Sea Circle Calendar, March 1468, New World – Sphinx Island.
"Gu la la la~~~"
A thunderous laugh echoed across the windswept shores, mingling with the crashing waves. "Julian!" A deep, booming voice followed the laughter.
"I finally found you!"
Emerging from the mist of the sea breeze was a colossal figure towering over 650cm. His golden hair flowed like a mane, and a crescent-shaped white beard framed his face. The man was shirtless, his bare torso a testament to raw power, yet he wore a billowing coat that added a regal air. In his hand, he wielded a fearsome naginata that gleamed under the sunlight. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked at the young man standing before him.
The young man, Julian Newgate, stood tall yet was dwarfed by the sheer presence of the other. His long, golden hair framed a face that was strikingly handsome, exuding both youth and determination. Though just eighteen years old, his calm demeanor hinted at the seeds of a future legend.
Across from him stood Edward Newgate—twenty years old, already bearing the aura of a mighty warrior destined for greatness.
The two brothers faced each other. Julian's gaze didn't falter as he took in the larger-than-life figure before him. Though youthful, he could already see in Edward the makings of the strongest man in the world.
"I really didn't expect this!" Julian smacked his lips, muttering to himself, "Whitebeard turned out to be my cousin. Sure, when I was very young, I remember my parents mentioning I had an uncle and a cousin, but who would have thought it would be here—on Sphinx Island, of all places!"
Julian was a time traveler. Eighteen years ago, he had found himself in this world of great pirates, reborn as a baby. Life wasn't easy. When he was just three years old, his parents passed away, leaving him to fend for himself. Thanks to his innate talent and determination, he barely managed to survive.
Of course, having been born on Sphinx Island with the surname "Newgate," Julian had once wondered if he might be related to Edward Newgate—the man who would go on to become the strongest in the world. But life on Sphinx was harsh, a chaotic place where simply staying alive was a daily struggle.
Julian had worked hard to make it to the age of eighteen, finally gaining the strength and freedom to go out to sea. Yet, just when he thought he was leaving his old life behind, his cousin returned to Sphinx Island and found him.
Good grief! Julian thought, My cousin is actually Edward Newgate, the man destined to become the strongest in the world. Who could have guessed?
After all, on Sphinx Island, the surname "Newgate" wasn't exactly rare—it was one of the largest families on the island.
"Gu la la la~~~"
Newgate looked at Julian, who seemed deep in thought, and assumed his cousin was feeling overwhelmed. With a hearty laugh, he slapped his chest and said, "Julian! Don't be nervous, we're brothers now! Don't worry, from today onward, with me by your side, you'll never face any surprises!"
Julian looked at his cousin, who was laughing heroically, then smiled lightly and shook his head. Honestly, even if I doubted anyone's strength, I would never doubt my cousin's. No kidding. Newgate had been able to go to sea from a young age, surviving through the Rocks Era, the Three Legendary Pirate Eras, the Great Pirate Era, and the Four Emperors Era. He had weathered one storm after another. Julian even thought that if it hadn't been for the Naval Headquarters, Newgate might have been the pirate who survived the next era as well.
Could someone honored as the "strongest man in the world" really be weak? No way. Julian thought, I'm just a little shocked. I didn't expect Whitebeard to turn out to be my cousin.
"Great!" Newgate's expression shifted as he looked at Julian, his smile fading and a resolute, emotional look replacing it. "Julian! I finally found you. I finally have my own family again. This is… this is everything to me!"
Hearing Newgate's words, the smile slowly faded from the corner of Julian's mouth. Family.
The words family held a heavy weight for both Newgate and Julian. Although Julian was a time traveler, before he was three years old, his parents had given him an abundance of love and tenderness. But everything changed when he was three—his parents were gone, and Julian had to face the harsh world on his own. As for Newgate, there was no need to elaborate. For him, going to sea was about finding his family and building one of his own. He had spent countless years and efforts chasing that dream. Wasn't the Summit War, after all, fought for his "sons"?
"Gu la la la~~~" Newgate noticed Julian's silence and, suddenly laughing loudly, said, "Julian! No matter how you look at it, we're not alone anymore! Pack up and get ready to set sail! We're heading out to sea. When the time comes, we'll find our family and start our own!"
Julian looked at his cousin, who was brimming with excitement, and asked, "Cousin, I have an idea I want to ask you about."
"Huh?!" Newgate was taken aback and looked at Julian with a puzzled expression. "What's on your mind, Julian?"
"Cousin," Julian said, still curious, "how do you plan to find and start a family?"
Without hesitation, Newgate replied, "Of course, we'll look for people like us, adopt them, and make them our family. We'll start our own!"
"Cousin..."
Julian paused, thinking for a moment, then corrected himself, "Ah—brother!"
Julian had always felt uncomfortable calling Newgate "cousin," but Newgate didn't mind the change.
Hearing Newgate's idea, Julian couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Brother, are you sure you've thought this through? You don't know how dark and dangerous the sea can be. Do you really think the people you adopt, people like us, will be trustworthy?"
Newgate was momentarily stunned by Julian's words. Just because he was looking for a family didn't mean he was naive. In the chaotic seas, especially in the New World, betrayal was common.
"Julian," Newgate smacked his lips and looked at his cousin with a puzzled expression. "So, what do you think should be done?"
"Simple!" Julian snapped his fingers, his tone calm and assured. "Brother, since you want to have a family, why not have your own children? Sons and daughters of your own are far better than outsiders. Think about it, right? That's our real family!"