Never expecting Whitebeard to suddenly stand up and run out, even discarding his IV drip and cloak, Marco's expression changed drastically.
Without a second thought, he instantly moved to block Whitebeard's path.
"Pops!"
"If you go over now, you'll scare them! Especially the children of Sphinx—they're all terrified of you!"
"That's right, Pops!" Vista hurried over as well. "If you rush over so abruptly, it might even start a war!"
However, Whitebeard merely pushed his two sons aside casually, his towering figure not pausing in the slightest as he quickly dashed out of the grove and onto the wasteland.
In one part of the wasteland, several children who had been learning to work alongside the adults were the first to spot him.
A child at the front, whose nose was still runny, stared blankly at the legendary giant figure, then in the next second, his mouth twisted.
"WAAAHHHHH—"
The crying erupted instantly.
"Whitebeard is here! Whitebeard is here! Everyone, run!"
Sobbing, he scrambled to his feet, ready to run toward the adults not far away.
"Smack!"
An older child slapped him on the back of the head, shouting in exasperation, "What are you crying for? What are you yelling for? The Marines are stationed in Sphinx—what is there to be afraid of?!"
"Wipe your tears! If that Whitebeard dares to cause trouble, we'll hit him with our slingshots!"
The crying child sniffled, "B-but what if we can't beat him? Whitebeard is really scary."
The older child put his hands on his hips, striking a grown-up pose.
"If we can't beat him, we run, you idiot! We go find the Marines! If even the Marines can't beat him, we'll contact the Fleet Admiral with the Den Den Mushi!"
"Can the Fleet Admiral... beat Whitebeard?"
"Of course he can! He's the Fleet Admiral, after all!" The older child wore an expression that said,
"How dare you question the Fleet Admiral!"
Amid this innocent, unfiltered conversation, Whitebeard's towering figure had already arrived before them.
Before he could get any closer, the older child immediately spread his arms, shielding his little companions behind him.
Tipping his head back, he mustered his courage and shouted, "Whitebeard! What are you doing here? The Marines said your activities are restricted to that cherry blossom grove!"
"Oh?"
Whitebeard looked down with interest at this kid who barely reached his knees, his massive frame slowly crouching.
"You're not afraid of me? I'm Whitebeard, you know."
"So what if you're Whitebeard?" The child puffed out his small chest. "We have the Marines and the Fleet Admiral to protect us! If you dare cause trouble, the Fleet Admiral will definitely send you flying!"
The smile on Whitebeard's face deepened.
"So you truly believe the Marines can protect you?"
This time, not only the leading child, but several other little ones who had been trembling behind him also poked their heads out and shouted in unison.
"We believe them!!"
"GURARARARARARARA!"
Whitebeard could no longer hold back and burst into hearty laughter.
The laughter caused cherry blossom petals to flutter down from the grove, sweeping away the pent-up frustration in his chest.
These children before him were the hometown folks he had silently protected for decades.
Seeing them living without worries about food or clothing, free from fear and anxiety, naturally filled him with deep satisfaction.
The laughter subsided, and Whitebeard simply plopped down on the ground, his massive frame resembling a small mountain.
"I know you're clearing the land," he said, looking at the children. "If you allow me to join, I'll help you clear this entire plot. How about it?"
"Really?" The lead child's eyes lit up.
"Of course, it's true," Whitebeard nodded. "But there's one condition."
"What condition?" The child instantly grew wary, his little face stiffening as he glared angrily. "Old man! Are you trying to make us join the Whitebeard Pirates and become pirates?"
Before Whitebeard could respond, the boy straightened his back defiantly:
"Don't even dream about it! I'd rather die than be forced to become a pirate!"
"Besides, we've already made a pact—when we grow up, we'll join the Marines together to protect our hometown!"
Without waiting for Whitebeard to react, the other children behind him immediately mimicked his posture, straightening their backs and raising their chubby little hands, shouting in unison with childish voices.
"Loyalty!"
"Loyalty!"
Whitebeard was completely stunned.
As he looked at these kids, his vision grew hazy with nostalgia.
There was a time when he, too, had wanted to protect his hometown.
But in that era, his abilities were limited, and he ultimately had to set sail and become a pirate around the same age as these children.
What he had failed to accomplish was now being realized in this new era, in a way he had never imagined.
After a brief silence, a profoundly gentle smile spread across Whitebeard's weathered face.
"Don't worry, I'm not asking you to become pirates. My condition is... you have to call me 'Grandpa Whitebeard.'"
"That's it?"
The lead boy froze, scrutinizing Whitebeard up and down, his small face filled with suspicion.
"Can you really help us clear this wasteland? It's not a small plot."
Before Whitebeard could answer, the other children caught on and crowded around him.
"Will Grandpa Whitebeard really help us?!"
"Grandpa Whitebeard, you're so tall!"
"Grandpa, can we start right now?"
The clear, childish voices calling him "Grandpa" gradually melted the legendary pirate who had dominated the seas for decades.
"Gurarara... Watch closely, kids!"
Whitebeard's voice was filled with unprecedented cheerfulness, even a hint of pride.
"Grandpa Whitebeard will now show you the proper way to use the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!"
As he spoke, an invisible ripple emanated from his palm, spreading quietly like waves across water.
Hum—
The earth emitted a low, gentle hum.
Under the children's astonished gazes, the long-abandoned, hardened land cracked apart in response.
The next moment—
Soil churned, and stones turned to dust.
In the blink of an eye, a vast stretch of wasteland that would have taken dozens of people a full day of hard labor to clear was transformed into soft, level ground through this silent vibration.
The fresh scent of upturned soil filled the air.
The children stood with their mouths agape, eyes wide open, their toy hooves clattering to the ground.
"Wow—"
The lead boy was the first to snap out of it. He stared at the softened soil, then at the smiling Whitebeard, and exclaimed excitedly.
"Amazing! Grandpa Whitebeard is amazing!"
"Grandpa! Over here! Please help with this side too!"
"Grandpa, you're amazing!"
The children swarmed around Whitebeard, jumping and hopping excitedly.
By the edge of the cherry blossom grove, Marco, Vista, and the others watched as their father, surrounded by children and laughing like a child himself, stood frozen one after another.
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