The next day, when Pedro told Bepo he should stay and part ways with Law, Bepo shook his head desperately.
No matter what anyone said, he refused to abandon Law.
If they were leaving, then they would leave together.
With no other choice, Pedro told Bepo a few things.
"What?! We Minks can enter Sulong without the moon now?"
Pedro nodded.
To make Bepo believe him, he swallowed one of the newly developed Rumble Capsules on the spot.
Once Bepo confirmed Pedro was not lying, he hesitated.
Pedro looked at him.
"Do you want the Mink Tribe to remain closed off forever?
"You've been outside for so long. Don't you understand how many strong people there are on the sea?"
In the end, Pedro told him about the two current kings of the Mink Tribe, and how both of them had willingly become another man's retainers.
He also told him about the tribe's current state.
Was a Mink Tribe divided between day and night still truly the Mink Tribe?
By the time Bepo finished listening, his bear face was full of confusion and loss.
The Mink Tribe had split apart?
Divided between day and night?
Their own people had begun resenting each other?
After finally making up his mind, Bepo said goodbye to Law.
He hugged Law and cried for a very long time, sobbing that he couldn't bear to leave him. He even wanted to beg White Ghost to let Law board the ship too.
Law said goodbye expressionlessly.
He had already grown used to this.
He had lost his parents when he was young.
After that, he had finally met Corazon, someone who treated him well, only to lose him too.
Now it was Bepo.
His friend.
In the end, they still had to part ways.
Law's heart had long since grown used to separation.
Finally, Law sailed away alone in his small boat, parting ways with White Ghost's crew.
As for the sobbing Bepo, Pedro angrily increased his training.
"What are you crying for? Get stronger. Work hard and become stronger. Become strong for the future of the Mink Tribe."
"I definitely will!"
Bepo ran with tears streaming down his face, while Pedro followed behind him with a stick.
The moment Bepo slowed even slightly, Pedro's stick came down.
"Awoo!"
The miserable cry of a polar bear echoed across the ship.
Chopper had also been ordered to train, but he had already adapted to it.
The captain had said it was for his own good, and Chopper himself could feel that he was becoming more and more like a real man.
"Keep going, Bepo. You can do it.
"As long as your body keeps up, you'll be able to maintain Sulong in the daytime for even longer.
"Keep going. For the future of the Mink Tribe."
Pedro encouraged Bepo from the side, squeezing every last bit of stamina out of him.
After all, if he trained too hard and broke something, they had medicine.
Bepo, who had already collapsed on the deck, trembled when he heard those words.
Then he forced himself back up and dragged his feet forward with difficulty.
"For the future of the Mink Tribe… I can do it!"
Thud!
The moment he finished his heroic declaration, Bepo collapsed face-first onto the deck and fainted.
White Ghost watched for a while, then took Kuro and Lafitte to the dragon head to bask in the sun.
Kuro poured White Ghost a glass of red wine.
"Speaking of which, are you truly not interested in the Op-Op Fruit?"
White Ghost smiled as he looked out at the sea.
"It would be a lie to say I'm not interested. After all, it can perform the immortality operation."
"Hoho. Then why did you let that boy leave, Captain? Wouldn't controlling him directly be better?"
White Ghost tasted the bottle of red wine worth one million Beli before answering Lafitte.
"Awakening any Devil Fruit is extremely difficult.
"Logias are hard to awaken, but as long as their development reaches a certain level, awakening happens naturally.
"Paramecia and Zoan types are different. For the former, the user's imagination has to be broad enough. For the latter, the user's will has to be firm enough."
"So the Op-Op Fruit's awakening conditions are troublesome?" Kuro asked, looking at him.
White Ghost nodded.
"The Op-Op Fruit's awakening condition is far too troublesome. It requires a top-tier doctor—and not just any doctor, but someone with truly exceptional medical skill."
Lafitte twirled the cane in his hand, the corner of his mouth lifting.
"Captain, do you have high hopes for that boy? You think he can awaken the Op-Op Fruit?"
Seeing White Ghost nod, Lafitte continued,
"With conditions that demanding, even if he does awaken it, controlling him will still be difficult.
"He may not obediently perform that operation for you, Captain. After all, it costs the Devil Fruit user's own life."
White Ghost chuckled.
"That's why I told you and Zango not to neglect hypnosis. It's also why I told Naqin and the others to research hallucinogenic medicine."
The two men's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"So you made preparations that early. Back then, Zango even wanted to give up hypnosis, and you beat him for it."
"So Captain had already arranged things in advance. Truly impressive."
Lafitte looked at White Ghost with an excited expression.
The longer he followed this captain, the more convinced he became that this man would be the one laughing at the end.
White Ghost smiled as he watched Law disappear into the distance.
In the original path, Law's strength had always been like that—weak, yet fond of getting involved in huge matters.
First, Doflamingo beat him half to death.
In the end, he only survived thanks to Luffy's last-minute comeback.
Then in Wano, he joined forces with that iron-headed brat Kid and defeated an aging Big Mom.
After that, he probably thought his strength was already decent in the New World.
Who would have expected him to be educated by Blackbeard right after leaving Wano?
In the end, it was Bepo who carried him away.
White Ghost finished his wine and looked in the direction Law had vanished.
"Don't disappoint me, Law."
Far away, Law suddenly felt a chill run through his body.
He shuddered uncontrollably, as if some savage beast had locked its gaze onto him.
Law looked back.
When he saw that no one was following, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Elsewhere in the North Blue, inside a secret room, several people were discussing something.
"Everything is ready. Now we only need to wait for that man to arrive."
"Heh. This time, we'll make him completely sever ties with the World Government."
A black-robed figure looked at the information in his hand.
"Soon. Very soon, we'll get to see them bite each other."
Another black-robed figure sounded somewhat reluctant.
"Are we truly going to sacrifice this many people? Once things begin, the World Government will definitely notice something."
Another black-robed figure spoke with disdain.
"So what if they notice?
"Those people were already betting on both sides. It's about time they focused their hearts.
"Besides, the World Government won't be able to do much to them. With so many people involved at once, can they even tell who belongs to whom?"
Finally, the leader made the decision.
"Then it's settled.
"This time, we simply watch them tear at each other.
"In any case, the ones being sacrificed are nothing more than insignificant pawns."
Everyone nodded and dispersed.
After all, if they were exposed, things would become troublesome.
A few days later, in a certain kingdom, the black-robed man's message arrived.
A young man knelt on one knee.
"Rest assured, my lord.
"That foolish king has already taken the bait.
"Once they arrive, the plan will be carried out immediately."
The black-robed man nodded.
"Don't worry. We will take good care of your sister. She will have a complete childhood."
The young man fell to the ground in excitement, prostrating himself fully.
"For the Lampfire to never go out, I am willing to become its oil."
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