Just as Monkey D. Luffy's crew was gearing up to make a grand move, sail for Alabasta, and send Crocodile flying…
And just as Crocodile was calmly waiting for Straw Hat Luffy to arrive, ready to wipe out Princess Vivi along with those brats who didn't know the sky from the sea…
The man caught between both sides, Ozz, was holding a newspaper and walking in the opposite direction.
On the front page was the latest discovery from the News Coo: Blackbeard Teach's whereabouts.
"So we agreed. When the time came, I'd hand you the Yami Yami no Mi. And yet you couldn't wait even that long?"
Staring at the black, fat man laughing arrogantly in the report, Ozz narrowed his eyes.
He already understood the situation.
It was simple.
He'd been away from the sea for too long, and he'd even handed the fruit to Jinbe to pass on to Ace. He wanted to see something.
Even though he'd promised Teach the Yami Yami no Mi, once the fruit drifted into the Whitebeard Pirates' hands, would Teach "hold it in" or crack?
At first, he could.
But Ozz never showed up.
And with the agreed time drawing closer and closer, Teach finally chose to take it himself.
Even if it meant stealing it in broad daylight, getting exposed, injuring someone in the Whitebeard Pirates, and paying the price.
"Well… I can't say I'm angry."
Ozz chuckled softly.
"But life's been boring lately. Going to play with Teach a little might be fun."
There really wasn't much he wanted to do right now.
Even if he followed the major "plot points" nonstop, it would still be dull. It was better to step out only at the right moments.
A final boss showing up too often would just wear away the mystique.
So then…
Make a smaller account?
Ozz rubbed his chin, thinking it through.
Of course, he didn't mean having a kid.
He meant something else.
Occasionally going out as a Supernova, just to mess around.
With his Life Return level control, changing his appearance was trivial.
And with his mastery of space and microscopic Observation Haki, his command over his body had reached perfection.
If he was going to swap identities, he couldn't use the old ones.
Black Spear, black blade, and all that.
His signature weapon and the famous blade Ace would be recognized immediately by anyone who'd seen enough of the sea.
He could always use his fists, but Ozz still felt it was better to carry a weapon.
After thinking it over, he finally decided what to use.
After all, his Observation had copied far too many strong fighters' techniques.
…
BIG NEWS!!!
Supernova Hades, Bounty: 400,000,000 Berries!!!
In this era, supernovas were popping up everywhere. Pirates and Marines weren't surprised by rookies anymore.
But Hades was different.
With two axes, terrifying strength, and a mysterious aura, he immediately drew attention.
He stood around two meters tall.
Long hair tied behind his head, spiked like a hedgehog.
Sunglasses covering his eyes.
Yes.
This look was Ozz shamelessly modeled after Scopper Gaban.
Because among the people he knew, the only handsome template with long black hair was Gaban.
Back on Roger's ship, Ozz and Uncle Gaban had always been in complete agreement.
Long hair was what made a man truly look sharp.
So Ozz used a rough version of Gaban's younger appearance, slapped on the name Hades, and went out to sea.
At Ozz's "suggestion," the World Economy News Paper had no choice but to give him headline space and promote the boss's disguise.
Basically, he bought the hottest trending topic on the sea.
According to rumors, the young man named Hades had clashed with several of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and still escaped every time.
Even stranger, the Warlords involved never publicly denied it.
That alone placed him in the top tier of strength in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.
After hearing the news, the Marines launched multiple pursuits with warships, but almost every attempt ended in humiliation.
Hades would wreak havoc and then slip away.
Sengoku was pushed to the limit.
He even dispatched Admiral Borsalino, the fastest and most mobile of the Admirals, to capture the criminal Hades.
And even then… it failed.
His bounty exploded straight to 400,000,000 Berries, a rise unheard of in Paradise.
Still, Hades's fame only went so far.
The Warlords' strength varied wildly. Escaping them proved you were strong, but not enough to make the true monsters pay attention.
The World Government's focus was on the New World.
That was where the Four Emperors stirred chaos, and where Ozz lurked as the ultimate threat, conducting secret research.
As for those pirates worth tens or hundreds of millions in Paradise, no one cared, except maybe the Marines.
…
Paradise.
Dera Island, a lawless place that wasn't famous, but was overflowing with every kind of scum.
It wasn't a World Government affiliated nation, so the people were fierce, and dangerous types gathered freely.
Even the Marines didn't want to wade into that mud.
Perfect for hiding.
A black, fat man missing teeth was staying here, laughing wildly as he drank.
His epithet was Blackbeard.
His real name was Marshall D. Teach.
Former Whitebeard Pirate.
Now a traitor who'd harmed his crewmates, stolen a Devil Fruit, and fled.
At his side sat two men, his newest foundation.
One looked like a gentleman, pale faced, wearing a top hat.
The other was tall and thin, a sniper rifle on his back.
They'd been hiding and moving carefully these days.
Not to the point they couldn't show their faces, but still extremely low key.
"Captain… if it's only the Whitebeard Pirates, as long as Whitebeard himself isn't coming, do we really need to be this cautious?"
Lafitte lifted his coffee, took a slow sip, graceful to the point you'd never guess he was a brutal monster.
He looked at his newly chosen captain with doubt.
One reason he'd joined was because Teach had shown him real power: a terrifying Devil Fruit and strong physical skill.
He was investing in Teach's dream.
But if Teach was going to be scared stiff by a mere second division commander like Ace…
Then Lafitte would have to reconsider.
Van Augur didn't speak.
He simply held his rifle in silence.
But the slight flicker in his eyes made it clear he was also waiting for Teach's answer.
Faced with the questions, or rather the subtle challenge, Teach stopped stuffing his face, swallowed, and then threw his head back in laughter.
"Zehahahaha… you two!"
"Don't tell me you really think…"
"That I'm being this careful because of Fire Fist Ace?!!"
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