One Piece: Invincible Starting From The Fruit Of Words

In their minds, the Whitebeard Pirates were the greatest pirate crew in the world. Most would cry and beg for a chance to join, yet here was Ace, daring to refuse an invitation directly from Whitebeard himself. It was akin to slapping the man in the face.

Marco smiled slyly. "Aren't you looking for revenge against Lucifer? Then staying here is your best option."

Ace frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Because we're about to go to war with the Ghost Pirates."

"What? Whitebeard is going to fight the Ghost Pirates?" Ace was stunned.

Even someone like him, who barely kept up with the news, knew what it meant for the Whitebeard Pirates to clash with the Ghost Pirates. Both crews were led by Emperors of the Sea, and any confrontation between them would shake the world to its core.

A war between the two would undoubtedly shift the balance of power.

"You heard me," Marco said calmly. "Starting a war is inevitable."

Marco tossed a rolled-up newspaper at Ace. "Take a look. This is what happened while you were unconscious."

Ace unrolled the newspaper and immediately spotted the glaring headline:

"Kaido of the Beasts Defeated! The Ghost Pirates Claim Victory!"

Ace's eyes widened. "Lucifer fought Kaido too?"

"That's right."

"And Lucifer... won?"

"Ah, yes," Marco confirmed. "Kaido is dead."

Ace's grip on the paper tightened as Marco continued, "New World is no longer what it once was. The Four Emperors are now three."

"The collapse of Kaido has already altered the balance of the world," Marco explained. "The Ghost Pirates are claiming the Beasts Pirates' former territories, and soon, half of the New World will fall under Lucifer's control."

"And the next target..." Ace said coldly, his eyes narrowing, "is the Whitebeard Pirates."

Marco nodded. "Exactly. As Lucifer's power grows, a clash between us is inevitable."

Ace stared at the newspaper for a long moment before suddenly kneeling in front of Whitebeard.

"Let me join the Whitebeard Pirates!" he pleaded, bowing his head. "I won't deny my selfish reasons—this is about avenging Lucifer!"

The crew exchanged glances. Ace's intentions were clear, but no one seemed particularly bothered by his selfishness. Whether he joined or not, a war with the Ghost Pirates was unavoidable.

Whitebeard let out a booming laugh. "Gu ra ra ra ra! What's wrong with a man seeking revenge? That's what it means to be alive!"

The great man's heart was vast, as vast as the sea itself. He didn't care about Ace's selfish reasons—he saw something else in the fiery young man.

"Fine, then!" Whitebeard declared, his grin widening. "Let's have a banquet to celebrate Fire Fist Ace joining the Whitebeard Pirates!"

Marco raised his voice, "Prepare for a feast!"

"Oh!!! It's party time!" the crew cheered.

"Catch some Sea Kings! We'll need more meat!"

"Bring out the wine! There's a whole stock in the cabin!"

The Whitebeard Pirates erupted into joyous celebration, their spirits lifted despite the looming threat of war. To them, life as a pirate meant living each day to the fullest—even if tomorrow brought death.

But in the shadows, Blackbeard's eyes gleamed with malice. He stayed silent, watching the revelry with a disdainful smirk.

"Toasting and celebrating on the edge of death... A bunch of fools," he muttered under his breath. "I'm not going down with the rest of you." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Meanwhile, aboard the Red-Hair Pirates' ship, Lucky Roux came running, a newspaper in hand. "Captain! Captain! It's over! The war between Lucifer and Kaido is over!"

The red-haired pirate took the paper from Roux and skimmed it. "Lucifer won. Kaido is dead," he said flatly, as if it were no surprise.

Beckman, standing beside him, crossed his arms. "Lucifer will waste no time annexing Kaido's territory. Once he does, half of the New World will belong to him."

"Not just that," Beckman continued grimly. "With the remnants of the Beasts Pirates and the samurai of Wano falling under his banner, the Ghost Pirates' strength—both in high-ranking fighters and elite troops—will surpass even us or Whitebeard."

He paused, his expression darkening. "Even the Navy might not be able to match him now."

The crew exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of Lucifer's growing power pressing heavily on them.

