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Just when the innocent twenties Jozu was brought on board and headed towards Lu Feld's black-hearted factory, the Moby Dick fell into an eerie silence.
Whitebeard sat on the throne in the center of the deck, looking at the farewell letter in his hand, covering his forehead in frustration.
At this moment, he regretted it deeply.
He regretted the whim that led him to drink too much wine with his children last night, which caused him to sleep so soundly that he didn't notice Jozu's departure.
If he had known, he would never have let Jozu leave.
[Dad, I recently found a good job, introduced to me by a good friend. You don't have to worry about my safety. I'll come back once I've earned enough money!]
Reading the letter that tried to sound reassuring, Whitebeard felt utterly helpless.
This foolish son of his.
Lu Feld, that scoundrel, could never be trusted.
He's a crooked businessman who devours people and leaves nothing behind.
If there were a good job, he'd have kept it for his own men. Why would he introduce it to a stranger like Jozi?
"Bob, are you certain Jozu really had a phone call with Lu Feld last night?" Whitebeard asked, turning to the third division members standing before him.
Bob nodded confidently, "Yes, Dad. I heard it all. He was pressuring Captain Jozu to repay a debt, and when Jozu couldn't pay, he made him work to pay it off."
"Do you remember what they talked about last night?"
"I do."
"Repeat it word for word," Whitebeard said quietly.
Bob's expression grew serious, knowing how important this was to his father. He didn't hesitate and quickly recounted everything he had overheard the previous night.
The Moby Dick remained silent.
Though everyone was gathered, no one dared to make a sound.
Only Bob's voice echoed across the deck.
"In the end, Lu Feld asked Captain Jozu to work for him, saying that anyone introduced by him would owe him an extra share of their monthly income."
"And he personally oversees the payments."
"However, Captain Jozu hung up before hearing the rest, packed up his things, and left on a small boat by himself."
"That's what happened last night."
As Bob's voice trailed off, the entire ship buzzed with tension.
"That scoundrel Lu Feld, he's taking advantage of Jozu just because he's young!"
"Dad, we've got to go bring Jozu back. I overheard it all, and I'm ready to set off."
"Right, Captain Jozu doesn't even know how many years he'll have to work to pay off that debt."
"Dad, give the order! Let's take down Lu Feld!"
Everyone was furious, raising their hands and shouting in anger.
As brothers, they naturally cared deeply for Jozu.
To be honest, while they had mixed feelings about what had happened, no one blamed Jozu.
After all, no matter what, a brother is still a brother, even if he stumbles.
The real culprits were the crooks behind these scams and the loan sharks like Lu Feld.
Initially, their father had promised to repay the principal, but this scumbag went behind their backs, contacting Jozu privately and forcing him to work to pay off the debt.
This was nothing short of bullying an honest man!
At that moment, they all wished that Whitebeard would give the signal and lead them to deal with Lu Feld.
But Whitebeard remained silent, simply gazing at the sky, lost in thought.
"Bob, you bastard! If you saw the whole thing from start to finish, why didn't you stop Jozu?" Marco shouted as he rushed forward, grabbing Bob by the collar.
Bob lowered his head, his tone conflicted as he responded, "Captain Jozu has been going through a tough time lately. I didn't want him to keep struggling like this."
"I thought that by earning his own money and paying off all his debts, he could finally move on."
"And I don't think Lu Feld would harm Captain Jozu. Otherwise, he'd face the wrath of the entire Whitebeard Pirates."
The Moby Dick fell silent.
Everyone heard Bob's words and stopped talking. They knew he had a point—bringing Jozu back wouldn't change the past. Only by letting him pay off his debts could they hope for things to return to normal.
"Hey!" Whitebeard sighed, waving his hand. "Call Lu Feld. I want to talk to him."
"Right away, Pops."
Marco didn't hesitate, quickly pulling out a den den mushi from his pocket.
Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~
The den den mushi rang for nearly ten minutes before it finally connected.
"God of Fortune, is my precious son alright?" Whitebeard asked, his voice deep and stern.
"Oh, Whitebeard, don't worry. How could I bully him?" Lu Feld replied, a broad smile evident in his voice. "He's doing well, and he's already earning top salary in my factory."
It was clear he was in an exceptionally good mood.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. "You're working for the Marines now, aren't you?"
"No, no, don't get the wrong idea, Whitebeard. I'm only working for the money."
"Hmph!" Whitebeard let out a few scoffs. "Aren't you afraid the Marines will use what you've made against you?"
Lu Feld's plans were no secret. Anyone paying attention could learn everything from the news or the citizens of allied countries. The deformed leaves he was supplying were clearly meant to target pirates. And now, Lu Feld was aiding their enemy.
Whitebeard couldn't believe Lu Feld hadn't considered this, yet he was doing it anyway. He didn't buy the idea that it was just for the money.
"I'm just an illegal businessman, Whitebeard, not a pirate," Lufield responded smoothly. "I negotiated with the Fleet Admiral last night. He paid a price, but he's willing to help me connect with Enies Lobby and the higher-ups, so I can become a legitimate businessman."
Lufield exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice full of confidence. "As long as I'm not a pirate, those clones won't target me. Rest assured."
"Alright, enough chit-chat. I'm very busy—hundreds of thousands of Berries move up and down every minute."
"Let's get to the point. If you want Jozu back, return my principal. Otherwise, he'll have to work here to pay off his debts."
Whitebeard frowned deeply. His sons, watching the exchange, were equally furious at Lu Feld's brazen attitude. But with their father silent, they held back their anger.
Whitebeard took a deep breath, holding the phone closer as he asked, "I want to know, what did you mean by referral fee, monthly income, and head fee when you spoke last night?"
"Huh? Whitebeard, what do you mean? Are you saying…?"
"Yes, exactly. Explain it."
Lu Feld chuckled darkly. "Jiejiejie! Alright, I'll explain. The referral fee means every time Jozu brings in a strong worker to help in my factory, I'll give him 10,000 Berries."
"And the monthly income? That's the cut he gets from the earnings of those he brought in who work on replicating the leaves. He gets a share of that too."
"Don't underestimate that little share—it adds up to quite a profit."
"As for the head fee, it's essentially the same as the referral fee, and it wasn't originally part of the deal," Lu Feld continued. "I only added it because I knew Jozu was close with the Whitebeard Pirates. Given your crew's strength and reputation, I figured he could bring in some powerful characters."
"So I sweetened the deal, hoping to tempt him into persuading other captains. Unfortunately, he refused, so that idea went nowhere."
Everyone listening to Lu Feld's explanation could clearly see his intentions. He wasn't just trying to lure Jozu in—he was also aiming to recruit other captains and even their crew members. The audacity was shocking.
"Captains, please don't misunderstand me," Lu Feld quickly added, sensing the rising anger among the pirates. "I'm not forcing anyone."
"This arrangement benefits everyone. You'd be selling your physical strength for Berries, and I'd be selling those services to the Marines for a profit, while also building up some credit for myself."
"It's a win-win situation. There's no need to get so worked up. Harmony makes money, after all!"
Despite his attempt to smooth things over, Lu Feld knew he was dealing with the Whitebeard Pirates—one of the most powerful and moral crews on the seas. Even as an underground king, there were limits to what he could pull off in the New World, and crossing them wasn't wise.
Whitebeard, ignoring Lu Feld's attempts to placate them, asked in a deep voice, "If I bring my crew to work for you, how long would it take to pay off Jozu's debt?"
The question left the entire crew and even Lu Feld momentarily stunned. The phone line went silent as Lu Feld processed the reality of Whitebeard's proposal.
