Chapter 78

In any case, Blackbeard still had plenty of opportunities. As long as Thatch didn't consume the Devil Fruit, he would surely find a chance to snatch it away.

Meanwhile, in various parts of the world, many people were already preparing to sleep at this time.

In this era, people didn't have many entertainment options like modern times with movies, TV shows, and games to keep them entertained.

For many, after dinner, all that remained was rest, and even having candlelight at night was considered a luxury for many.

However, those who were about to sleep tonight suddenly noticed something different.

The streets outside suddenly became lively, and if one listened carefully, they could hear people shouting that the quiz livestream had started again.

As this news spread among the crowd, more and more people emerged from their houses.

In the dark night sky, a screen with its own light stood there, illuminating the surroundings brightly, with a dense crowd below.

Excitedly, everyone turned their gaze to the screen, wondering what kind of livestream this would be.

Several days had passed since the last livestream ended, and they had expected it to return the next day, but it didn't. The days went by without any sign of it.

They began to wonder if Luo Ke had been captured by the World Government since he had caused quite a commotion at Mary Geoise.

Anyone who dared to cause trouble at Mary Geoise would surely not be spared by the World Government.

The Five Elders also breathed a sigh of relief at Luo Ke's disappearance. They were worried that he would expose more shocking revelations while they searched for him.

Amidst this waiting, today, the quiz livestream reappeared, and everyone eagerly looked towards the screen.

The East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, North Blue, the Grand Line—similar scenes unfolded across the world.

Both ordinary people and important figures were gathered before the screen at this moment.

As the black screen switched, the images inside came into view.

They could see a ship, with many pirates standing on the deck, and everyone in the crowd immediately recognized the identity of the tall figure.

Yonko, Whitebeard.

Why is it him again?... People were somewhat puzzled, but quickly, their confusion turned into excitement because there were still many unanswered questions in their minds since they heard about the events of the Summit War last time.

...· ········· Requesting flowers ··· ··

However, the quiz livestream ended after Luo Ke asked five questions, so they only knew a part of what happened during the Summit War. They could only confirm that Ace had died, but they had no way of knowing what happened to Whitebeard's pirate crew.

Could today finally reveal what happened behind the scenes of the Summit War?

At the thought of this, everyone's hearts trembled.

At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku,, along with several Admirals and Vice Admirals, took their seats.

In the New World, the Big Mom Pirates, Beast Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, Donquixote Family, and other major pirate crews all gathered before the livestream as well.

How will the Summit War end?

Curiosity filled the eyes of everyone.

During the livestream...

This is a multiple-choice question with four options. Each question has only one chance to answer. After answering incorrectly, the correct answer will be revealed. The reward depends on how many questions you answer correctly. Please listen to the options:

a. Heard that Luffy set sail, so wanted to meet Luffy.

b. Wanted to visit friends in Wano Country.

c. Learned about the news of the Celestial Dragons who killed Sabo, so went for revenge.

d. Went to capture the traitors who betrayed the Whitebeard Pirates and killed their comrades.

You have one minute starting now."

Finally, they were able to understand the reasons behind these events.

Upon hearing the question, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates were immediately intrigued. Two questions had been troubling them since the last live broadcast.

The first question was about why their captain, Whitebeard, got injured and what went wrong during that time.

The second question was about the root cause of the Marineford War and why Ace left the Whitebeard Pirates. If Ace hadn't left and been captured by the Navy, the Marineford War would never have occurred, and everything that followed could have been avoided.

After learning about the Marineford War, Whitebeard kept a close eye on Ace, fearing that something might happen to him. Although Whitebeard had returned to his peak strength, he was still not powerful enough to take on the entire Marine Headquarters.

If the war were to happen, the outcome would likely be far worse than what was shown in the footage. The best-case scenario would be a mutual destruction between the two sides.

Therefore, Whitebeard and the members of the Whitebeard Pirates didn't want to see Ace being captured and used as a hostage. They didn't know how it all started, but they wanted to do everything possible to prevent any harm from befalling Ace.

Now, Luo Ke brought up this question in the live broadcast, which coincided perfectly with their concerns. They were eager to know the true reasons behind everything that had happened.

Not only the Whitebeard Pirates, but even the Marines and other viewers watching the live broadcast were also highly interested in understanding the cause of this world-class war.

They looked at the options:

Knowing that his brother had set out to sea and wanting to meet him seemed like a reasonable choice. After all, Luffy had indeed set sail, and it was only natural for an older brother to want to meet his younger brother after a long time.

Going to Wano Country to meet an old friend?

The members of the Whitebeard Pirates turned their gaze towards Ace. After a moment of contemplation, Ace responded, "The friend in Wano Country must be Tama. Dad, I believe I mentioned this to you before."

Whitebeard nodded with realization. He remembered Ace mentioning this matter to him.

Ace explained that he had a friend in Wano Country, and they had a good relationship. However, Wano Country was currently under the control of Kaido, and his friend was not living a good life under Kaido's rule.

Ace felt a deep sympathy for the people suffering in Wano, so he suggested to Whitebeard if they could help them drive out Kaido.

However, Whitebeard rejected this reckless request. Wano Country was Kaido's stronghold, and launching an attack there would mean engaging in a full-scale war with the Beasts Pirates.

Such a war was no different from the Marineford War in terms of its magnitude and consequences.