The red-haired captain, however, remained calm. Tossing the newspaper overboard, he looked ahead, determination burning in his eyes.

"That's why we're here."

The Red Line loomed in the sea ahead, and a glimpse of the Red Port emerged.

This was Red Harbor, one of only two such ports in the world, constructed at great expense by the World Government. It serves as a direct gateway to the Holy Land, Mariejois.

Only the Marines, high-ranking government officials, and the kings and nobles of various nations are permitted to land at Red Harbor. Any pirate who ventures within a thirty-mile radius of the port risks annihilation at the hands of the Marine forces.

Though its defenses are not quite on par with Naval Headquarters, the security of Red Harbor is still formidable.

But today, the Red Hair Pirates entered Red Harbor unharmed and unchallenged.

The Marines did not fire a single shot. In fact, all personnel stationed at Red Harbor had been evacuated.

This unprecedented act was done to ensure the safe passage of Shanks, the red-haired Emperor of the Seas, one of the Four Emperors of the New World.

The Red Hair Pirates docked at Red Harbor, and Shanks took the bubble cable car directly to the Holy Land, Mariejois.

Guided by an escort, Shanks was led into the grand hall of the Five Elders in Pangaea Castle.

For the entire journey, Shanks remained cloaked, hiding his identity from the prying eyes of any onlookers.

Inside the resplendent palace—the room of power—the Five Elders awaited his arrival.

Seated on luxurious sofas, they fixed their eyes on the cloaked figure as he entered.

"So, you've come at last."

"Given your position, you shouldn't be here."

"We made time for this meeting because of you."

"I understand, and I'm grateful," Shanks replied.

The Elder with curly hair gestured toward the guards stationed at the entrance. "Leave us. Close the door behind you."

With that, the guards exited the room, leaving only the Five Elders and Shanks.

Shanks removed his cloak, revealing his true identity.

If outsiders were to witness this scene, they would be utterly shocked.

A Four Emperors pirate had entered the Holy Land, Mariejois, and was now standing face-to-face with the Five Elders.

If news of this leaked, it would shake the entire world. No one would believe Shanks could meet with the Five Elders unless they saw it with their own eyes.

Shanks looked at the Five Elders, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. He spoke with gravity:

"I've come here today because of Lucifer, the Ghost King."

"You must already understand the urgency of this situation."

"Lucifer is an unprecedented threat. If he's not stopped, he will destabilize the entire world."

The Elder with blonde hair narrowed his eyes. "Are you proposing an alliance?"

"Yes," Shanks confirmed. "Lucifer is far too powerful. The Ghost Pirates are no longer a force that anyone can resist alone."

"To defeat him, we must work together. Unfortunately, Whitebeard has already refused my offer."

The Elder holding a sword sneered. "Do you realize what would happen if the world learned of a collaboration between the World Government and pirates?"

"Joining forces with ordinary pirates is disgraceful enough. But you—a Four Emperors pirate?"

"I'm aware of the risks," Shanks said calmly. "But this is the only way to change the situation."

"And why should we agree to this?"

"I'm not certain that you will," Shanks admitted. "But I know you won't outright refuse."

"Just as you didn't refuse back during the God Valley incident more than thirty years ago."

The Five Elders fell silent for a moment.

Finally, the curly-haired Elder spoke. "Because it's you, we will consider this suggestion."

"If it had been anyone else, they'd already be dead."

"I understand, and I appreciate it," Shanks said with a slight bow.

Rising from his seat, Shanks addressed them one last time: "I'll await your decision."

With that, he turned and left.

Though the Five Elders claimed they would consider his proposal, Shanks knew their answer. They had already tacitly agreed.

Once Shanks departed, the Five Elders resumed their discussion.

"An alliance with pirates... Can they really be trusted?"

"Others may not be, but Shanks is different. His word carries weight."

"He's not the type to destabilize the world for selfish reasons."

"And he's right—we're running out of options."

"Even after the World Military Draft, Naval Headquarters is stronger than ever. But even so, there's no guarantee of victory against Lucifer."

"This war against Lucifer—we cannot afford to lose. The Lord will not give us another chance."

"Lucifer must die."

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