A sorrowful air drifted across the calm sea.
Faced with the battered Whitebeard Pirates before them, Shanks and his crew showed obvious hesitation.
But when he thought of the World Government's power and looked at the wounded Whitebeard Pirates, Shanks's wavering expression immediately hardened.
He and the Whitebeard Pirates could be considered old acquaintances. Ever since the era of Pirate King Roger, they had clashed on the seas time and again.
It could be said that there had not been much rivalry between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates. Instead, after all their long years of conflict, their relationship had become fairly cordial.
So, both emotionally and rationally, Shanks could not stand by and watch them throw their lives away.
What was more, aboard the pirate ship before him was Ace, the son of the man he respected most.
Therefore, although Shanks deeply sympathized with the Whitebeard Pirates' current plight, the Red Force remained motionless in front of their ship.
At the sight of this, anxious expressions appeared on many Whitebeard Pirates' faces.
After all, if Shanks and his crew refused to move aside, then in their current state, they stood no chance against the Red-Hair Pirates.
On the deck of the battered pirate ship.
Seeing the Red-Hair Pirates' unyielding attitude, everyone turned their eyes toward Marco and Ace, who stood on the deck.
With Whitebeard absent, Marco and Ace were currently the strongest men in the entire Whitebeard Pirates.
On these seas, many matters might place importance on seniority, but when a crucial decision had to be made, strength was what ultimately spoke.
Feeling the heavy gazes of his companions behind him, Ace clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.
He knew Shanks was right. The Whitebeard Pirates were in far too poor a state right now.