Chương 1576: After the War (8)

After a whole day of sailing, they finally arrived in the New World.

This vast sea is both familiar and unfamiliar to Marco and others.

Four years ago, they were expelled from the New World by the Rockefeller Kingdom, but now, this country has sent them back here.

The world is ever-changing, which makes people sigh.

Marco had complicated feelings and he couldn't help but think of the experience four years ago.

At that time, they were forced to leave this ocean full of challenges and opportunities. Although they were reluctant, they had no choice.

Now, although the Rockefeller Kingdom's attitude has changed, the grievances of the previous generation have not disappeared.

Ace stood quietly beside Marco, staring at the rough sea in front of him, and muttered to himself: "Is this Dad's hometown?"

Marco turned to look at Ace, and noticed that he was wrapped in bandages. He said with concern: "Ace, you are still injured, you should rest for a while!"

However, Ace shook his head and replied firmly, "I'm fine!"

Although his voice was calm, Marco could still feel the waves in his heart.

Then, Ace's expression gradually dimmed, as if he was shrouded in some heavy thoughts.

"If it weren't for my willfulness, Dad wouldn't have left us!"

Ace's face was filled with sorrow, tears welled up in his eyes, and he spoke with a slightly trembling voice.

Marco stood aside, looking at Ace quietly, his heart also filled with sadness and helplessness.

He, Joz, and Bista looked at each other, and the three of them saw the same emotion in each other's eyes.

Marco took a deep breath and said slowly: "Ace, don't think too much, this is not your fault. If you want to blame someone, blame that bastard Teach!"

When he mentioned Teach's name, a strong hint of murderous intent and hatred flashed in his eyes.

When Ace heard Marco's words, his body shook violently, and his eyes were instantly filled with hatred.

Teach, this name has become an indelible pain in Ace's heart.

Vista walked up, patted Ace's shoulder gently, and comforted him: "Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates will rely on you to support them in the future."

Ace raised his head, looked at Vista, and said firmly: "No, the Whitebeard Pirates don't belong to me alone, they also belong to you!"

His eyes swept over Marco, Joz and others, revealing his trust and reliance on them.

After hearing what Ace said, Marco looked at Joz and Vista, then shook his head helplessly.

"Ace, the Whitebeard Pirates are now in your hands. I will also take care of my father's revenge."

Marco said slowly.

"We are the abandoned of this era. The new era belongs to you young people. Only you have the ability to defeat Teach and avenge your father!"

Marco stared at Ace, his eyes full of meaning and concern.

Ace was shocked by Marco's words. He widened his eyes and looked at Marco in disbelief, as if he couldn't understand what he said.

Ace's voice was filled with surprise and confusion. He asked, "Marco, what do you mean? Are you going to abandon the Whitebeard Pirates too?"

His eyes moved between Marco and the rest of the crew, trying to find the answer in their expressions.

Marco shook his head slowly, his voice calm and firm: "No, Ace, we have not abandoned the Whitebeard Pirates. We are still a member of this pirate group, but now, the Whitebeard Pirates need a new leader, and that person is you."

Ace's expression became more and more shocked, as if he had not expected Marco to say such a thing.

His mind was in a mess.

Marco continued, "You are the next captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace. We believe that you have enough ability and courage to lead this pirate group forward."

His eyes fell on Joz and Bista, motioning for them to express their opinions as well.

Qiaozi pursed his lips, seeming a little hesitant.

He glanced at Ace, but ultimately said nothing.

Vista took the initiative to hold Ace's shoulders, his tone full of brotherly friendship: "Brother, we are really tired. Since we followed Dad to establish the Whitebeard Pirates, we have been wandering on the sea. Now that Dad is gone, we have lost our former ambitions. We just want to take Dad's body, find a quiet place, hide our identities, and silently protect him."

Vista's words shocked Ace's heart. He could feel the fatigue and helplessness of Vista and others.

However, he still couldn't accept this fact, and there was a hint of unwillingness in his voice: "But what about the glory of the Whitebeard Pirates? We can't just give up like this!"

Vista patted Ace's shoulder and consoled him: "Ace, the glory of the Whitebeard Pirates is now in your hands. We believe that you will be able to maintain this glory and let the Whitebeard Pirates continue to shine on this sea."

Hearing this, Ace was struck by lightning and fell silent instantly.

He slowly raised his head and stared at Marco, Joz, Vista and others. Those sincere and determined eyes seemed to tell of their loyalty and belief in the Whitebeard Pirates.

Ace's throat was a little dry. He swallowed hard, then slowly lowered his head as if he was carrying a heavy burden.

After a moment of silence, he finally raised his head again, with a gleam of determination in his eyes, and said: "I understand, I will protect the glory of the Whitebeard Pirates and shoulder the responsibility of the entire Whitebeard Pirates alone. For my father, Thatch and those deceased crew members of the Whitebeard Pirates, I will definitely kill Teach with my own hands and avenge them!"

Ace's voice was not loud, but it was full of strength and determination.

Every word he spoke was like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of everyone present.

Marco and the others looked at Ace quietly. They were stunned at first, as if they were shocked by the arrogant aura that suddenly emerged from Ace, but they quickly recovered.

Vista walked up and patted Ace's shoulder heavily without saying a word, but this pat was worth a thousand words.

Everything is implied, the tacit understanding between them does not need to be expressed in words.

However, all this conversation did not escape Charlotte's perception.

Charlotte stood far away. His hearing was extremely sharp. He could clearly catch every word of Ace and even feel the emotional fluctuations in Ace's words.

When Ace said the last sentence, Charlotte's heart was shocked - he actually felt the faint fluctuation of the domineering aura from Ace!