New World, Foodvalten Island. This island is under the command of the Whitebeard Pirates. Its outline is oval, resembling an ancient Roman Colosseum, and the buildings on the island are distributed in a stepped manner, with only one opening leading to the outside. Because there are no special products on the entire island, most of the residents rely on agricultural production for their livelihood. Therefore, the items the residents of the island offer to the Whitebeard Pirates every month aren't money, but various kinds of food.
Over time, Foodvalten Island became the Whitebeard Pirates' tenth food supply point, which is also the origin of the island's name. Under this relaxed policy, although the residents' lives on the island couldn't be described as wealthy, they at least didn't suffer from hunger. Their lives were even better than those in many World Government affiliated countries. After all, the citizens of World Government affiliated countries, in addition to paying the Celestial Dragons tribute, also have to pay their own country's taxes, and some even have to pay protection fees to Pirates.
The heavy taxes and levies made it difficult for the citizens of many countries to breathe, plunging them into a difficult state of life where they didn't have enough to eat. As the Four Emperors' structure formed in the New World, the Marines' territory and influence in the New World also became smaller and smaller. Some countries, even those surrounded by the Four Emperors' forces, directly gave up their status as World Government affiliated countries and instead became vassals of the Four Emperors, paying tribute to them.
At the entrance of Foodvalten Island, by the port dock, three large three-masted sailing ships with white whale figureheads were moored. The black Pirate flags flying on the masts already indicated their affiliation - the Whitebeard Pirates! In the town, inside a bar called "Big Barrel," the sounds of boisterous shouts and noise constantly came from within. A group of Whitebeard Pirates members sat around large round tables, drinking and chatting to their heart's content, laughing and talking.
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
Whitebeard, holding a large barrel in his hand, tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and poured all the strong liquor from the barrel into his stomach. Only then did he let out a satisfied sigh of alcohol breath, praising:
"Good drink! However, I haven't had enough... Hey! Marco, how about buying me a couple of drinks?" Saying this, Whitebeard also rubbed Marco's shoulder with his right arm. "Whitebeard! You should have seen the physical examination report I did for you today, right?
"Your body is starting to show the strain, and you can't keep drinking like that... Otherwise, you'll get worse," Marco advised earnestly.
Marco was used to Whitebeard asking him to buy drinks. Whitebeard was a rigid, inflexible man. Besides valuing his family, he also abided by the Pirate Code... As Captain, whenever they distributed spoils of war, he only took two shares, no more. Even though he, the Captain, put in the most effort during battles...
Therefore, even though he was a Four Emperor and ruled many islands, Whitebeard's assets weren't much. Furthermore, Marco knew Whitebeard always sent most of his income to a poor island called Sphinx. That was Whitebeard's hometown... even though none of his family lived there anymore.
"Gurarararara! In life, you should drink heavily and eat heartily. That's what brings joy. No need to worry so much..." Whitebeard laughed heartily, raising his large, fan-like right hand to pat Marco's back.
Finally, he shouted toward the bar: "Boss, bring two more large barrels of wine... put it on Marco's tab!"
Marco stared.
Soon, two large barrels were placed on the round table. Whitebeard picked up a barrel and began to gulp down the wine, completely ignoring Marco's warnings. In his opinion, everyone dies eventually... Rather than worry about illness, worry about this and that, barely lingering in the world, it was better to enjoy everything to the fullest while alive!
His old friend and rival, Roger, no matter how strong he was, was claimed by an incurable disease. How could Whitebeard be an exception? Ever since he was a child and understood things, Whitebeard had been a pirate, drifting on the sea for most of his life. He was sixty-six years old now! At that age, for the high-risk profession of a pirate, he was as long-lived as could be. Even if death came tomorrow, he had nothing to regret.
Of course, Whitebeard's fist is so big, the number of people in this world who could actually kill him could be counted on one hand.
"Gurarararara! What good wine! But I always feel like I haven't had enough!" Whitebeard put down the barrel and smacked his lips. His gaze began to scan the bar, preparing to fleece another son.
Creak!
Just then, the bar's swing door opened. A silver-haired young man in a black suit, carrying two swords at his waist, walked straight toward Whitebeard.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Jozu, Thatch, Vista...
One by one, the Captains of the Whitebeard Pirates rose from their chairs, their eyes wary as they watched Sephiroth enter the bar. The other members of the pirate crew also stood, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. As a top-tier expert on the sea, an individual capable of contending with Kaido, Sephiroth's presence was easily recognized by the higher-ups of various factions. The Captains of the Whitebeard Pirates certainly wouldn't mistake his identity.
Jozu narrowed his eyes, and his voice was unfriendly. "Marine, you suddenly come to our Whitebeard Pirates' territory. Are you looking for trouble?"
"Hey, hey! Please, don't get so agitated. Haven't you read the newspaper? I'm not a Marine anymore! I joined the Umbrella Corporation and am now the Company's security advisor."
Sephiroth quickly raised his hand, signaling for the Whitebeard Pirates to calm down. He took out today's World Economic News from his jacket pocket and handed it to Whitebeard.
The report detailed his hiring by the Umbrella Corporation as a security advisor, with an annual salary of ten billion. Sephiroth knew the news likely hadn't spread from Paradise to the New World, so soon after his departure from the Marines, which was why he brought a newspaper with him.
"Kid, so... what exactly do you want by coming to my territory?" Whitebeard set down the newspaper and scrutinized the young man before him. He didn't offer a friendly face, given the man's history as a Marine, and his tone was edged with unfriendliness.
"The reason I've come to visit you is because..." Sephiroth lifted his head slightly, meeting Whitebeard's gaze. He spoke in an extremely solemn tone:
"I want to represent the Umbrella Corporation and settle this with you!"