The Flame-Flame Fruit Isn't Even Fit for Dogs to Eat

"What is a true Celestial Dragon? Are there fake Celestial Dragons too?" Aokiji stepped closer. Since they already knew he had been eavesdropping, there was no point hiding anymore. He might as well listen openly.

Just as Sengoku was about to answer, a voice suddenly rang out from afar.

"Gurararara, Sengoku, what's going on now? Are you planning to call a truce, or have you decided to betray the World Government and become a new pirate crew? If it's the latter, release Ace. The Whitebeard Pirates are willing to form an alliance with you. We'll even clear out a territory in the New World for you to develop!"

At this moment, Whitebeard was clearly nearing the end of his strength. His aura had weakened considerably, but his bearing had not diminished in the slightest.

He was still holding on, trying to figure out the situation.

If he could use this dying body of his to buy his sons a way out, he was willing to do it.

"Heh! You've got quite the scheme. If an old man like you dies here, your sons probably won't be able to hold on to their old territory. If they try to force it, they'll likely be wiped out in an instant!" Sengoku mercilessly tore away Whitebeard's final layer of pretense.

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

"Pop, don't say that! You'll be fine!" Marco the Phoenix desperately drove his healing flames, trying to treat Whitebeard's wounds.

"Don't waste your effort, Marco." With a tremor of his body, Whitebeard sent Marco flying away. "Most of my injuries are old wounds. They should have acted up and taken me away long ago. I just couldn't stop worrying about you all! Now that Sengoku is willing to help you, join forces properly with Sengoku's Marine Pirate Crew!"

"Pop! Is that your true purpose? Selling us to the Marines?" Squard the Maelstrom Spider's tone was somewhat harsh.

"Squard, what's with that tone?" Vista of the Flower Swords placed a hand on his sword hilt.

The others also glared at Squard the Maelstrom Spider with hostile expressions.

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

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

"Hmph! Even if we become pirates, that won't stop me from fighting other pirates! Going to the New World is even better. We can directly wage war against the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. With Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Akainu, Admiral Aokiji, and Admiral Kizaru, even if the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates join hands, we'll definitely win!"

Smack!

A Marine rear admiral hurled his bloodstained cap to the ground. "I refuse to become some damn pirate! I joined the Marines to kill pirates! Pirates destroyed my hometown and slaughtered everyone there, and now you're telling me to become a pirate?!"

"That's right! I have an irreconcilable hatred for pirates. Even if I die, I'll never become scum of the sea like pirates!!!"

Some of the more radical Marines began to curse angrily.

"Sengoku, give me the key." Zhu Mang held out his hand.

"What key?" Sengoku was somewhat bewildered.

"Forget it. I'll do it myself." Zhu Mang leaped onto the Execution Platform and came to Ace's side. "You've been kneeling for so long. Don't your knees hurt? No one's watching you. Why don't you get up and walk around?"

Ace: ? Do you hear yourself? I'm waiting to die, and you're asking whether my knees hurt?

But he had heard Zhu Mang's conversation from beginning to end and had felt up close the shockwave caused by his casual strike. At this moment, he had no idea how to answer.

He understood even less what this crazy monkey-tailed man wanted from him.

Zhu Mang had already moved behind Ace and extended a finger.

A lustrous layer of qi covered the finger.

He gently poked Ace's shackles.

Crack!

The reinforced, thickened Sea-Prism Stone shackles were effortlessly pierced through!

Feeling the power of the [Flame-Flame Fruit] gradually return as the Sea-Prism Stone's suppression vanished, Ace turned his head in disbelief and saw the finger mark on the Sea-Prism Stone shackles.

At that sight, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

???

Wasn't Sea-Prism Stone the toughest thing in the world?

You broke it with one finger???

"What are you looking at? Have you been kneeling so long that, like certain people, you can't stand anymore? Don't tell me you want to be one of those kneeling folk?" Zhu Mang teased.

"Of course not, damn it." Ace staggered to his feet, using what little strength he had left to conjure a tiny flame on his fingertip.

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

After being suppressed by Sea-Prism Stone for so long, it felt wonderful to regain control of his body.

"All right, the Flame-Flame Fruit isn't even fit for dogs to eat, so stop showing off."

Ace clenched his fists and gritted his teeth at him again.

What did he mean, the Flame-Flame Fruit wasn't even fit for dogs to eat?

Then what did that make him for eating it?

"Hey, old man Sengoku, I'm sending this over as a gesture of goodwill to that stubborn old man over there," Zhu Mang called out, then, without waiting for Sengoku's response, grabbed Ace by the neck like a chick and shot into the sky.

Boom—

In the blink of an eye, he appeared at the bow of the Moby Dick.

Looking at the old man before him, who was roughly four times his height, Zhu Mang could not help feeling a little emotional.

Though he had already been here for several days, it still felt strange seeing these characters from anime appear before him one after another.

"Gurararara, thank you for saving my son, Gebinz. That's your name, right?" Whitebeard was likewise studying the man who did not even reach his knee in height, yet a trace of solemnity he could not conceal appeared in his eyes.

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

The Rocks he had known, the commander of the Holy Knights he had seen at God Valley, even Red-Haired Shanks's father—none of them were worthy of carrying this legendary powerhouse's shoes!

"Yeah. How are you going to thank me? Don't tell me you want me to become your son?" Zhu Mang joked.

Before crossing over, he had read some chat group novels. Whenever Whitebeard joined one, this sort of thing often became his group name.

He was simply a son-collecting maniac across all heavens and worlds.

"Gurararara." Whitebeard sat down heavily on the ground. Unlike his sons, who looked as though they faced a formidable enemy, he no longer even forced himself to stand strong, appearing utterly relaxed. "Of course not. I can tell that you aren't interested in such things, and you aren't a pirate either. But... listen up, boys. From now on, Lord Gebinz is the Whitebeard Pirates' most honored guest. Seeing him is the same as seeing me! As long as you still acknowledge me as your pop, remember these words!"