Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Meeting Whitebeard
Suddenly, the sea surged, and a massive ship with a coated surface and a whale-like bow erupted from the depths. The sound of bubbles bursting echoed as the ship, resembling a whale, crashed into the sea, its enormous sails billowing in the wind. The pirate flag fluttered proudly, emblazoned with the iconic white crescent beard—signifying the arrival of the Four Emperors, the Whitebeard Pirates, aboard their flagship, the Moby Dick.
"Gla la la! Is the war over? It seems I'm late," boomed a voice from the bow deck. A towering figure, over six meters tall, stood proudly, his chest marked with scars from countless battles—proof of his decades of dominance on the seas. His most distinctive feature was the white crescent beard. This was Edward Newgate, known as Whitebeard, the world's strongest man.
"Dad, since the war is over, you'd better take these with you quickly," said Marco, the first division captain and ship's doctor, pointing to a pile of medical instruments. Whitebeard's aging body required constant medical attention, even with Marco's regenerative abilities from his Phoenix Fruit.
"Don't say such stupid things, my silly son," Whitebeard laughed heartily. "I came here to drink! Hey, Mr. Ace, are you in charge of the wine?"
"Certainly," Ace replied, smiling. Ace admired Whitebeard deeply, knowing his history and the sacrifices he made for the Original ace. Whitebeard had once fought for Ace, launching the Summit War, declaring, "There is no ship that can carry me in the new era." Ace wouldn't miss the chance to share a drink with such a man.
"Whitebeard, long time no see," said Rayleigh, his eyes filled with emotion. The Roger Pirates and Whitebeard Pirates were once the strongest after the fall of the Rocks Pirate. Whitebeard, possessing the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, could rival Roger himself. Yet, Whitebeard valued his family over the treasure of One Piece, a choice that defined him.
"Rayleigh, long time no see. It seems you are going out again, la la la!" Whitebeard laughed, nostalgia evident in his eyes. The memories of his battles with Roger were still vivid.
"Didn't you come here too?" Rayleigh smiled, understanding the deep bond between Whitebeard and Roger. Even though they were rivals, their feelings were as close as family. Whitebeard had rushed from the New World upon learning of Ace's bloodline, proving his loyalty.
"Hey, Ace, we can't let Dad drink so wantonly," Marco said, concerned about Whitebeard's health as he kept drinking.
Marco, observing the interactions, understood why Ace was the Fifth Emperor. His charisma drew people in, making even enemies like Kaido join the celebration. Ace's strength and reputation were unmatched, yet he mingled with everyone, raising the banquet's atmosphere.
"Gu la la la! My stupid son, you just love me so much."
Whitebeard, a bit drunk, laughed heartily at Marco's words.
"Are you showing off, Whitebeard?" Rayleigh chimed in, joining the laughter. In this moment, Rayleigh didn't resemble the formidable 'Dark King.' Instead, he looked like an old man who had had a bit too much to drink, sitting crookedly with a wild grin on his face.
"Of course I have to show off. My sons are my most precious treasures, la la la!" Whitebeard declared, his laughter booming.
"This is a hangover medicine that can reduce the burden of alcohol on the body," Kaya said, handing a medicine bottle to Ace with a sweet smile. She had specially developed this hangover remedy for Ace, knowing his love for parties. As Ace's ship's doctor, Kaya didn't discourage him from drinking; instead, she created a solution to help him recover quickly.
"Alright, I'll take it," Ace said, affectionately scratching Kaya's nose. Although his resilient body didn't need the medicine, he appreciated Kaya's care and wouldn't let her love go unacknowledged. Seeing Ace take the hangover medicine, Kaya's eyes sparkled with satisfaction.
"This is for you too," Kaya said, offering the hangover remedy to Whitebeard. She was grateful to the old man who had come from the New World for Ace. To Kaya, Ace was her world, and she was willing to help anyone who treated Ace well.
