Saint Nusjuro ignored the White Dragon's ridiculous question. After brushing off a few words in response, he promptly hung up the Den Den Mushi.
Immediately after, the Five Elders continued sending urgent notices to the other Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea, instructing these "government-approved pirates" to keep a close watch on Whitebeard Jr.'s movements.
Following Hawkeye and the White Dragon,
the third Warlord Saint Nusjuro contacted was the "Knight of the Sea," Jinbei.
Jinbei was deeply astonished by the sudden emergence of this "Whitebeard Jr." He listened carefully to the Five Elders' mission briefing before abruptly ending the call.
In an unknown stretch of sea in the New World—unbeknownst to Saint Nusjuro—
Jinbei immediately dialed the Whitebeard Pirates.
Ever since the Great Pirate Era began, the Whitebeard Pirates had planted their flag on Fish-Man Island.
Though their banner couldn't completely prevent the island from being harassed or even attacked by other forces,
the state of security on Fish-Man Island had improved immeasurably compared to before the Whitebeard Pirates' "claim."
As a native of Fish-Man Island, the "Knight of the Sea" Jinbei felt deeply indebted to Whitebeard for this immense favor, which led to his close ties with the Whitebeard Pirates.
Now, having learned of "Whitebeard Jr." from the World Government, Jinbei wasted no time in reaching out to the Whitebeard Pirates.
This development lay entirely outside the Five Elders' control.
Unaware, Saint Nusjuro simply proceeded with his plan, continuing to contact the Warlords.
The fourth to receive the Five Elders' Den Den Mushi notice was Boa Hancock, the Nine Snake Empress of Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt.
Hancock had little interest in the so-called "Whitebeard Jr."
Had Granny Nyon not forcibly snatched the Den Den Mushi, she likely would have hung up on the Five Elders!
When making the fifth call,
Saint Nusjuro hesitated briefly but ultimately dialed.
No matter how despicable Donquixote Doflamingo's actions were, he was currently one of the government's Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Upon receiving the Five Elders' call, Doflamingo expressed keen interest in this "Whitebeard Jr."
"Fufufufu… A young Whitebeard who ate the [Rumble-Rumble Fruit]?"
Bandaged from head to toe, Doflamingo let out a low chuckle as he studied the bounty poster held up by Monet.
"This sea just keeps getting more and more interesting…
"Understood, Saint Nusjuro. I'll cooperate with the government's efforts."
Once Saint Nusjuro ended the call,
Monet gazed at Doflamingo with deep concern.
"Young Master, with injuries this severe, you really shouldn't engage in strenuous activities for a while…"
Hidden within Monet's words was another implication—
This sudden "Whitebeard Jr." was an enemy even the government couldn't handle.
The mere name alone sent an overwhelming sense of intimidation through Monet.
She was genuinely worried Doflamingo might actively seek out Whitebeard Jr…
Just as he had, days earlier, ventured into Wano Country to confront Kaido of the Beasts…
"Fufufufu… Monet, do I strike you as that foolish?"
Doflamingo lay on the bed, the care from his "family" sending a wave of warmth through his heart.
Even the near-fatal injuries inflicted by Kaido of the Beasts' club no longer felt quite as agonizing...
"That incident with Kaido of the Beasts... was just an accident..."
Doflamingo fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"Besides, we've now successfully established ties with the Beast Pirates...
"Isn't that a good thing? Fufufufu..."
To prevent the snow woman Monet from worrying too much, Doflamingo forced a smile.
He admitted he had been somewhat careless before.
A few days earlier.
Doflamingo had set out from Dressrosa with full confidence.
His plan was to seize the treasure of the Lizard King and then gift it to the Beast Pirates, using it as leverage to forge a connection with Kaido of the Beasts.
The first half of the plan had gone smoothly.
The treasure transport ship secretly dispatched by the Lizard King into the New World was intercepted by Doflamingo midway.
The two Ryu Ryu Fruits, Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruits, aboard the ship were also stolen on the spot.
The problem arose in the latter half.
Doflamingo personally traveled to Wano Country, bringing the precious gift and his utmost sincerity.
Kaido of the Beasts gladly accepted the offering from the Heavenly Demon—
Then casually rewarded this "flamingo" with a swing of his spiked club.
By the time Doflamingo regained consciousness,
He had already been dumped into Wano Country's Udon Prison by the Beast Pirates' underlings...
