On the deck of the Moby Dick.
Since they were going to eat, then by pirate custom, a banquet began.
The entire deck rang with laughter and the clinking of cups.
Mixed in with it came the occasional sob and words of gratitude.
"Waaah, thank you so much, Captain Yemu. My wife and children were killed by the Celestial Dragons. Just because our merchant ship appeared near a warship the Celestial Dragons were traveling on, they sank us. I was the only one who survived. There was no reason for it at all. From that moment on, I swore I'd get revenge. Waaah..."
"My country was the same. To pay the Heavenly Tribute to the Celestial Dragons and the World Government, our country grew poorer and poorer. We couldn't even eat one proper meal a day. But even then, our country was eventually destroyed by war. The World Government clearly took so much money from us, but they didn't protect us. When we begged them for help, they said it was our own problem..."
"When I was little, my father and mother were captured by slave traders and sold to the Celestial Dragons. I never saw them again after that. Waaah... After all these years, I know in my heart they're probably already dead. But I... I never had the strength to take revenge. I was too weak, Captain Yemu..."
"..."
It was clearly the Whitebeard Pirate Crew's ship, yet the deck was filled with heartfelt thanks and toasts directed at Yemu. Yemu accepted them all without refusing anyone.
How should it be put? This was actually part of his strategy.
Against people like Whitebeard, a hard approach definitely would not work. In that case, he had to use a softer one.
Yamato was part of the plan, and so were these underlings.
Of course, the adorable Yamato knew nothing about that. But as she watched Yemu, praised by everyone and surrounded at the center of the crowd, her cute wide eyes sparkled.
"Yemu-sama is amazing!"
Although her father was also admired by his subordinates in his own pirate crew, little Yamato could still make a simple distinction between good and bad, right and wrong.
Just then, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear.
"How is it, little one? The cooking of our Whitebeard Pirate Crew isn't bad, right?"
Yamato turned her head and recognized him at once. She said happily, "Mm-hmm, Captain Marco. I've never eaten anything this delicious before."
As a man in his twenties, Marco had no resistance at all to such an adorable little girl. Holding his head, he said, "Seriously, I never expected that guy Kaidou to have such a cute daughter."
Since it was praise, Yamato was naturally delighted, but she also asked curiously, "Captain Marco, you know Father?"
Marco nodded.
"Your father, Kaidou, used to come challenge Oyaji all the time. Although he always lost in the end, I have to admit he's a monster of a man. Other than Oyaji, there really isn't anyone who can handle him."
"Is that so?"
Yamato did not seem especially happy about Marco praising her father, Kaidou. Instead, her expression dimmed slightly.
Seeing that, Marco thought of what Yemu had said and seemed to understand something. He changed the subject and asked, "By the way, since you're from Wano Country, have you heard of Kozuki Oden?"
"Kozuki Oden? You mean that foolish lord?"
Yamato suddenly remembered and said this.
The moment those words came out, Marco's expression changed. At the same time, the aura of another person aboard the Whitebeard Pirate Crew's ship suddenly shifted as well, startling Yamato.
Seeing this, Marco explained, "Don't be afraid. That's Izou from our Whitebeard Pirate Crew. He's also from Wano Country. Right, little one, what do you mean by foolish lord?"
Yamato looked at the very beautiful Izou and said carefully, "I don't know either. I heard it from my father's subordinates. Apparently, that samurai named Kozuki Oden dances naked every day in the Flower Capital, so people started calling him the foolish lord."
This left Marco even more confused, while Izou beside him had already gone pale. He looked anxious and seemed about to rush over to ask more, frightening Yamato.
"What nonsense are you saying? There's no way Lord Oden would..."
Fortunately, at that moment, Yemu stepped in front of Yamato and said lazily, "Marco, if you want to know about Wano Country, wouldn't it be easier to ask me?"
In an instant, the once harmonious atmosphere on the deck turned tense. Everyone felt it.
Whitebeard watched everything in silence.
Marco quickly apologized instead. "Sorry, sorry. I was just curious and asked without thinking. Captain Yemu, I didn't expect this to happen. Izou used to be Oden's subordinate, so he got a little anxious after hearing news about Oden."
Seeing this, Yemu knew it was time to talk business.
"We're more or less done eating anyway. Since the mood has reached this point, let's discuss the real matter."
...
On the deck of the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard and Yemu sat facing each other. Yamato obediently sat beside Yemu, while the rest of the Whitebeard Pirate Crew gathered around them.
"Then I'll explain the true purpose of my visit to the Whitebeard Pirate Crew. I call this plan the Yonkō Alliance."
"The Yonkō Alliance?"
Whitebeard frowned. Sure enough, it was nothing good.
"Yes. We select four pirate emperors powerful enough to rule over the entire New World and unite them in an alliance. That way, we can restrain the Marines and the World Government's power in the New World and prevent them from entering this sea. In my view, in the current New World, only the Whitebeard Pirate Crew and the BIGMOM Pirates presently have that level of strength. The others are Kaidou's Beasts Pirates and my younger brother Enel's Thunder Pirates. They may still be weak now, but their potential is limitless. If this alliance succeeds, the situation in the New World will stabilize. I won't have to worry too much about my rear and can focus on the future war against the Marines and the World Government."
Whitebeard's gaze sharpened.
"So, what's your goal?"
"The North Blue. Compared to the Four Seas, the Grand Line is still too small. Only by taking control of the Four Seas can the World Government truly be overthrown. And among the Four Seas, the North Blue is the most vicious sea, as well as the sea where the World Government's influence is weakest and the situation is most chaotic."
Hearing this, Whitebeard said without much concern, "Kid, what makes you think I have to agree to this? Making an enemy of the World Government sounds like asking for trouble."
"No rush. Listen to the actual bargaining chips first..."
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