Chapter 413: Will There Still Be Pirates?

The Paradise Sea's weather changes frequently; one moment it's bright sunshine with gentle winds, the next moment violent winds sweep in black clouds and pour down a torrential rain.

Giant waves crash against the pirate ship, but Blackbeard stands motionless on the deck, letting the rain pound his face.

It's because Lafitte is still explaining a good idea.

"Captain, the only two difficulties are: how to find or contact Stussy, and how to gain Stussy's trust in us."

Hearing this, Blackbeard finally couldn't hold back—he planted his hands on his hips, tilted his head back, and burst into wild laughter.

"Hehehehehe—!"

He had thought heaven was targeting him, Blackbeard, making him sail for years with nothing to show for it—but now he realized everything had been arranged all along.

Indeed, he, Blackbeard, was the one destined by heaven.

"Lafitte, during the time you weren't on the ship, one of our Blackbeard Crew members, Lu Bianyi, happened to be a former CP agent of the World Government."

"According to Lu Bianyi, Stussy is also a CP agent; if we find Lu Bianyi, perhaps we can contact Stussy."

"This…" Lafitte froze in place, utterly stunned.

Had the captain arranged this years ago? Had he foreseen this very scene years in advance?

Goodness, the captain is truly terrifying.

Luckily I, Lafitte, am just an intern of the Morning Star Crew; otherwise, if I were targeted like this by the captain… I'd probably never sleep peacefully.

Blackbeard paid little attention to Lafitte's odd reaction, thinking Lafitte had been awed by his royal aura.

"Turn around—we're heading to Loguetown."

"The bar owner in Loguetown should have Lu Bianyi's Den Den Mushi number."

The Blackbeard Pirates braved the howling winds and towering waves, sailing toward Loguetown in the East Blue for their respective dreams.

…

New World, the Moby Dick.

Whitebeard sat at the head of the open-air banquet hall, peacefully enjoying quality time with his sons.

His wife, Davie, and daughter, Istaru, had moved with Karp's grandchildren to Sky City; now unwatched, Whitebeard let himself go completely.

"Ma Ma Ma Erke, pour me two more cups."

Ma Ma Ma Erke sighed helplessly as he poured the wine.

"Father, please tell Saint Saint Saint Saiwen—I really, really, really am not suited to be Deputy Minister of Health of the United Kingdom!"

"Father, please, I beg you."

Ma Ma Ma Erke had assumed: after overthrowing the World Government, he could continue following his father and brothers, living freely and joyfully in the New World.

He never imagined Saint Saint Saint Saiwen had set his sights on him.

Having spent most of his life as a pirate, Ma Ma Ma Erke was thoroughly used to freedom—and had zero experience in officialdom.

"Foolish," Whitebeard scolded with a laugh.

"If you won't go, should I go? Or should the troublemakers on this ship go?"

At that moment, Diamond Jozu took over the conversation.

"Father, I'm also on Saint Saint Saint Saiwen's recruitment list—he wants me to be Deputy Minister of Energy."

Whitebeard smiled with satisfaction.

This kid Saint Saint Saint Saiwen is truly Heavy on Emotion—he hasn't forgotten his old comrades and brothers just because he became the King of the World.

Not only has he prepared a grand mansion for him in Sky City, but he's also properly assigned positions to all the division commanders of the Whitebeard Crew.

Deputy Minister is good—if Saint Saint Saint Saiwen had given the troublemakers full ministerial posts, Whitebeard would've felt uneasy.

"Sons, use your heads."

Hearing Whitebeard's tone change, all the Whitebeard Crew division commanders gathered around, ready to listen to their father's teachings.

"Although Saint Saint Saint Saiwen hasn't officially banned piracy, think carefully—will there still be pirates on this sea in the future?"

Why did pirates keep appearing endlessly during the World Government's rule?

Because life ashore was unbearable.

But with Saint Saint Saint Saiwen abolishing slavery, turning every nation on the sea into provinces, and launching the Red Line immigration plan,

the survival crisis will be completely resolved.

When that time comes, there'll be no need for Saint Saint Saint Saiwen to issue an order—the pirate problem will vanish on its own; if we wait until then to arrange for the Whitebeard Crew's sons…

It'll be too late.

One step behind, and you fall behind forever.

An opportunity so many crave is right before their eyes, yet these troublemakers still don't appreciate it.

Whitebeard felt deep regret.

When his sons were young, he only cared about taking them on adventures and neglected their education—so now, on the Moby Dick, there aren't many with sharp minds.

"Father? Is Saint Saint Saint Saiwen going to ban pirates?"

At these words, Whitebeard glared at Jozu.

"Foolish son,

is this about banning pirates? This is about your future path—don't you think even for your wives and children?"

After the World Conference, Saint Saint Saint Saiwen spoke with me, Zhan Guo, and others—the Marines and the Revolutionary Army will be reorganized.

"The Marine ranks will remain unchanged."

"The Revolutionary Army will be restructured into the Army; the Navy and Army will launch a global conscription to absorb the militaries of former and non-member nations."

Whitebeard looked at his sons.

"What does this mean?"

Ma Ma Ma Erke finally understood: "Saint Saint Saint Saiwen now commands all military forces on the sea?"

Good heavens, the Marines already dominated the four seas, enough to give pirates headaches; now a super-enhanced version of the Army has arrived.

Let alone the Four Emperors, even if all pirates on the Great Sea gathered, they wouldn't be enough for the Marines and the Army to fight.

"Father? The giants of Elbaf have all joined the Army as well?"

Whitebeard slowly shook his head.

"Some giants will join the Marines and the Army, while others belong directly under Saint Saint Saiwen's command, just like the Fish-Man warriors of Fish-Man Island."

"In short, from now on, private armed forces are not allowed on this sea."

Ma Ma Ma Erke suddenly remembered a line from an Inazuma story: The dragon-slaying youth eventually becomes the dragon, or perhaps the youth was the dragon all along?

Saint Saint Saiwen the Saint, who was born a pirate...

No, Saint Saint Saiwen wants to make the Great Sea better; abolishing the slave system alone has already made billions of slaves on the sea grateful.

"My sons, the times have changed."

Whitebeard, like an old father, looked at his sons who were still bewildered.

"Under the World Government's rule before, the people could not make a living; countless people were forced to take to the seas as thieves, giving rise to our era of dominating the Great Sea.

But now Saint Saint Saiwen has overthrown the World Government, established the United Kingdom, abolished slavery, the Gold Tribute, and changed to provinces... allowing commoners to no longer drift to survive.

When survival is no longer a problem for commoners, pirates will naturally disappear slowly.

If one cannot see this magnificent trend and still clings to old ideas, one will sooner or later be completely abandoned by the new era."

"Father asks for nothing else," Whitebeard said with a smile.

"I only wish that you all can secure some official post in the future, live easily, and live better."

As the words fell, the Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders blinked; although they didn't understand what it meant at all, Father certainly wouldn't harm them.

Ma Ma Ma Erke helplessly accepted the arduous task.

"Father, I will listen to you."

Seeing this, the other division commanders followed suit and spoke up.

"Father, we will all listen to you."

Seeing this, Whitebeard breathed a sigh of relief.

"These are Father's good sons. Come, Father will take you to the Sky City to take up your posts!"