Behind Marco stood the unit Captains who remained loyal to Whitebeard, along with more than twenty Captains from affiliated pirate groups.
All these Captains were eager to personally attend the meeting that would decide the fate of Whitebeard's territory, even though their opinions were split into two opposing camps.
Some, pragmatic ones, leaned towards temporarily becoming vassals of the Pirate King Roger to survive the challenging times ahead.
Others, sentimental and idealistic, preferred to remain under Whitebeard's banner, relying on their collective strength as before, even if it meant sacrificing much of their territory, rather than depending on outsiders.
But despite their differences, they knew deep down that without Sal, Whitebeard's territory would eventually be absorbed by other forces.
For example, the newly formed Blackbeard Pirates were hungry for new lands to expand their influence.
After all, Whitebeard's territory was the largest and richest among the Four Emperors, twice the size of the new Emperor Shanks's territory.
All this, combined with the knowledge that Sal possessed an artifact capable of resurrecting people, meant that the remnants of Whitebeard's pirates rarely thought as one.
"Resurrect their father, Whitebeard!"
Had more time passed, the remnants of Whitebeard's pirates might have been less united: time would have dissolved their bonds, and each would have had their own plans.
But only two days had passed since the battle at Marineford, and they still remembered how their father had protected them.
The atmosphere at the meeting place was somewhat tense. Seeing that both sides had important issues to discuss, Shanks and the others tactfully withdrew with their people. Even though he was a member of Roger's crew, he now had his own pirate group.
Even Hancock left. As Sal's woman and the Empress of the Snake Kingdom island, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to interfere in the negotiations between the two sides.
Once ensuring no one else was around, Sal turned to Rayleigh, standing nearby, and jokingly asked:
"Rayleigh, maybe you should leave too?"
Rayleigh raised his wine glass and responded with sarcasm
"You said you wouldn't ask me for help later. If you want me to leave, I can go back and reminisce about my youth."
"Ha-ha, I'm joking! I feel at ease with you here."
Turning, Sal fixed his gaze on the remaining Whitebeard Pirates. Among all the captains, only the captains of the 11th and 14th divisions were absent. Obviously, Ace, the captain of the 2nd division, was also there but did not dare to meet Sel's eyes, his face reflecting complex emotions.
Of the remaining 25 affiliated pirate groups, 11 had to support the territory and temporarily withdrew, but they all left their representatives to participate in the discussions. Only 3 pirate groups truly left and did not intend to cooperate with Sal.
These three pirate groups were considered relatively powerful among the affiliated groups. All of them were veterans in the pirate world and held grudges against Roger's pirates, unable to forget past hatred. The strongest among them was the group known as the "Great Whirlpool Web."
Everyone sat around a large conference table that was quickly found. Sal spoke first:
"I promised Whitebeard that I would protect his territory, and I will do my utmost to keep that promise. Tell me what you think. We can discuss whether you will stay or leave."
Hearing Sel's question, the remnants of Whitebeard's pirates did not wait for Marco to answer; the "Ice Witch," Vaitibi, spoke first:
"Can I call you Sal? You said you are no longer the Roger you once were, and you told Marco that he could just call you Sal."
"Yes..."
Sal looked at the beautiful woman with curiosity, not understanding where she was going with this. She was undoubtedly stunning: tall, shapely, with long wavy blue hair and an elegant face.
The rarest thing about this "Ice Witch" was that she was almost 50 years old. When he first saw her, it was 30 years ago. At that time, when she was in Whitebeard's crew, she was already a graceful beauty.
According to the pirate worldview, this just wasn't scientific. She hadn't aged at all. Could this really be the so-called "icy beauty"?
Vaitibi asked with sparkling eyes:
"Elder Sal, do you still have that medicine that makes one younger?"
"I do..."
There was no need to hide such things. Say it out loud, and the effect would be magical. However, as a woman, whether a pirate or not, she valued her youth and beauty. When Sal misunderstood her intentions, Vaitibi continued:
"Do you have any tools for bringing people back to life? If not now, might there be a possibility of finding such in the future?"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates awaited Sal's response with anticipation.
Sal narrowed his eyes slightly. The woman in front of him was very smart and hit the nail right on the head. It was no surprise that she asked this question. Newgate, you have a clever daughter.
If everything went according to their wishes, even if the price was high, having a young Whitebeard in his prime again would be worth it.
"I don't have it now, only what's in Ace's possession. But I have a way to obtain that item, though I'm not certain how long it will take."
Sal wasn't lying. His words stirred those present, even Rayleigh, who stood nearby, was intensely curious about how Roger acquired the sacred item to resurrect people.
Confirming that Sal likely wasn't lying, Vaitibi, Marco, Ace, Vista, and the others exchanged looks. As for Joz, the reckless man, he wasn't among those discussing this issue.
Sal's response wasn't the best in their eyes, but it was still within acceptable limits.
With the direction set, it was Marco's turn to ask a question:
"Sal, what price will we have to pay to get the artifact that can resurrect our father?"
Circumstances were beyond their control. It was better to state the demand upfront, lay the cards on the table, and negotiate openly with the other party.
"That..."
The terms of the other side made Sal tap his fingers on the table. This clear sound controlled the emotions of the opposing side.
Sal never thought of recruiting the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. The idea of resurrecting the dead changed everything and gave him a new plan.
Sal indeed wanted to bring the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates under his leadership. After all, a vast territory requires a large number of people to maintain stability, and over 30 pirate groups would be sufficient to meet his needs.
Initially, Sal wasn't certain. After all, if the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates decided to abandon Whitebeard's territory and split into separate pirate groups, few would bother to cause them trouble.
In the end, their strength wasn't weak; even Blackbeard wouldn't want to waste his resources starting a conflict with them. The main focus for the current Blackbeard Pirates was expanding territory.
Of course, there were several exceptions. For example, aside from the mentally deranged children led by the old woman—her character always seemed to demand they inherit Whitebeard's legacy and then sent her mentally challenged son to chase down the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.
In reality, there was another downside to existing separately.
Having lost the cohesion of the Whitebeard Pirates, they became ordinary pirates roaming the New World. At this time, they could only rely on their own strength to face the challenges of the New World.
"Marco, I'm not going to beat around the bush. Are you willing to raise my pirate flag?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates immediately began to whisper among themselves. Although they were prepared for it, they still couldn't fully accept it.
Disappointment flickered in Marco's eyes. So, that's how it is. You can't expect selflessness from others, except for certain fools.
His father was gone. As the "eldest son" of the Whitebeard Pirates, the responsibility fell on him.
"It's not impossible, but we have our own ideas too..."
People from both sides continued to speak, even Rayleigh joined the negotiations, seeking the best terms for his captain. Because now he was Sal's deputy.
... A few hours passed unnoticed; the moonlight, like a silver screen, enveloped the island.
The crowd around the conference table dispersed, and the matter that Sal and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates had been discussing was resolved.
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