"Pops!"
On the deck of the Moby Dick, fourteen division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates gathered, their faces filled with fury.
Indeed, the Whitebeard Pirates had sixteen divisions. The position of Second Division Commander had long remained vacant, and it was rare for all fifteen commanders to gather on the flagship unless for significant occasions.
The last time such a gathering occurred was to celebrate Whitebeard's recovery from his injuries—a joyful occasion worth grand celebration.
But now, only fourteen were present. Fourth Division Commander Thatch lay beneath a white sheet, never to wake again.
Marco's heart burned with rage. As the First Division Commander and de facto second-in-command of the Whitebeard Pirates, he shared a particularly close bond with Thatch, who was in charge of the crew's provisions.
The perpetrator of this tragedy was none other than Teach—Marshall D. Teach—someone who had always been close to Thatch.
It was unthinkable.
"We've searched every inch of the ship, even turned over every vessel in the fleet—but that bastard Teach is nowhere to be found!"
Whitebeard sat on his massive throne, his face grim. Though his body had regained its former strength, a tremendous pressure simmered beneath the surface, barely contained.
"Teach… why would you do this…?"
"Have you investigated everything?! I refuse to believe my family would kill one another without reason!"
"Pops…"
Marco clenched his fists tightly.
"According to the Fourth Division members, Thatch seized a Devil Fruit during the previous battle. The Second Division members who went to assist were aware of it—meaning Teach knew as well."
"By our rules, the one who claims a Devil Fruit has the first right to eat it. Thatch wasn't a Devil Fruit user, so it was only natural for him to claim the power."
"But now, Thatch's corpse has been found in his quarters, and the Devil Fruit is missing!"
"Thatch had planned to show the fruit to you today to confirm its identity before eating it… and to announce his newfound power to everyone."
The division commanders were livid. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration—welcoming another powerful Devil Fruit user into their ranks. Instead, they were gathered to mourn Thatch's death.
"It seems Thatch never got the chance to eat the fruit. His murder was most likely driven by the Devil Fruit!"
"Teach… that bastard has been on the ship for decades. He's seen Devil Fruits before but never showed any interest. He's even turned in Devil Fruits without a second thought…"
Whitebeard's gaze darkened at the mention of the name—Marshall D. Teach.
He couldn't forget Teach—no one could.
Despite his low profile and lack of a bounty, Teach fought bravely in battle. Everyone knew the man never slept, and his body was unlike any other.
And the most unsettling part—the "D" in his name.
Whitebeard had learned the truth about the "Will of D." from Roger himself.
"It seems… you're not the one, Teach… The one Roger was waiting for… is not you…"
Whitebeard's face grew even darker as he slammed Murakumogiri into the deck, his immense aura rising.
"Marshall D. Teach of the Second Division—guilty of murdering Fourth Division Commander Thatch—an unforgivable crime!"
"He committed the one act that no pirate crew can tolerate—killing a crewmate! He violated our code of brotherhood!"
"Marco! Go bring that bastard back to me!"
"I will teach him this lesson myself!"
"Yes, Pops!"
…
"Zehahaha…"
On a nameless island, Teach crawled onto the shore, his clothes soaked. Trembling, he pulled a Devil Fruit from his coat.
To escape Whitebeard's territory, Teach had killed Thatch in secret. But he didn't eat the fruit immediately. Instead, he fled with it, knowing the dangers of becoming a Devil Fruit user before securing his escape.
If he had eaten the Dark-Dark Fruit and been attacked, falling into the sea would have spelled death.
The Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit couldn't grant intangibility—an ironic weakness for the most fearsome power.
"I finally… finally have it…"
Teach bit into the fruit, forcing the vile-tasting flesh down his throat.
"Zehahaha…"
Dark smoke billowed from his hands as his face twisted into a grin.
"This power… it's finally mine!"
"For over twenty years, I endured—no bounty, no ambitions—waiting… waiting for this fruit!"
"Pops… I even considered spending my whole life as your loyal son if I never found the Dark-Dark Fruit."
"But I, Marshall D. Teach… am destined for greatness!"
"Zehahaha… Pops… no, Whitebeard… you won't forgive me, will you? But as long as I survive your hunt, the future will be mine!"
The man he admired most was Whitebeard—the strongest pirate of his era.
Now, Teach believed he possessed a power that surpassed even Whitebeard's might.
"Whitebeard… even with your health restored, age will catch up with you… and I will rise."
"From this day forward… I am Blackbeard!"
"Zehahaha!"
"But first… I need crewmates. The Blackbeard Pirates… such a fitting name… I like it!"
Teach touched the back of his neck, chuckling softly.
"Drum Island… I hear that fool Wapol vanished years ago… how lucky for him."
"The Munch-Munch Fruit… I wouldn't mind seeing that again… but it doesn't matter."
"Everything's going according to plan… the Dark-Dark Fruit proves it. This… is my destiny!"
"Zehaha… zehahaha!"
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