Chapter 90: Alliance II
Whitebeard and Dave returned to the crew, their steps steady despite the toll of their battle. However, as they arrived, the atmosphere among the crew was heavy with tension. Something was clearly wrong.
Dave furrowed his brow as he stepped forward. "What happened?" he asked.
Shakky, standing nearby, silently handed him a newspaper. Whitebeard leaned over to look as well. The instant his eyes landed on the headline, his grip on his bisento tightened, the metal creaking under the pressure.
"Those bastards are at it again," Whitebeard snarled, his voice trembling with restrained fury.
Dave scanned the paper quickly, his sharp eyes catching the details immediately. His jaw tightened as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Ace's execution... a week from now," he muttered.
"They're just trying to regain their lost face," Dave continued, his voice calm but laced with disdain.
Whitebeard turned to him sharply, his eyes blazing with anger and confusion. "What do you mean by that, brat?"
Dave let out a small sigh, folding the paper and tossing it onto a nearby table. "He's Roger's son. After their humiliation by us, they want to save face by executing the Pirate King's bloodline. They think it'll make them look strong again."
The room fell silent, the Whitebeard Pirates staring at Dave in shock. Marco was the first to find his voice. "Wait—how do you even know that?"
Dave glanced at him, then at Whitebeard, before shrugging. "Because I'm Roger's apprentice," he said matter-of-factly.
Whitebeard's eyes widened, as did the rest of the crew's. For a moment, no one said anything. Then, Whitebeard stepped forward, his voice booming with disbelief. "You?! Roger's apprentice?! Why didn't you say so sooner?!"