"No. Sooner or later, we'll meet."
Facing Beckman's suggestion, Shanks didn't hesitate at all. He shook his head and directly refused. Then he folded up the newspaper and the bounty poster, raised his head, and looked at the sea in front of him with a smile. "That's about enough. We should get moving, too. After not doing anything for so long, my body's getting a bit stiff."
As soon as he said this, the crew members who had been shocked by the Straw Hat Pirates all began cheering.
"Are we finally starting a new adventure?"
"Even though that kid, Luffy, has gotten stronger, the King of the Pirates' position isn't something we'll hand over so easily."
"Are we going to see the captain competing with Luffy for the King of the Pirates' throne? That's really something to look forward to! Do you think we should help Luffy when the time comes?"
"Hey, that actually sounds pretty interesting!"
"Hahaha!"
Hearing his companions' words, Shanks' face immediately fell, and he shouted unhappily, "I'm your captain! You bastards!"
…
At the same time, in the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Ever since the public execution ended, aside from the time they went out earlier to accept the Golden Emperor's commission, the Whitebeard Pirates had stayed in their base the entire time.
Just like before the public execution began, they had done nothing and remained very quiet.
But today… After seeing the news, the Whitebeard Pirates, just like the Red-Haired Pirates, all began cheering.
"This is unbelievable! The captain of the Big Mom Pirates, who's one of the Four Emperors, just like Pops, actually lost?!"
"Hahaha, Luffy is really incredible!"
"Could it be that Luffy is about to become the new emperor of the sea?"
"Come to think of it, the Big Mom Pirates are really a bit unlucky! First, they were defeated by the Umbrella Corporation, and now they've been defeated by a pirate crew that just entered the New World. Their days probably won't be easy from now on!"
"Who cares about them! Let's raise a toast to Luffy and Teach!"
Although Luffy had not joined them, and Teach had also left the Whitebeard Pirates, as brothers… They were still happy and proud of what Luffy and Teach had done.
Even the deputy captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco, felt the same way, and he let out a sigh of amazement in his heart for the Straw Hat Pirates. "That was really unexpected!"
As he spoke, he raised his head and looked at Whitebeard in front of him, who was quietly looking at the newspaper with a gratified smile, his eyes seemingly lost in thought.
The smile at the corner of Marco's mouth immediately faded a little, and a trace of sadness flashed across his face. After a moment of silence, he looked at Whitebeard.
"Pops, should we call Teach back? Maybe he could…"
However, before he could finish speaking…
"No need. Gurararara, let that child go on the adventure that belongs to him!"
Whitebeard directly interrupted him. After letting out a loud laugh, he continued in a meaningful tone, "Maybe this is their fate."
'Roger… is this the scene you were talking about? Your child, and these children, can they really bring a new era to this sea?'
After saying that, he lowered his head again and looked seriously at Marco.
"Don't disturb them."
"But Pops, you…"
"I… cough cough cough… I'm not going to die soon!"
Although he said this, from the violent coughing just now and Whitebeard's pale and aged face, it was clear that things were not as easy as he claimed.
Still, Whitebeard forced out a kind smile, reached out and patted Marco's head, then looked at the other children in front of him.
"Gurararara!"
Immediately, a bold laugh that echoed across the entire sea rang out.
"Children! Prepare the banquet! Even if Teach isn't here, we still have to celebrate for Teach!"
After receiving Whitebeard's words, everyone could no longer hold themselves back, and all shouted excitedly.
"That's right, let's celebrate for Teach!"
"Today we're definitely going to drink our fill!"
"It's a pity that Teach and Luffy aren't here, otherwise we would definitely have drunk them under the table!"
With cheerful smiles, they all went to move the wine and prepare the food.
But seeing this scene, Marco's expression was not as happy as the others. Instead, he looked worriedly at Whitebeard. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he saw Whitebeard shake his head at him.
Marco immediately understood something and didn't voice the worry in his heart. He simply sighed.
He understood… Today, he wouldn't be able to stop Whitebeard from drinking.
"Gurararara, I will drink with you all to your heart's content!"
Whitebeard didn't dampen the mood. He looked happily and proudly at the sons in front of him, showing not the slightest sadness or despair about his impending death.
After the children began preparing the banquet, he slightly raised his head and looked at the sea ahead, as if speaking to himself.
"Let me help you one last time! My son, Teach!"
…
Meanwhile, on the other side, unlike those who were immersed in the news of the Big Mom Pirates being defeated and the possible emergence of a new emperor of the sea, or those who knew certain secrets and were filled with emotion as they looked at that photo, Ian, who had returned to Ohara with others, although somewhat shocked that Nika Form had appeared so quickly, did not pay as much attention to the Straw Hat Pirates as everyone else did.
At most, he only felt a little sympathy in his heart for teacher Kaido's possible upcoming fate.
Right now, Ian was looking at Charlotte Mont-d'Or, whom he had brought back, thinking about how to obtain the Devil Fruit from this guy…
…
After a Devil Fruit user dies, the Devil Fruit will reattach itself to a new fruit.
As for which fruit it will be, where that fruit is located, or how far away it might be, no one knows.
Some people have also speculated that if a closed space made of Sea Prism Stone were filled with fruits and the Devil Fruit user were killed inside it, the Devil Fruit would then reincarnate into one of the fruits within that space.
Previously, Ian had planned to use this method to seize the Rumble-Rumble Fruit from Enel. For this reason, he had even asked Crocodile to prepare several shiploads of fruit.