One Piece : Rise of Thunder King

You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04

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Time passed slowly. After the terrifying incident where the Straw Hat Crew attacked the Celestial Dragons, the world's nobles, the entire world was still focused on and talking about it.

In the New World, the Straw Hat Crew had followed Ace into the territory of Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors and known as the strongest pirate.

Although the Navy had confirmed the whereabouts of the Straw Hat Crew, they had to halt their plans to capture them because they were likely under Whitebeard's protection.

Anyone with some knowledge about Whitebeard knew he deeply valued his crew and fiercely defended them. His strength was so overwhelming that many groups and individuals avoided risking conflict with him or his allies.

This was the main reason Ace managed to survive in the New World early on, even before he became powerful, without needing to constantly hide.

For now, the Celestial Dragons had no outlet for their anger. They could only vent their frustration and pressure the Marines to take action.

However, the Marines were struggling too. Their control over territories in the New World was already weak, and their forces weren't strong enough to expand.

If it weren't for Admiral Kizaru and the scientific division being stationed there long-term, along with some powerful Marines in the region, they might have been completely pushed out of the New World already.

Now, with the Straw Hat Crew entering Whitebeard's territory, it was highly likely they would align themselves with Whitebeard. The Marines couldn't do anything about it.

Sending all three Admirals into the New World wasn't an option either. Although the Four Emperors were rivals, they had an unspoken understanding. If the Marines made a big move in the New World, the repercussions would be severe.

In the original timeline, it wasn't until Blackbeard's actions caused Whitebeard's death, chaos in the New World, and the balance of power to collapse that Akainu was able to move Marine Headquarters into the New World.

It all boiled down to exploiting the chaos. Blackbeard's actions led to a world thrown into turmoil, with many individuals and groups either losing everything or gaining from the disorder.

In the New World, within a certain part of Whitebeard's territory...

A massive and unique ship, with the head of a beluga whale, slowly sailed across the sea. This was the Moby Dick, the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Nearby, there were several other beluga-themed ships identical to the Moby Dick, along with many other pirate ships flying different flags—all of them displaying the Whitebeard Pirates' emblem as a mark of allegiance.

Life among the pirates was lively and full of color. Especially under Whitebeard's care, they lived like a big family, filled with laughter and warmth.

"Dad! Everyone! This is my little brother, Monkey D. Luffy!" Ace introduced with a big grin, clearly proud of his younger brother.

"Oh? Kuahaha!" Whitebeard let out his trademark laugh, a gleam of curiosity in his eyes. Despite drinking from a giant bottle, his presence was imposing and commanding. "Monkey D., is it...?"

Looking at Luffy with a calm yet competitive air, Whitebeard recalled his old rival, Monkey D. Garp.

"As expected of that old guy's grandson," he thought. "He really does resemble him. Trouble seems to run in their blood. Kuahaha!"

"So, you're the rubber kid who's been stirring up trouble lately?" Whitebeard's faint aura of power began to envelop Luffy.

"Ah!" Despite the overwhelming pressure, Luffy stood his ground, his wide eyes locked on Whitebeard. He shouted, "So, you're Whitebeard, Ace's most respected dad? I'm Monkey D. Luffy! I heard you want to be Pirate King too?"

Luffy's bold response shocked the pirates around them. While the captains of Whitebeard's divisions and some of the older crew members remained calm, many of the younger pirates nearly fell over in surprise.

Hearing this, Whitebeard's eyes sharpened, and his aura grew even stronger. He glared at Luffy with a terrifying intensity as if to test his resolve.

Ace, who had been smiling moments before, froze in place. His face stiffened as he thought, "Luffy, you idiot!"

As everyone watched Luffy with their own thoughts, he spoke again. "Even though I've come here, you and I are still rivals. Because I, Monkey D. Luffy, will become the Pirate King!"

Hearing such bold words that seemed to ignore reality, some of the pirates were so shocked they nearly choked.

Some laughed at the short, confident Luffy, while others looked nervously at Whitebeard, worried he might lose his temper.

Whitebeard raised an eyebrow at Luffy's declaration. Then, his overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, strong enough to shake the very air, exploded and pressed down on Luffy with immense force.

Crack! Crack!

The deck beneath Luffy's feet started to splinter. But under the crushing pressure of this terrifying aura, Luffy stood firm, seemingly unfazed. His gaze remained fixed on Whitebeard with determination.

The Straw Hat Crew looked on, helpless and concerned.

The three strongest fighters—Zoro, Sanji, and even Franky—reacted immediately, ready to rush to Luffy's side to face whatever came next.

However, before they could move, several of Whitebeard's division commanders appeared behind them.

