In Whitebeard's eyes, whether it was Golden Lion Shiki, Charlotte Linlin, or Kaido, they were all wild, lawless, untamable monsters.
Making them submit was practically harder than reaching the sky.
Historically, only one person had ever managed to do that.
Rocks.
His former captain.
That domineering man who had once tried to take on the World Government itself.
Although Rocks had died in the battle at God Valley, Whitebeard had never personally seen his corpse.
So even if Rocks suddenly appeared and claimed he was still alive, Whitebeard would be shocked, but he would still believe it.
Because that man really had been someone capable of creating miracles.
Golden Lion, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin had all once served under Rocks. If Rocks had returned, then it wouldn't be impossible for them to gather under him again.
Hearing Whitebeard's words, Golden Lion froze for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
"Rocks, huh? He really was a powerful man."
"Unfortunately, he's already dead."
"We didn't come here on Rocks's behalf, Newgate."
Edward Newgate froze slightly.
Not Rocks?
Then who could it be?
"If it isn't Rocks, then who is this person?" Whitebeard asked.
"It's me."
At that moment, a voice echoed across the Moby Dick.
Edward Newgate and Marco turned at the same time, looking toward the source of the voice.
A circular door suddenly opened in midair. At first, it was only the size of a palm, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded to around ten meters tall.
A man dressed in casual clothes walked out of the air door and stood on the Moby Dick.
"First time meeting you, Lord Whitebeard, Edward Newgate. I'm Rowan."
Rowan raised his head and greeted Whitebeard with a smile.
The reason he had to raise his head was because Whitebeard was simply too tall. If Rowan didn't look up, he would only be able to see the man's knees.
Compared with someone like him, Rowan felt like a third-class cripple.
Whitebeard lowered his head and looked at Rowan. He was just about to say something when his pupils suddenly contracted violently.
Because he saw a man wearing a skull mask, clad in armor, and holding a greatsword walk out from the air door and stand behind Rowan.
The moment he saw that man, every muscle in Whitebeard's body involuntarily tightened.
It was like a weak, naked human standing in front of a prehistoric tyrannosaurus.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger!
No words were needed. Whitebeard instantly sensed how terrifying this skull-masked man was.
Back when he first met Rocks, he had felt something similar.
Now that feeling had returned, and it was even more intense than when he had seen Rocks.
Every cell in his body and every drop of blood in his veins was warning him to stay away from this skull-masked man.
This was a genuine monster.
In truth, it wasn't just Whitebeard. Charlotte Linlin, Golden Lion, and even Kaido had felt the same way when they saw King Hassan.
Looking at that man was like seeing the very instant one's own head would be severed.
After that, a tall and muscular man with a gentle aura walked out through the air door. After looking around, his gaze settled on Edward Whitebeard.
It was Heracles.
Once again, Whitebeard felt his muscles tighten uncontrollably.
There was no doubt. This was another extremely dangerous man, no weaker than the skull-masked figure.
After that, Medusa, Medea, Heroic Spirit EMIYA, Cu Chulainn, and the others walked out through the air door one after another.
Last came Nero.
"Umu, what an interesting world."
Nero waved the Primordial Flame in her hand and said with a smile, "My Praetor, tell me who the enemy is. I can hardly wait to make a grand performance."
After eating and drinking to one's fill, one ought to fight.
Edward Whitebeard swept his gaze over everyone present.
Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Golden Lion were already terrifying enough.
Now, several more monsters who were no weaker than him—perhaps even more terrifying—had appeared.
Whitebeard's heart sank to the bottom.
He had a feeling that if he refused this recruitment today, the Whitebeard Pirates might become history.
Including himself, not a single one of them might survive.
If it were only him, he wouldn't care.
After all, he had already lived long enough. Dying on the battlefield wouldn't be a bad end.
It would certainly be better than dying of old age in bed.
The problem was that his sons were still too young. They still had bright futures ahead of them.
If they died alongside him now, that would be far too much of a loss.
Whitebeard took a deep breath. His gaze fell on Rowan.
Compared with the monsters around him, Rowan looked far too ordinary. He had none of that overwhelming pressure.
But Whitebeard understood very clearly that anyone capable of making so many monsters follow him could not possibly be simple.
"Lord Rowan."
After thinking it over again and again, Whitebeard unclenched his fist and said, "I can submit to you. But please, you must guarantee the safety of my children."
