"Brother…"
Shanks stared at Carl's golden eyes, his lips trembling slightly.
Carl smiled faintly and continued,
"Do what you want to do, Shanks. Remember, you are of the Figarland family. You have the freedom to choose your own path. Let Joy Boy, that failure, go to hell."
Shanks silently nodded. Carl raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder. In the next moment, his figure twisted and disappeared into a swirling vortex of darkness right before Shanks' eyes.
Not long after Carl left, Benn Beckman and the others cautiously emerged from the cabin, noticing the unusual quiet outside. Seeing Shanks standing on the deck lost in thought, Benn Beckman let out a sigh of relief.
However, before he could say anything, Shanks suddenly turned to him and said,
"Beckman, it's time we get down to business."
...
Onboard the Moby Dick:
Whitebeard sat in a massive chair, several IV tubes attached to his body, surrounded by racks of drip stands. Yet even in such a state, he held a barrel of sake, taking large gulps despite the complaints of the nearby nurses.
The nurses' protests didn't stop Whitebeard at all, instead, they only made him laugh louder, drinking even more enthusiastically.
On the deck in front of him, his sons were also drinking and enjoying themselves. This was the typical day of the Whitebeard Pirates.
As one of the most renowned Yonko crews, they rarely encountered any foolish challengers. Guarding such a vast territory, they naturally found ways to amuse themselves. Their sustenance? Protection fees from passing merchant ships and the islands within their domain.
Unlike the rest, who were immersed in the revelry, Marco leaned against the railing, gazing at Whitebeard with concern.
Teach swaggered over with a barrel of sake in one hand and a cherry pie in the other.
"Hey, Marco, you've been looking gloomy these days. What's on your mind?"
Marco turned to glance at Teach and replied,
"Teach, I don't know how long this lifestyle can last. And Pops… His health is deteriorating. He's not taking care of himself at all… Sigh!"
As he spoke, Marco let out a heavy sigh. Seeing this, a glint of something unreadable flashed through Teach's eyes. He opened his mouth wide and devoured the enormous cherry pie in one go.
Despite swallowing such a massive pie whole, Teach showed no signs of discomfort, and Marco didn't react to the unusual display, clearly used to it.
Teach said gravely,
"Marco, I've been thinking about these things too."
"Huh?" Marco looked at him in surprise. In his eyes, Teach was always carefree and unbothered, not someone who would dwell on such matters.
Teach grinned,
"Ze-hahaha! Surprised? It's not just me, even Thatch has been thinking the same."
Since Ace had never joined, Teach had climbed to the position of the 2nd division commander, while Thatch remained the 4th division commander.
Marco said nothing, quietly observing Teach's rugged face.
Teach continued,
"I know what's on your mind. That Black Dragon—no, now we should call him Celestial Dragon—since his return, the Navy has changed. Even without him, Marineford now has six Admirals. Not to mention Sengoku and those old-timers. It's terrifying! We must face reality: the Navy now has the power to end the Yonko era. The fall of the Beasts Pirates proves it!"
Hearing this, Marco nodded in agreement. Teach was voicing the very concerns weighing on his mind.
"Marco, I have a feeling if we don't take measures to protect ourselves, the Celestial Dragon's next target will be us! If he brings six Admirals again like he did against the Beasts Pirates, not even Pops at his peak could withstand them, let alone in his current condition. You, as the ship's doctor, should know this better than anyone."
Marco frowned and asked,
"So, what do you suggest?"
Teach replied firmly,
"We form an alliance!"
Marco's gaze shifted slightly. It was an idea he had also considered. He nodded slightly and said,
"You mean with the Big Mom Pirates and the Red-Haired Pirates?"
"Exactly! We should approach Red-Haired Shanks first. Convey our intent to form an alliance. After all, he was part of the Roger Pirates, and our relationship with them wasn't bad. Besides, Shanks is much easier to deal with than Big Mom, that crazy woman."
Teach's reasoning was solid, and Marco nodded in agreement. But then he asked, puzzled,
"Teach, why are you telling me this instead of going to Pops directly?"
Teach grinned widely, his mouth stretching to an unsettling degree.
"Marco, everyone knows you're Pops' favorite son. Pops has a temper. If I brought this up, he'd get angry and likely reject the idea outright. And once he rejects something, it's almost impossible to change his mind! That's why I'm counting on you."
Marco squinted at Teach, his expression unreadable.
"You're quite the strategist, Teach."
"Ze-hahaha! I'm only thinking of Pops and the crew. This is our family!"
Hearing this, Marco was moved. He clapped a hand on Teach's shoulder and said earnestly,
"You're right, Teach. We must protect our Whitebeard Pirates family. I'll talk to Pops. But knowing him, even if he agrees, he won't go to Shanks himself. In his eyes, Shanks is still a junior. He'd likely send someone to talk to Shanks first. Since you're so perceptive, I'll recommend you for the task!"
To Marco's surprise, Teach immediately shook his head.
"No way!"
Marco frowned and asked,
"Why not?"
Teach, with a sheepish smile, replied slowly,
"I had some… disagreements with Shanks back when the Roger Pirates visited us. It's best if someone else goes."
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg