"Hoo… ha… hoo…"
After Whitebeard's announcement, the ship fell into complete silence. The only sound left was the heavy breathing of the crew.
Aside from a few commanders who already knew, the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates were completely stunned.
None of them had ever imagined that Whitebeard would step down and pass on the position of Captain.
Most of them had once been orphans, victims of pirates, or people with nowhere to go. It was because of Whitebeard's words, telling them to become his sons, that they gathered here and became a family.
This crew was different from the rest.
They were not just pirates sailing together. They were brothers and sisters. A real family.
And Whitebeard was the head of that family.
Losing that position felt no different from losing the foundation holding everything together.
It was not that they doubted Ace.
They simply could not accept Whitebeard stepping down.
"Whitebeard, if you are not the Captain anymore, can we still be the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"Whitebeard…"
"Please don't do this."
Ace also shook his head, rejecting it immediately.
"Whitebeard, I cannot take the position of Captain."
Whitebeard placed his hand firmly on Ace's shoulder.
"Ace, you can."
He then turned his gaze toward the rest of the crew.
"My sons, people grow old. The era keeps moving forward. No one can stop time, not even me."
His voice carried across the deck, steady and undeniable.
"The older generation cannot stand at the front forever. I cannot keep being your shield. Every one of you has grown strong enough to stand on your own. It is time for me to step back and live the rest of my life."
"Whitebeard…"
"We…"
Tears began to fall.
Even the commanders who had long known about this could not hold it in anymore.
Whitebeard frowned and raised his voice.
"What is this? I am not dead. Stop acting like I am gone."
Ace still refused.
"I have only been here three years. If you want to retire, then the position should go to someone else, not me."
Whitebeard looked at Ace, then at the entire crew.
Then his voice turned firm.
"Listen well. This is a Captain's order."
The moment those words were spoken, everything changed.
"From today onward, I am no longer the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. Portgas D. Ace will take my place. This decision is final."
There was no room for argument.
No one dared to oppose a Captain's order.
One after another, the crew dropped to their knees.
"Yes, Captain!"
Whitebeard watched them, a satisfied look on his face.
In the distance, the horizon began to glow.
The morning sun rose slowly, casting a pale golden light across the sea.
The warmth spread across the deck.
Whitebeard knew that before long, that gentle light would turn into something fierce and blazing.
Just like the people before him.
When he first formed the Whitebeard Pirates, it was simply to give these lost souls a place to belong.
Now, every one of them had become strong enough to survive on their own.
They no longer needed his protection.
And the crew was never his alone.
It belonged to all of them.
As long as they remained together, the Whitebeard Pirates would continue to exist.
Ace was the right choice.
Strength, responsibility, and the will to carry everything forward.
Ace remained kneeling, his eyes slightly red. He understood what a Captain's order meant. Once spoken, it could not be refused.
Whitebeard looked at his kneeling sons and finally let out a long breath.
At last, he could step down.
At last, he could relax.
His thoughts wandered briefly in a direction he quickly cut off.
He coughed once and waved his hand.
"Gurararara! Enough of this. Prepare the feast!"
Yamato watched everything unfold, taking in the atmosphere of the crew.
This was nothing like the Beasts Pirates.
This was not just a crew.
It was a home.
Even though she had only been here a short time, she could already feel herself drawn into it.
No restraint.
No isolation.
Only belonging.
…
The banquet was prepared quickly.
This time, it was even grander than before.
It was both a retirement feast and a celebration for the new Captain.
Whitebeard remained seated beneath the mast, holding his sake gourd and drinking freely, clearly enjoying himself.
For the rest of the crew, Ace becoming Captain was something they could accept.
In just three years, Ace had proven himself countless times.
The Whitebeard Pirates were constantly in battle, and many on the ship had been saved by him.
His strength spoke for itself.
Whitebeard had even said that Ace was no weaker than him.
Beyond that, Ace carried the legacy of the Pirate King and had learned under Rolan.
More importantly, he had the right mindset. He was steady, reliable, and knew how to think.
For many of them, this outcome was not surprising.
Before the feast fully began, Marco dragged Ace to the center of the deck.
Ace frowned slightly.
"Marco, what are you doing?"
"You are the Captain now. Say something."
The rest of the crew nodded.
"Yes, Captain, say a few words!"
Ace scratched his head and glanced toward Whitebeard.
Then he stepped forward and knelt in front of him.
"Whitebeard… thank you. You accepted me, treated me as your son, and showed me what it means to have a father."
His voice was steady, but carried weight.
"You helped me understand this world. Since you have given me this position, I will not let you down."
Whitebeard laughed loudly.
"Gurararara! You are the Captain now. Stop kneeling so easily."
He waved his hand.
"Stand up. A Captain should act like one."
Ace stood up and turned to face the crew.
He paused briefly, then spoke.
"With everyone's support, I have taken the position of Captain. I have a few orders."
The crew straightened immediately.
"First, the Whitebeard Pirates remain the Whitebeard Pirates. No changes."
"Second, all current positions and duties stay the same."
"Third, even without the title, Whitebeard's authority remains equal to the Captain."
He paused, then added,
"Fourth… we eat."
A beat of silence passed.
Then the entire ship erupted.
"Ohhh!!!"
The celebration exploded into life.
Laughter, shouting, and music filled the air once more.
As the feast carried on, news of the Whitebeard Pirates changing captains began spreading across the seas, sending waves through the entire pirate world.
===
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