章節 32: WhiteBeard's Principle
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As they drew closer to the Moby Dick, flying, the keen eyes of Marco locked in on the deck. His face contorted, the hissing of his teeth letting out the name: "Squardo." They were both staring below at the scene on the deck, Squardo stood exactly beside Whitebeard, his posture way too tense, his hand closer to his weapon than relaxation allowed. He was talking with the old man, but something was off, unnatural in the way he moved, in the flicker of his eyes.
Kai's heart dropped, his stomach pooling with dread. "That bastard. hurry!" he shouted. He grasped the Meteorite Staff hard in his fist, taking reassurance from its weight. His mind raced. Gotta move quickly.
Marco didn't need to be told twice. With one powerful beat of his wings, he angled himself into a steep dive and began to plummet downwards, flames trailing behind his decent as he rocketed towards the ground. Kai in Marco's talons, the rush of the wind tearing at his face as they picked up incredible speed-a fierce determination burning within them.
Kai's eyes slitted, his staff coming up to point directly at Squardo. Night Shard. The spell congealed at the tip of the staff, dark and deadly, its barely perceptible form like a whisper of death. He released it; the shard streaked toward its target with lethal precision.
At the same moment, Marco's talons released Kai, and he slammed into Squardo like a meteor. The force of Marco's kick was devastating—Squardo didn't even have time to react. His body was flung across the deck like a ragdoll, crashing into the side of the ship with bone-shattering impact. Timber splintered and groaned under the force as Squardo's body.
The Marines and pirates watching from a distance froze, some of them shouting as they witnessed the sudden, brutal assault. Even Akainu, watching from his vantage point, narrowed his eyes at the unexpected interruption. His cold gaze flickered toward Kai and Marco, but his lips curled into a small, cruel smile. He had expected Squardo to play his part in the betrayal, but this new development was... interesting.
On the deck of Whitebeard's ship, a momentary silence fell with Squardo in pain laying at the edge of the shattered railing. Whitebeard himself finally stirred from perfect stillness through the whole attack. His huge frame shifted with him only turning his head, narrowing his eyes at the sight of Marco standing tall and Kai now on one knee, catching his breath.
Marco's stare was still piercing into Squardo while taking a step closer; his wings flickered once before folding back into his body. "Pops, this idiot was about to—"
"I know," Whitebeard growled while cutting him off. His voice was the definition of calm, yet promising to be heavy as thunder. He stepped forward; his heavy footsteps sent echoes across the deck. "That boy warned you, didn't he?"
Kai stared up at Whitebeard in utter disbelief, his face written with it. His body barely managed to hold himself steady as the old man's words set fire in his mind.
"Wait. you knew?!" Kai shouted hoarsely strained; a mix of confusion and shock leaked from his voice. His grip on the staff began to clamp down as he tried to make some sense of it. "You were just standing there, letting it happen?"
Whitebeard's face remained unchanging-smooth, unruffled-apparently because Kai's reaction had not taken him by surprise. The wind whipped across the deck, tugging at the hem of Whitebeard's cloak, but he did not budge, a mountain of flesh. His eyes, a piercing glint beneath the fold of his brow, came to rest on Kai an age-tempered wisdom minted from battles, victories, and betrayals.
He let out a slow exhalation-a sound that was a palpable burden of a lifetime. "A parent," Whitebeard began, his voice as deep as the sea itself, "can often see the mistakes their child is about to make. but part of being a father is having faith."
Kai's breath caught in his throat as the words fell, each one steady and measured, and yet carrying a depth of emotion not expected from this giant of a man.
"Even when you know," Whitebeard went on, his eyes darting briefly to Squardo, "that they're about to do something wrong, sometimes you gotta trust. trust that they'll remember who they are." His gaze shifted back to Kai again, burning with intensity, and his voice dropped down low, soft, almost gentle. "That they'll come to their senses before it's too late."
Whitebeard was even bigger at that moment, not just the fearsome pirate who shook the seas but more-a father figure, protector who took many men into his protection. His words were not for Squardo alone. They carried with them a resonance, the echoes of which would travel far beyond this moment.
Kai froze, his body going rigid as those words deeply settled into his bones. "But. Squardo this idiot." his voice started before he lost it, couldn't grasp it. "He almost… "
Whitebeard chopped him off with an upward raise of his hand, prompting silence to thrash the confusion within Kai's voice.
"That is what it means to lead," Whitebeard was saying, his eyes softening though the steel behind them never gave way. "Being a father to so many men. you do not just command their loyalty-you earn their trust. And with that trust comes the burden of allowing them to make their own choices. even when it hurts."
Whitebeard looked down at Squardo once more, his large hand clenching his bisento as he let out a slow, deep sigh. "He might be an idiot. But i still love him."
Kai swallowed hard, his throat burning with emotion. The sheer weight of Whitebeard's words seemed to press down on him, making him feel both incredibly small and somehow important at the same time.
