Everyone heard the desperate shout.
It was the voice of Portgas D. Ace.
"Please save Whitebeard!"
Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Monkey D. Luffy tugged at Rolan's shirt.
"Hey! Rolan, I really like that uncle too!"
Rolan glanced down at Luffy. The boy was already crying uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face without restraint.
Rolan let out a quiet sigh.
Luffy in this life felt a little different compared to the story he remembered. Exactly how he was different was hard to explain. Something about the boy felt more emotional, more attached to the people around him.
"Waaah, wuwuwu. What a touching scene, such deep father and son affection!"
Dong.
A loud wail suddenly came from nearby, mixed with the sound of someone strumming a guitar.
Rolan turned his head.
It was Franky.
The cyborg was crying miserably, tears and snot running across his face while clutching a guitar tightly in his arms. His exaggerated sobbing echoed across the battlefield.
Rolan shook his head.
"Brat. You're worried that your Whitebeard might die. Aren't you worried your master might die too?"
His calm voice spread across the quiet battlefield of Marineford.
At that moment, everyone suddenly noticed a young figure appear beside Edward Newgate.
Whitebeard did not turn his head. His deep voice sounded out.
"Rolan boy, you don't want to return to Peach Garden. Do you plan to stay with this old man instead?"
Rolan raised his head slightly, looking at the enormous black shadow descending from the sky. The oppressive pressure in the air continued to grow heavier.
"Hey, Whitebeard. We're partners."
Whitebeard finally turned his head and looked at him.
Although Rolan was already recognized as the strongest man in this world, and the Ion Tempest crew had long become one of the most powerful pirate crews at sea, Rolan himself was still close in age to Ace.
To Whitebeard, they were all part of the new generation.
"Gurararara. Rolan boy, whatever is in the sky is no small matter. There is no need for you to involve yourself."
"Your era has only just begun."
Rolan slowly shook his head.
"In this world, as long as I decide someone will not die, then even if an immortal shows up, they won't be able to take that life."
As he spoke, his body slowly rose into the air.
He placed his left hand on Whitebeard's shoulder.
In the next instant, both figures disappeared.
When they appeared again, they were already standing on the deck of the Moby Dick.
"Ace!"
Ace's eyes widened in excitement.
"Whitebeard! Rolan!"
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates erupted with shouts.
"Whitebeard!"
"That's great!"
"Rolan, thank you!"
"Thank you!"
"Let's go! We need to leave quickly!"
Whitebeard looked at Rolan and spoke slowly.
"Rolan boy, if that thing isn't stopped, none of us may escape."
Rolan did not answer immediately. A faint smile appeared on his face.
Pa.
He snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, everyone on the ship felt something strange.
The massive Moby Dick began to rise.
It slowly lifted into the air.
"Nami. Let's go. We're heading back."
On another nearby ship, Nami heard Rolan's voice.
She immediately activated her Devil Fruit ability.
Clouds formed beneath the pirate ships, thick clusters of floating island clouds appearing under the hulls. One after another, the ships were lifted high into the sky.
Then they began flying rapidly into the distance.
Marco leaned over the railing, staring at the clouds beneath the ship with shock written across his face.
"What is this?"
"There's a massive cloud directly under the ship!"
He stared in disbelief.
"Is this Miss Nami's ability? That's terrifying."
Dong.
Suddenly, Ace dropped to one knee in front of Rolan.
"Master Rolan, thank you!"
Rolan raised one hand and lightly gestured upward, lifting Ace back to his feet.
"You brat. I've never heard you call me master before."
In both the original story and the current world, Ace was known for his pride. He would never kneel easily in front of anyone.
Yet today, just to save Whitebeard, he had knelt twice.
Luffy was even worse.
Rolan had never once heard Luffy call him master.
Then again, that was simply Luffy's personality. In the past, the boy even called Silvers Rayleigh directly by his name.
Rolan sighed.
"So Whitebeard is more important than your master."
"If I were abandoned on some island, I guess someone would just pat their pants and leave without looking back."
Ace scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"How could that happen? You're the strongest man in the world. What could possibly hurt you?"
Rolan glanced toward Whitebeard.
"Your Whitebeard is pretty strong too."
He shook his head again.
"Seems like I misjudged things."
Everyone on the ship burst into laughter when they saw the expression on Rolan's face.
They had never imagined that the strongest man in the world would show such a petty and jealous side.
It completely contradicted the image they had of him.
Whitebeard also twitched the corner of his mouth slightly.
At the same time, a trace of envy appeared in his heart.
In his long life, he had rarely experienced moments like this.
He shook his head, pushing the thought aside.
Then he walked slowly toward the large seat beneath the towering mast.
After sitting down, he stretched his arms out beside him.
"Whitebeard, those sisters aren't on the ship," Marco said.
As the person who had followed Whitebeard the longest, Marco knew exactly what he meant.
Although Whitebeard's injuries had already been completely healed thanks to a senzu bean, the nursing team with beautiful figures had never been dismissed.
Whitebeard always claimed that the Whitebeard Pirates was their home.
Marco knew the real reason was not so simple.
In the past, Whitebeard's body had been full of wounds. His waist was injured and his vitality was weak.
As the ship's doctor, Marco naturally stopped him from overindulging.
Now that Whitebeard had completely returned to his prime, Marco no longer interfered.
If one day a younger brother or sister appeared on the ship, it would not be impossible.
"Let's go, Ace. Go see Luffy."
As Rolan finished speaking, both he and Ace vanished from the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard watched the place where they disappeared.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
A decision quietly formed in his heart.
...
When Rolan reappeared on the ship, a graceful figure immediately rushed into his arms.
"Husband!"
Rolan wrapped one arm around her back and steadied her.
"Alright, Hancock. We're going home."
The woman in his arms was naturally Boa Hancock.
Compared to the more reserved Nami and the others, Hancock was always extremely direct.
No matter the situation, she never hid her love for Rolan.
So whenever they met, she was always the first to throw herself into his arms.
"Ying."
Hancock let out a soft sound, slowly pulling away from him and standing beside him with a shy expression.
"Ace!"
"Luffy!"
The two brothers immediately called each other's names.
Then they grabbed each other's hands.
Bang.
A powerful aura instantly erupted from their clash.
Centered around the two brothers, the pressure expanded outward in all directions.
Luffy gritted his teeth as veins bulged across his forehead, pushing Ace's hand downward.
Ace responded by exerting force and pushing Luffy's hand back.
Down.
Up.
Back and forth, neither of them giving way.
The massive aura surged into the sky, tearing a hole through the clouds above.
Creak.
Creak.
Even the ship began making strained sounds.
Rolan rubbed his temple slightly.
"Hey. You two better be careful. Don't break my ship."
The moment they heard him speak, both brothers released their grip.
The overwhelming aura disappeared instantly.
They looked at each other.
Then both burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi in Rolan's pocket suddenly rang.
Buruburu.
Buruburu.
The call had arrived.