One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

He was nominated by everyone to succeed the Whitebeard Pirates as captain.

Ace was the only one in the room who didn't react.

He knelt beside the white-bearded man's body, head bowed, his hands gripping his trouser legs tightly.

I don't deserve it.

Ace's voice was terribly hoarse.

"I'm the one who killed my father."

If I hadn't chased Blackbeard, if I hadn't been caught, Daddy wouldn't have come to save me, Oz wouldn't have died, and so many of my brothers wouldn't have died—

What qualifications do I have to be a captain?

Marco crouched down, grabbed Ace by the collar, and pulled him up from the ground.

"Look at me, Ace."

Marco's eyes were bloodshot, but his voice was unusually calm.

"Dad chose to save you not because you are Roger's son, but because you are our family."

You know the Whitebeard Pirates' rules better than anyone—if your family is in trouble, you'll risk your life to save them.

"My father's greatest pride in his life is us sons."

He chose to die in Marineford, not because you killed him, but because it was his own choice.

"There's only one thing you need to do now—survive, and live on with the family your father left you."

Ace's tears fell again.

But he didn't say anything more about "not being worthy".

Vista walked over and patted Ace on the shoulder:

"Ace, Dad trusts you, and we trust you too. That's enough."

Jozu also walked over and gently touched Ace's chest with his diamond-like fist.

"We'll listen to you."

One by one, the other captains stood up and surrounded Ace.

Looking at these familiar faces, at these brothers who had followed him for years and their father for decades, Ace finally gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully.

"I will protect the family my father left behind with my life."

His voice was still trembling, but every word sounded as if it had been carved out of his bones.

"This is my promise to my father."

Roy stood at the cabin door, listened to the whole story, and didn't go in to disturb them.

With the fleet's coating complete, Ace, suppressing his grief, mustered his strength to bid farewell to Rayleigh and Luffy.

The Whitebeard fleet slowly sank to the bottom of the sea.

.................................. .................................

Sphinx Island—the home of the white-bearded bird, an island that can't even be found on a map.

The island is not large; it takes only half an hour to walk from east to west.

There is only one small village on the island, with dozens of households and a few hundred people.

Whitebeard came from here; a poor boy who, through his fists and courage, gradually became the strongest man in the world.

The island's residents had already received the news.

When the Moby Dick docked, the whole village stood at the harbor waiting.

No one spoke, no one cried out; everyone just watched quietly as the tall body was carried off the ship.

An elderly woman with white hair stepped forward and tremblingly reached out to touch the white-bearded man's face.

"Newgate, you're home."

As she said this, tears rolled down her wrinkled face.

The funeral was conducted simply and swiftly in accordance with Whitebeard's last wishes.

There was no elaborate tombstone, no extravagant ceremony. Just a pit, a wooden coffin, and a group of people who came to see him off on his final journey.

Ace personally placed Whitebeard's body into the coffin. He closed the lid, scooped up the first handful of soil, and sprinkled it on the coffin.

Then it's Marco, then Vista, then Joz.

One by one, the sixteen squad leaders stepped forward, each scooping up a handful of soil to add the final layer to their father's grave.

The island's residents lined up, taking turns to offer flowers and soil.

Roy stood at a distance, not approaching, but simply watching everything quietly.

The funeral lasted a full day, and by the time the last bouquet of flowers was laid, the sun had already sunk below the horizon.

Ace stood before the tombstone, looking at the simple inscription...

The stone tablet bearing the name "Edward Newgate" no longer has tears in its eyes.

Roy walked over to Ace.

"Ace, you are now the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. I plan to establish a military alliance between Beehive Island and the Whitebeard Pirates."

Ace turned his head and looked at Roy.

Roy knew this wasn't the time to talk about these things, but he spoke up anyway.

"Ace! I don't want to recruit or absorb the Whitebeard Pirates."

The Whitebeard Pirates retain their number, their territory, and their flag.

But when facing the World Government and the Navy, I hope we can stand on the same side.

"What do you think?"

Ace did not answer immediately.

He glanced back at the captains behind him—Marco nodded at him, and Vista also nodded slightly.

"When my father was alive, he said that you were the most terrifying guy in the new world, but you were also the only ally he could trust."

Ace turned his head and looked directly into Roy's eyes.

"I agree."

Roy reached out his hand.

Ace grasped it.

The two captains, an old man from the New World and a young man from the New World, shook hands once at Whitebeard's grave.

This handshake will change the landscape of the entire new world.

On the distant sea, the setting sun finally sank completely below the horizon.

The last rays of sunlight shone on the white-bearded man's tombstone, turning the simple eight characters into gold.

"The world's strongest man rests here."

And with the passing of this strongest man, a new era has officially begun.

.................................................. ..................................

Beehive Island.

Roy returned from Sphinx Island three days later.

As soon as he stepped onto the cobblestone path of the port, Stella came to greet him, carrying a stack of documents in her arms, her expression a mixture of helplessness and acceptance.

"Roy! The World Government and the Navy have begun issuing a statement to the world condemning our 'terrorist attack' in Marineford."

"They were all burned."

Roy didn't stop walking. "What else?"

"Morgans made seven phone calls, saying he was willing to trade his freedom of the press for the rest of his life for our exclusive footage of the Marineford War."

Roy stopped in his tracks, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"That's a good idea. Let him come to Beehive Island."

.............................................................................. ..

When Morgans arrived at Beehive Island, he was trembling all over—

It wasn't out of fear, but out of excitement.

The giant bird-man rushed to Roy as soon as it landed, its wings flapping loudly.

"image!

Where is the video?

I brought the best equipment!

The most professional team!

This news will absolutely blow the world away!

Roy tossed him a video Den Den Mushi.

It was a complete video record collected from various parts of the battlefield, starting from the moment the Ark's Proverb descended over Marineford.

From Whitebeard's solo battle against the three generals to Roy personally beheading Satan,

Every key scene is crystal clear.