One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 483: Clash of Ideals

Tesla had developed something akin to what their father once described as the "mind net."

In terms of range alone, Tesla's Observation Haki had surpassed even Sharo's. He could easily cover space beyond the atmosphere, a distance that even Sharo found staggering.

The synergy between the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and Observation Haki was downright abnormal.

"Oh," Caesar nodded but didn't think much of it.

"Dad told us to observe from here and not to engage other factions. With the Flying Pirates clashing with Big Mom's crew and Whitebeard arriving too, something unexpected might happen," Caesar said while lazily yawning, eyeing the battlefield ahead.

He glanced at the ever-composed Whitebeard Pirates and yawned again.

"Doesn't matter," Esdeath said, hand always resting on her sword, eyes locked on the duel between Shiki and Charlotte Linlin. "Even if they fight to the death, we're not involved."

"I envy Dad. Leaves everything to us while he lounges at home every day," Caesar mumbled, draped over the ship's railing.

Esdeath glanced at him. "If not for Dad's years of hard work, the Rockefeller Pirates wouldn't be where they are today. Now he's old, his ambition is gone. It's our time now. Let him enjoy his twilight years in peace."

Her words stunned both Caesar and Tesla. They stared at her in shock. Their cold and stoic sister rarely ever spoke this way.

Their father wasn't even that old—barely thirty-seven. Among the great powers of the New World, Sharo was one of the youngest.

"Am I wrong?" Esdeath asked. "Do you remember what Dad said not long ago? That he wasn't interested in becoming Pirate King? He has a map to Raftel and even holds one of the Poneglyphs. He possesses conditions no one else does. Yet while everyone is fighting for the title of Pirate King, what is Dad doing?"

She narrowed her eyes at them. "Fishing. Every day. Sitting by a pond with Red the Aloof. What kind of behavior is that?"

Tesla hesitated before breaking the silence. "Well, I think fishing is... kinda nice. It helps you relax, relieves stress..."

Esdeath just stared at him, unnerving Tesla completely.

"Sis, you're too intense," Caesar said seriously. "You've always pushed yourself too hard. Are you saying you want to become Pirate King?"

"No," Esdeath replied coldly. "I never wanted to be Pirate King. I want to be strong—so strong no one can challenge me. That's my life's goal. To be the strongest and protect my family. If Dad ever wants to be Pirate King, I'll carve a path for him in blood."

The killing intent in her eyes made both brothers shiver.

"You're too extreme," Caesar muttered.

"This world is ruled by strength," Esdeath replied. "Dad trained us from birth to survive the coming storm. My extremism is built on power."

She didn't care to explain further. She had long known that she and Caesar held very different philosophies. As they grew older, those differences only widened.

Caesar fell silent.

She was right—without strength, one was just prey. He looked at the brutal war on the horizon.

Countless minions were dying in the chaotic clash, many likely unsure why they were even fighting. Life had never seemed so cheap.

Caesar felt an odd exhaustion. All he wanted was sleep—to drift off and forget his worries.

Tesla, watching his siblings fall quiet, didn't know what to say. As the youngest, he had no idea which side to support. Best to stay silent and not offend either.

Right now, more than anything, he wished he could return to his lab and resume his research on electromagnetism. But one order from Dad, and here he was—stuck on a warship.

---

On the battlefield

The war had reached its peak.

Nearly a hundred pirate ships clashed in a massive naval brawl.

Endless cannon fire lit up the sea, sinking ship after ship. Death filled the air. The warriors were in a frenzy, slaughtering anything in their path.

Above them, their captains battled in the sky—each blow shaking the heavens and stirring the seas. The sky split. The ocean flowed backward.

It was a sight none could forget.

Especially the rookies in the Whitebeard Pirates.

Many were stunned speechless. These were the same hot-blooded fools who had once declared they would punch the Rockefeller Pirates and kick the Big Mom Pirates off the map.

Now they stood pale-faced, watching the carnage.

They had never imagined that real combat could be this horrifying.

All they had seen before was Whitebeard crushing enemies with a single blow. They thought war would be easy. With the world's strongest man as their captain, they'd conquer everything and become Pirate Kings.

But seeing today's battle changed everything.

"Dad... Charlotte Linlin is that strong?" one young pirate asked quietly, unable to tear his eyes from the distant battlefield.

Whitebeard nodded solemnly.

"Kids... this is what the world's highest-level combat looks like."

One voice cut through the silence: "If Big Mom's this strong, how powerful must the Rockefeller Pirates be—the ones who beat her?"

Everyone froze. That question echoed through their minds as they stared at the torn sky and reversed tides.

Yes... just how strong was the crew that had defeated Big Mom?

Could they really beat both the Rockefeller Pirates and Big Mom and conquer the New World?

That question haunted them.

It shattered the illusions of every naïve, newly-departed pirate on the sea.

Whitebeard watched the changes in his men's eyes and felt a rare flicker of satisfaction.

---

Read up to 35 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin

[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]

*Thank you*