable.
Ace, however, didn't seem surprised at all. He remained calm and nodded to Kuzan, acting as if the man hadn't just been blocking his path moments ago. He didn't ask why Drake recruited Kuzan; he trusted Drake's judgment.
"Hahaha, Ace... Blackbeard... he's dead, right?" Drake asked. From the moment Teach's aura vanished during that sea of flames, Drake suspected the end had come.
"Yeah," Ace nodded.
The Whitebeard crew felt no sudden surge of joy hearing the news; instead, it was a complex, indescribable emotion. They felt a sense of closure, but mostly a realization of how misplaced their past trust had been in such a man.
"By the way, Ace, do you have any news on Luffy?" Drake continued. "Luffy has really started making moves again, ahahaha!"
"Oh? What news?" Ace's interest was piqued instantly. He had been traveling at full speed with no pauses, so he was completely out of the loop regarding current events.