Somewhere in the vast seas of the Grand Line.
A large three-masted ship, its bow shaped like a whale, was anchored in the calm waters.
Any outsider present would instantly recognize the ship's identity—this was the Moby Dick, the flagship of Edward Newgate, the world's strongest man, also known as Whitebeard.
"The end of the Supernovas?"
On the deck of the Moby Dick, a tall and muscular man with dark skin, short golden hair, and prominent cheekbones was reading the latest newspaper.
He was Kingdew, the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' 11th Division.
Despite his burly appearance, he had a habit of reading newspapers and staying informed about current events.
Around the deck, members of the Whitebeard Pirates sat or stood freely, with no particular formality, displaying an air of casual camaraderie.
Scattered across the deck before them were plates of food and barrels of alcohol.
Clearly, they were in the midst of a pirate's most familiar pastime—a feast.
Tables and chairs weren't necessary.
A lavish spread of food wasn't required.
But the alcohol had to be endless.
This was the essence of pirate revelry on the open seas.
"Kingdew, everyone else is drinking and feasting, and yet you're just sitting here reading the newspaper?"
Atmos, the commander of the 13th Division, approached Kingdew, looking at him as if he were a dullard.
"As long as Pops doesn't mind, I could be reading Marco's medical books for all anyone cares."
Kingdew didn't even lift his head as he continued to scan the newspaper's headline story.
Hearing this, Atmos, whose massive physique resembled that of a bull, curled his lips but still took a seat beside Kingdew, holding his own cup of sake. His gaze naturally drifted to the newspaper in Kingdew's hands.
"Bacardi Maude? Another article about him…"
Upon seeing the bold, enlarged headline featuring that name, Atmos raised an eyebrow.
Kingdew nodded. "Yes."
Atmos leaned in, glancing through the article filled with praise, and couldn't help but furrow his brows.
"I had my suspicions before, but now I'm almost certain—this guy must be paying off the newspaper companies."
"Atmos, you're not the only one who feels that way. However, since it's being published by the World Economy News Paper, even if the story is exaggerated, the core facts remain true."
Finishing the article, Kingdew looked up and turned his gaze toward the Second Division Commander, Portgas D. Ace, who was drinking and eating heartily in the distance. Stroking his chin, he mused, "Whenever I see news about Bacardi Maude, I get the same feeling I had last year when Ace kept making headlines."
"Ace, huh…"
Atmos paused, following Kingdew's gaze to Ace, who was laughing heartily among his crewmates. He muttered, "Now that you mention it, I get that feeling too. If I remember right… last year, around this time, Ace was constantly on the front pages, enough that even Pops took notice of a newcomer."
"Haha, if that weren't the case, how else would we have ended up with such a reliable Second Division Commander?"
Kingdew's normally stern face softened into a broad smile as he continued watching Ace.
Atmos chuckled knowingly, his eyes shifting to Maude's picture in the newspaper. Stroking his long, mane-like beard, he remarked, "It won't be long before this Super Rookie arrives."
"Yeah, with how much attention he's getting, I wonder if Pops will take an interest in him."
Kingdew set the newspaper aside and picked up his sake cup, taking a large swig.
The New World was nothing like the so-called 'paradise' of the Grand Line's first half.
Any newcomer entering the New World without aligning themselves with one of the Four Emperors was almost guaranteed to be swallowed by the turbulent tides of this perilous sea.
And the Four Emperors had always welcomed new talent with immense potential.
Each Emperor had their own method of recruiting fresh blood.
Charlotte Linlin, Big Mom of the Big Mom Pirates, preferred political marriages—wedding off her daughters to promising rookies to solidify alliances.
Kaido of the Beasts Pirates took a more brutal approach, enforcing his survival-of-the-fittest ideology by breaking newcomers both physically and mentally, forcing them into submission.
Compared to Big Mom and Kaido, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red-Haired Pirates were far more laid-back in their approach to recruitment.
The Red-Haired Pirates pursued a philosophy of quality over quantity. Their recruitment standards were high—newcomers drawn to their reputation often found themselves turned away if they didn't meet the mark.