"Relax, friends of Ace," one of them said with a smile. "There's no need to get so worked up."

Though they spoke calmly, without any killing intent, Zoro, Sanji, and Franky could feel the overwhelming presence of these powerful pirates, as if they were being watched by predators.

Whitebeard's eyes flashed with a hint of appreciation as he withdrew his Conqueror's Haki. Then, he asked, "You? A brat like you thinks you can become the Pirate King?"

"Of course!" Luffy declared confidently. His hand rested on his straw hat, and for a moment, he seemed lost in thought. Then, with a big grin, he added, "Hehehe, because I made a promise to someone!"

Whitebeard's eyes lingered on Luffy's straw hat, a sense of familiarity washing over him. Two figures came to mind.

One was a junior—a man Whitebeard admired despite their age difference. The other was a fellow from his generation—an enemy he respected greatly.

"Interesting..." Whitebeard muttered as he picked up his massive wine bowl and drained it in one gulp.

Seeing that Whitebeard wasn't angry, everyone on the deck let out a sigh of relief. They all knew just how terrifying this old man could be when provoked.

"Kula la la la la~! That's some good wine!" Whitebeard laughed, wiping his mouth. He looked at Luffy again and said, "You've got guts, kid! But do you even know what it means to be the Pirate King?"

Whitebeard's question seemed casual, but Luffy responded immediately with unwavering determination.

"Of course I know! The Pirate King is the freest man on the sea!" Luffy said, his face lighting up with a smile full of longing and confidence.

Whitebeard froze at Luffy's words. His massive hand holding the wine bowl paused mid-air. For the first time, he looked seriously at the young man in front of him.

"This kid..."

He hadn't expected such a rookie to say the exact same thing as that man.

Even the expression on Luffy's face mirrored his.

For a moment, Whitebeard's mind drifted to the past, decades ago.

On a distant island in the New World, two legendary figures once sat together, sharing drinks.

One was Whitebeard himself, and the other was the man who shook the world—the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.

Back then, although they were rivals, they had shared a rare moment of peace, exchanging words over drinks.

Among those words, one line had stayed with Whitebeard forever:

"The freest man on the sea is the Pirate King!"

Whitebeard recognized those words deeply.

He had gone to sea not for fame or glory but to build a family and sail the ocean with his beloved crew.

Over the years, even though he couldn't travel wherever he wanted freely, Whitebeard never felt lesser than the Pirate King. After all, he had achieved exactly what he had set out to find—a family.

As Whitebeard looked at Ace standing beside Luffy, a shadow passed through his eyes.

Ace was Roger's son—a fact Whitebeard had known for a long time. The son of his old rival had become one of his favorite "sons."

Whitebeard knew he was getting old. He didn't care about the title of Pirate King, but he had hoped to guide Ace, protect him, and one day pass on his legacy, helping him become the next Pirate King.

Even though Ace stubbornly clung to the idea of making Whitebeard the Pirate King, Whitebeard's hope had always been for Ace to grow into a leader worthy of the new era.

But now, things seemed different.

This kid, Monkey D. Luffy, showed a will and determination that surpassed Ace's. He reminded Whitebeard of someone—Gol D. Roger.

If Luffy continued to grow, Ace's dream of becoming the Pirate King might face its greatest challenge.

For a brief moment, a dark thought crossed Whitebeard's mind: Should I eliminate this threat now?

But the thought vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Who am I?

He was Whitebeard—the strongest man in the world!

To act out of fear of a mere boy's potential would be beneath him. That was not his way.

And if this boy truly proved to be more qualified than Ace, capable of claiming the title of Pirate King, Whitebeard wouldn't stand in the way.

All he could do was continue to shield Ace, guide him, and entrust the future of his pirate legacy to him. How far Ace could go would ultimately depend on Ace himself.

"Kula la la la la~! What a bold little brat!" Whitebeard laughed, lifting his massive wine bowl. "Then let's see if you're truly fit to compete with me! Kula la la la~!"

"I will become the Pirate King!" Luffy shouted confidently, undeterred.

Whitebeard waved his hand and turned to Ace. "Take him to the banquet. Let's celebrate."

He didn't offer to make Luffy his "son." Luffy's spirit, much like Roger's and Shanks', was too wild and free to fit into that role.

"Alright, my children!" Whitebeard raised his wine bowl high. "Let's throw a grand pirate banquet to welcome Ace's brother!"

The crew erupted in cheers, their voices filling the air like a storm.

Laughter and joy spread across the deck as everyone celebrated wholeheartedly.

But among the sea of laughter, one person stood apart—worried and lost in thought.