Despite some minor hiccups, Edward Weevil ultimately succeeded in reuniting with his biological father, Whitebeard.
Whitebeard Jr. looked every bit like a dumbass would like, but Whitebeard didn't hold it against him.
Instead, after accepting this reality, he became curious about how much of his own abilities his son had inherited!
Without further ado, he dragged the big dumb oaf Whitebeard Jr. off the Moby Dick and onto a nearby island to test his skills.
Marco watched helplessly as the two towering figures disappeared into the distance.
Great!
The old man had dumped the diplomatic responsibilities on him again.
Ever since signing that cooperation treaty on Fish-Man Island years ago, this task had always fallen to him.
He supposed he'd grown accustomed to it by now.
"What are you looking at? Let's go watch the show too." Michael shrugged.
"If you have any questions, now's the time to ask."
With that, his pristine white wings unfurled, carrying him skyward with a single flap.
Marco shook his head and transformed into his phoenix form to follow.
"Seriously, Michael, what exactly are you trying to gain by bringing the old man's son back now?"
"After all these years working together, Marco, can't you trust even the most basic alliance between us?" Michael put on an injured expression, looking sorrowfully at Marco.
"This really hurts, you know... Doing a good deed only to be questioned by family... Had I known, I wouldn't have come at all. Maybe I should've just taken Weevil into the Marines instead?"
"Cut the crap, Michael! You've never done anything without an ulterior motive!" Marco interrupted Michael's performative speech with visible irritation.
"I may not know what you're scheming this time, but you're definitely after something! So let's be frank! The old man wouldn't have left me alone with you if he hadn't fully authorized me to handle this!"
"Tsk tsk, Marco, sometimes you can be quite clever."
"When have I ever been stupid, you bastard?!"
As they bickered, they flew over Whitebeard and Whitebeard Jr., looking down at the monstrous father-son duel below.
Whitebeard wielded Murakumogiri, while the name of Whitebeard Jr.'s naginata remained unknown—though it was certainly no ordinary weapon given how it withstood dozens of clashes with Murakumogiri without damage.
"Tsk tsk, the sheer power in those moves... He really does resemble the old man in his prime! The strength alone convinces me this is truly his son!"
"So you didn't believe it until now?"
"What kind of idiot would immediately believe some dimwit brought by a Marine was the old man's son?" Marco sighed.
"It's just that the old man chose to believe in Weevil—chose to believe in you."
"Hey hey hey, is Whitebeard still not giving up on his attempt to recruit me as his son?" Michael's lips twitched.
"I'm currently the Marine's Grand Inspector, a high-ranking officer on the same level as the Three Admirals and the Chief of Staff... To put it bluntly, theoretically speaking, you're not even qualified to discuss matters with me! We're not on the same level or tier! You get that, right?"
"Enough, can you stop showing off for one day?" Marco looked at Michael. "Out with it, what's your latest scheme that benefits no one? And who's the poor bastard you've set your sights on this time?"
"That's a loaded way to put it. Can't I be here to gift your old man a new eldest son and then offer your Whitebeard Pirates a benefit?" Michael smirked.
"I have high hopes for the potential of your Whitebeard Kingdom, you know..."
"What Whitebeard Kingdom? Michael, are you having memory issues? We're pirates, a pirate crew... What nonsense is this!?"
Marco instinctively retorted before suddenly realizing what Michael had just said.
For a moment, he even forgot to flap his wings and plummeted straight toward the ground.
Michael, quick as lightning, caught Marco mid-fall.
"That excited?"
"Holy shit! Anyone who wouldn't be shocked after hearing what you just said must be a saint!" Marco wiped the cold sweat that had instantly broken out on his forehead.
"What the hell? Whitebeard Kingdom? Michael, Michael... just what are you scheming now?"
"It's a straightforward proposal—I'm just discussing whether your Whitebeard Pirates might be interested in shedding your pirate identity."
Just like that, Michael brazenly presented this outrageous idea to the world's most powerful existing pirate crew.
But Michael knew—even though the Whitebeard Pirates were currently the strongest, one principle still held true...
If people could live stable lives, no one would choose to be pirates.
During the Great Pirate Era, many set sail in search of Roger's so-called "treasure."
But Whitebeard had never been interested in the so-called "One Piece" from the very beginning.
He embarked on his journey solely to find family.
In other words, by motivation alone, Whitebeard was never a true pirate at heart.
Neither his methods nor his personality resembled those of conventional pirates in the slightest.
From the beginning, Michael had always believed that the Whitebeard Pirates and Charlotte Linlin's Whole Cake Island were less like pirate "territories"...
And more like feudal states that had carved out their own dominions.
They lacked the official titles of kingdoms but possessed all their substance.
And they were two of the most powerful such entities in the world.
So Michael kept wondering—why not legitimize these two powerful "kingdoms"?
This would not only add two more anchors to his faction in the turbulent New World but also carve two substantial chunks out of the pirate forces—losses that would cripple them.
After all, if these two "Emperors of the Sea" truly became emperors and began demarcating national borders and maritime territories...
Their next step would naturally be large-scale pirate purges, both domestic and abroad.
That prospect... was terrifying to imagine.
And the Whitebeard Pirates absolutely had the foundation to establish a nation.
Not to mention that Whitebeard's protected territories span both the New World and Paradise, just the fact that his forty-two subordinate pirate crews could follow Whitebeard in turning over a new leaf would be an immense act of virtue!
Marco stared at Michael in shock.
He had actually thought a lot when he followed them here.
He had considered that Michael might have the Whitebeard Pirates do things the Marine shouldn't be doing...
But he never expected it to be something like this!
"Are you... really in your right mind?"
"The biggest mistake I've made is not having you do this sooner," Michael shrugged.
"Honestly, look at the New World—so many countries... yet the happiest people are those living under the protection of you two pirates. How does that make any sense?"
"So..."
"Why not let the ordinary people under your protection..."
"Get what they truly desire?"