Whitebeard himself felt a pang of helplessness. Jozu's debt was massive, and unless they plundered kingdoms like the Beasts Pirates or Big Mom's crew, there was no easy way to pay it off. But that kind of behavior didn't align with Whitebeard's morals. If he resorted to such actions, his spirit and Conqueror's Haki would surely suffer.
The thought of not paying the debt had crossed his mind, but he knew Jozu would never let it go. The guilt would consume him, rendering him useless. So, if they weren't going to pillage or borrow a large sum of money, the only option left was to work off the debt as a crew.
Whitebeard glanced at his sons, his gaze filled with resolve. Every one of them returned his look with the same unwavering determination. Not one of them flinched.
Whitebeard grinned proudly. This was the true treasure he had spent his life gathering—a crew willing to stand by their brother and follow him, no matter the cost.
"Whitebeard... are you serious?" Lu Feld stammered, still in shock at what he was hearing.
"Give me an exact time!" Whitebeard snapped, cutting through the disbelief and getting straight to the point.
Lu Feld took a deep breath, his mind racing as he calculated. After several minutes, he finally gave an answer.
"One month," he said. "I guarantee one month is enough to pay off the debt. And not just that—you'll also make a lot of money."
With the entire Whitebeard crew and the aid of the strongest man in the world, Lu Feld felt he was on the brink of making a fortune—a significant fortune.
"We'll set sail right now and head to your stronghold. Make sure you're there to meet us," Whitebeard said, then hung up the phone.
Gripping his enormous naginata, he suddenly stood up and pointed toward the distant sea.
"Children, let's go! We'll work together to bring back the fearless Diamond Jozu from two months ago."
The crew responded with a resounding roar.
"Roar!"
The Moby Dick set sail.
At the bow, Marco approached and stood beside Whitebeard. His face was etched with worry as he asked, "Father, if the Marines really use those replicas against us, what should we do?"
Whitebeard's deep-set eyes gazed out over the sea, his expression unchanging as he calmly replied, "Don't worry, I will protect you."
"No matter how many they send, they will never harm you while I'm here."
"I'm... Whitebeard!!!"
The declaration from the world's strongest man instantly put Marco and the others at ease. Indeed, their father was the mightiest, and no mere replicas with limited strength could challenge him. Even if the Marines sent their elite, they would still have to be cautious.
And no matter what, they would always stand firmly behind their father, ready to fight by his side.
Meanwhile, at Lu Feld's factory...
"Hey, Diamond Jozu, take a break! Why are you pushing yourself so hard?" a weary pirate, drained of his strength, muttered in resignation. "No one can surpass you at this rate."
Sweat dripped down Jozu's forehead. Though his hand was shaky from exhaustion, he gritted his teeth and continued pressing down on the deformed leaf.
"I'm not worried about being surpassed by you," Jozu replied. "I'm fighting for myself. The sooner I pay off this debt, the sooner I can return to Pops and my brothers."
His mouth bled from biting down too hard, but his determination never wavered. Under his strong will, the name on the leaf was finally completed.
"I made another fortune," Jozu muttered, grinning despite his weariness.
Suddenly, a drumstick was handed to him.
"Thanks!" Jozu, starving, grabbed it without hesitation and began devouring it. As he ate, his strength gradually returned.
But then, he noticed something odd. The usually noisy factory had gone eerily silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The pirate who had been speaking to him earlier was now trembling in fear.
Jozu turned his head to look back.
And there, before him, stood a tall figure with a bare chest and a white mustache curling up like a crescent moon. Behind him were many familiar faces.
"Stupid son, Dad brought your brothers to help you pay off this debt," Whitebeard said, bending down to gently stroke Jozu's head.
Marco and the others smiled warmly.
"Father! Marco! Vista! Thatch..."
Jozu finally realized what was happening. Tears welled up in his eyes and began to flow uncontrollably. His entire body trembled with emotion as he choked out the names of each family member.
This merciless factory, at this moment, was filled with a warmth it had never known before.