Whitebeard's gaze met Kai's again, and the air between them seemed to catch its breath. "You did good, boy," he said in that low, rumbling voice of his, tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But now, let's make sure no one else gets any bright ideas." Whitebeard's eyes narrowed now as his huge body shook with almost but hardly contained anger. His gaze cut toward the battlefield where his eyes settled on the figure far away, that of Sengoku. The weight of malice dripped from his voice. "Sengoku. you haven't changed a bit. Always relying on underhand tactics, scheming in the dark."
The wind wailed as he turned, his eyes fierce, speaking not just to Kai but to the lot that stood on the ship, every soul who had ever fought under his flag. "Betraying my sons?!" His voice thundered across the deck like an earthquake. "I know exactly what you used to sway Squardo. You played on his grudge with Roger. twisted the past, break our family bond, change the way he looks at Ace."
It was his anger that fell upon the crew, yet no fear shone in their eyes-only resolution. Whitebeard's rage was not a blind fury-fury of a man wronged, and his children knew this.
Without hesitation, Whitebeard stepped forward, his massive body moving with surprising speed for a man his size. His feet shook the deck with every step, his eyes set on the battlefield ahead. And then, with a surge of power that made the very air tremble, he leaped from the ship.
For a moment, it felt like the world itself held its breath as Whitebeard soared through the air. His shadow loomed over the battlefield, a symbol of the unyielding strength of the pirate who had conquered seas, not with fear, but with loyalty.
Whitebeard landed with a resounding crash that sent shockwaves through the ground, the ice beneath him cracking and splintering like glass. The earth seemed to bend beneath his might, and all eyes were on him now—Marines, pirates, Warlords, and even the distant figure of Sengoku. They all felt the gravity of his presence.
The Whitebeard Pirates, scattered and wounded, found their spirits rekindled as their captain stood tall, towering above them like a mountain that could never be moved. He raised his massive bisento high, its blade gleaming under the harsh light of the battlefield.
"Men! Believe what you will!" Whitebeard roared, his voice shaking the very sky. "That's how pirates are! We choose who we trust, and we live by that choice, even if it means death!"
His words echoed in the hearts of every one of his crew. The betrayal of Squardo, the deceit of the marines, none of it mattered in the face of the bond they shared with their captain. They knew who they were fighting for, and Whitebeard had just reminded them that their family bond was their strength.
"The strongest man in the world...," Sengoku muttered standing tall in the execution platform, more to himself than to anyone else. "Even at his age, his strength is terrifying. We can't afford to underestimate him, not for a second!"
Sengoku clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he recognized the gravity of what was coming. "Prepare yourselves!" he barked, his voice booming across the battlefield as Marines scrambled to follow his orders. "All units, get ready!"
Kai was unable to find his voice as he looked up at the man who had just let him see the heart behind the legend "This... Why do i want to die for this man now?" Kai realized. It wasn't just power or fear it was love, it was trust, it was believing in the best even when the worst seemed inevitable." This is what makes him a king,"
And in that moment, Kai understood why Whitebeard was more than just a pirate. He was someone who commanded loyalty, not through force, but through the bond of family.
Marco's piercing eyes locked onto Squardo, who was on his knees, trembling, tears of shame and regret streaming down his face. The man who had once been filled with rage and betrayal now looked utterly broken. Marco's expression hardened, his voice cold and unwavering as he spoke.
"Pops might have been easy on you," Marco said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge, "but I'm not. You were this close to doing something unforgivable."
Squardo's sobs grew quieter, his hands clenching the ground beneath him as the weight of his actions crushed him. Marco took a step forward, his gaze never leaving Squardo's bowed form.
"Be glad we stopped you before you did something stupid," Marco added, his voice laced with frustration, but there was no hate—just the disappointment of a brother who nearly lost another to the manipulations of their enemies. He glanced over his shoulder, his sharp eyes finding Kai, standing nearby, still ragged from the fight. "Thank you. You did good back there. Since you are injured you can stay behind my division if you want and..."
Kai raised his only hand, his expression defiant despite the pain he was in. "No. I'll push to the plaza with you guys. I didn't come here to sit behind and watch. I'm here for the same reason as all of you."
Marco's stern face softened slightly as he nodded in respect. "Alright."
He then looked back at Squardo, who was still paralyzed by guilt. His voice turned sharp again. "And you, are you just gonna sit there crying? Or are you going to get up and help us make the Marines pay for everything they've done?"
Squardo's body tensed, and his head slowly lifted. His tear-streaked face was filled with shame, but there was also a spark of determination, a recognition of the second chance he'd been given. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"I... I'll fight," Squardo rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll make them pay."
Kai watched the scene unfold, his mind racing. 'Honestly,' he thought to himself with a wry smirk, 'I'd just kill him for the runes, but... he'll be useful.'
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