121 Chapter 120

[New World; Whole Cake island]

Whole Cake island. It was the central island sitting in the middle of Tottoland, which was currently ruled by 'Big Mom' Charlotte Linlin, one of the three Catastrophes.

For the past four years, she was known by the public to be waging a war against Kaidou of the 'Beast' for an unknown reason. The World Government speculated that underlying cause of the war was due to Big Mom's action to steal a copy of Kaidou's Road Poneglyph during the latter's absence.

To some extent, the World Government wasn't wrong. Big Mom and Kaidou were battling against one another with nothing but a rage... for a year only, that is.

"Maaamamama!"

Linlin, sitting on her favourite seat huge enough to support her size and weight, was currently enjoying her favourite cake made by none other than Streusen, her executive chef. As her mouth greedily consumed the delicacy in front of her, her eyes revealed a glimpse of the past,

<M-Mama! Look at your newest husband—yuck! I was already aware of how disgusting that third eye is, but still! Why has it turned... red?!>

Charlotte Dudding. He was the man of Three-Eye Tribe and the current husband of Linlin. In canon, in the year 1508, he was supposed to impregnate Linlin with Charlotte Pudding before losing his life at the hands of Linlin herself. However, a year-long experience of war brought a sudden miracle upon the man, and he gained... the ability to decipher Poneglyphs.

<Maaamamama... >

Linlin was shocked, and then rejoiced. She quickly came to understand that it wasn't the time to fight Kaidou and waste resources.

<Oi, Kaidou!!> Therefore, Linlin herself approached Kaidou and made a deal with him, <Here! Take it!>

In return for taking a copy of Kaidou's Road Poneglyph, Linlin gave a copy of her own to him.

Linlin said,

<Ochoku, that creepy bastard, began moving with John and Shiki! They are actively attacking Newgate's territory, surprisingly... they've been successful! If health has deteriorated just as the rumour says... who's currently strongest in New World, huh?!>

Kaidou simply frowned, <Get to the point, old hag!!>

Linlin decided to reveal her card, <What if I tell you... that managed to attain a way read Road Poneglyph?>

Yesterday's enemy has become today's ally. Two Catastrophes formed an alliance, and they used Dudding to read whatever Poneglyphs they had in possession. There, they came to learn,

<Zunesha...? >

They began moving. While throwing a performance to trick the world, they secretly attacked the civilization on top of a living giant elephant named Zunesha, Zou. The third Poneglyph was attained, and now, they were only one Road Poenglyph away from reaching One Piece—the greatest treasure of all.

"I swear..." After finishing her cake, Linlin murmured, "I swear that I saw that in the Fish Man island! But when we checked that place a year ago or so, there was nothing... meaning that someone must've taken it! And I know just the one who would do that..."

Linlin's eyes sharpened,

"Ochoku!!!"

She has recently received intel that Ochoku's group has recently begun a war against the Whitebeard Pirates. And she knew that now was the time to act.

"Maaamamama... but no need to rush. I will first enjoy the biggest tea party that will be held in history before the expedition to conquer the One Piece begins...!"

However, with her guard down and her Observation Haki not up, she failed to notice that there was a rat who managed to get his way into her home ground.

"Three Poneglyphs... and able to decipher...?"

The name of this fearless man was unknown. What was important, was the fact that he was one of the spies whom Ochoku, whose other identity is the world's most influential underworld broker named 'Id,' implanted in Linlin's rank far long in the past—when Big Mom Pirates was first established after Xebec's loss.

__________

[A Week After]

"...Why didn't you intercept back then, Garp?"

Sitting with a frown and expressing his concern was Sengoku. With a deep sigh, he said,

"It's Wano that we're speaking of—Kaidou's lair! I am well aware that Smoker's strength has reached the level of an Admiral, but a Catastrophe... is an entirely different case!"

"Bwahahaha!" Expressing a clear amusement at Sengoku's words, Garp laughed, which seemed to have raised the annoyance in Sengoku.

"What are you laughing at?!"

"Your intuition has become dull, Sengoku," Garp softly replied as he gazed into the setting sun, "Couldn't you see? That astounding growth in Smoker?"

"We haven't had information on how stronger Kaidou became over the past years! And you are well aware of how bizarre Smoker's devil fruit is... he hasn't awakened that fruit's full ability yet!"

In silence, Garp stared at his huge hand and tightened it into a fist. As he reminisced the past, his fist trembled slightly,

"...I made a promise with him, Sengoku. If he were to pull off a win against me when I am at my full capability, I was to support him in whatever decision he were to make."

Sengoku paused there.

Six months ago, Garp and Smoker disappeared from the island, on their own. Then, two of them returned, severely injured; all of them wondered what happened, but decided not to ask out of respect for them. And today, Garp revealed...

"Smoker... won against you...?"

"Bwahahaha!" Garp laughed, "I'm such an amazing teacher, aren't I? I bet that Zephyr can't do what I managed to do!"

Sengoku found himself at the loss of words. His eyes then shifted to one edge of the island. Although he did not have good eyesight, he knew very well that at the current moment, Smoker should be...

"..." Sengoku's body posture slouched as he let himself relax. Gazing at the horizon in a dull manner, he mumbled, "Is it really coming, Garp? The world that all of us wished for?"

With an equal seriousness, Garp said, "Of course, Sengoku. And it is inevitable."

...

In the sunset, one silhouette was found moving through the cloudy platform. It was none other than Smoker, who was holding a small sac as he walked.

<...If you wish to do so, who are we stop,> Said Dragon back then, <But... the problem lies in fact that we won't be able to provide you an adequate support. The face-off against World Government has gone extent where full attention is required, and thus—>

A journey by his own. Smoker didn't mind though, for he was expecting this from the start.

