Around a small island in the New World, not too far from Totto Land, dozens of pirate ships bearing the Whitebeard Pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag were densely anchored.
On the island, not far from the ships' anchorage, a man lay sprawled among the flowers on a hillside in full bloom. A Whitebeard Pirates tattoo covered his back; he wore an orange cowboy hat and a necklace of red beads, with a pair of shorts on his lower half. He was reading a newspaper.
The tipsy sea breeze stirred the petals, setting the sea of flowers swaying. The scene looked especially peaceful...
"Hey!"
"Ace?"
"You're really taking it easy..."
But that peaceful moment was soon interrupted.
A man with a golden punk hairstyle, a dagger at his waist, and a black Whitebeard Pirates tattoo on his chest had arrived. He called out to the man lying among the flowers with his newspaper.
"Oh!"
"Marco, you're here?"
"Look!"
"That little girl seems to be doing pretty well. She's already taken down thirteen islands in Totto Land and captured a full eleven ministers. The Big Mom Pirates still haven't caught on at all, and they haven't been able to fight back!"
At the sight of him, Ace sat up excitedly and waved the newspaper he'd just received.
That's right. This man was Ace—Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace, sworn brother to Sabo and Monkey D. Luffy, and now the captain and head of the Whitebeard Pirates!
"Is that so?"
"Still, I think Big Mom is deliberately making herself look weak."
Marco, the man with the golden punk hairstyle, shook his head. The first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and their ship's doctor remained calm.
"As far as I know..."
"She's already allied with Kaido of the Beasts. The latest news from Wano says the