"Pops…"
Marco's expression became complicated.
His Pops was Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world. And now he was lowering his head and submitting to a stranger.
Marco found that hard to accept.
But he also knew that Pops was absolutely not doing this out of fear of death.
He was doing it because of them.
After all, the enemy's strength was simply too overwhelming. Just counting Emperor-level combatants, there were already three.
And there were several even more terrifying monsters besides them.
If they didn't surrender, the Whitebeard Pirates would become history.
For their sake, the strongest man in the world had no choice but to bow his head.
That made Marco feel both anger and a helplessness he had never felt before.
They were too weak.
Still too weak.
If they were stronger, Pops would never have been forced to lower his head like this.
They were the ones dragging Pops down.
"A wise choice."
Rowan didn't care what Marco was thinking. Seeing Edward Whitebeard lower his head, he said with satisfaction, "You won't regret the choice you made today. Also, have every Devil Fruit user in your crew give me a vial of blood."
Marco asked, "What do you need that for?"
"To make Devil Fruits, of course. We've already cracked the mysteries of Zoan-type Devil Fruits. As long as we have the blood of a fruit user, we can make a new Devil Fruit."
"You should provide a vial too. Once we create the Phoenix Fruit, we'll give Whitebeard one."
"With the Phoenix Fruit, Whitebeard can fully recover."
Rowan's words instantly shattered Marco's worldview and left him deeply shaken.
"How is that possible? Pops has already eaten a Devil Fruit. He can't eat a second one."
Rowan said calmly, "Blackbeard, who betrayed your crew, has a special constitution that allows him to eat two Devil Fruits. After we captured him, we studied the secret of that constitution."
"Now, as long as someone is injected with this medicine, their constitution can be changed. Anyone can eat two Devil Fruits. Once Whitebeard receives the injection, he'll be able to eat a second Devil Fruit."
Marco: "…"
Whitebeard: "…"
Blackbeard Teach actually had that kind of special constitution? They had lived together for so many years, and none of them knew.
But thinking about it carefully, Teach really had hidden himself deeply.
Before he betrayed them, who could have imagined that someone who had always seemed honest and plain would have such ambition?
Now that he had been captured by these people, it served him right.
But then again, what exactly was this group?
They could even unravel the power of Devil Fruits and mass-produce them?
Terrifying.
Truly terrifying.
"No wonder you dare to move against the World Government," Marco said with a bitter smile. Even so, he gave them his blood, and even drew several extra vials.
Edward Whitebeard did not stop him. Instead, he asked, "How is Teach now?"
Rowan said, "Half-dead. He counts as a decent experimental subject. What, are you going to plead for him?"
Whitebeard's eyes flickered, but he did not speak.
Marco was shocked. He knew his Pops well and could tell that Whitebeard had softened. He quickly said, "Pops, Teach killed one of our comrades. He violated the iron rule and betrayed us."
Whitebeard said, "I know. Teach cannot be forgiven. But I still hope you can give him a quick death."
"No."
Rowan rejected him without even thinking.
"Blackbeard is important research material. Whether he lives or dies is up to the scientists on our side."
Seeing that, Whitebeard said no more.
Perhaps this was simply Blackbeard Teach's fate.
He changed the subject. "When do you plan to move against the World Government?"
Rowan said, "We're currently in the preparation stage. Once we're ready, we'll move. It won't take more than a month either way."
"One month? I understand."
Whitebeard nodded.
A month was neither long nor short, but it was enough for him to make thorough preparations.
After bidding farewell to Whitebeard, Rowan brought everyone back to Egghead.
He handed Marco's blood over to Vegapunk and the others.
One day later, the Phoenix Fruit was successfully created.
Rowan went to the Whitebeard Pirates again. After injecting Whitebeard with the medicine, he gave him the Phoenix Fruit.
The Phoenix Fruit possessed incredibly powerful self-healing and regenerative abilities.
Whitebeard's injuries and illnesses were nothing in front of the Phoenix's regenerative flames.
After the flames of regeneration burned through him once, all of Whitebeard's major and minor ailments were burned away.
Whitebeard, who had been old and riddled with disease, fully regained the strength of his prime.
Marco's eyes burned with desire. He gave Rowan several more vials of blood and begged him to produce more Phoenix Fruits so that their other comrades could eat them too.
But Rowan refused.
"They haven't earned any merit yet. They have no right to receive my rewards."