"Gurararara! I'm seventy-two years old now. How much longer can I keep going? It's time to start thinking about the future." Whitebeard laughed as he spoke
But his words made everyone present feel a deep sadness, there was no denying it he was indeed getting old.
Before they realized it, many of them were already in their forties or fifties, and when Whitebeard adopted them, he himself had already been that age.
"Time really flies," Roy couldn't help but sigh.
"Yes, time shows no mercy. How many more years can I still sail these seas? Of all the people I sailed with back then, how many are left now?" Whitebeard said quietly.
Everyone could feel the melancholy of a fading legend.
Ace, in particular, refused to accept it and said;
"Pops! You haven't changed at all! You're still the strongest man on these seas! You'll become the Pirate King!"
"The Pirate King? I never cared about that title. All I ever wanted was to be with my family. Roy." Whitebeard lowered his gaze to meet Roy's.
"Go on, say what you need to say. The way you're talking, it's like you're about to keel over," Roy joked.
"Bastard! What are you saying!?" a newer crew member said angrily.
"Shut your mouth! Big Bro and Pops are talking. Who the hell are you to interrupt?!" Jozu roared when he saw it was one of his men.
"Even though you're all my family. But some of you have only just joined. Roy was my first companion. He's also the Big Brother of this ship. And in the future, he will be the one to lead you on these seas when I'm gone. From this day on, I hereby appoint Roy as the Vice-Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. If I am no longer here, the crew's fate will rest in his hands. Whether it continues or disbands—that will be his decision."
As Whitebeard finished speaking, silence filled the room. No one had expected this. The future of the Whitebeard Pirates… had been handed to Roy.
"Heh, I'm not interested," Roy said, waving his hand and smiling before anyone could react.
"Roy. This is my request—and also my order as your captain."
"I already agreed to your request thirty-six years ago. As for your 'order'—my captain is Whitey Bay, not you, Whitebeard—so I'm not listening to you," Roy chuckled.
"Gurararara! You don't have a choice. You'll always be the number one crewmate of the Whitebeard Pirates—my most trusted companion, Edward Newgate's most important brother and son. Look at the men behind you. Marco—you saved him. Jozu, Thatch, Vista, Rakuyo—who among them didn't grow up under your care? They all call you 'Big Bro.' Are you really going to stand by and watch your little brothers get bullied in the future?"
"Pops!!" Marco and the others turned to Whitebeard, emotions raw.
The rest of the crew was stunned. So that was the truth; no wonder the division commanders respected Roy so much. The veterans had all been raised by him.
"It's settled then. If I'm gone, the crew is yours. Those who want to leave may leave. Those who want to stay, stay. And you, as their Big Bro, I know you're not heartless. If the day comes when I'm no longer here, I want you to lead them forward. You will always be brothers. Always the best of partners."
"You're emotionally blackmailing me. But I'll say it again: you better stay alive. You can still live another ten or fifteen years," Roy said.
"Gurarara, what's the point of living that long? Hm? Where's my sake?" Whitebeard looked around and noticed his sake was gone.
"Pops, Big Bro is right. For your health, you should cut back on the booze," Marco grinned, holding the sake jug hostage.
"Marco, you little bastard!" Whitebeard growled.
"Pops, just listen to Big Bro. At least let us take care of you in your old age. You raised us, it's time we return the favor," Vista said, tears welling in his eyes.
"I'm not dead yet! Why the hell are you crying?!" Whitebeard roared, though inwardly, he was deeply moved—and mostly angry about the missing sake.
Roy knew he was still in good health. You just had to look at the blonde nurses always surrounding him.
'Old lecher. He had no shortage of beautiful women around him.'
"Just enjoy your retirement. Stop overthinking things. Wasn't there supposed to be a welcome feast? Let's get started," Roy said.
"Gurararara! It's all ready for you! Alright, brats—let the banquet begin! Marco, bring me my sake! I want to drink!"
"Give him juice. No more alcohol," Roy ordered.
"Roy, you bastard!"
"Izo, I'm craving oden," Roy suddenly said, turning to the silent samurai.
Izo glanced at Roy, then nodded.
Whitebeard shot Roy a look. Ever since Oden left, they had avoided Oden, not wanting to remind Izo of him.
"Oden? That's a Wano dish. I've been there before," Ace chimed in cheerfully.
Wano had long since fallen under the Beast Pirates' control. The news of Oden's death had reached them years ago, but the name hadn't been spoken in so long that it felt almost surreal. Had it really been over twenty years?
Still, Izo prepared the oden anyway. Roy leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching her work.
"All these years, you've never thought about going back to visit?" Roy asked.
"As a retainer of the Kozuki Family, I follow my lord's orders. I will carry them out to the end," Izo replied.
"Fine. In a couple of years, I'll send you back."
"You'll send me back?" Izo narrowed his eyes.
"If the Whitebeard Pirates are still around, as your family, we'll go with you," Roy said.
"I don't know what you're capable of… but thank you," Izo murmured.
"Smells great. Your cooking's just as good as Oden's," Roy grinned.
"Oden is simple to make," Izo said, stirring the pot.
They brought the pot out, eating and drinking on the ship. Some people even performed skits.
Even the beautiful nurses danced.
"Newgate, you old bastard. Living the good life all these years, surrounded by beauties," Roy laughed, one arm around Newgate and a drink in the other.
"Gurararara! Blame Whitey Bay for monopolizing you!"
"Pops, are you trying to corrupt Roy?" Whitey Bay huffed.
"Big Bro, you must regret getting married now, huh? If you hadn't accepted Whitey Bay's proposal back then, you might've had more kids by now," Thatch teased.
Loxus, drinking nearby, nearly choked. "Wait, Mom proposed to Dad?!"
"Tch. What did Mom even see in him? Was it just his pretty face?" Loxus muttered.
"Hahaha! Little Loxus, you don't understand. This is what they call childhood sweethearts. Your parents met when they were ten. Their bond runs deeper than you think."
"Teach, why are you spacing out? Drink up!" Ace nudged the man behind him.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just got lost in thought," Teach chuckled, hastily raising his cup.
........
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu