"In little old Alabasta, three Logia users have gathered. A full house of Devil Fruit freaks. Now this is lively."
"Don't you think so, Seagull King?"
"Gah." (Everything is so weak.)
Hearing the Seagull King's "commentary," Ozz paused, then burst out laughing.
"You're right. Smoke, flame, even a sandstorm… all of them get leashed by a true tempest."
He watched those guys fool around and sprint off into the distance. Ozz couldn't even be bothered to chase. He just propped his head on one hand and sat there in a daze.
Kids fighting was the most boring thing in the world.
Luffy was moving too slowly. At this pace, it would take at least a week or two before he beat Crocodile.
So boring…
Ozz's mood started to sour, and even the Seagull King's feathers bristled from head to tail.
Too scary.
Something worse than war had appeared.
Master Ozz's mood was dropping.
The Seagull King perched on Ozz's shoulder, not daring to twitch. Luckily, after thinking for a while, Ozz came up with a solution.
Speed up the lesson plan a little.
"Seagull King, fly up high. Follow them from far away. I'm going to take a nap."
"Caw."
…
On another nameless island that looked like paradise.
The tavern was roaring, filled with the sounds of meat being torn apart and beer being slammed down.
A handful of weird-looking men of all shapes sat in the middle, eating and drinking like they owned the place.
At the center sat a fat, curly-haired Blackbeard.
"Zehahahaha…"
"Looks like we have to move fast!!!"
He leaned back in his chair, stuffing a chunk of cherry pie into his mouth while reading the newest newspapers and intelligence reports.
"The Underworld's been whispering… that man is back!!!"
A rare seriousness flashed through his tiny eyes, hard and sharp, yet he still laughed.
"If that man is really on this sea again, then achieving my goal later will become a thousand times harder. That monster…"
"That monster?"
Hades asked, sounding faintly puzzled.
"The Black Spear. They say the legend's returned to the sea…"
Teach hesitated for a beat, then quickly shifted gears.
Maybe to soothe Hades, maybe to show off and pump up morale, he continued with swagger.
"But that guy belongs to the past. There's nothing to fear."
"The future belongs to the Blackbeard Pirates. Zehahahaha!!!"
Across the table, a thick-necked brute who looked like he thought with his muscles flexed his biceps and roared along.
"Hahahaha!!! Of course! Our captain has an amazing Devil Fruit that can steal other Devil Fruit powers!!!"
Jesus Burgess, the "champion" boxer, loud, hot-tempered, and famous for never winning a match.
By now, the Blackbeard Pirates could be considered properly established.
A captain.
A teacher.
A first mate, Hades.
And a few crewmates.
In Teach's eyes, the rest were disposable.
The only one with the talent to become a true top-tier monster of the sea was his subordinate, Hades.
And he, with his power and charisma, had already conquered him, a man who only served the World King.
As for the others, after witnessing Hades' strange abilities and terrifying combat strength, they all placed their faith in this often-distracted yet steady first mate.
"Now then, the first step to conquering this world is hunting powerful Devil Fruits!!!"
Teach spread his arms, confidence overflowing. His crew got swept up by his words, eyes burning.
"Captain, which Devil Fruit are we hunting first?"
"Zehahahaha… of course it's the Gura Gura no Mi!"
"It's famous for the strongest destructive force. The power to destroy the world!!!"
"Whitebeard?!"
Lafitte blinked, genuinely stunned.
He did not expect Blackbeard, that "filial son," to betray Whitebeard's crew and immediately set his sights on betraying Whitebeard himself.
Still, it was only temporary shock. In this crew, there were hardly any good men.
Their first reaction wasn't moral outrage.
It was excitement.
Because the dream their "teacher" painted was simply too grand.
Four Emperors?
In a few years, they might become one.
"And you?"
"Any abilities you want?"
After declaring his ambition, Teach did not forget the men who had gathered around him for profit.
He had to become the first in history to hold two Devil Fruits to cement his authority.
But after that, he still needed to consider his subordinates' interests.
Teach never hesitated to strengthen his crew. Their power was the foundation of his conquest.
"I've already eaten a Devil Fruit, so I'm not in a rush, Captain."
Lafitte spoke first, laying out his stance. The taste had been a bit bland, but it was acceptable, and it suited a navigator well enough.
"I… preferably something related to medicine…"
Doc Q said weakly. As an elite ship's doctor, what he wanted most was obviously the Ope Ope no Mi, but anything would do.
"Zehahahaha… I don't care! As long as it's strong!!!"
Burgess continued to speak with his muscles instead of his brain.
Everyone had voiced their thoughts.
Only Van Augur and Hades remained silent.
Then, as if waking from a trance, Hades suddenly lifted his head. His gaze cleared, instantly understanding what had just been discussed.
The others were not surprised. This happened all the time.
Their eyes turned toward Van Augur, who looked like he was about to speak.
But Hades spoke first.
A smile spread across his face.
"Let me cut in."
"The best fruit for a sniper… isn't it obviously this one?!"
Faces lit up.
Could it be?
Even Van Augur's eyes brightened, a hungry smile tugging at his lips.
Hades spoke with complete confidence.
"Didn't you just say it yourself, Captain?"
"That guy is leftover trash from the old era. He can't stop you from becoming the World King!!!"
"If we're stealing, then we steal the best."
"After you succeed, we go and take Ozz's Warp-Warp Fruit. How about it?!"
"After all, Captain will become the first man in history with two Devil Fruits!!!"
Hades' logic sounded flawless.
They had never seen the legendary Black Spear.
They did not know how strong he really was.
But no matter how strong he was, he couldn't possibly beat their captain.
Their captain would possess the most sinister Yami Yami no Mi and the ultimate destructive power of the Gura Gura no Mi!!!
Everyone got fired up.
Only Teach broke into cold sweat.
Hades had just hoisted him onto a pedestal so high it made his spine ache.
Yet Teach still had to keep smiling.
But no matter how he tried, the grin looked painfully forced.
"Zehahahaha… Hades…"
"It's still too early to fight the Black Spear. Zehahahaha…"
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