I am the Bandit King of the East Sea.

Roger blinked and leaned closer:

"What did you write? Let me see."

Whitebeard turned around, blocking Roger's view with his broad shoulders, and glanced at Roger sideways:

"This is a letter from Sig. What are you looking at?"

Roger was speechless for a moment.

“What’s there to be proud of?” He was speechless, then turned to look at Hale and found that he didn’t have a second gift in his hand.

"It seems that Sieg couldn't contact me because I've been living a nomadic life and wandering from place to place."

He pondered for a moment and came to this conclusion.

Whitebeard said calmly, "In short, Sig didn't send you any letters or gifts."

Roger frowned and glanced sideways at Whitebeard:

"Higurashi and I have known each other for many years. We've known each other since before he joined the Rocks Pirates. I was the one who..."

"Then why didn't you receive the letter?" the white-bearded man asked calmly.

"That's because I have no fixed abode..."

"Then why don't you contact me via Den Den Mushi?"

"........."

"Whitebeard, ever since you became younger, you've been talking a lot more nonsense."

Roger, his face grim, met Whitebeard's gaze.

After staring at each other calmly for several seconds, the two suddenly drew their swords at the same time, stepped forward, and slashed fiercely at each other.

The longsword clashed with the naginata Murakumogiri, the powerful energy creating a strong wind that blew up the white sand beneath their feet, spraying a cloud of air onto the face of the unsuspecting Hale.

Hale was speechless; he was still a little taken aback.

"I misjudged them. These two haven't changed at all." He quickly retreated to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the fight.

Marco the Phoenix watched this scene quietly from the sidelines, a smile in his eyes:

"That's great. Dad not only looks younger, but his mindset seems to have become younger too."

Although they were father and son with Whitebeard, they were from different generations.

Some things and some words are better discussed and spoken with people of the same age or generation.

"Roger, Whitebeard!" Hale was getting a little annoyed.

"Whether you fight or not is none of my business, but I'm here to deliver a message. The situation is urgent and time is of the essence, so please accept the gift quickly. Sig said he wants to open it in person to confirm its authenticity. I have to go back and report!"

Upon hearing Hale's words, Whitebeard put away his naginata and temporarily suspended his fight with Roger.

He took the gift box from Hale and casually opened it.

The moment Whitebeard saw what was in the box, his expression froze, as did Marco, Roger, and the others beside him.

Inside the box was a Devil Fruit.

This is a pale purple fruit, shaped like a pineapple, covered with strange spiral patterns.

Everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates recognized this Devil Fruit.

"It's the Dark-Dark Fruit! The abilities of Rocks, Teach, and the Joker! Such a precious fruit is being given as a gift? That's incredibly generous."

Hale was speechless.

“Whitebeard…” Roger sheathed his sword, sensing that the fruit reminded Whitebeard of some unpleasant memories, and tried to say something.

"It's just a Devil Fruit," Whitebeard said.

After his initial surprise, he quickly regained his usual composure.

"Given enough time, we will eventually see those powerful Devil Fruits reborn on the sea time and time again."

Some Devil Fruits are inherently strong, such as the Glint-Glint Fruit, Dark-Dark Fruit, Magma-Magma Fruit, and other Logia-type fruits.

No special development is needed; simply applying basic abilities is enough to sweep across the field and join the ranks of the strong.

Among Logia-type Devil Fruit users, there are almost no weak ones.

Whitebeard casually set down the incredibly precious Dark-Dark Fruit, then unfolded the letter and continued reading its contents.

"Are you inviting our Whitebeard Pirates to join the war against the World Government?"

After reading the letter, Whitebeard's gaze fell on the Dark-Dark Fruit.

The Dark-Dark Fruit was a gift, used to enhance the strength of the Whitebeard Pirates.

The contents of the letter, however, concern a different matter, and the two matters are unrelated.

If Whitebeard didn't want to participate in the war, Higuma naturally had no intention of taking back the Dark-Dark Fruit.

