New World, Sphinx Island
More than a week had passed since the great battle between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates ended, and Whitebeard had succumbed to his severe injuries. In order to let their old man rest in his homeland, the Whitebeard Pirates had completely occupied the island.
The islanders had also learned that the stranger who had secretly supported them all this time was none other than the legendary great pirate Whitebeard: Edward Newgate. The reason was that Sphinx Island had once been Whitebeard's hometown.
After learning this, most people quickly fled Sphinx Island, unwilling to have anything to do with the Whitebeard Pirates. Only a small number remained in their hometown and lived alongside the Whitebeard Pirates.
There was no right or wrong way to describe their choices.
Although Whitebeard had fallen behind in the war and suffered grievous injuries while rescuing them from Blackbeard's captivity, these civilians were merely ordinary people. They did not want to be dragged into battles between such great pirates, just as they had been taken hostage by Blackbeard this time.
After the Whitebeard Pirates occupied the island, the captain of the Spade Pirates, Roger's son, who had accepted Whitebeard's dying request and formed an alliance with them, led his crew here from Wano Country.
"Welcome! Ace! So these are your companions!"
Marco led the Whitebeard Pirates' crew to the harbor to welcome the Spade Pirates.
When the two sides met and looked each other over, they were both stunned.
Whether they were members of the Whitebeard Pirates or the Spade Pirates, everyone was covered in bandages and wounds, looking utterly miserable.
They glanced at one another, and for some reason, the barrier between them seemed to lessen.
"Let's go see Pops first. We can discuss the rest later!"
With Marco