"Kaya, what about me?" Rayleigh asked playfully.
"Of course, Uncle Rayleigh. Here you go," Kaya replied with a sweet smile.
"Hahaha, just hearing your name makes me half sober," Rayleigh laughed loudly, giving Whitebeard a knowing glance. Whitebeard's eyes twitched in amusement, realizing Rayleigh was using his niece-in-law to show off.
Ace, this brat, is so impressive, and Rayleigh has gained a group of excellent nieces and nephews. Roger, your offspring are truly outstanding, Whitebeard thought, looking at Ace with admiration.
However, my sons are not bad either, Whitebeard mused, glancing at Marco and the others, a warm smile curving his lips. Despite his reputation as the world's strongest man, his most treasured asset was his family.
"Correct!"
"By the way, Kaya, you have the Healing Fruit ability, and it has awakened, right?" Marco, slightly dizzy from drinking, suddenly remembered this and asked.
"That's right, my ship's doctor is the best in the world. Just based on medical theory, even Crocus can't compare to Kaya," Ace boasted, taking Kaya into his arms with a smile.
"No, no, my medical skills are still far behind those of Mr. Crocus," Kaya said, blushing in front of so many people but not wanting to leave Ace's embrace.
"Crocus, as in Crocus the doctor?" Shanks, looking more like an ordinary drunk than a Four Emperor, suddenly perked up at Kaya's words, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes, I studied theoretical knowledge with Mr. Crocus for ten days," Kaya nodded.
"In ten days, she learned all the theoretical knowledge Crocus had," Ace corrected, holding up a finger.
"Amazing! You learned all of Crocus's theoretical knowledge in ten days?" Marco exclaimed in shock. Having fought countless battles with the Roger Pirates, Marco knew well of Crocus's medical prowess—the doctor who had extended the life of Pirate King Roger despite his incurable disease.
Crocus's medical theories and pharmaceutical techniques were vast, and most doctors couldn't learn even a tenth of them in their lifetime. Yet, the young doctor in front of him, Ace's ship's doctor, had learned it all in ten days?
Kaya giggled, not mentioning that it was thanks to Ace's understanding field that she could learn so quickly. She simply looked up from Ace's arms, smiling sweetly at him. Her medical skills and strength had developed for Ace, and the power Ace gave her was part of her own power.
Ace looked at Kaya, lovingly scratching her nose.
"Ship Doctor Crocus, I really miss him. Is he still healthy?" Shanks sighed, feeling a sense of nostalgia. Ace was the captain he admired most, Roger's blood successor, and Luffy's brother. Yasopp's son, Usopp, had also received help from Ace. Now, Kaya, their ship's doctor, had been taught by Crocus, the doctor who once took good care of him. The connections between the two pirate groups were numerous.
"Yes, Mr. Crocus is very strong. He spends his retirement in Laboon's stomach every day," Kaya smiled.
"Laboon, I really miss you," Rayleigh said, taking a sip of wine and sighing. Roger had put a lot of effort into convincing Crocus to join the ship, and Crocus had ultimately agreed to help find traces of the Rumbar Pirates for Laboon.
"The power of the Healing Fruit, pure healing power, even above the Op-Op Fruit. The Healing Fruit ability that has awakened—can you please use it to help my father heal his body?" Marco took a deep breath, knelt on the ground before Kaya, and bowed deeply, his head touching the ground. As the de facto second-in-command of the Whitebeard Pirates, a man with a bounty of more than 1.3 billion beli, there was only one reason he would do this: for his dearest father, Whitebeard.
The regenerative flames produced by Marco's phoenix form could no longer maintain Whitebeard's physical functions. His medical skills couldn't cure Whitebeard's hidden wounds. Now, he had met a doctor who had fully inherited Crocus's medical skills and awakened the power of the Healing Fruit. Marco didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Whitebeard looked at Marco and didn't stop him, just raising the corners of his mouth slightly. As a father, he just had to accept his son's kindness graciously.
