Listening to Whitebeard's words, Jake turned back to look at the two of them with a faint, bitter smile tugging at his lips.
"When I heard this news, I began to seriously doubt the justice I had upheld as a Marine. After all, something like this would be unacceptable to any Marine who truly carries justice in their heart.
But… I adjusted surprisingly fast—faster than I expected, really. Maybe I'd already anticipated that the Marines' justice couldn't possibly be free of darkness. I just never imagined that the darkness would nearly overshadow the light."
Whitebeard patted Jake's shoulder, his voice gentle, like a kindly elder, as he said with a smile.
"It might sound strange coming from a Pirate like me, but honestly, kid, there are quite a few people among the Marines who even I can't help but admire. I can only protect a small handful of people on the islands under my care.
But most Marines—they're the ones who, in the truest sense, protect everyone at all times. Well… 'at all times' might not be entirely accurate, but at least outside of Hunting Season, the civilians' trust in the Marines is absolutely justified."
Hearing Whitebeard's attempt at comfort, Jake couldn't help but shake his head.
"Old man Whitebeard, you really aren't good at comforting people. If I'd come here seeking solace, I might've jumped off already."
"Gurararara! You damn brat, what do you take a man's kindness for?!"
Whitebeard gave Jake a light knock on the head as he laughed, and the previously heavy atmosphere noticeably lightened.
Marco, however, remained lost in shock.
He sighed as he looked at Jake and said—
"Jake, if you're not here for comfort this time, then you must be here for a solution, right? Is it because you can't stand the Celestial Dragons' actions and want to completely shed your Marine identity?"
"Marco, that's quite a leap. If I thought the Marines were bad, what I'd need to do is change them, not abandon them. This time, I'm here more for a solution. Or rather, I want to work with you all to pull off something big."
"The Celestial Dragons love their Hunting Season, so let's make them realize that sometimes, the Hunting Season can turn into their own graveyard!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard's eyes lit up.
He looked at Jake with unmistakable excitement in his gaze.
"Gurarararara, I knew you damn brat would have some crazy ideas up your sleeve! There's no way you'd just sit back and let those damn Celestial Dragons keep running amok! I've been itching to take those bastards down myself. So, tell me, what do you need me to do?"
"Pops! We should think this through first. If—if we really kill those Celestial Dragons head-on, most of our islands and fleets will face brutal retaliation. The death toll could be even higher."
Marco's concern wasn't unfounded, but Jake had already considered this.
Smiling at Marco, he said.
"Don't worry, Marco. I won't let the Whitebeard Pirates take the fall for this. I've planned everything from the start. The Celestial Dragons have committed countless atrocities, and in the end, they'll meet their fate in a massive tsunami at sea—one that even the Marine Headquarters' top officers couldn't prevent despite their best efforts."
At this, Whitebeard's grin widened even further.
A tsunami? That was his specialty!
What kind of tsunami couldn't he create?!
"Gurarararara! If that's the case, then I'll whip up the biggest damn tsunami ever and drown every last one of those Celestial Dragons!"
"But Jake, the Marines have Kuzan and little Monet—both ice-type Devil Fruit users. If they blatantly refuse to use their powers to protect the Celestial Dragons, wouldn't that—"
Jake's face lit up with another bright smile.
"What if Red-Haired Shanks makes a move in the New World during the Celestial Dragons' hunting season, forcing Admiral Kuzan to be dispatched for defense?
With just Commodore Monet trying to freeze a tsunami created by Whitebeard—if the Celestial Dragons dare to punish her for that, I'll immediately turn on them and lead the entire Marine Headquarters to war against the Celestial Dragons."
Hearing this, Whitebeard couldn't hold back—he spat out the mouthful of alcohol he'd just drunk.
His face flushed red, both from choking and sheer astonishment at Jake's words.
He burst into laughter, gasping for breath.
"Gurarararara! Jake, you damn brat—the more time I spend with you, the younger I feel! Leading the entire Marine Headquarters to war against the World Government? Gurarararara! If Sengoku heard that, he'd probably drop dead from rage."
"Old man Whitebeard, I already discussed this plan with Fleet Admiral Sengoku beforehand. Not only did he agree to it, he even sent people to calculate where your seismic waves would create the biggest tsunami."
"Has the world really come to this? Seems like I've become a relic of the old era. Gurarararara! In this new age, there probably isn't a ship left that can carry me."
To Whitebeard's nostalgic lament, Jake replied without hesitation.
"The Moby Dick should be able to carry you. In the future, I'll make sure both the Moby Dick and you, Old man Whitebeard, become symbols of the Adventure King. Peacefully shaping an era is far better than shedding blood and tears."
"Did it ever cross your mind that I might refuse your proposal?"
"I've thought about it, but I have no choice. In the future world that i create, pirates must not exist."
"Gurarararara! I'll agree to your terms, but you'll have to defeat me fair and square when the time comes. Otherwise, the era you're trying to create will mean nothing!"
Jake raised his fist and bumped it against Whitebeard's, then said.
"Don't go crying when that time comes, old man Whitebeard."
"Gurarararara! What an arrogant brat. But you mentioned earlier that Red Hair's kid would launch his uprising on schedule—have you already formed an alliance with him?"
"Yes, just recently. He has his own plans too—the legendary Sun God Fruit. He gave it to a young boy whose name contains 'D'."
Hearing this, a nostalgic smile appeared on Whitebeard's face as he chuckled.
"Seems like living this long has been quite the bargain. This era is even more exciting than the old days!"