After achieving the great goal of eliminating hunger, Setsuna's Conqueror's Haki had undergone a qualitative leap.
Even disregarding all other advancements, this transformation of Conqueror's Haki alone was enough for him to defeat monsters like Kaido.
At the port of Mock Town, the Straw Hat Pirates stood frozen like stone statues.
That powerful enemy who had easily crushed them, the terrifying opponent that required Ace and the other two to join forces to defeat, couldn't even ruffle the hem of the man's clothes with his full-power attacks.
"It's Setsuna-sama!" Nami shrieked excitedly. "The great man I told you about, the one who defeated Arlong three years ago! He's also the Captain of Luffy's brother!"
"J-just how strong is he?" Usopp's eyes were wide, filled with boundless envy.
Powerful, dashing, handsome… this man was practically his idealized self.
"Of course he's the world's strongest!" Sanji was also excited, seeing his idol. "Don't you remember the crazy newspaper reports recently? Setsuna-sama defeated Kaido! He's the undisputed world's strongest now!"
"He's the Captain Ace talked about? So strong! So strong!" Luffy gripped his straw hat. Although he'd seen Setsuna once three years ago, his memory had long since forgotten.
"Two minutes left," Setsuna slightly raised his eyes, offering a well-meaning reminder.
Teach's face turned ashen. Beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down his forehead.
He thought the gap between him and Setsuna was large, but he at least expected to pose some threat. He never imagined the gap was this vast.
Suddenly, he grinned savagely. "You said you can't move! But you didn't say I can't run!"
Before anyone could react, he leaped into the churning sea.
"Heh, clever," Setsuna smiled faintly, not breaking his promise.
Under the sea surface, Teach swam at high speed like a torpedo.
He clutched his chest. Three hearts beat at different rhythms.
One housed the Devil Fruit. The other two were normal human hearts. It was these other two hearts that allowed him to avoid the Devil Fruit's curse in the sea.
Setsuna looked at the ocean below, thoughtfully. 'An octopus has three hearts. Davy Jones is depicted with an octopus-like face in legend. Could the Rocks lineage actually be octopus people?'
"Time's up," Setsuna's voice was soft, yet it echoed over the sea area like a death knell.
Titan opened its maw, comparable to an abyss. The entire sea began to spin violently, forming a massive vortex several kilometers in diameter.
Docked ships, fish, Sea Kings, even underwater reefs were sucked into this terrifying devouring.
Teach paddled desperately, only to despair as he found himself constantly pulled backward.
He looked back. That abyssal maw drew closer and closer.
"No! It shouldn't be like this!" Teach roared in fury. In his final frenzy, he turned and threw a heavy punch infused with all his Haki—
Bang!
The sound of the fist striking the scales was like an ant trying to shake a tree. Titan didn't even feel the minuscule attack. Its tongue flicked out, dragging the betrayer into darkness.
After capturing Teach, Setsuna ignored Luffy and the others, having Titan turn and leave.
Only after the sky-blotting shadow completely vanished beyond the horizon did the pirates of Mock Town seem to awaken from a dream.
"Th-that monster is finally gone..."
"Too terrifying. I thought the entire town was going to be swallowed..."
Someone tremblingly pulled out a bottle of liquor, guzzling it, only to find their hand shaking too much to hold it steady.
"So strong. Is this the world's strongest?" Zoro's heart surged. He had dueled Mihawk once.
Although his strength was far from seeing Mihawk's upper limit, he still felt the world's strongest fighter was far beyond the world's greatest swordsman.
Luffy clenched his fists tightly. "I'm going to get this strong too!"
...
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
A Den Den Mushi suddenly rang. Sengoku's expression turned serious. He knew this number all too well.
After answering, Setsuna's voice came through. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I've captured a major pirate. I plan to give him to you."
Sengoku's serious expression relaxed slightly. "Mmm. I've already received word. I heard you captured Kaido? It's gratifying that you're willing to hand Kaido over to the Marines for disposal..."
"Not Kaido," Setsuna cut in bluntly.
Sengoku paused. "Hmm?"
"Kaido escaped you seven times. It's proven you can't hold him," Setsuna's voice carried unconcealed disdain. "It's safer if I keep him locked up."
Sengoku: "..."
Sengoku's hand holding the receiver trembled slightly. Though furious, he truly couldn't refute.
They couldn't exactly assign an Admiral to watch Kaido 24/7.
After a few seconds of silence, Sengoku sighed. "Then who did you capture?"
"Marshall D. Teach," Setsuna said calmly.
Sengoku blinked, somewhat perplexed. "Teach? The one the rumors say betrayed you and Whitebeard? He has some strength, but he hasn't done any notable evil. His name isn't on any wanted poster. He's a nobody. Can't you handle him yourself?"
"What if I said... he's Rocks's descendant?"
Thump!
Sengoku shot up from his chair, the desk shifting several inches. "What?! Rocks' descendant?! What evidence do you have?"
Setsuna scoffed. "For you Marines, what evidence is needed for such things? Weren't you willing to kill rather than let escape when hunting Roger's descendants?"
Sengoku fell into a prolonged silence. After a long while, he spoke. "What do you intend to do?"
Setsuna said gravely. "I suggest a public execution."
"Public execution?" Sengoku frowned slightly. "Rocks's era ended too long ago. Thirty-six years... few on the seas even remember him now. The significance of a public execution seems limited."
Setsuna smiled slightly. "Rocks once dominated the seas. Surely he has some die-hard loyalists? Spreading news of a public execution might lure out Rocks' remnants to rescue him."
Seeing Sengoku still hesitant, Setsuna added. "Even if no one appears in the end, you can still claim it as a Marine victory."
Sengoku pondered briefly, then nodded slowly. "Fine. Consider it a display of Marine might to the world."
Simultaneously, Teach, lying prone at Setsuna's feet, widened his eyes, sweat soaking his back.
'Wait... isn't this my plan?' Teach looked utterly bewildered. He had planned to capture Luffy, offer him to the Marines, force Ace to come rescue... but now—
He was the one captured!
He was the one to be executed!
He was the one waiting to be rescued!
Teach's inner self roared insanely. 'This script is wrong!'