Battles between the Four Emperors should not be initiated lightly, just as the Marines didn't want to engage in a war with the Four Emperors without a strong reason.

Once such a battle started, both sides would suffer losses, providing opportunities for other factions. Not only would the Marines be eagerly waiting on the sidelines, but other pirates would also be looking to capitalize on the situation. Unless absolutely necessary, they should avoid starting a war.

Furthermore, unless the stakes were extremely critical, Whitebeard didn't want to sacrifice the lives of his crew members.

War meant casualties.

The members of the Whitebeard Pirates were willing to sacrifice themselves to save Ace, and they were also willing to sacrifice themselves to save other members of the Whitebeard Pirates. However, when it came to outsiders, Whitebeard found it difficult to agree because family always came first.

That's why Whitebeard initially refused Ace's request, and Ace realized that his request was too much and didn't bring it up again.

When Ace mentioned meeting up with a friend in Wano, Whitebeard thought it was a possibility. The option of seeking revenge for Sabo was also a likely answer because they had heard about Sabo's situation. Although they now knew that Sabo was alive and had been saved by Dragon, becoming a strategist for the Revolutionary Army, they wouldn't have known without Luo kei's information.

The fourth option, "cleaning up loose ends," caught the attention of the Whitebeard Pirates. The prospect of a traitor in their ranks who killed a fellow crew member and then left the Whitebeard Pirates was deeply unsettling. Whitebeard's crew had a strict rule against harming family members. They were all like Whitebeard's children, and they would never harm each other.

Most of the crew members dismissed the fourth option as a mistake introduced by Rocchi. They believed it couldn't be true and focused on the other three options, considering them more plausible.

Whitebeard also had a serious expression when he saw the fourth option, but he didn't think it was likely either. If it wasn't the fourth option, then which of the first three options could it be?

At that moment, Marco recalled a detail from the previous footage.

"Old man, I remember there was a detail in the last footage," Marco said, catching Whitebeard's interest.

"Oh, tell me," Whitebeard said, intrigued, looking at Marco.

"In the footage, when Ace was on the brink of death after taking a punch from Akainu to save Luffy, something fell out of Luffy's straw hat," Marco explained.

"Ah, I remember that," Jozu nodded. "I think it was a Vivre Card."

"Exactly, it was a Vivre Card, and if my guess is correct, it should be Ace's Vivre Card. The Vivre Card burned up completely after Ace's death, so it must have been Ace's," Marco continued. "Vivre Cards are commonly used in the New World and rarely seen elsewhere. Ace must have made it when he reached the New World. Since Luffy had Ace's Vivre Card, it proves that Ace met with Luffy before the Summit War, and Ace personally gave it to him. So, I believe option A is highly likely..."

Marco's analysis was logical and convincing, and many people around him couldn't help but agree.

If Luffy had Ace's Vivre Card, it would confirm that they had met. If that was the case, is it possible that Ace was captured by the Marines on his way back from meeting Luffy?

The possibility was high!

If Ace encountered powerful Marines, he could have been overpowered. Whitebeard nodded in agreement with Marco's reasoning and asked Ace for his thoughts.

Ace also agreed with Marco's analysis. Being the person himself, he was the most aware of the truth.

"I know whom I gave my Vivre Card to, and if Luffy has it, it means we met. If we met, I would have given him my vivre Card," Ace confirmed.

Upon hearing Ace's statement, everyone believed that this was the answer.

However, among the crowd, one person's expression was off—Blackbeard.

Since he heard the question, he had a nagging feeling that something was amiss. When he heard the fourth option, alarm bells rang loudly in his mind.

He had just been planning to kill Thatch and take the Yami Yami no Mi Devil Fruit. If he had carried out that plan, the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't tolerate him, and he wouldn't choose to stay either, especially considering he had consumed the Devil Fruit.

So, the existence of a traitor within the Whitebeard Pirates was indeed plausible.

If that were the case, Ace leaving the Whitebeard Pirates was most likely due to this incident. As a member of the Second Division, it was Ace's duty to clean up the mess.

Blackbeard thought about the timeline mentioned in Luo ke's prophecy—it seemed like the Marineford War would happen soon.

The timing, characters, and events seemed to align perfectly.

If this development were true, everything would become clear.

Ace would go after him, lose the battle, and then be handed over to the Marines. If it were him, Teach would likely offer Ace as a trade to secure the Marines' protection, as they would face the wrath of the Yonko Whitebeard.

Blackbeard didn't have time to contemplate the details further. At this moment, he felt awful, his guilty conscience reaching its peak.

He now experienced the same feeling Admiral Aokiji had when he witnessed his worst fear becoming a reality.

Nothing could be worse than this. If this matter were exposed, the wrath of the Whitebeard Pirates awaited him.

And now, he couldn't even escape. The entire Moby Dick was sealed off, and unless the quiz ended, there was no way to lift the blockade.

At this moment, he could only hope that Teach wouldn't expose him. Otherwise, he had finally come across the Yami Yami no Mi Devil Fruit, and yet he wouldn't even get to touch its peel before meeting his doom.

How could there be such outrageous people in this world?

He hadn't done anything yet. Why did he have to face this situation?

Even if he was guilty, couldn't they wait until he actually committed a crime before publicly executing him?

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(End of this chapter)