"No..." Kaya's voice trembled with an apology, causing Marco's pupils to shrink in shock. "I am not capable enough," she said softly, pursing her red lips in hesitation.
"Can't you please take a closer look? Maybe after a careful inspection..." Marco pleaded, his voice filled with reluctance as he raised his head.
"Marco." Whitebeard placed a reassuring hand on Marco's shoulder to calm him down. "About my injury, do you have anything to hide?" Whitebeard asked Kaya, his laughter booming with confidence. "Don't have any scruples, just say it directly. My sons and I can bear it."
Kaya glanced at Ace, then nodded and bit her lip before speaking softly, "Uncle Whitebeard's injury could indeed be cured with the ability of the Healing Fruit. But, Uncle Whitebeard, your body has almost no regeneration ability."
Marco's eyes widened as he grasped the gravity of the situation. "No more... regeneration ability?" he echoed, his voice shaking.
Whitebeard clenched his fists, beginning to understand. "Yes, Marco is a Bird-Bird Fruit-Phantom Beast-Phoenix Form user. This phantom beast's Devil Fruit ability grants regenerative flames that can quickly heal injuries and allow the body to regenerate. However, human cell regeneration capacity is limited. If the number of cell regenerations is exceeded, the body will no longer be able to produce new cells, and the injury cannot be recovered. Uncle Whitebeard, you should have used too much regenerative inflammation to treat your injuries in the early years," Kaya explained.
Kaya continued, explaining the pros and cons of Devil Fruit abilities. The Bird-Bird Fruit-Phantom Beast-Phoenix Form's regenerative flames could restore severe injuries, but the human body isn't a true phoenix. Overusing this regenerative inflammation exhausts the cells' capacity to regenerate, making further recovery impossible. Kaya had already used Ace's understanding field to diagnose Whitebeard's condition remotely and found his cells had lost their ability to regenerate due to excessive use of regenerative inflammation. Kaya, kind-hearted and empathetic, had initially hesitated to tell Whitebeard and Marco the harsh truth.
"How could this happen? Is my regenerative inflammation the reason why dad can't recover from his injuries?" Marco looked at his trembling hands, his whole body shaking.
Whitebeard laughed heartily, embracing Marco. "Idiot son, without your regenerative flames, I would have died from those terrible injuries long ago. Being able to live this life thanks to my son's abilities is the greatest happiness for me as a father," he said with a wide grin.
Throughout his life, Whitebeard had never had a single scar on his back. His pride meant he always faced his enemies head-on, resulting in severe injuries to his vital organs. Marco's regenerative flames had allowed Whitebeard to recover quickly and continue fighting, a choice Whitebeard had willingly made.
"Dad!" Marco burst into tears, overwhelmed by emotion.
Ace, watching the scene, drank the wine in his glass. The thought of Whitebeard, once standing at the pinnacle of the sea and battling Gol D. Roger as an equal, now unable to regenerate his body's functions, weighed heavily on him. Ace had other concerns about Whitebeard's power and sought to acquire it, as well as Kaido's, to aid in his ultimate goal of defeating Im and the World Government.
Ace had a plan involving the abilities of the Bear's Paw-Paw Fruit and the Bird-Bird Fruit-Phantom Beast-Suzaku Form. The Suzaku Form's ability to "shape a body that suits them" could be combined with the Paw-Paw Fruit's power to expel consciousness and soul, creating complete top-level combat power. The field of understanding could drive these completed top-level fighters, though they would still consume Ace's physical strength.
Kaido was the first on Ace's list to use this method when he visits Wano in the future. As for Whitebeard, Ace would never take the initiative to kill him, but he knew someone else would.
"By the way, Whitebeard, is there a guy named Marshall D. Teach under your command?" Ace's question caused Shanks to choke on his drink, Whitebeard's eyes to narrow, and Teach, who was drinking in a corner away from Shanks, to break into a cold sweat.
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