One Piece : Roger Is My Vice Captain-Chapter 390 - 444—I have just been looking for a home

Seeing that White Beard's tone had softened, Liu Feng felt a little relieved.

He could understand Whitebeard's suspicion.

After all, although his side was very powerful, the scale of the forces under his command was one of the largest in this ocean.

But no matter what, in the latter's eyes, Liu Feng was just a rising star.

Whitebeard did not have close contact with Liu Feng, and all he knew about Liu Feng was through Marco's narration and previous battles.

It was understandable that he doesn't quite believe in himself.

But Zephyr was different.

Whitebeard stood at the helm of his ship, the Moby Dick, gazing out at the horizon with a contemplative expression. The sea stretched before him, a vast expanse of endless blue, yet his mind was elsewhere—on the man he had crossed paths with so many times over the years. Zephyr.

The name carried a weight, a history of battles fought and grudges forged. Yet despite everything, Whitebeard knew that the rivalry between them was far more than just two powerful men clashing.

It was something deeper. Zephyr, the man who had once been a respected marine and now the leader of the NEO new navy, was a force to be reckoned with.

His ideals were just as strong as Whitebeard's own, yet they had chosen opposite paths.

Zephyr believed in absolute justice, while Whitebeard sought freedom above all else. Their differences had led them to fight against each other, but also to understand each other in ways that no one else could.

Over the years, Whitebeard had come to realize that the one who truly understood you, who knew your weaknesses, your strengths, and your very core, was often your greatest enemy.

A friend might see you as an ally, someone they would fight beside, but an enemy—an enemy would know the depths of your soul. Zephyr was that kind of enemy.

Whitebeard had seen the rise of the NEO navy and heard the whispers of their supposed mission to cleanse the world of its filth, to create a new order.

But Whitebeard, with his own brand of chaos and freedom, knew that such ideas were dangerous. The world did not need to be "cleansed"—it needed to be free.

His heart longed for a world where his crew and his family could live without fear, not one ruled by the cold hand of absolute justice.

But was Zephyr truly the same man he had fought against all those years ago? Could he really change the world as Liu Feng had claimed? Whitebeard had no answers, only questions that gnawed at him.

As the Moby Dick sailed toward an uncertain encounter, Whitebeard could feel the pull of destiny, the inevitable meeting with Zephyr. The time had come. The world was about to see whether the ideals of the NEO navy could truly reshape the seas or if they were just another broken dream, a fleeting illusion.

For Whitebeard, the answer would come not from hearsay or rumors but from his own hands.

He clenched his fist, the weight of his weapon in his grip, as he turned to his crew.

"Prepare yourselves," he said, his voice low but commanding. "We meet Zephyr at last. And we'll see who truly holds the future of this world."

The crew of the Moby Dick responded with a chorus of approval, each one ready to stand by their captain, no matter the outcome.

The battle between Whitebeard and Zephyr would not just be one of fists—it would be a clash of ideals, a confrontation that would decide the course of the future.

The refreshing sea breeze blows slowly.

Whitebeard narrowed his eyes subconsciously.

"Liu Feng, do you think I have been successful or failed in this life?"

He suddenly asked this question out of the blue.

His eyes, however, were gently watching the members of the Whitebeard Pirates who were busy on the ground below.

Liu Feng smiled.

"Whether a person lives a successful life or not should not be judged by other people's standards."

"Did you know?"

"Before I resurrected Zephyr and the Neo Navy, many people on this sea believed that Zephyr was a loser."

"I thought about it, and it's true."

"If we judge from a worldly perspective, the old man with a crippled arm was indeed a hopeless loser."

"The golden generation of the Navy he created ended his career."

"The sea he loved gave him a loud slap in the face."

"He never killed a pirate in his life, but the pirates killed all the people close to him."

"Even the final glory was not left behind and could only be buried alone on a deserted island in the new world."

"—completely turned into dust in history."

Liu Feng shook his head, his eyes gradually becoming dazed.

"But... Did you know?"

"When I resurrected him, I could still see the light in his old eyes."

"It was really dazzling."

"Although he was not my teacher, he really taught me a lot."

"He has indeed influenced generation after generation of young people."

"He may have lost and died in the end, but can you say he failed?"

"No!!"

"He accomplished everything he wanted to do!!"

Liu Feng murmured with a smile.

Whitebeard stood silently, processing Liu Feng's words. The wind tugged at his coat, but the weight of the conversation kept him rooted in place.

Liu Feng's admiration for Zephyr was unmistakable, and it struck Whitebeard that perhaps he had misjudged the man.

He had known Liu Feng to be sharp and perceptive, but hearing him speak of Zephyr with such respect, despite their past, made Whitebeard pause.

There was no denying the influence Zephyr had on those around him—his dedication to his version of justice, his stubbornness, his leadership.

Whitebeard, however, had never been driven by the desire for success in the eyes of the world. Freedom, family, and a place for his crew were what mattered to him, not accolades or recognition.

Liu Feng's voice broke through his thoughts.

"For someone like Zephyr, I can only say he's lived a very successful life. So, Whitebeard, do you really need to ask if you've been successful?"

Whitebeard frowned slightly, his gaze sharpening.

Liu Feng was looking at him with the certainty of someone who had seen the world in its entirety, who understood what success meant in a way Whitebeard had never fully considered.

The question lingered in the air—had Whitebeard been successful? Was he truly the man he intended to be?

The silence between them stretched, but Whitebeard said nothing. Instead, he stood, letting Liu Feng's words settle in his mind, wondering if his own version of success had ever really mattered in the grand scheme of things.

Whitebeard was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said:

"I don't know either. I care nothing for wealth, power, or strength."

At this point, Liu Feng rolled his eyes.

Isn't this Mr. Ma's famous saying?

I have no interest in money.That's because you have money!!

Apologies for that! Here's the revised version with paragraph spacing:

Whitebeard didn't notice Liu Feng's subtle action. He simply smiled and said,

"All I ever wanted in life was the feeling of having a home."

"My family was my greatest wish."

"But..."

"I ultimately failed to protect them."

His voice grew increasingly somber, heavy with regret.

He remembered the Battle of Marineford that shocked the world and the lovely figures that died in front of him, and his eye sockets gradually turned red.

Liu Feng observed Whitebeard with a calm expression. Perhaps it was because he wasn't familiar with him that Whitebeard would ask such a question and show such vulnerability.

People, by nature, tend to reveal their most vulnerable selves in front of strangers. However, it is often those closest to them who witness their restraint, as they hold back their emotions, gritting their teeth in silence.

Breaking the stillness, Liu Feng suddenly asked,

"Whitebeard, if you were given another chance, would you protect them?"

At the sound of the question, Whitebeard's head jerked up, his entire body trembling.

Behind Liu Feng, a brilliant white light began to radiate.