Nobody Eats the Flame-Flame Fruit

"What is a true Celestial Dragon? Are there fake Celestial Dragons?" Aokiji stepped forward, closing the distance. Since his eavesdropping had already been exposed, there was no point in hiding; he might as well listen openly.

Just as Sengoku prepared to answer, a voice suddenly rang out from the distance.

"Gurararara, Sengoku, so what is the situation now? Are you planning a ceasefire? Or have you decided to defect from the World Government and become a new pirate crew? If that's the case, release Ace, and the Whitebeard Pirates are willing to form an alliance with you, or even cede a territory in the New World for your development!" Whitebeard stood at the prow of the Moby Dick, surrounded by his sons.

At this moment, he was clearly nearing the end of his rope. His aura had weakened significantly, yet his presence remained undiminished.

He was still holding on, trying to discern the current situation.

If he could use his dying body to secure a path of survival for his sons, he was willing to do so.

"Hah! You certainly have a clever plan. If you old man die here, your sons will likely be unable to hold their original territory. If they try to force it, I fear they will be wiped out in an instant!" Sengoku ruthlessly tore through Whitebeard's final layer of resolve.

"Gurararara, as expected of the 'Buddha of Wisdom' from our generation. So, Sengoku, do you agree?"

"Pops, don't say such things! You'll be fine!" Phoenix Marco desperately channeled his healing flames, trying to mend the wounds on Whitebeard's body.

"Don't waste your effort, Marco," Whitebeard's body shuddered, shaking Marco off. "The wounds on my body are mostly old ailments; in truth, they were always going to flare up and take me eventually. I just couldn't stop worrying about you all! Now, since Sengoku is willing to help you, you should unite with Sengoku's Marine Pirate Crew."

"Pops! Is this your true goal? Selling us to the Marines?" Squard the Maelstrom Spider's tone was sharp.

"Squard, what kind of tone is that?" Vista of the Flower Swords placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The others also looked at Squard with unfriendly expressions.

Down in the Marineford plaza, the Marines were also buzzing with discussion.

"Marshal Sengoku is actually making a deal with Whitebeard? Are we really going to quit the Marines, form a Marine Pirate Crew, and take over Whitebeard's territory in the New World?"

"Hmph! Even if we become pirates, it won't stop me from dealing with other pirates! It's better in the New World; we can directly wage war against the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. With Marshal Sengoku, Garp, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru there, even if the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates join forces, we will surely be victorious!"

Smack!

A Marine Rear Admiral threw his blood-stained cap onto the ground. "I refuse to be a pirate! I joined the Marines to kill pirates! My hometown was destroyed by pirates, everyone was slaughtered, and now you want me to be a pirate?!!"

"That's right, I have an irreconcilable hatred for pirates. Even if I die, I will never become pirate trash like them!!!"

Some radical Marines began to curse angrily.

"Sengoku, hand over the key," Zhu Mang reached out.

"What key?" Sengoku looked confused.

"Forget it, I'll do it myself." Zhu Mang leaped onto the execution platform and arrived beside Ace. "Your knees don't hurt from kneeling so long? No one is watching, why don't you get up and walk a bit?"

Ace: ? Are you hearing yourself? I'm waiting to die, and you're asking if my knees hurt?

But he had heard the entire conversation between Zhu Mang and the others, and he had felt the shockwaves from his casual strike at close range. At this moment, he had no idea how to respond.

He was even more confused as to why this crazy Monkey-Tailed Man had come up here to find him.

Zhu Mang had already reached Ace's back and extended a finger.

A lustrous energy coated his fingertip.

He poked the shackles lightly.

Click!

These thickened, reinforced Sea-Prism Stone shackles were snapped with a single, effortless poke!

Feeling his [Flame-Flame Fruit] abilities returning as the suppression of the Sea-Prism Stone faded, Ace turned his head in disbelief, only to see the fingerprint left on the shackles.

At the sight of it, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

???

Isn't Sea-Prism Stone the hardest material in the world?

You poked it open with your finger???

"What are you looking at? Like some people, you can't stand up after kneeling for too long? Do you want to be part of the 'kneeling tribe'?" Zhu Mang teased.

"Of course not, damn it." Ace stumbled to his feet, using his remaining strength to spark a small flame on his fingertip.

Watching the flame dance, a long-lost smile appeared on his face.

After being suppressed by Sea-Prism Stone for so long, the feeling of regaining control over his body was wonderful.

"Enough, even dogs wouldn't eat the Flame-Flame Fruit, so stop showing it off."

Ace clenched his fists, gritting his teeth at him again.

What do you mean even dogs wouldn't eat the Flame-Flame Fruit?

Then what does that make me for eating it?

"Hey, Old Man Sengoku, this is a token of sincerity for that stubborn old man over there. I'll deliver it now." Zhu Mang poked his head out to say this, then, without waiting for Sengoku's response, he grabbed Ace by the collar like a chick and soared into the sky.

Boom—

In the blink of an eye, he appeared on the prow of the Moby Dick.

Looking at the old man before him, who was nearly four times his height, Zhu Mang felt a surge of emotion.

Although he had been here for a few days, seeing these characters from the anime appear before him one by one still felt surreal.

"Gurararara, thank you for bringing my son back. Gebinz, that is your name, correct?" Whitebeard was also sizing up this fellow who didn't even reach his knees, yet his eyes betrayed a hint of unconcealable gravity.

This was a legendary powerhouse who had single-handedly brought a massive battle involving two hundred thousand people to a screeching halt.

The Rocks he had known in the past, or even the captain of the Holy Knights he had seen at God Valley, or that father of Red-Haired Shanks—none of them were even fit to tie this legendary figure's shoes!

"Hmm, how do you intend to thank me? You aren't going to ask me to be your son, are you?" Zhu Mang teased.

Before he transmigrated, he had read some novels about chat groups, and whenever Whitebeard was involved, that trope would often become the group's running gag.

He was practically a maniac for collecting sons across the heavens and myriad worlds.

"Gurararara," Whitebeard plopped down onto the ground. Unlike his sons, who were acting as if they were facing a formidable enemy, he didn't even bother to keep up his tough facade, appearing completely relaxed. "Of course not. I can tell that you aren't interested in such things, and you aren't a pirate either. However... listen up, my children! From this day forward, Lord Gebinz is the most honored guest of the Whitebeard Pirates. To see him is to see me! As long as you still acknowledge me as your old man, you will remember these words!"