If not for Doflamingo's silver tongue, promising extravagant conditions without hesitation and signing an overwhelmingly unequal treaty with the Beast Pirates,
He likely wouldn't have made it back to Dressrosa at all, probably still breaking rocks and doing forced labor for the Beast Pirates in Udon Prison!
Even so,
The severe injuries Doflamingo had suffered still hadn't fully healed to this day.
Kaido of the Beasts—that monster!
Just the faintest shadow of that figure flashing through his mind was enough to make Doflamingo shudder involuntarily.
Silently, another man had been "cured of his kingly ambitions"...
"Young Master, does it still hurt?"
The snow woman Monet, seeing Doflamingo trembling all over, grew visibly more anxious.
"I'll go fetch a doctor right away!"
"No, no need, Monet."
Doflamingo quickly stopped the loyal snow woman.
"I'm fine."
Without waiting for Monet's response, he forcefully changed the subject.
"As for that so-called Whitebeard Jr., just have the underlings gather information. Family members don't need to pay him any attention.
"Don't! Get close! To that monster!"
By the end, his words still carried a trace of deep-seated, bone-chilling fear.
Meanwhile.
Saint Nusjuro had just finished a call with Sand Crocodile.
He had once held high expectations for Sand Crocodile.
After all, in his youth, the man had been a monstrous force of nature, his strength on par with the Devil Heir Douglas Bullet.
But who would've thought he'd become so pathetic now...
A Sand Crocodile who couldn't even defeat the White Dragon was no longer someone Saint Nusjuro valued.
If not for the fact that Sand Crocodile was still alive and kicking,
Saint Nusjuro would have already stripped him of his title as one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!
As for "Whitebeard Jr.," Sand Crocodile had shown considerable interest.
Seeing this, Saint Nusjuro was quite pleased.
If Sand Crocodile found Whitebeard Jr., only to be directly killed by him, and Whitebeard Jr. then took his place as one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea…
That would absolutely be the best-case scenario for the government!
Just as Saint Nusjuro was about to dial the Den Den Mushi to contact the last of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea—
Another Den Den Mushi's ringing suddenly echoed through the Chamber of Authority.
Saint Nusjuro focused his gaze.
The Den Den Mushi belonging to Gorosei·Legal Military God·Topman Warcury was continuously emitting a signal.
Saint Nusjuro immediately fell silent.
Warcury answered the call, and a frantic report came through the receiver.
"Saint Warcury! Enies Lobby is under attack by giants!
"The leaders are the captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates from a hundred years ago—Red Ogre Brogy and Blue Ogre Dorry!
"The gatekeeper giants of Enies Lobby have defected!
"Four giants have stolen a warship and escaped from Enies Lobby!"
The urgent report from the judge of Enies Lobby reverberated through the Chamber of Authority.
Hearing this, the Five Elders all furrowed their brows.
Unconsciously, their mental connection was reestablished.
'The captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates? I thought those two were supposed to be fighting on Little Garden?'
'Who released these giants? And they even attacked Enies Lobby!'
'Enies Lobby is one of the three great judicial institutions of the government! This is a massive blow to our prestige!'
'Pursue them! We must pursue them! Dispatch warships to chase down those four giants!'
'Even if we can't kill them, we can at least drive them into the Florian Triangle!'
'Isn't there a Royal Seven Warlord of the Sea stationed in the Florian Triangle?'
'Let pirates deal with pirates!'
'But the Warlord there is Gekko Moriah… Well, Gekko Moriah it is, then!'
After a brief mental exchange—
Saint Warcury calmly reassured the judge of Enies Lobby and methodically issued orders, instructing nearby Marine bases to dispatch warships and pursue the giants.
Once Saint Warcury had finished handling the matter—
Saint Nusjuro finally called the last of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"Gekko Moriah, the government has a mission for you! Four giants may enter the Florian Triangle—don't let them escape!"
"Giants? Kekeke! I love giants! Leave those four to me!!"
...
While the World Government was actively mobilizing—
The seas were also stirring due to the bounty poster of "Whitebeard Jr.·Edward Teach."
The New World, a certain stretch of ocean, the deck of the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard Edward Newgate was reclining on a spacious sofa at the center of the deck.
Surrounding him were several young and beautiful nurses.
Each nurse wore a pink uniform, their slender legs tightly wrapped in exquisite yet wild leopard-print stockings, giving off an aura of both gentleness and ferocity.
Around the deck, members of the Whitebeard Pirates stood or sat, most holding food and drinks in their hands, their cheers unceasing.
