Chapter 159 Beyond Destiny
'A troublesome fellow.'
The other party's attitude made it clear that this wouldn't end peacefully.
More importantly, since he had arrived in person, he would lose all face if he allowed someone else to recruit troops on his territory without doing anything.
Whitebeard wasn't a competitive or aggressive man by nature.
His purpose for going to sea had always been to find a family.
However, being non-aggressive didn't mean he lacked a temper.
As he grew older...
Whitebeard knew his pirate crew was facing a very dangerous situation.
Any sign of weakness would surely draw in countless greedy wolves.
And there was one more crucial point.
From their brief clash—even though it was just a simple greeting—Whitebeard had felt pressure radiating from Zane.
It wasn't that he couldn't win.
But if he went to war with a man like this, even if he emerged victorious, his own side would certainly suffer heavy losses.
Not to mention the fact that the opponent was still so young.
"Please, wait! This is all just a misunderstanding!"
Just as Whitebeard was hesitating, an anxious voice called out.
Neptune, with a ring-shaped bubble around his waist, flicked his tail and rushed forward from among the Whitebeard Pirates.
Whitebeard looked at him in surprise.
Neptune approached and explained through gritted teeth, "Actually, I've been thinking about the Fishman District lately. It really is a chronic plague on Fishman Island. Mr. Zane's arrival to recruit troops can be seen as him resolving a major problem for us."
"Moving forward, I plan to properly reorganize the Fishman District to prevent it from falling into chaos again!"
That was a lie!
No!
Or rather, that wasn't the main reason Neptune had stepped forward.
What truly compelled him to intervene was the power Zane had just displayed.
He had witnessed the clash between Zane and Whitebeard.
Though they hadn't truly exchanged blows...
...that single collision was enough to snap him back to reality.
He believed his brother Newgate wouldn't lose.
But in an all-out war with a powerhouse like Zane, the winner was uncertain, while Fishman Island was guaranteed to suffer world-ending devastation.
Neptune naturally refused to see such an outcome.
So, he had to offer them a way out.
Neptune's explanation was borderline ridiculous.
But the olive branch he extended served its purpose.
Whitebeard's expression softened slightly.
On the other side...
Zane glanced at Neptune.
'It seems this guy has finally settled down.'
To be honest, whether he fought Whitebeard or not didn't matter to him.
Or rather, it depended on the other man.
The Whitebeard Pirates were much like the Roger Pirates—members of the chaotic good faction among pirates.
So as long as they didn't provoke him, he wouldn't make them his hunting targets.
Otherwise, they'd receive the Garp treatment.
Since the third party had intervened to sue for peace...
neither Zane nor Whitebeard, neither of whom actually wanted to start a war, was going to look for trouble.
After this dramatic mediation, at Neptune's invitation, both sides put their conflict on hold and headed to Ryugu Palace as guests.
"Come! Consider this a case of 'no discord, no concord.' Even if we clash again in the future, at least for now, we can sit and drink together!"
During the grand banquet.
Neptune sat in the place of honor as the host.
Zane and Whitebeard sat on opposite sides at the front of the hall.
Watching Whitebeard drink in silence, Zane suddenly smiled and raised his cup in a toast.
He was actually quite easy to get along with.
As long as someone wasn't his enemy, he rarely put on airs.
"Gurarara! That's quite a surprise. But you're right, kid. Let's drink to our heart's content!"
Whitebeard looked at Zane with some surprise. Seeing the young man's attitude, he couldn't help but let out a boisterous laugh.
'It seems I really have grown old.'
'I'm not even as carefree as this youngster.'
Raising his oversized cup, Whitebeard downed the contents in one heroic gulp.
Zane did the same, draining his cup in a single draught.
"Come on, drink up!"
"Why is everyone just sitting there? This is a banquet! Let's liven things up!"
"Hahaha! Come, let me have a drink with you too. You were quite infuriating earlier, but your presence is undeniable. To you!"
"I was just telling the truth. Cheers!"
"..."
As Zane and Whitebeard shared a drink, the oppressive atmosphere of the banquet instantly vanished, replaced by lively energy.
Not only did the two groups drink amongst themselves, but they also began to exchange toasts.
As the alcohol began to flow and everyone grew tipsy, the scene became even more boisterous.
Wyper, Bones, and the others engaged in a drinking contest against Vista, Blamenco, and their crew.
Manlong and Jozu, emboldened by the booze, began arm-wrestling to test their strength.
Chopper and Eddie were exchanging medical and navigational knowledge with Marco.
Meanwhile, Bon Kurei was unilaterally sharing the way of the Okama with Izo.
"Gurarara! Three-Eyed brat, you've got yourself a fine crew!"
Downing cup after cup, Whitebeard looked at the scene before him and sighed with emotion as he turned to Zane.
"Of course!" Zane replied without a hint of modesty, accepting the praise as his due.
Whitebeard smiled faintly.
His gaze drifted upward, landing on the striking golden dragon pattern on the youth's forehead.
Recalling Zane's heritage as a member of the Three-Eye Tribe, a sharp light flickered in Whitebeard's eyes.
"Your eye looks a bit different from the other Three-Eye Tribe members I've seen. Has this eye of yours awakened that legendary power?"
Whitebeard thought to himself before asking out loud.
He pointed to his own forehead with a reminiscing expression.
The Three-Eye Tribe was a rarity in the world.
But Whitebeard was no ordinary man.
His vast experience meant he had indeed met others of their kind.
In his memory, the third eye of a Three-Eye tribesman was distinctly different from Zane's.
After all, the golden dragon pattern was vertical.
"Yeah. Why? You want me to translate a Poneglyph for you?" Zane laughed openly and teased.
"Gurarara! I've got zero interest in Poneglyphs." Seeing Zane admit it, Whitebeard thought to himself, 'I knew it.'
He looked genuinely repulsed by the mention of Poneglyphs.
Whitebeard clearly had no interest in the Great Treasure of Laugh Tale.
Otherwise, Nico Robin, who was sitting right next to Zane, wouldn't have gone so unnoticed or ignored by him.
But lack of interest was one thing.
Having confirmed that Zane had truly awakened the power of the Three-Eye Tribe, many thoughts crossed Whitebeard's mind.
He thought of Joy Boy, whom Roger had once mentioned to him.
'The ability to decipher Poneglyphs, and possessing such strength at such a young age... Roger, is the Joy Boy you spoke of really the only hope? Or has someone who transcends destiny appeared in this world?' Whitebeard thought silently.
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