Under the commander's order, the only remaining auxiliary ship turned its bow and retreated from the sea territory under Whitebeard's command.
With overwhelming strength, the Whitebeard Pirates had delivered a crushing blow to Akainu, who had been relentless in pursuit.
The Demon-Slayer-level force, which set out to capture a fugitive with overwhelming power, was completely annihilated under the Emperor of the Sea's counterattack.
At just seventeen years old, Iggy had made a name for himself across the seas. With a bounty of 700 million Berries, he was now feared and known as the "Ghost of Vengeance."
Thanks to Whitebeard's personal intervention and protection, Iggy's story quickly spread among the world's factions, and many spoke of it with awe.
After the navy had fully retreated from the battlefield, Whitebeard sheathed his blade and silently returned to the center of the deck.
He sank heavily into his wide seat, sweat soaking his headscarf and running down his weathered face.
"Medical team! We need medics here!"
Seeing their captain finally showing signs of fatigue, the surrounding pirates shouted in alarm.
Ten men helped lower Whitebeard's massive naginata, while several nurses rushed out from below deck with infusion bottles and medical equipment.
A catheter was inserted into Whitebeard's arm, and the fluid in the IV bottle began to flow steadily. The old man exhaled deeply.
Other nurses moved to tend to the injured—some wrapped fresh bandages around Marco's right arm, while others disinfected the burns on Ace's body.
Iggy, the most severely injured among them, was quietly recovering on his own.
When the battle began, he had been on the brink of death. But after absorbing the dying breaths of countless fallen marines, his body began to regenerate.
The large, charred wound on his chest returned to normal, and even his lost arms regenerated and flexed as if nothing had happened.
The deaths of thousands of soldiers had fueled his power even further.
"What a terrifying ability…" Marco muttered, glancing at Iggy in amazement. His own Devil Fruit was hailed as near-immortal, but even he felt outclassed.
To see Iggy, fully healed and moving freely, made Marco realize that there was always someone stronger out there.
"That's just Iggy for you," Ace said, a proud grin spreading across his face. "We used to call him that all the time."
After all, they had grown up together. And seeing Iggy throw himself in front of a fatal blow to protect him, Ace felt both touched and stunned.
Ever since they were kids, Iggy's stubbornness and grit had set him apart. But whatever he had gone through these past years had taken him even further.
"Much appreciated," Iggy replied calmly, as if the intense battle moments ago had been nothing more than a passing scene.
He walked toward the center of the deck and stopped in front of Whitebeard's towering form, looking directly at the Sea Emperor.
This legendary pirate, now nearly seventy, was hooked up to medical equipment—but even so, his aura remained overwhelming and kingly.
Whitebeard, eyes fixed on the boy, waited silently. All around, crew members watched in hushed anticipation.
"Hello. I'm Iggy," the young man said simply.
His tone was polite and steady, without a hint of arrogance—though it was clear he was a person of great pride.
If Whitebeard was an immovable mountain, Iggy was a bottomless abyss. And despite his youthful appearance, there was something unreadable in his gaze.
Whitebeard, who had seen countless heroes and monsters in his life, couldn't easily decipher the emotions behind Iggy's eyes.
"Why did you risk your life to save Ace?" he asked at last. "The one attacking was a Navy admiral. Weren't you afraid of dying?"
Whitebeard had seen Iggy take the full force of Akainu's deadly attack to protect Ace. The act had stirred something in the old pirate's heart—a sense of kinship.
But at the same time, he sensed something dangerous in Iggy. Unlike Ace, who radiated warmth and energy, Iggy seemed cold, distant, and wrapped in unseen hostility.
"I consider Ace family," Iggy answered simply.
He understood Whitebeard's nature. If he wanted to stay on the ship, he needed to say the one thing that would resonate most.
In the Whitebeard Pirates, power alone wasn't enough—only those who understood the meaning of family were truly welcomed.
But deep inside, Iggy had his own views. To him, this pirate crew's familial bond was admirable but ultimately a weakness. It was the very reason they failed during the war at Marineford.
In his eyes, Whitebeard's reliance on family ties had limited the crew's potential—and cost them dearly.
"Hmm…"
Whitebeard didn't respond immediately. He looked deep into Iggy's eyes, searching for something he couldn't quite place.
This child was the same age as Ace, yet harbored a strange ambition. A hunger for strength, a sense of purpose that remained undefined.
Would he one day choose strength over loyalty? Pursue power over protecting his comrades?
"Pops…"
Ace stepped forward, sensing the old man's hesitation.
"Iggy… he carries a deep hatred for the Celestial Dragons. You said it yourself—we're a haven for those the world government has wronged."
The tyranny of the Celestial Dragons had destroyed families, scarred children, and reshaped lives in the worst ways.
Whitebeard himself had watched his homeland fall because it couldn't afford the heavenly tribute. His whole life's mission had been to build a family for those abandoned by the world.
Iggy was one of those orphans—one who had been swallowed by hatred and slowly forgotten how to feel.
But if he could find those emotions again… if the warmth of this family could reach him… then wasn't that the very reason the Whitebeard Pirates existed?
After a moment's thought, Whitebeard smiled gently and extended his massive hand.
It was a hand that represented protection, acceptance, and the power to change.
"Are you willing to be my son?"
---
What if Iggy take the Df from thatch instead of teach. I'm not saying to kill thatch, don't get me wrong.
Send Powerstones tho.
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patreon.com/Zphyr_