Translator: PapaSmurf0700
While the world reeled from the Priest's broadcast, a seismic shift was occurring in public thought. For the first time, people were openly questioning the absolute justice of the World Government. In the storm of debate, many seemed to forget who the original protagonists were supposed to be in the war that was now just a month away.
Somewhere on the Grand Line, nestled beside an uninhabited island, floated a fleet of massive pirate ships. They stood guard around a vessel that dwarfed them all—the Moby Dick.
A guest had just arrived on its deck.
"Gurararara! So, you're another one of Ace's brothers, are you, brat?"
The man, an IV drip taped to his massive hand, was Edward Newgate, "Whitebeard." He looked down at the blond young man standing before him and let out a hearty, booming laugh.
"Yes. Ace, Luffy, and I swore an oath of brotherhood over cups of sake when we were boys," Sabo replied, his voice steady and dignified even in the presence of the World's Strongest Man. "An accident stole my memories, and for years, they both believed I was dead."
Marco, the 1st Division Commander, spoke up from beside his captain. "Sabo... I think I've heard Ace mention that name."
"He did," added Diamond Jozu from the other side. "He told us he had a brother who died long ago. He even showed us the tattoo on his arm."
With a few brief exchanges, Sabo's identity was confirmed.
"Gurarara! You said you were the Chief of Staff for the Revolutionary Army," Whitebeard mused. "As expected of Ace's brother. In that case—"
He extended a hand the size of Sabo's torso. "—how would you like to be my son?"
Before Sabo could respond, Marco quickly intervened. "Hold on, Pops. The man just said he's a Revolutionary. Now isn't the time for that kind of talk."
"Gurarara! And what if he is? I don't put limits on my sons' dreams," Whitebeard declared with a wave of his hand.
"I am honored by your magnanimity, but I must respectfully decline," Sabo said, raising his head. "I didn't come here to represent the Revolutionary Army. I came as a brother to Ace and Luffy, seeking a partnership."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the commanders. "I'm sure you all saw the broadcast."
At the mention of serious business, the mood on the Moby Dick shifted. Every commander turned their full attention to the young revolutionary.
"Yeah, that kid... the Priest. Ace's little brother's vice-captain," Marco said first. A wry smile played on his lips. "Pretty damn bold, lumping the Whitebeard Pirates in with the filth of the World Government." Despite his words, he didn't seem angry.
"We may not care if the world sees us as villains," said Flower Sword Vista, the crew's master swordsman, "but I admit, I enjoyed watching that boy mock the World Government."
"Still," Diamond Jozu countered, his rugged face etched with doubt, "kidnapping a Celestial Dragon and demanding an Admiral stand down... I don't see how that helps us rescue Ace. You, of all people, should know the true power of the Navy."
"It helps tremendously," Sabo stated. "The significance of the Priest's broadcast wasn't about taking hostages or removing one Admiral from the board. It was about changing the very meaning of this war."
He leaned forward, his voice sharp and clear. "The moment the world began debating 'The Whitebeard Government vs. The World Government,' the Navy's pretense of executing a pirate in the name of 'Absolute Justice' became fragile. This is no longer a simple clash between pirates and marines."
"For the World Government, the objective has shifted. Their new strategic goal is the complete annihilation of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates. Ace's execution is now secondary. In fact, keeping him alive is now their best strategy. It guarantees you'll walk into their fortress and stay there... permanently."
This analysis wasn't something Bai Ye had fed him. The Priest's goal was achieved the moment the broadcast ended; his plan for saving Ace was always about overwhelming force. But Sabo, as the Revolutionary Army's chief strategist, saw every conflict as a puzzle to be dissected. And this was what he'd been asked to do.
He looked directly at Whitebeard and delivered his purpose.
"With Ace's life now more or less guaranteed, I propose that the Whitebeard Pirates no longer make his rescue your primary objective. Your role should be to contain the Navy's elite forces with everything you have."
Sabo locked eyes with the strongest man in the world, his tone ringing with an almost audacious confidence.
"The outcome of this war... will be decided by the Straw Hat Pirates!"
...
A heavy silence fell over the deck. It was broken a moment later by a deep, rumbling laugh from Whitebeard.
"Is that so?" Marco said, his voice dangerously low. He turned to Sabo. "Listen carefully, Ace's brother. We are grateful for the Straw Hats' help. We even acknowledge the alliance your 'Priest' declared. But—"
Marco's eyes narrowed, his entire demeanor shifting from laid-back commander to the formidable right hand of an Emperor. "To ask the Whitebeard Pirates to act as a diversion for a rookie crew... you are gravely underestimating us." His voice dropped to a growl. "Our father is the strongest man in the world."
For Marco, this was a challenge to his father's honor, and he would not tolerate it.
Sabo understood and was about to clarify, but Whitebeard's voice boomed over them all.
"Gurararara! They truly are a courageous bunch of young fools."
Unlike his son, Whitebeard, who had sat at the apex of the world for decades, saw things from a higher plane. He wasn't insulted; he was impressed. He understood the Straw Hats' proposal for what it was. It wasn't disrespect. It was a declaration. They were not only willing to step onto the world's biggest stage—they were prepared to face the strongest powers on the planet and take the final shot themselves.
That alone earned Whitebeard's admiration.
But courage, on its own, would not be enough to convince him.