11 Chapter 11: This is not the Style of the Whitebeard Pirates

"What's going on?" Whitebeard's eyes betrayed a hint of confusion. Normally, Izou maintained a stoic demeanor, rarely showing emotion. His unusual behavior now left everyone puzzled.

Izou collected himself and explained his encounter with Lin Yan, noting that he had recruited a powerful new crew member, with strength rivaling that of the Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders, including Marco and Jozu.

The Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders were highly respected, in part due to Whitebeard's influence. The strength of the sixteen division commanders was comparable to that of vice-captains, with bounties starting at five hundred million berries. This commanded respect from other powers.

"Very strong?" Vista tilted his head.

"Stronger than us?" Jozu raised his head, both rubbing their chins thoughtfully. If Izou's assessment was accurate, the Whitebeard Pirates had truly found a gem—a new powerhouse at the level of a division commander.

Undoubtedly, the Whitebeard Pirates' overall strength had increased.

However, Whitebeard, seasoned and steady as a mountain, remained calm. His eyes swept over Izou, Vista, Jozu, and then rested on Marco. "Marco, what do you make of this?"

Marco glanced at Whitebeard with his usual impassive expression. He knew that his father wanted to see how he would handle the situation.

After weighing the matter carefully, Marco responded calmly, "Father, I believe this is both good and bad."

"How could it be bad?" Izou asked Marco, puzzled.

Marco, unperturbed, replied, "If Lin is as strong as you say, Izou, and wants to join our crew, it's indeed a good thing. But, have you considered that we've never heard of the name 'Lin'? It seems like he appeared out of thin air."

"Suddenly appearing and wanting to join our crew—don't you find that suspicious? At least on this level, we should reserve our judgment and discuss it."

Whitebeard nodded, pleased with Marco's calmness. As he aged, Whitebeard grew increasingly concerned about his health. The wounds and hidden ailments from his youth had now taken root. Nearing eighty, with old ailments clinging to him, he felt like a decaying tree—a hero in his twilight years.

Whitebeard knew that, even though he couldn't bear to let go of his sons, they needed to spread their wings and fly. Especially recently, with Saatchi's assassination and Teach's betrayal, Whitebeard's sense of crisis had deepened. He sensed that the Whitebeard Pirates would soon face a great calamity.

To prepare, replenishing the core strength of the Whitebeard Pirates and grooming a strong successor seemed logical. Among his three right-hand men—Marco, Ace, and Jozu—Whitebeard valued Marco the most. While Ace was young and proud, and Jozu lacked steadiness, Marco was Whitebeard's final choice.

"If we suddenly question someone we've invited warmly, wouldn't that be inappropriate?" Izou hesitated. He found it hard to believe Lin Yan might be infiltrating the Whitebeard Pirates.

"It's not about what's appropriate or not," Marco replied calmly. "I'm raising a reasonable concern. Ultimately, we're all thinking about the Whitebeard Pirates."

Izou was considering the Whitebeard Pirates' well-being, and so was Marco. If Lin's identity was verified, the Whitebeard Pirates would welcome him with open arms.

"Gurararara!" Whitebeard's laughter boomed. He stood up, waved his hand grandly, and said, "Alright, you two, stop overthinking it! Marco has his reasons, and Izou has his reasons. Regardless of his identity, the guest should be treated well. If we don't treat him well, that's not our style."

Listening to Whitebeard, the commanders asked in surprise, "Father, what should we do?"

"Isn't it rare to have such an interesting person? Don't you want to meet him? And recently, I've noticed that the spirit of our crew hasn't been great. Ever since we reached the top, arrogance has taken hold of us."

"This can't continue!" Whitebeard said sternly. Marco, Jozu, Izou, and the others fell silent, recognizing the truth in their father's words. Now, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates was proud and complacent. Full of self-importance, they looked down on everything. This was certainly not a good thing.

Whitebeard pondered for a moment and continued, "Let's use Lin to eliminate this complacency! Izou, bring him here tomorrow! And keep your defeat to Lin under wraps for now. I have plans!"