Whitebeard furrowed his brows, feeling a bit puzzled.
Among the great pirates he knew, Shanks had one of the most "gentle" temperaments and was unlikely to take action rashly.
If you approached him amicably, he might even invite you to a banquet.
After some thought, Whitebeard asked,
"Dragon, have you had any conflict with Red-Haired before?"
Dragon's expression grew even darker. He replied firmly,
"No! I've never even met him before this! And as far as I know, his relationship with my son, Luffy, should be good. The Devil Fruit and the straw hat Luffy carries were given by him! I can't understand why he would show such hostility toward me!"
Among the crowd, Teach's eyes flickered. According to his calculations, Shanks should have been the easiest to ally with, but now such a significant hitch had appeared.
Still, the Revolutionary Army joining forces with them was undoubtedly a good thing, so the situation wasn't entirely dire.
He stepped forward and shouted,
"Old man! I have something to say!"
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, surprised as he looked at Teach.
"Teach? What do you want to say?"
Dragon also turned his gaze toward Teach. As the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Teach was usually low-key and often overlooked.
Under the watchful eyes of Whitebeard and Dragon, Teach spoke slowly and deliberately,
"Old man, it seems clear now that an alliance with Red-Haired is impossible. We shouldn't waste any more time on him. After all, the Navy could attack at any moment. What we should focus on is securing an alliance with Big Mom's crew!"
Marco's face turned grim as he interjected,
"But it seems more difficult than we imagined. Even Red-Haired rejected the proposal. Big Mom, who's far more volatile, is unlikely to agree to an alliance. If it leads to conflict..."
Teach, however, burst into laughter,
"Zehahaha! Don't worry, Marco. I've already thought of a way! Not only can we forge an alliance with Big Mom's crew, but we can make it even stronger!"
His confident smile piqued even Whitebeard's curiosity.
"Teach, stop beating around the bush. Tell us your plan!"
Teach didn't hesitate.
"Marriage! We can form an alliance with Big Mom's crew through marriage!"
"What!?"
Gasps echoed across the deck. Thatch, standing nearby, nudged Teach with his elbow and whispered,
"Teach, you're not suggesting the old man and Big Mom..."
Teach jumped in fright, quickly covering Thatch's mouth.
But it was too late. Whitebeard, though aged, still had sharp hearing. His face darkened instantly, and Dragon looked at Teach with an odd expression.
Everyone in the New World knew of Big Mom's obsession with having children. The Big Mom Pirates were essentially a product of her numerous offspring, spanning a variety of races—long-leg, long-neck, long-tongue, and even fish-men.
If she deserved a "world's strongest" title, it would undoubtedly be "World's Strongest Public Transport."
As someone who had once sailed with Big Mom, Whitebeard was well aware of this. If Teach dared to suggest he marry her, Whitebeard would ensure he couldn't leave his bed for months.
Seeing Whitebeard's increasingly grim expression, Teach shot Thatch a glare before quickly clarifying,
"Old man! Don't listen to Thatch's nonsense! I never meant that! My idea is for us, your sons, to marry Big Mom's daughters!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard's expression finally eased. After some thought, he realized Teach's proposal was indeed viable.
Most of his "sons" were bachelors, and Big Mom had many daughters of marriageable age. On paper, the match was suitable.
More importantly, alliances formed through marriage were far more solid than mere verbal agreements.
The only issue was deciding who would step forward.
As a loving father, Whitebeard didn't want his sons to suffer. These arranged marriages lacked emotional foundations, and there was no time to foster feelings.
Marco also realized this and voiced the dilemma.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates exchanged uncertain glances. They were accustomed to freedom, and the thought of marriage—a lifetime commitment—was jarring.
Dragon, being the only outsider present, wisely chose to stay silent. Internally, however, he approved of Teach's suggestion, even casting him an approving look.
After a while, seeing no volunteers, Marco decided to step forward. As the first division commander, he felt responsible for the alliance's failure with Shanks and thought it was his duty to resolve the situation.
Just as Marco was about to speak, Teach shouted,
"Old man! I'm willing to marry someone from Big Mom's crew!"
Marco was taken aback.
"Teach, you..."
Teach laughed again,
"Zehahaha! Marco, you were the one to meet Red-Haired last time. Let me handle this! For the Whitebeard Pirates, I'm willing to make the sacrifice!"
Teach's righteous demeanor masked his true intentions.
If the marriage succeeded, he would gain the backing of both the Whitebeard Pirates and Big Mom's crew—a far more lucrative arrangement than Marco's failed negotiations with Shanks.
As for love? Teach didn't care. He was a pirate. For him, physical appeal mattered more than emotional connection.
In his mind, as the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, he deserved a match like Smoothie, with her long legs and elegance. If it were Smoothie, he'd gain both a partner and a strong ally.
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg