After hanging up, Whitebeard looked at Jake, who had just heaved a huge sigh of relief, and patted his shoulder with a laugh and spoke slowly.
"Now you can finally relax, eh? But that Sengoku hasn't changed—still distrustful of everyone. If that bastard really didn't trust you, but thats good for me though since i could openly recruit you onto my ship."
Jake could only smile helplessly at Whitebeard's persistent wish.
"If the first person I'd met at sea had been you, maybe it really would've worked. But then, the 'me' you think so highly of now wouldn't exist. I want to change this world—whether I'm a pirate or a marine doesn't matter. All I care about is dragging down those bastards on the Red Line."
"Gurarararara! I'm growing fonder of you by the minute, Jake. No matter what identity you take in the future, if you ever face an insurmountable obstacle, I'll always have your back. Gurarararara! As for payment, just treat me to a few more rounds of good booze!"
"Deal!"
With that, Jake raised his fist, bumping it against Whitebeard's massive one.
The two shared a knowing smile.
Nearby, Marco clamored to fist-bump Whitebeard too.
Monet carefully prepared clothes for Jake.
Since they were heading to Sky Island, the high altitude would surely be freezing.
Unlike these pirates, Jake would definitely feel the cold.
As a Snow-Snow Fruit user, Monet has immunity to the cold, but she didn't want Jake to freeze.
Watching Monet fuss over the clothes, Marco teased him.
"Jake, the warmest thing in this world is having someone worry about whether you're cold. You better cherish Monet properly. If you ever hurt her, none of us on this ship will let you off easy!"
Hearing Marco's words, Jake chuckled and replied.
"I've heard that line many times back at Marine Headquarters. Seems like if I ever get chased by both the Marines and pirates at the same time, it'll be because I broke Monet's heart."
"Gurarararara!"
Laughter echoed across the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard watched the scene, feeling his long-dormant heart stir with excitement once more.
This—this was the thrill of adventure!
*****
Their journey continued, and soon they arrived at Mock Town.
However, the Moby Dick was far too massive for the small port, so under Jake's direction, they sailed to the other side of the island—where the diamond-faced man, a descendant of Norland, resided.
At that moment, the man was diving underwater, searching for treasures that could prove the existence of the City of Gold.
But suddenly, the sea darkened above him.
Instinctively, he looked up and saw an enormous ship unlike any he had ever seen before.
Fearing that the ship's anchor might crush him, the diamond-faced man quickly surfaced.
Due to the angle, he couldn't see the massive Whitebeard flag.
Keeping a safe distance, he shouted at the crew.
"Hey! Don't dock here! There's reefs below. It's high tide now, so you haven't hit anything, but when the tide goes out at night, your ship will be damaged! A ship this big should sail a few hundred meters to the left and anchor in the deep waters there!"
Hearing the man's warning, Whitebeard laughed heartily.
"Gurarararara! Much appreciated! We'll be sure to reward you!"
Busy sorting through gold, the diamond-faced man barely registered the strange laugh, replying flatly.
"No need for rewards. The best payment would be for you to leave quickly. I don't like crowds."
About ten minutes later, after the Moby Dick was properly anchored, the crew swaggered ashore like a band of rowdy pirates, marching straight to the diamond-faced man's home.
"Whoa! What a huge castle! This guy must be filthy rich!"
Marco couldn't help but exclaim at the extravagant-looking structure.
But Whitebeard bonked him on the head and said.
"Idiot, can't you tell that's just a facade?"
Listening to Whitebeard's words, Marco finally noticed that it was just a standee.
He didn't have the habit of keeping his Observation Haki active at all times, especially when beside Whitebeard—there was simply no need—which was why he'd mistaken it.
Just then, the diamond-faced man slowly addressed the group while lighting his cigarette with bowed head.
"If you head that way from here, you'll reach town soon enough. But our town isn't exactly a good place—it's called Mock Town, though it really should've been named Devil Town. It's full of pirates and violent types, so be careful if you go there. Of course, if you're thinking of robbing me, you might want to consider how I've managed to live here alone for so long?"
The diamond-faced man's words were thorough—not only did he give directions, but he also warned them about the dangers in town while subtly hinting at his own strength to make them wary.
However, the next moment, his entire face froze as hearty laughter rang out.
"Gurararara! What an interesting brat. Thanks for the warning earlier. Though we're pirates, we always keep our promises!"
As Whitebeard spoke, he called out to Marco beside him.
"Hey! Marco, lend me 200,000 Berries and pass them to that kid. Consider this our payment."
Hearing this, Marco replied reluctantly.
"Pops! Of course you'd ask me again. Tch, I know you won't pay me back, but whatever~"
The diamond-faced man stared blankly at the iconic crescent-shaped white mustache, the towering figure and the infamous pirates behind him—all recognizable from bounty posters.
He didn't take the Berries Marco offered.
His cigarette fell to the ground in shock as he muttered:
"W-Whitebeard Pirates! Y-you're Whitebeard?!"
His voice turned unexpectedly shrill, clashing bizarrely with his rugged appearance.
Seeing his expression, Whitebeard simply laughed and nodded.
------------------------------
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