"I refuse!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire Moby Dick fell into a deathly silence. Only the sound of waves crashing against the ship could be heard.
Everyone aboard, except Whitebeard himself, stared wide-eyed at Iggy, jaws dropping in disbelief at his audacity.
But Iggy's expression remained calm—indifferent even—as if his answer hadn't stirred anything unusual.
"What did you just say, brat?"
Whitebeard's massive hand froze midair. It didn't move for a long moment, as though the whole world had come to a standstill.
Then, with a thunderous force, he withdrew his arm and slammed the handle of his chair. The impact shattered the infusion tube instantly, sending it flying into the sea.
Veins bulged on Whitebeard's forehead. His Conqueror's Haki erupted, surging across the sea for kilometers, sending massive waves crashing in every direction.
"Oyaji! Iggy didn't mean it like that!"
Seeing the situation escalate, Ace rushed toward Iggy—but was stopped in his tracks by the overwhelming Haki. He couldn't advance even a step.
The storm of fury swept across the deck. Everyone was forced to shield their eyes. The nurses screamed and scrambled back into the cabin.
Ace finally managed to stand in front of Iggy, shielding him, his eyes filled with fear as he looked toward his enraged Oyaji. He tried to calm Whitebeard down with his words.
He knew: no one humiliated Oyaji publicly and walked away unharmed.
The fury of the Sea Emperor wasn't something to take lightly—and while Iggy had been blunt, he clearly wasn't a fool with a death wish.
"With all due respect, I simply don't want to bring misfortune here."
Despite facing down the strongest man in the world, Iggy stood like a lone reed in the storm—unshaken, unwavering.
He truly didn't want to bring trouble to the Whitebeard Pirates, but the truth was, family was never a necessity for him.
He had killed his own father with his own hands—so how could he accept becoming someone else's son?
He had no interest in joining the Whitebeard Pirates. He was here for something else entirely.
Whitebeard's anger slowly abated as he listened, but he found the boy before him increasingly enigmatic.
Joining his crew—something most pirates dreamed of—meant nothing to Iggy.
This ordinary-looking youth, what was he really hiding? What goal did he pursue so relentlessly?
"You're Ace's friend. Just stay aboard for now… I need to rest."
What Whitebeard could see clearly was that this boy was a man of conviction and unshakable will.
In some ways, he reminded him of his younger self.
So, Whitebeard chose to respect the boy's wishes. He would not force him to join.
Exhausted from the ordeal, Whitebeard leaned back and slipped into a deep sleep.
Once the nurses confirmed he was resting, they re-emerged and reconnected his infusion tubes.
The rest of the crew, seeing their Oyaji asleep, turned to look at Iggy with newfound curiosity. Some even walked up to him.
"You've got guts, Iggy. Lucky for you, Pops has a big heart."
Ace exhaled deeply, patting his chest, then looked back at Iggy with a mix of frustration and relief.
"Why do you always try to carry everything alone? We're all in the same boat. Can't we support each other?"
Iggy's refusal brought back memories for Ace—of the time six years ago when Iggy had left without a word. It still stung.
"When the time's right… I'll tell you."
To Iggy, Ace was one of the very few people who could reach into his heart.
But his path was one of vengeance—his hatred aimed at the world itself. His plans couldn't be disrupted, not even by someone like Ace.
"Hah! Tough kid. Got a spine like mine—I like it!"
A towering figure stepped in front of him. "Diamond" Jozu, captain of the Third Division, chuckled proudly, clapping Iggy on the back with a grin.
"He's just like you when you first got on the ship," another voice chimed in.
A gentlemanly figure strolled over—twin swords at his waist, his demeanor calm and sharp.
"Foil" Vista, captain of the Fourth Division, stepped in to rein in Jozu's boldness and ease any awkwardness lingering.
"'Diamond' Jozu, 'Foil' Vista. I've heard your names for a long time. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Even before Ace could make introductions, Iggy greeted them with respect. He had done his homework.
The captains, proud but fair, were surprised by Iggy's poise. Conversation flowed easily.
Though Iggy hadn't joined, everyone aboard understood—he had earned Pops' approval.
And on the Moby Dick, earning that meant being accepted by the entire crew.
Still, what they didn't know was that Iggy's thoughts were always spinning. Even as he chatted with them, his mind was elsewhere.
Suddenly, a bold laugh rang out from the crowd, drawing Iggy's attention.
"Zehahaha! So this is the guy who fears nothing—not even Pops!"
A burly man with curly hair and a wide, toothy grin pushed through the crowd. A few teeth were missing, but his eyes gleamed with mischief.
He strode confidently toward Iggy, the crew seemingly familiar with him.
Iggy paused mid-conversation with the others, then slowly turned to the man—and a rare, almost nostalgic smile crept across his face.
"You're… Teach!?"
---
Zehahaha....
The laugh 👍.
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If there are inconsistent names that should have been what it was in the anime, tell me. I'd change it.
But you commenting nonsensically or dropping bad reviews would result to bans.
I'm not saying you can't drop your opinions, I'm saying your opinions better hold facts.