Newgate... I'm going to die~

"Th-that is..."

The pirates who saw that ship widened their eyes, cold sweat breaking out across their faces. They looked utterly incredulous.

"How is that possible? Weren't they said to have been in the waters near Wano Country not long ago?!"

All the pirates gathered at the edge of the deck and looked toward the warship approaching in the distance.

Even figures of Marco's caliber, the division commanders, could not help but narrow their eyes at the extravagant lineup aboard that warship.

"It's that... newly appointed Marine Hero!!!"

Marco's words successfully drew Whitebeard's attention. Their Old Man stood there gripping Murakumogiri, staring into the distance.

After hearing Marco's description of Austin, he was briefly stunned before bursting into hearty laughter.

"Kure-kure-kure...!!!"

"A Marine Hero? That Austin actually ended up being given a title like that one day?!!!"

"What the most amusing joke in the world!!!"

"Kure-kure-kure!!!"

Gulp—gulp—

Whitebeard poured mouthful after mouthful of wine down his throat, laughing with obvious delight.

Marco found this utterly baffling and immediately turned to look solemnly at his Old Man.

"That's the man who captured Golden Lion and Roger one after another—the monster Marine said to appear only once in eight hundred years of World Government history!!!"

Whitebeard turned his gaze toward Marco, his eldest son, who looked as though he faced a formidable enemy. A trace of reminiscence surfaced in his eyes.

That was a story from his youth.

"I've always known, Marco~"

Marco was stunned by those words.

"I know the news you heard may indeed have happened..."

"But as a remnant of the Old Era, I naturally know things you do not. At the very least, that Austin—"

Back in that era, he had been able to fight Roger, Whitebeard, and other powerhouses without falling behind despite his young age.

A