8 Chapter 8 : Prediction

"Ace, is this your brother?" Whitebeard asked.

Ace grinned, responding, "He looks great, hahaha..."

On the enormous ship of the Whitebeard Pirates, every crew member's attention was fixated on the live broadcast, just like in other places.

Prominent figures such as Marco, Diamond Jozu, Vista, Blamenco, Blenheim, and numerous crew members...

And, of course, the captain of the massive vessel himself.

Edward Newgate, known as Whitebeard!

At this moment, he sat at the center of the ship, surrounded by nurses administering treatment through infusions.

Nevertheless, he continued to gulp down his wine with a fearless grin on his face.

His immense physique, combined with his unique presence, exuded an unmistakable aura of dominance.

"Indeed, Pops, this is the Luffy I've told you about, my brother!" Ace declared proudly.

While Ace had become renowned on the seas as one of the Four Emperors, what mattered most to him was the father figure before him and Luffy, who was far away in the Windmill Village.

Truth be told, claiming that he didn't miss home after being away for so long would be a lie.

But in the vast expanse of the sea, returning home wasn't that simple.

Thus, seeing his brother's image on the screen, whether in the present or the future, filled him with immense joy.

Luffy, I knew all along that you'd venture out to sea and become a pirate, a formidable one at that!

Now, it seems you haven't disappointed me...

Ace looked up at the sky, his face expressing relief.

Engaging in a battle against Moria, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, regardless of the outcome, was a source of immense pride.

"Ace, your brother looks strong, indeed!"

"Yes, now he can face off with one of the Warlords, but I'm sure he'll only get stronger in the future!"

"I've heard Ace talk about Luffy so much; it's good to finally see his face!"

"The brothers do look quite similar, not bad, hahaha..."

Several captains, led by Marco, gathered around Ace, offering praise for Luffy. They had heard Ace mention his brother countless times, and their ears were practically calloused from hearing about him. Despite not having met him in person, they felt a strong sense of familiarity.

["Gomu Gomu no Jet Pistol!" Luffy once again launched himself at Moria, aiming for a direct hit.]

[However, this time, his attack was intercepted by the shadow's hand.]

Moria smiled and remarked, "I was careless before, allowing you to strike me. Now it's my turn!"

The shadow's form expanded, becoming several times larger than before, increasing both its oppressive presence and strength.

Luffy sensed the imminent danger and continued to attack without hesitation.

"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" "Gomu Gomu no Whip!" "Gomu Gomu no Machine Gun!"

However, these attacks had no effect on the shadow; they couldn't harm it in the slightest.

In return, the shadow leaped and slammed its massive form onto Luffy, flattening him.

The Red-Haired Pirates...

"No matter how weak Moria is, he's still one of the Seven Warlords," Ben Beckman commented.

"Despite his long period of inactivity, we mustn't underestimate his strength."

"Luffy is in a tough spot..."

Beckman gazed at the sky, voicing his concerns.

Other key members of the crew, including Yasopp, Lucky Roo, Laki, Dege, Bepo, and Limes Jones, nodded in agreement.

After all, Beckman served as their first mate and was both formidable and highly intelligent.

His analyses were usually spot-on...

Despite their familiarity with Luffy and their hopes for his victory, they couldn't deny that the odds were stacked against him.

After all, Luffy's current strength was inadequate for a confrontation with a Warlord.

Just as they were contemplating this, a voice interrupted their thoughts.

"I have faith in Luffy; he will definitely emerge victorious!"

"After all..."

"He made a promise to me. Would the man who'll find One Piece and become Pirate King in the future let a Warlord stop him?"

The speaker was none other than Red-Haired Shanks himself!

He sat on the ground, sipping his wine with an unwavering confidence in Luffy.

Even Garp, currently stationed at the Marine Headquarters, couldn't match Shanks' confidence.

At this moment, the screen in the sky resumed playing, but this time, it showed something different...

["Live broadcast paused; it's time for predictions!"]

"Let's predict the outcome of the upcoming battle!"

"1. Moria defeats Luffy, eliminating all Straw Hat Pirates on the island and achieving a major victory!"

"2. Luffy defeats Moria outright, forcing Moria and his subordinates to flee!"

"3. Luffy loses this battle but remains on the island, collaborating with his crew to defeat Moria and secure victory!"

"4. Luffy unleashes his full potential, defeats Moria, forces him to kneel and beg for mercy, and even gets him to call him 'uncle' to spare his life!"

"You have one minute to make your choice; choose wisely..."

As the voice faded, the Marine Headquarters erupted in chaos.

More precisely, it was Moria who erupted.

"Are you kidding me?"

"This is an insult to me!"

"Never mind the first three, what's with option 4?"

"Kneeling and begging for mercy, and calling someone 'uncle' to spare their life?"

"Nonsense!"

"This is an outright insult..."