One Piece: Conquering Wanokuni at Start

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Sea Circle Calendar, Late 1520.

The Age of Pirates, reignited by Whitebeard's influence, was in full swing.

Not only were the pirates from all Four Seas running rampant across the Grand Line, but the New World itself had become a riotous carnival of chaos—a haven for piracy gone mad.

As one of the most legendary pirate crews, the Whitebeard Pirates had once claimed nearly one-third of the New World as their territory. Their dominion was vast, their name feared far and wide.

But with their pillar gone—Whitebeard himself—the crew had lost the emperor who held them together. The once-unstoppable force was no longer the most feared pirate group of the era.

The Whitebeard territory, with its rich resources and strategic locations, was one of the most sought-after treasures in the New World. In terms of wealth and area, it rivaled even the Totto Land of Big Mom.

Naturally, it attracted the attention of powerful and ambitious pirates. Like bloodthirsty sharks drawn to the scent of blood, countless challengers descended upon Whitebeard's territories, each vying for a piece of the spoils.

Amid this chaos, the combined forces of Blackbeard Teach and Edward Weevil stood out as the most ruthless. From the moment they seized Whitebeard's lands, they had relentlessly crushed the remnants of his crew.

New World — A stronghold in former Whitebeard territory.

The town lay in ruins, reduced to ash and rubble. The bodies of fallen Whitebeard Pirates were strewn among the burning debris, a grim testament to the ferocity of the battle.

Edward Weevil stood amid the destruction. His suspenders stretched across his barrel-like chest, and his perpetually dripping nose added to his unsettling demeanor. In his hand, he gripped an unconscious pirate, who he flung with terrifying force. The unfortunate soul crashed through building after building, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

Watching this display of brute strength, Blackbeard Teach narrowed his eyes, a calculating glint flashing in them.

"What monstrous power…" he thought, his lips curling into a grin. "If this guy had a Devil Fruit to match, he'd be a true top-tier powerhouse."

Weibull, his childish voice belying his terrifying strength, growled in frustration.

"Where are those bastards hiding?! I wanna avenge my mama!"

Teach chuckled darkly at Weevil's outburst. Kicking a defeated pirate at his feet, he sent the man hurtling hundreds of meters away like a cannonball. Turning to Weevil, Teach put on his most reassuring smile.

"Don't you worry, my brother!" he said with his trademark laugh. "Zehahahah! We're retaking Dad's property right now. Those so-called 'sons of Whitebeard' will come running to us soon enough! Letting them come to us saves us the trouble of hunting them down ourselves."

Weevil tilted his head in confusion, question marks practically floating above him.

"???"

Teach sighed inwardly, forcing himself to remain patient. Weevil's strength rivaled that of a young Whitebeard, but his intelligence left much to be desired.

It was that very lack of intellect that allowed Teach to manipulate him so easily. After secretly executing Miss Buckin and forging a suicide note, Teach had successfully redirected Weevil's wrath toward the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Teach raised his hand, holding up a handful of glimmering gemstones he had seized from the ruins. The sunlight danced across their facets, a dazzling display.

"Zehahahaha" Teach roared. "We just have to wait, my friend. For your mother's revenge, for your father's legacy—only you, the true son of Whitebeard, are worthy of inheriting his throne.

"And I'll be there to help you every step of the way. Together, we'll take back everything that's rightfully yours!"

Weevil's eyes welled with tears. His hulking frame trembled as he burst into sobs, covering his face with his massive hands.

"Brother Teach! You're so good to me! My mom was right about you!"

Teach's grin widened, his sharp teeth glinting in the light.

"Zehahahaha!"

New World – Near the Sphinx Region

"Damn it! That bastard Teach not only killed Thatch but is now plotting with outsiders to take the territory that rightfully belongs to our crew!"

Jozu raged, his voice like thunder as his massive, chariot-like body smashed into a giant tree, shattering it into splinters.

After the Summit War, under Whitebeard's protection and during Alex's intervention, the Moby Dick had remained intact, allowing the Whitebeard Pirates to retreat and return home. But their reprieve was short-lived.

Barely days after their return, much of their homeland was seized by opportunists. They hadn't even had time to recover from their wounds, let alone rebuild, before being forced to defend their territory once more.

With Whitebeard gone, the once-mighty crew had fractured. More than half of their allied pirates had abandoned ship, some disheartened, others seeking to avoid further conflict. Even among the main crew, despair had driven many to quietly depart.

All that remained were the captains and a handful of loyal comrades who had sailed alongside Whitebeard for years.

Where once their ranks swelled to tens of thousands, the reorganized crew now numbered just over ten thousand. Though still formidable, they were no longer the invincible force they once were—the great Yonko crew that inspired fear across the seas.

Vista turned to Marco. "Marco, what's the plan?"

Now that Whitebeard was gone, Marco, with his strength and seniority, naturally stood as the leader of the crew.

"That's our home," Marco said, his tone resolute. "It's filled with memories of Pops and all of us. I won't let anyone take it away."

He glanced at the crew, his words heavy with emotion. "If we lose those places… what future does the Whitebeard Pirates have? And Teach… it all started because of him. We can't let him get away with this!"

The crew broke into heated discussion, all of them voicing their frustration and agreement.

"We have to take back our home!"

"Teach must pay for what he's done!"

As their voices swelled, Marco raised his head, his calm demeanor cutting through the chaos. "Then tell me—are you prepared to risk your lives?"

The question silenced them.

Marco knew their anger was justified. If Whitebeard were still alive, he would have stood with his sons, just as they now stood together. But Marco also bore the burden of leadership and the weight of reality. Their strength had been severely diminished. The once-unified crew had been broken, their power waning. Even if they gave everything they had, they might still fail to protect what was left of their territory.

After a moment of quiet, one voice broke the silence.

"Then what do we do? Just let those scavengers take Pops' territory? That's our home!"

Among pirates, kindness was a rare commodity. The rule of the sea was simple: the victor claims all, the loser loses everything.

But decades of history and memories were not something anyone was willing to surrender.

"If we stay silent, the world will think the Whitebeard Pirates are dead," Jozu said, his voice booming. "Let them mock us if they want, but we can't let pirates tarnish Pops' name. His legacy must not be defiled!"

"Jozu…" Marco murmured, meeting his comrade's gaze.

Since the Summit War, Jozu's calm personality had grown more aggressive, fueled by grief and frustration. His words resonated with the crew. Everyone who had stayed behind was there because of their loyalty to Whitebeard and their desire to uphold his legacy.

"We're ready, Captain Marco!" someone called. "Just say the word!"

The crew's focus shifted to Marco, who paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded firmly.

"Since everyone's made their decision, we'll fight to protect Pops' territory together—as a family."

Cheers erupted among the crew.

"But…" Marco continued, silencing them, "with our current strength, we can't protect all of Pops' lands. We'll need to make trade-offs and focus our efforts where it matters most."

He clenched his fists, his tone hardening. "One thing's for sure—we won't let Teach go unpunished!"

With that, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates prepared to reclaim their territory. The shadow of war loomed as they set their sights on the regions now under Blackbeard's control.

News of the Whitebeard Pirates' movements quickly reached other factions. Shadow operatives relayed the information to Robin.

Meanwhile, in the Sky Kingdom, Boa Hancock and her allies waited for this moment, having anticipated this turn of events.