Jake's words even managed to surprise Whitebeard.
Staring at the serious-faced young man before him, he grinned and said.
"Gurarararara! Kid, do you even know what the Knock-Up Stream is? Even my Moby Dick could end up shattered if we ride it up—one wrong move, and the ship breaks apart. And if that happens, all of us would die at ten thousand meters in the air."
Despite Whitebeard's warning, Jake remained unwavering and replied firmly.
"If we go up that way, there's treasure in skypiea—the City of Gold!"
A mouthful of liquor sprayed from Whitebeard's mouth.
He stared at Jake, his already narrow eyes practically gleaming.
"The City of Gold?! That centuries-old legend? Gurarararara! Kid, just how many surprises do you have for me? It's been years since I last felt this excited about an adventure! Sky Island—I went there once before, but I took the Summit of the West route. The scenery was beautiful, sure, but it lacked the thrill of adventure. And I didn't find any treasure—that's not the kind of profit-driven adventure pirates usually go for!"
"Then let's go, brat! Gurarararara! I'll join you on this Knock-Up Stream ride. Whether it's me or the Moby Dick, it's about time we had another adventure like the ones from our youth!"
Marco, standing nearby, couldn't help but show excitement on his face—though soon after, he turned to Whitebeard with concern.
"Pops, your condition... can your body handle this—?"
Jake answered first.
"He can. Whitebeard's condition is mostly under control now. As long as he doesn't engage in high-intensity battles or overuse his Devil Fruit powers for extended periods, he'll be fine."
Whitebeard chuckled and patted Marco's head, then added.
"Gurarararara, don't worry, Marco. I know my own body best. If I couldn't handle the Knock-Up Stream journey, I wouldn't go. With Jake's treatment, this body is strong enough now. It's time for the Whitebeard Pirates to embark on adventures like we did over a decade ago!"
Hearing this, Marco completely let go of his concerns.
Looking at Whitebeard, he cracked a smile and said.
"Yeah! Pops! When we ride the Knock-Up Stream, even if the ship starts sinking, I'll personally hold up the Moby Dick to keep it from falling. After all, this has been my home for decades!"
"Gurarararara, if you think you can handle it, then by all means try!"
Seeing both the captain and vice-captain agree to his idea, Jake let out a long sigh of relief.
Then he asked Whitebeard.
"Aren't you even slightly doubtful about the truth of my words? Those are legends from centuries ago. Aren't you afraid I might be deceiving you?"
Whitebeard took a big swig of alcohol and replied directly.
"Stupid brat! What kind of scammer would ride the Knock-Up Stream with their supposed victims? Having the courage to ride the Knock-Up Stream means you couldn't possibly be a fraud. Even if there's no City of Gold up there, just the adventure of riding the Knock-Up Stream to Sky Island would be priceless treasure itself! Gurarararara!"
"Jake, we're pirates! Even if we gain nothing, just having the chance to adventure with Pops again makes me happier than anything!"
Their boldness somewhat infected Jake too.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he smiled and said.
"In that case, if we do find any gold, you'll let this vulgar Marine keep it all, right?"
"What?! No way!" x2!
The next moment, all three burst into laughter, with Whitebeard's booming laughter causing slight tremors across the surrounding sea.
Monet sipped her frozen orange juice nearby, watching the three laughing men with a puzzled look in her eyes.
Men really were strange creatures.
Still, seeing Jake laugh so heartily made Monet's own mood brighten involuntarily.
But after the laughter subsided, Jake suddenly took a deep breath and said seriously to the two men.
"Actually, about this Sky Island trip... I have one more request. If this condition can't be met, I'd rather not go."
Whitebeard looked curiously at Jake, then subtly activated his Observation Haki to ensure no one was eavesdropping before responding.
"Speak your mind. Lately, just to protect your privacy, I've moved from the Moby Dick's main deck to this cramped bow area to chat with you."
"Thank you, Whitebeard. What I'm about to say might make you uncomfortable, but for the safety of this operation and our future cooperation, I need to tell you everything."
Seeing Jake's serious expression, Marco frowned at this moment.
"It's alright, Jake. Does this involve someone on our ship?"
Hearing this, Whitebeard's expression also turned slightly serious.
He regarded all his sons, especially those on the Moby Dick, as family.
If Jake couldn't provide a satisfactory answer, an inevitable rift would form between them.
Jake was well aware of this, so without hesitation, he told Whitebeard and Marco the truth—or rather, the story he had prepared.
"For this trip to Sky Island and all our future collaborations, I hope we can avoid one person."
"Who?!" they both asked simultaneously.
Facing their questions, Jake slowly uttered a name.
"Marshall D. Teach!"
"Why him? Teach has been with us for nearly twenty years. Can you give me a reason, Jake?"
Whitebeard's voice carried a calm tone, which Jake recognized as his way of asking a very serious question.
"My Devil Fruit ability allows me to sense the malice of those around me. At first, there were very few people on the ship who held no ill will towards me, so I didn't notice. But now, the only one who still harbors intense malice towards me—and has even grown stronger in it—is him."
Here, Jake paused before continuing.
"And every time the malice spikes, it's most noticeable when I'm treating you, Whitebeard."
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