"Heh, the only pirate who ever got to enjoy retirement!"
"Even if it was in a Marine prison."
Bullet laughed too.
They weren't wrong to put it that way.
Out in the world, Whitebeard might not have been able to enjoy such a peaceful, leisurely life. Pirates didn't have medical care as good as the Marines', either.
Although he was locked up on Impel Down's sixth level, Xia Le had ordered that Whitebeard be kept well fed and cared for over the past two years. His life wasn't much worse than that of a retired Marine officer.
"We need his strength."
"Only by uniting the powerful fighters around the world can we deal the World Government a fatal blow and completely change this era and this world."
Xia Le spoke softly.
As they chatted, he waved to the Marines watching curiously from a distance.
An excited chorus of cheers immediately rang out.
Xia Le smiled. Clearly, his reputation among the Marines had reached its peak, and he had countless young admirers.
Although he spent every day in his office in Dressrosa, he had heard that many young people were already constantly speaking of equality and justice, treating those ideals as guiding principles for their lives as Marines.
"Well then, I won't keep you any longer!"
"Marineford has no easy task this time."
"You need to deploy a large number of troops throughout this area around the Red Line to ensure the Celestial Dragons can't break out once the fighting begins."
A moment later, Xia Le's eyes flashed as he spoke gravely.
"Right!"
Bullet nodded solemnly at his words.
Of the five major regions, his jurisdiction was the largest, and he commanded the most troops. The entire Four Blues and Grand Line fell under his authority, which was no less than