"Tolls? The sea is vast—if one route is blocked, you can just take a detour. Even if Pirates rob ships in fixed routes, the Marines will drive them away imdiately. Besides, for major Pirate crews, their main funding cos from fees collected by protecting islands. Those so-called tolls are just child's play."
Whitebeard was confused by Jake's ntion of tolls.
He took a sip of his drink and poured out everything he knew.
Jake, however, was prepared for Whitebeard's reaction.
Smiling, he said.
"It's not what you think. The tolls I'm talking about aren't about robbing ships in certain waters, but about charging fixed fees for the upcoming Sea Trains!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard grew even more puzzled.
He tilted his head, his white beard trembling slightly, then tugged at his thinning golden hair before saying to Jake.
"Kid, are you still half-asleep? How can trains possibly run on the sea?"
"They can. In Water Seven, the Sea Train was created by Tom's Workers, the sa group that built ships for the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. I plan to invest everything I have in the Sea Trains! Only by laying Sea Trains across the world and firmly controlling these routes can we truly change this world!"
Jake's words left Whitebeard montarily silent.
He wasn't a fool—he knew how much impact Sea Trains connecting island after island would have on the world.
But despite his vast knowledge, Whitebeard still couldn't fully agree with Jake's idea.
Taking another sip of his drink, Whitebeard looked at Jake and said calmly.
"Sooner or later this world will face a cataclysmic flood. Sea Trains like these will eventually be subrged. Whether you believe it or not, that flood will co within the next few decades. What will you do then?"
However, contrary to Whitebeard's expectations, Jake didn't show the sa astonishnt as Monet upon hearing this news.
Instead, he calmly stated.
"I know. I've known for a long ti. I know about the great flood, even the events that occurred on this world in the past. I also understand why the once-unified landmass fractured. It's precisely because I know all this that I wanted to tell you—the sea train is the answer for the future. As for the world-ending flood, I have a sowhat unrefined idea that might offer a way to avoid it!"
Now it was Whitebeard's turn to be stunned.
He didn't even notice the wine spilling from his hand as he stared at Jake, his lips curling into an exaggerated grin.
"Gurarararara! You brat, you really pique my curiosity! I won't press you for your thod, but I want to know—how did you learn that this world would be subrged by a great flood? No one in the Marines would know this, and even if they did, they wouldn't tell you! Tell , brat, how did you uncover this secret!"
In response, Jake rubbed his head and chuckled.
"Devil Fruit ability. The mont I swallowed this fruit, I saw the land drowned by massive tsunamis, witnessed the so-called world-ending flood, and beheld the legendary All Blue!"
Hearing Jake's explanation, Whitebeard suddenly laughed in understanding.
He looked at Jake and said slowly.
"If I recall correctly, your Devil Fruit is the Mythical Zoan-Model : Seraphim, right? Truly astonishing. It's just like the myths—when the heavens sought to destroy humanity, an angel took pity and transford into a fruit to save mankind? Gurarararara, that reminds of an old saying passed down across these seas long ago."
"It's not humans who choose Devil Fruits, but Devil Fruits who choose humans. Perhaps you were the one chosen by this Devil Fruit, Jake."
Whitebeard's words left Monet deep in thought—she found the idea quite compelling.
But Jake outright dismissed Whitebeard's interpretation with a light laugh.
"No, I think that saying is complete nonsense. Take my own teacher, Vice Admiral Borsalino, for example. He's incredibly lazy, yet he possesses what could be called the fastest Devil Fruit ability in the world. Isn't that strange?"
"Moreover, if that example isn't convincing enough, let put it this way: the sentint behind that saying is utterly pessimistic and devoid of any spirit of resistance. 'Devil Fruits choose people'—what kind of excuse is that? If everything is predetermined by fate, then people should just die the mont they're born instead of striving for their dreams!"
"If fate is set in stone, then a person's dreams are already determined the mont they're born—whether they can achieve them or not. In that case, effort, struggle and hard work all beco aningless. I've never believed in sothing like fate!"
"Fate may be predetermined, but human dreams... will never end!"
Whitebeard looked at Jake, the intensity in his eyes almost swallowing the young man whole.
In that fleeting mont of daze, he seed to truly witness the Great Pirate Era—no, more than that—the mont when the reign of the Celestial Dragons would be ended by his own hands!
mories of Roger's words surfaced in his mind.
"Twenty years from now, a pirate whose na bears the initial 'D' will erge as the savior of this world."
Jake's na contained no 'D,' nor was he a pirate and this wasn't twenty years later.
Yet, as Whitebeard gazed at him, an inexplicable certainty filled his heart—this man might truly be the one destined to save this world!
He took a large swig of liquor before unexpectedly pouring a cup for Jake himself.
Then he declared.
"It seems even prophecies can fail sotis. Brat! your proposal for cooperation—I accept it! From now on, no matter what you ask of , I won't refuse! Gurarararara! Even if I don't understand it, even if I think it might endanger my sons, I'll agree. Though for anything that might harm my boys, I'll handle it myself~ Gurarararara!"
Hearing Whitebeard's words, Jake sprang to his feet in excitent.
Their cups clinked together, the liquor shimring like pearls under the moonlight.
------------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator
Reviews
All reviews (0)