Marco's sudden outburst stunned not only Roldy, but Whitebeard and the others as well.
"Hey, brat, what's with the excitement? Do we even know each other?"
Roldy shook his leg in mild disgust, trying to fling off the boy clinging tightly to him. It was useless. Marco held on like his life depended on it, sobbing loudly—long strands of snot generously decorating Roldy's trousers.
Roldy finally pried him off by force.
Marco wiped his face and blurted out:
"Years ago! West Blue! The Kingdom of Lundbergh!"
The name rang a faint bell.
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow. If he remembered correctly, that was the tobacco kingdom in West Blue—Marco's homeland. The boy had later ventured alone into the Grand Line, nearly dying in a natural disaster before Whitebeard happened upon him and took him in.
So what connection did that place have to Roldy?
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Roldy had never forgotten that kingdom. It had been the turning point of his fate—the place where he encountered that damned Celestial Dragon.
And the first Celestial Dragon he had ever killed.
"You don't remember? That's fine! Look at my hair!"
Marco grabbed a fistful of his bright blond hair.
"What you did might have meant nothing to you—but to us brothers, it was the chance to survive!"
Roldy froze.
Memory overlapped with reality.
The pineapple-haired youth before him gradually merged with the image of a filthy, ragged boy from years ago. What stood out most back then had been the kid's surprisingly skillful bandaging.
"…You're that brat? The one leading those kids?"
"It's me! I finally get to see you again, Roldy-san! I went out to sea because of you!"
That declaration caused a subtle shift in Whitebeard's expression.
Oh?
So the boy he treated like a son had gone to sea because of another man?
Whitebeard suddenly cleared his throat.
Loudly.
Marco sensed the mood shift and quickly steadied himself.
"Thank you for what you did back then. If you ever need me, don't hesitate."
He bowed deeply.
Roldy stood there for a moment, slightly dazed. It had been a long time since he'd felt something like this—perhaps not since he left the Marines.
Then he grinned.
"Looks like you've grown into a fine man. Not bad at all. But since you've come to the sea, live freely! Your life's just beginning. If someone I once helped can live brilliantly—that's good enough for me."
It was a brief reunion.
Marco didn't say anything foolish like leaving the Whitebeard Pirates to follow Roldy. The latter had helped him once, yes—but Whitebeard had saved his life and given him a home.
He wore the Whitebeard mark proudly.
And he would never erase it.
Still, the exchange changed the atmosphere between the two crews considerably.
Whitebeard cherished the men he called his sons above all else. Whatever weight Roldy's past kindness carried—Whitebeard would treat it as significant.
"Gurararara! Looks like you saved my son's life without even knowing it, Roldy brat! In that case, we're even now!"
Whitebeard declared generously.
Roldy understood what he meant.
Whitebeard was referring to the massive favor Roldy owed him from years ago—one that Whitebeard now considered repaid through Marco.
In truth, the two deeds weren't comparable. Even if Whitebeard had merely thanked him verbally, Roldy wouldn't have complained. His help back then had been incidental.
Such magnanimity…
Truly fitting for one of the greatest pirates in the world.
However—
"Newgate-san, that's not how this works. I didn't help that kid because he's your son. So the idea of us being 'even' doesn't exist."
Roldy rejected the offer without hesitation.
A favor carried tremendous weight to him.
The surrounding crews listened in confusion, but Whitebeard's admiration for Roldy only deepened.
So this was the caliber of the man Rocks and Shiki had both fought so hard to secure as their right-hand man?
No wonder.
"Gurararara! Fine then. If I keep pushing, it'd be an insult to you. But now that you're sailing free—why are you here?"
Roldy snorted.
"Isn't it obvious, Newgate-san? I'm here to crush the Roger Pirates into minced meat and toss them into the sea."
Mentioning the Roger Pirates immediately reignited the fury in his voice.
The Whitebeard Pirates blinked in surprise. Even Whitebeard, who knew of the grudge, couldn't help but marvel at the depth of Roldy's vindictiveness.
He had left the Golden Lion Pirates… traveled all the way here…
Just to pursue Roger?
"You fought them recently. Where did they go?"
"Of course I could—"
"Marco."
Whitebeard raised a hand.
The tavern fell silent.
He looked at Roldy and slowly shook his head.
"Sorry. For reasons I can't disclose… my foolish sworn brother boarded Roger's ship. He hasn't left my crew."
"So I can't tell you."
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