Chapter 228: Marco's Approval
"Goodbye, Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold!~"
"Goodbye, Margaret, Aflandra—and everyone! Let's meet again in the future!~"
Standing at the bow of the Spade, Luffy waved wildly toward the departing Kuja Pirates' ship, his grin as wide as ever.
"Say my name instead, you idiot!" Speedo yelled in frustration—Luffy had forgotten it again.
In that lively and chaotic atmosphere, Ace and his crew bid farewell to the Kuja Pirates.
---
"Ace, is that your little brother you always talk about?" one of the Spade Pirates asked, still staring in disbelief at the loud, carefree boy waving on deck.
"Yeah, that's him," Ace said with a fond smile. He turned and began introducing his crew to Monkey D. Luffy, including the captains of the Spade Pirates.
"I remember you! The lightning guy from Sky Island!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at Enel with sparkling eyes.
"Tch…" Enel curled his lip, clearly displeased. "Still as noisy as ever. I don't like you."
"Wow, such a tiny person has wings?!" Luffy suddenly shouted as his eyes locked onto the winged siblings—Karkus and Carols. He reached forward, attempting to grab them in curiosity.
Clang!
Karkus swiftly smacked Luffy's hand away with his knight's spear, scolding, "You rude fool! How dare you reach toward a lady as noble as Carols?"
"Ow! That hurts!" Luffy yelped, rubbing the back of his hand. "How can you be so small but still use Haki?"
"What does size have to do with Haki?" Carols asked, puzzled.
"It's no use," Ace sighed, shaking his head. "Don't try reasoning with him—he's immune to logic."
---
Ace then turned toward Marco and the others nearby, a bit surprised. "Wait, Marco, why are you guys even here?"
"I heard from Pops that you ran into trouble with Big Mom," Marco replied with a calm smile. "Law happened to be checking on Pops' condition, so we came along with him."
He added, "I also heard you fought Big Mom last night on Cake Island. You alright?"
"I'm fine," Ace said, shaking his head. "I can't beat her yet, but she couldn't do anything to me either."
"You actually held off Big Mom?" Marco raised an eyebrow in surprise, a grin forming. "No wonder Pops chose you as his successor—you've grown so fast, Ace."
Though Marco had never sought to inherit the Whitebeard Pirates' mantle, he had no objections to Whitebeard choosing Ace. After witnessing Ace's strength and maturity during the Marineford War, Marco began to truly accept Ace as Whitebeard's rightful heir.
Marco never desired power—his dream, like Whitebeard's, was simple: to sail freely with his family across the seas. Yet even such a simple wish was a luxury few could afford. The only reason they could live so freely was because Edward Newgate, the Strongest Man in the World, stood behind them.
Marco knew he didn't have the same overwhelming strength to protect their family if Whitebeard were gone. But seeing Ace's steady growth gave him hope—and reassurance.
---
"I'll admit," Marco said, smirking, "making Big Mom back down even once is no small feat. You've gotten strong."
Ace grinned confidently, clenching his fist. "I'm still far from their level, but it won't be long before I surpass the Yonko themselves."
"Heh… You sure talk big," Marco chuckled, shaking his head. "But don't underestimate them—especially Kaido and Big Mom. When those two lose control, even Pops finds them troublesome."
"Don't worry," Ace replied. "I never underestimate anyone."
"By the way," Ace continued, "how's Pops doing lately?"
"Not bad," Marco said, pointing at Law. "This kid checks on him regularly. Oh—and Pops wants to see you. There's something important he needs to discuss. He asked you to come aboard the Moby Dick once you're done."
"Discuss with me?" Ace asked, frowning slightly. "What's going on?"
"You'll know when you see him. It's about Wano Country," Marco said vaguely.
"Alright," Ace nodded, then gestured toward Luffy. "But first, I need to drop this idiot off at Sabaody Archipelago."
"Hah, fair enough," Marco said with a laugh. "We'll head back first."
With a wave, Marco and the captains boarded Law's submarine—the Polar Tang—as the Surgeon of Death prepared to take them back to the Moby Dick.
---
After returning to Sun Island, Ace did what he did best—he threw a massive banquet that lasted the entire day.
The next morning, Ace set sail again aboard the Spade, accompanied by Yamato, Otama, and Carols—with Luffy tagging along for the ride.
However, before heading to the Sabaody Archipelago, Ace had one more stop in mind: Fish-Man Island.
He wanted to meet the living ancient weapon, Poseidon—the mermaid princess Shirahoshi. And, by the way, to see Madam Shyarly, the mermaid fortune-teller known for her accurate visions of the future.
The Ancient Weapons were mysteries no pirate could ignore. Each one was said to hold the power to destroy the world. Yet, their forms and abilities differed vastly:
Pluton, the giant battleship rumored to sink islands with a single shot.
Poseidon, capable of commanding the Sea Kings.
And Uranus, said to reside somewhere within the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, with powers still shrouded in secrecy.
Each weapon was a force that defied all logic and common sense.
Ace's goal was simple—but dangerous.
He wanted to see for himself whether the living weapon, Poseidon, could offer a clue to finding the lost "King of Heaven"—Uranus.
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