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As Whitebeard continues to fight against the Marine forces that took his son, his Ace, from him, the famed pirate Captain hears a distinct voice in his head.
“Come on, Pops! It’s not over yet! You can do it,” the memory of a voice and coordinating facial expression playing in his mind so clearly that Whitebeard can almost reach out and touch it.
The words and voice are Ace’s from another time, from a happier time and circumstance.
Whitebeard begins to think of the memory as he almost mechanically uses the power of the Tremor Tremor Fruit to dispose of the attacking Marine forces.
Those words had been said by Ace when he and Whitebeard were playing Liar’s Dice one night when the young Second Division Commander could not sleep. Despite Whitebeard’s gift for strategy and his age coupled with experience, the Captain could never defeat Ace in Liar’s Dice. In fact, no one in the entire crew could defeat Fire Fist Ace in the game of chance and strategy. (He won plenty of money off his crewmates with this knowledge.) Although he always won Liar’s Dice, Ace was never boastful about it, at least not when playing against Pops.
With the encouragement from those words resounding in his head, Whitebeard summons all his strength, preparing to slaughter those responsible for killing his precious son.
His temperamental, determined, and steadfastly loyal Ace.....
Setting his sights on Admiral Akainu, Whitebeard feels the fury and wrath overtake him.
“For you, Ace, I’ll never give up,” Whitebeard silently vows, reminiscent of his words to Ace on that night.
On that night, they were simply playing a dice game as father and son.
On this day, however, they were a father and son fighting for their lives in a battle they were destined to never see the other side of.