After Michael announced this decision, though most couldn't guess what he was really plotting...
Whatever.
The backbone of the Angel Alliance surely wouldn't lead them astray, right?
Besides, by the time Michael informed them, the higher-ups had probably already been briefed.
Reiju sighed.
Yet deep down, she felt a flicker of anticipation.
Being with her long-lost uncle had rekindled that childhood sense of unwavering reliability.
After all...
They were all part of the Maria Family.
"By the way, now that you know we're becoming pirates, let me introduce the rest of our crew."
As soon as Michael finished speaking, several figures boarded the Maria.
At the forefront stood the youngest-looking but oldest veteran among them—the once-ambitious strongest overlord who dreamed of becoming the King of the World, Rocks D. Xebec.
Technically, he should be addressed as "Xebec," but the Rocks Pirates left such an indelible mark on an era that everyone instinctively called him "Rocks."
He himself seemed accustomed to it.
If Michael suddenly decided to become a pirate, bringing along this "Pirate Affairs Advisor" wasn't too strange.
After all, this was a man who had genuinely reached the pinnacle of the profession.
But the people behind him...
left the younger generation utterly dumbfounded.
"Uncle Michael! Fine, Rocks is one thing—he was the biggest pirate back then..." Ace pointed at the others and whispered.
"But why are these old geezers tagging along too!?"
Ace's question perfectly echoed everyone's thoughts.
These guys as pirates?
Seriously?
"Hey! Ace! How many times must I tell you!? I may be old, but my hearing's just fine! Even if you whisper, I can hear you loud and clear! Hahahaha!" Garp roared with laughter, slinging an arm around Michael's shoulders.
"You got a problem with us old-timers becoming pirates!?"
"What else can I say but 'damn impressive'? What opinion could I possibly have?" Ace said with a bitter laugh, then turned to the other two old men.
"Grandpa is one thing... but why are you joining in on this nonsense too, sir?"
"Ace, this isn't nonsense—it's a legitimate mission," Sengoku chuckled as he patted Ace's left shoulder.
"And I'm genuinely curious why so many people are fascinated by the so-called 'pirate' profession that sounds like outright criminal activity... Experiencing it firsthand might help us truly understand its appeal."
"Sengoku's right... While Michael might seem to be dragging us into mischief this time, his goal is actually quite clear," Instructor Zephyr added solemnly, patting Ace's right shoulder.
"Besides, we're eager to see just how far you youngsters have progressed."
Ace was utterly dumbfounded.
Even the two most level-headed figures in Marineford had boarded this pirate ship...
Did they even have a choice anymore?
Just then, Ace noticed another figure behind the old men—a disheveled man with curly hair, dressed in shabby clothes, carrying a small, worn-out bundle on his back.
"Admiral... Aokiji?"
"I'm no Aokiji. You've got the wrong guy. I'm just an ordinary man trying to make a living on a pirate ship."
"You're clearly Kuzan, the Aokiji, you bastard! Did you really think those ridiculous sunglasses would fool anyone?!"
"Tsk, you're really a chatterbox, kid." Kuzan rolled his eyes beneath his sunglasses, then walked over to lean against the mast and sat down on the deck.
"Tsuru asked me to pass a message to all of you... Even if you're going to sea as pirates, you still need to follow the basic rules."
"Hahaha, got it, got it! We're not stupid—why would we become real pirates?" Garp laughed in response.
Michael glanced at the old geezers, then at the group of youngsters, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Old Geezers Pirates! Set sail!"
"What kind of ridiculous name is that!?"
...
Though they spent some more time arguing over the pirate crew's name, in the end, neither the old geezers nor the youngsters could out-stubborn Michael, so they had no choice but to go along with it.
Most of the work on this pirate ship was still left to the youngsters to handle.
After all, the pirate ship "Angel" was just a rebranded version—at its core, it was still the Seraphim Ship.
They were every bit as skilled as Michael.
Meanwhile, the old geezers lounged on the deck, gazing at the sea and shooting the breeze.
There was even one particularly shameless Aokiji, who had already dozed off against the mast.
And so, the Angel of the Old Geezers Pirates slowly sailed out of Marineford.
"Michael, where should we head first after setting sail...?" Nami, who was at the helm, asked.
"Let me think... How about we go to Alabasta first?"
Michael's eyes were filled with... nostalgia.
Whether it was the Alabasta of this era or the Alabasta from over 800 years ago.
"Alright, then we're off to Alabasta!"
...
Shortly after the Old Geezers Pirates officially set sail.
Deep in the lowest storage hold of the Angel.
Once the ship began moving, the hold became lively with movement.
"Grandma Imu, are you sure we won't be discovered like this?"
"Little Hiyori... Why are you as dense as your mother was at your age? Of course we want Michael and the others to find us! Otherwise, what was the point of sneaking aboard?"
"More than that, I want to know when we can go up..."
The three hiding in the storage hold were none other than Imu, dressed in practical casual wear, along with Kozuki Hiyori and Kozuki Rin.
The three of them had snuck in earlier that morning, before Michael and the youngsters had arrived.
"Speaking of which, how much longer do we have to stay down here...?" Kozuki Hiyori sighed. "I just wanted to see how Zoro was doing..."
"You lovestruck fool! We're setting sail to become pirates!" Kozuki Rin huffed angrily. "Is there anything in that head of yours besides Zoro's green algae hair!?"
"Don't you think... our hair colors match perfectly, sis?"
"Tch, sometimes I really don't want to admit you're my sister."
Imu, meanwhile, had no patience to mediate the sisters' little squabble...
She hadn't been able to resolve their arguments 800 years ago, and nothing had changed now.
She just felt... impatient.
Why hadn't Michael used Observation Haki to scan the entire ship yet!?
Where was his sense of security!?
"I can't take this anymore!"
Imu abruptly stood up, flung open the storage hold door, and dashed toward the upper deck.
The Kozuki sisters exchanged a glance before hurriedly following after her.
Just as Imu kicked open the cabin door, they immediately collided into someone's embrace.
Looking up, it was Michael's "I knew it" face.
"So you guys finally couldn't hold back and came out?"
"...You already knew?"
"Duh, scanning ships with Observation Haki is standard procedure."
Michael rolled his eyes.
"Still, you came at the perfect time."
"A pirate ship definitely needs a tactician who can devise underhanded schemes."