But still,

'It sometimes is exhausting when I think of how much I had to do to reach this point, and how much more I must do to create a world that all of us dream for.' Stopping in front of a moderate-sized wooden ship, Smoker thought, 'Yet, I told myself ever since that day, that I won't let myself lose against the fatigue. To achieve peace, I must persevere... eh, Cancer?'

The sun has set. Smoker raised his head and gazed at the stars that were sparkling above the sky. After making a nostalgic smile, Smoker lowered his head and began walking into the ship—

"—Wait!!"

Stopping on his way, Smoker turned around.

"You guys?"

Hina, Bastille, Aramaki, Rosinante, Senor Pink, Robin, X Drake, and Maynard. The eight of them stood, each with a unique expression of his or her own. Smoker couldn't help but express his surprise at the sight, and Hina then frowned,

"Why are you leaving alone again, Smoker? Hina disapproves."

"Throughout the last four years, you've been going in and out by yourself, placing yourself in danger without anyone by your side-dara," Bastille growled, "Aren't we your friends? Didn't you say that you'll rely on us? Why do you keep on acting alone? Even that last time when you went down to the Fish Man island... did you know how afraid we were from the thought of losing you?!"

"Rahahaha..." Aramaki then grinned, "No need to listen to these two scaredy cats, Smoker-san. But!" He pointed a thumb at himself, "There is no way you're leaving me out on this expedition!"

"What do you mean scaredy-dara, huh?!! You want to have a go, wooden stick?!"

"Rahaha! Say that after you become strong enough to fight Akainu in one versus one, weakling!"

"Who are you calling weakling—"

"Gahhh, calm down, Bastille! You're losing your mind again!"

"Let me go, Rosinante!! Until I punch that guy in the face, I'm not going to be satisfied!!"

"...Hina sighs."

"Haa..."

Watching as his friends began ranting him about trivial things, Smoker's heart began to warm up. Perhaps he reverted back to his old habit of trying to burden everything by himself, Smoker thought. With a smile, Smoker ended up asking,

"Then... will you guys help me out?"

As if having waited for that response, everyone grinned back at him in confidence. Robin said,

"Finally. We were waiting for you to say that, Smoker."

The journey into the New World, for the purpose of investigating the circumstances in Wano and the whereabouts of Gum Gum fruit, was about to start. Under the starry night, nine people—the next generation of 'true marines'—boarded the ship in optimism and a speckle of excitement, because even if they knew that the tide in front of them may be harsher than it has ever been, they had each other to rely on.

At far back was Sengoku and Garp, sending the younger ones off with a toast.

"Make sure to come back in one piece... all of you!"

"Bwahaha... go and beat that fat dragon's ass!!"

And thus, the ship left the drifting cloud toward the New World, signaling the start of a new chapter.

__________

"You..."

In a gruesome battlefield, 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate was found genuflecting as he tried to calm his breath down. The blood continued flowing out of his wounds, and he knew that his life was almost over; the Whitebeard Pirates... had lost in a war.

"Who are you..."

Newgate glared at the enigmatic individual, one who used to be his 'son' in the past, 'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach.

"POPS!!!"

Screaming in desperation at the back was Marco, who was trying to fly his way through the Blackbeard Pirates, ones who were laughing to mock the fallen Whitebeard Pirates.

"Huff... huff... how is this possible..." With her grip over her sword having become shaky, Whitey Bay was facing the wild slashes from numerous enemies all around.

'Jozu, Thatch, Vista, Izo, everyone...'

It was a total annihilation. Against the old legends, Ochoku, John, Shiki, and Silver Axe, as well as the new faces including Shiryu and Caesar, Whitebeard Pirates couldn't put up a fight. Currently, the alive executive members of Whitebeard Pirates were Newgate himself, Marco, Rakuyo, and herself—Whitey Bay.

And it was at this moment that Teach's atmosphere suddenly shifted as he leaned down to the exhausted Whitebeard and whispered,

"Do you still not recognize me... Newgate?"

Newgate's eyes widened. He, the Strongest Man in the World, felt a shiver down his spine. And... there was only one person in the world who could make him feel as such—one who shouldn't have been alive.

"...Xebec?"

"ZEHAHAHA!!!"

The lightning crashed down and the winds screeched as they blew wildly. Within this stormy weather echoed Teach's maniacal laugh, and he shouted,

"YES! IT IS I, NEWGATE!! I'VE COME BACK FROM THE DEAD...!!!"

Standing up proud, Teach spread his arms wide open. Then, he remarked shrewdly,

"And I've been hiding under your nose for years... do you know how sad I was to see how my previous first mate was unable to recognize me? I thought we were family!"

"Family...? FAMILY?!!" Newgate, filled with rage, roared in his lungs, "Don't you dare belittle me... XEBEC!!!"

That's when Marco, Rakuyo, and Whitey Bay froze in absolute shock—having heard a name that they weren't supposed to hear.

And then, before Newgate could speak any longer, Ochoku, John, and Shiki stabbed him simultaneously. Staring down at Newgate coldly, Teach then snapped his fingers,

"...We're doing it now."

'What is about to happen?!' Marco thought as he tried to fly over the persistent interruptions by Silver Axe and Caesar.

A number of pirates closed in from the sides, holding onto a large piece of black cloth. Marco gritted his teeth as his heart thumped rapidly. He flew past the vile gases that tried to engulf him, toward where Newgate was, until Newgate, whose eyes sighted Marco, shouted with all his remaining strength,

"Run... Marco!!"

Then, the black cloth was draped over Teach and Newgate, leaving Marco in despair of his own.

Whitebeard Pirates... have fallen against the hands of Blackbeard Pirates.

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