As for the Whitebeard Pirates, their method was best summed up in a single phrase: "Be my son!"
If you accepted, you were welcomed aboard. If you refused, there was no pressure.
"What are you guys talking about?"
A man with a distinct pineapple-shaped golden hairstyle approached Jinguoduo and Atmos, curious about their discussion.
"Marco."
Kingdew looked at him, picked up the newspaper again, and smiled. "We're talking about this year's Super Rookie."
"Oh? Super Rookie, huh? I believe his name was Bacardi Maude."
Marco casually took the newspaper and skimmed through the headline.
As the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco made it a point to stay informed about the rising stars of each generation.
And without a doubt, Maude was this year's brightest star—bar none.
After quickly scanning the article, Marco smirked. "Quite the ruthless Super Rookie, isn't he?"
"No doubt about it."
Atmos and Kingdew nodded in agreement.
Every year, multiple rookies managed to grab headlines, making waves across the sea.
But Maude was unique—he had outright eliminated five of his fellow Supernovas and captured another.
By any standard, calling him 'ruthless' was putting it mildly.
Marco chuckled and turned his gaze toward Ace, waving him over. "Hey, Ace, come here for a second."
Hearing Marco's call, Ace, who was in the middle of a drinking contest, set his cup down. Apologizing to his crewmates, he stood and walked over.
"What is it? You looking for a drinking match?"
Ace grinned, his freckled face radiating a carefree charm.
"Nah, just take a look at this."
Marco playfully punched Ace's shoulder before handing him the newspaper.
Ace glanced at it and nodded. "Oh, him."
Staying informed about current events was essential for any pirate. Anyone who frequently appeared in the headlines naturally gained widespread recognition.
Having recently shed his rookie status and risen to prominence as the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander, Ace had taken some notice of Maude.
Marco nudged him. "Ace, this guy's making even bigger waves than you did last year. When he reaches the New World, think you'll go 'recruit' him?"
"If Pops is interested, I wouldn't mind making the trip."
Ace folded the newspaper with a smile.
'Recruiting' in this context meant proving one's strength and convincing another crew to pledge allegiance to the Whitebeard Pirates.
Ace had done this before.
Among the forty-something pirate crews flying Whitebeard's flag, three had personally been recruited by him.
These crews weren't direct subordinates of the Whitebeard Pirates, but the moment Whitebeard issued a command, they would answer without hesitation.
In truth, flying Whitebeard's flag wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
At the very least, as long as they sailed under his emblem, they wouldn't have to worry too much about threats from the other Yonko in the New World.
"Would Pops be interested, though...?"
Marco and the others glanced at Whitebeard, who was seated in his chair, ignoring the young nurse's protests as he gulped down sake.
Just as Ace had said, the prerequisite for "recruiting" the Maude Pirates was Whitebeard's interest.
If Whitebeard never brought it up, they had no reason to act.
However, from their perspective, letting go of such a promising newcomer would be a real shame.
With that thought, they began considering the idea of bringing the matter up to Whitebeard themselves.
At the same time…
Across the New World…
As Maude reached the Sabaody Archipelago—just one step away from the New World—his presence had finally caught the attention of both the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates.
Last year's most talked-about Super Rookie was Fire Fist Ace, who was ultimately taken under Whitebeard's wing. In a short period, he rose to become the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.
In terms of rank, his position was comparable to a "Sweet Commander" under Big Mom or one of the "Calamities" under Kaido.
And this year's Super Rookie, Maude, clearly possessed the same level of potential and talent.
The Big Mom Pirates and Beasts Pirates—both of whom were constantly expanding their forces—wouldn't let such a promising recruit slip by so easily.
The moment Maude entered the New World, they would make their move.
As for the Red-Haired Pirates, they remained rather indifferent.
And the reason?
Maude had already turned down Shanks' invitation.
Naturally, while some members of the Red-Haired Pirates—particularly Yasopp—continued to keep an eye on Maude, they had long since given up on recruiting him.
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