"Is that what Sig thinks?" Whitebeard put down the letter and exchanged glances with Marco and the others.

In fact, the Whitebeard Pirates and Higuma had a very deep relationship, especially before and after the Marineford War.

He helped rescue Ace, killed Blackbeard, then performed surgery on the dying Whitebeard on the battlefield, bringing him back to life. Afterwards, he managed to cure Whitebeard's old age and bring him back to his peak.

As long as Whitebeard remains powerful, his territory and his pirate crew can continue to stand tall in a corner of the New World.

Even during the turmoil in the outside world in the past two years, Whitebeard's territory remained safe and sound.

This stability is actually inseparable from Sieg's influence.

"A pirate is a pirate," Whitebeard muttered.

"What do the rise and fall of the World Government, and the future of this world have to do with us pirates?"

Done.

He gripped the naginata in his hand, stood up again, and looked at his many sons who were drinking on the beach.

"Now that this matter involves Sig, how can we possibly remain uninvolved in the New World?"

“Father is right,” Marco said with a smile.

He turned to look at the other crew members behind him and raised his glass high:

"We are not fighting against the World Government, or for the well-being of any people..."

"The world of pirates doesn't need those empty ideals..."

"But even pirates have their own sense of justice and loyalty."

He raised the blanket high, laughing and shouting:

"If I had to come up with a reason, it would be to fight for my mom!"

"For Mom!"

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh!"

The pirates started making a fuss again, followed by bursts of laughter, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Roger and Rouge stood beside Whitebeard, watching the pirates' commotion as bystanders, their expressions becoming quite interesting.

Their expressions became even more bizarre after they saw Ace mingling in the crowd, arm in arm with others, biting into sea monster meat and mumbling "For Mom" ​​incoherently.

"Don't make a fuss yet, there's one more thing." Whitebeard raised his naginata and slammed it on the ground to quiet the pirates.

"Who wants to eat this Dark Fruit?"

The pirates looked at the Devil Fruit in Whitebeard's hand, as if they had remembered something, and no one spoke.

"Is no one willing to eat it?" Whitebeard pondered for a moment, his gaze falling on Ace.

"Ace, then you can have this Dark-Dark Fruit."

Swordsmen like Vista were already renowned warriors on the high seas, possessing well-developed combat skills.

Unless it's a Zoan-type Devil Fruit that purely enhances physical abilities, consuming a new Devil Fruit at this age requires adapting to the new abilities and starting all over again.

Young people like Ace are different; they have greater potential for development.

“But Dad, I’ve been an Ability User for a long time,” Ace said vaguely.

"It's alright," the white-bearded man said, looking at Marco.

"Marco, go and take those two Angel Fruits from the treasure vault."

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

P.S.: Book recommendation.

The person I'm trying to seduce, please help me seduce her.

Synopsis: After being transported to another world, in order to survive, Carloa decides to use any means necessary to get close to the final boss before he turns evil.

Therefore, he started by working on the maids around the final boss, the Seventh Princess Anne.

"Hello, maid! I want to woo the Seventh Princess. Could you please help me with this?"

"What kind of help?"

"Be my wingman and report to me on the Seventh Princess's schedule, hobbies, and so on."

"No problem, the Seventh Princess really likes the peach shortbread and Four Seasons Spring tea from the West District!"

"—Tomorrow, the Seventh Princess, An, will be going on a spring hunt!"

"Thank you, Miss Maid. The Seventh Princess has accepted my confession. From now on, you will be my best brother! I'll go through fire and water for you, even if it costs me my life!"

"By the way, it's been so long, I still haven't asked you your name?"

--"install!"

Chapter 1247 Fishman Island Rises! 4k

From his youth onward, Whitebeard had no interest in so-called treasures or money.

And this style has remained consistent since he founded the Whitebeard Pirates.

As the strongest of the original Four Emperors in the New World, he donated a large portion of the wealth he had accumulated over many years of conquest to impoverished islands in the New World, including his home island, Sphinx.