This was the "family daily life" of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Edward Teach? Understood, Jinbei."
With his golden pineapple punk hairstyle, Marco the Phoenix, the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, hung up the Den Den Mushi.
This was an urgent notice from Jinbei.
Through the Den Den Mushi, Jinbei mentioned a bounty poster that the World Government had suddenly issued today.
He also said that he would soon send a fax of the bounty poster to the Moby Dick.
Jinbei's tone over the Den Den Mushi had sounded somewhat strange and awkward.
The "Knight of the Sea" didn't elaborate further before hurriedly ending the call.
Not long after, Marco received the fax from Jinbei.
It was the bounty poster for "Edward Teach"!
Marco stared intently at the photo of Edward Teach.
As a veteran member of the Whitebeard Pirates, he had followed a young Whitebeard since childhood.
Marco could say with absolute certainty—
The "Edward Teach" on this bounty poster bore a striking resemblance to their captain in his youth!
The same golden hair, the same long face, even the nearly identical white beard…
"Oyaji, you…"
Marco turned his head to glance at Whitebeard, who was drinking while hooked up to an IV.
He felt his entire worldview shaking.
In the Whitebeard Pirates, aside from Whitebeard himself as the captain, nearly every member was considered his son, and they all affectionately called him "Oyaji."
Over the decades, the only exception had been the former Second Division Commander, the man named Kozuki Oden…
Kozuki Oden wasn't Whitebeard's son—he was his "little brother."
But that didn't affect Marco or the others' status as "sons."
Yet now…
Marco turned back, staring blankly at the bounty poster in his hands.
It seemed there was a man who fit the role of Whitebeard's son even better than they did…
"Marco, not joining us for a drink?"
Vista, the Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, staggered over, slinging an arm around Marco's shoulders while squinting at the poster in his hand.
"Huh? Since when did you get interested in Oyaji's old bounty posters?"
"You're drunk, Vista!"
Marco shrugged him off, gently pushing away the slightly tipsy swordsman.
"You don't even remember what Oyaji looked like when he was young!
"This isn't him—this is a rookie pirate named 'Edward Teach'!"
"Edward Teach?"
Vista hiccuped, his eyes widening.
"Teach!?"
The conversation between the two commanders went completely unnoticed by the rest of the crew.
The Whitebeard Pirates were all thoroughly enjoying the banquet.
Marco strode toward Whitebeard, clutching the bounty poster.
"Oyaji!"
"Gurararara, Marco…"
Whitebeard laughed at first upon seeing him approach, but then quickly shielded his barrel of alcohol with a defensive expression.
"I didn't steal any of your booze this time! Jozu gave me this one!"
Normally, Marco would've lectured him about taking better care of his health and not drinking too much.
But right now, Marco had other things on his mind.
He raised the bounty poster in his hand toward Whitebeard, his voice tinged with both grievance and humility as he asked,
"Oyaji, do you know of someone called 'Edward Teach'?"
"Huh? Who?"
Whitebeard heard his own surname.
He glanced up at the bounty poster Marco was holding high, only to see the face of his younger self.
"Marco, what are you doing with my bounty poster?"
"1.9 billion Belly?"
"Those damn Navy bastards actually lowered my bounty!?"
Whitebeard was first confused, then quickly grew furious.
Marco sighed and looked at Whitebeard helplessly.
"Oyaji, this isn't your bounty poster—it's the bounty for 'Whitebeard Jr.'!"
"Whitebeard Jr.?"
Whitebeard froze. He raised a hand, rubbing his eyes before staring at the poster again.
Once he got a proper look, his brows furrowed, his lips twisted downward, and his entire face radiated sheer disbelief.
"Who the hell is this?"
"Whitebeard Jr., Edward Teach!"
Marco repeated the name on the poster with exasperation.
After saying this, he took a few steps closer to Whitebeard and lowered his voice.
"Oyaji… do you remember that person? Buckingham Stussy… the lady."
The moment the name "Buckingham Stu
ssy" left Marco's lips—
Whitebeard fell completely silent.
He did have a "past" with Buckingham Stussy.
It was a story from back when they were both members of the Rocks Pirates…
"Stussy…"
Whitebeard stared at the golden-haired brat on the poster—who looked nearly identical to his younger self—and uttered the name.
"Edward Teach… Teach!!"
At a corner of the Moby Dick's deck,
Marshall D. Teach, who had been hunched over devouring a cherry pie, lifted his head in confusion.
Did Oyaji just call him?
What the hell was going on?
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