Lucian's words were soft—
But each syllable struck the Moby Dick's deck like a world-splitting hammer, making everyone's hearts shudder violently.
Overthrow the World Government?!
If Whitebeard's earlier proposal to name Lucian the next captain was a heavy bomb dropped in everyone's minds...
Then Lucian's declaration just now was a nuclear strike capable of setting the whole world ablaze.
The deck fell completely silent.
A silence like no other.
So quiet, one could hear their own heartbeat.
No—
Even the heartbeat seemed to vanish.
Only the sound of wind whipping the sails and waves lapping against the hull remained.
Marco, Jozu, Vista…
All the division commanders and crew stood frozen in place like stone statues.
The support and excitement that had just filled the air now dissolved into pure, staggering shock.
Their minds went blank, buzzing with static.
The position of a Yonko was already the unreachable peak for most pirates across the seas.
And the Pirate King… that was a myth atop that peak.
But in the end, both Yonko and Pirate King were still just pirates.
They chased treasure, fame, freedom—seeking the fabled One Piece.
But Lucian's goal…
Was to challenge the colossal force that had ruled the world for 800 years—the World Government.
This wasn't ambition—
This was insanity.
Utter lunacy.
"I… I didn't mishear that, did I?"
One crew member's lips trembled as he turned to the man beside him, eyes filled with confusion and fear.
"He… he said he wants to overthrow the World Government?"
Another crewman's voice shook, so dry it could spark fire.
Marco's mouth was open, throat tight, unable to say a word.
He had considered countless possibilities:
Maybe Lucian was interested in Raftel.
Maybe he sought the Void Century.
Maybe he wanted to uncover the truth of the Will of D.
But never—never—did he imagine Lucian's goal would be this shocking, this blasphemous.
Jozu's massive frame stood stiff, more stunned than he had ever been in his life.
Ignoring the Yonko title entirely...
So this was his true aim?
Wasn't this... a bit too much?
Amid this suffocating silence, a laugh rang out and shattered the tension.
"Gurararara..."
It was Whitebeard.
His signature laugh echoed louder than ever, filled with amazement and admiration.
He stared at Lucian's back, a fire lighting in his aged eyes—sharper and brighter than ever.
"Gurararara... good kid!"
"You really are… one hell of a brat!"
Whitebeard's laughter faded into a voice full of emotion.
"I've sailed these seas my whole life, seen countless ambitious bastards... but you?"
"You're the first of your kind!"
"Overthrowing the World Government… gurararara… Now that's a dream way more exciting than becoming Pirate King!"
Whitebeard's approval was like a shot of adrenaline, snapping everyone out of their stunned daze.
Yes.
To others, this was a madman's delusion.
But to this man—
The man with a 7.5 billion bounty,
The man who became A God,
The man who beat down the Five Elders like children—
Maybe… maybe it wasn't so impossible after all?
Just as emotions began to stir, a sharp, urgent ringing cut through the tension like a knife.
"Purupurupuru... Purupurupuru..."
"Kacha!"
The piercing sound hit everyone like an electric jolt.
It was the emergency line!
Only used when a territory under the Whitebeard Pirates' protection faced utter catastrophe—this was their highest-level distress signal!
Marco's expression turned cold as he sprang forward and picked up the Den Den Mushi.
"This is the Whitebeard Pirates—go ahead!"
The other end immediately erupted in a panicked scream.
A voice wracked with terror and despair.
"Waaaahhh! Is this Captain Marco?!"
"Help! Please, help us! Fish-Man Island is doomed!!"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked the voice and features of the caller—a large face with flowing orange curls, a beard, and a crown on his head.
King Neptune of Fish-Man Island.
Marco's heart sank like a stone.
"King Neptune?! What's happening?! Calm down and speak slowly!"
"I can't calm down!!"
King Neptune was frantic on the other end.
"It's Big Mom! That madwoman Charlotte Linlin!!"
"She took advantage of your battle with the Marines—she sent people to occupy Fish-Man Island!"
"We had no choice but to temporarily agree to join the Big Mom Pirates before..."
"But this time—!"
"They're demanding ten tons of sweets! But we can't make that much, our factories just can't produce it!"
"Now they're using it as an excuse to ransack Ryugu Palace… and they're trying to take my daughter Shirahoshi away!!"
"I'm begging you!! Pops! Captain Marco!! Please!!"
King Neptune's desperate cries came through the Den Den Mushi with crystal clarity, stabbing straight into every pirate's heart.
BOOM!
A tidal wave of rage exploded from the Whitebeard Pirates.
"WHAT?!"
"That old hag Big Mom?!"
"How dare she?!"
"That bitch waited until we were fighting the Navy to sneak in and pull this?!"
"Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"
Fresh off the blood and fire of Marineford, the pirates now burned with fury—eyes red, killing intent rolling like a storm.
Fish-Man Island was one of their most sacred territories.
Whitebeard had protected it for decades, staking his own name to guarantee its safety.
And now, Charlotte Linlin dared to invade it while they were away at war?!
It was nothing less than a slap in the face to the Whitebeard Pirates!
"OUTRAGEOUS!"
Jozu slammed a fist into the deck, shaking the ship with a thunderous boom.
"Pops! Give the order! Let's turn around and sink those Big Mom bastards to the bottom of the sea!"
"Damn right! Time to show them what the Whitebeard Pirates are made of!"
Vista unsheathed both swords, brimming with killing intent.
For a moment, the deck boiled with battle cries.
Everyone demanded war against the Big Mom Pirates.
But amid the chaos, some of the commanders began to cool down, their expressions darkening with concern.
Marco hung up the call, face grim.
"But… we've just come out of the Marineford battle. Our forces are spent. Many are still wounded…"
"And Fish-Man Island is still far away. By the time we get there, it might be too late…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
But everyone understood.
Distant water can't put out a nearby fire.