The naval port of Marineford welcomed an unmarked ship today.

  Rob Lucci stood silently at the bow, dressed in a sharp bck suit, his expression cold and detached. After a while, Teach emerged from the cabin, dragging a disoriented figure with him.

  Thatch had been lured by Teach with the promise of a treasure ship. They found a tavern, drank together, and discussed this supposed treasure. But after a few rounds, Thatch bcked out.

  When he woke up, he was bound hand and foot with Seastone shackles.

  Along the way, Thatch cursed Teach endlessly, but Teach couldn't be bothered to respond. He gave Thatch just enough food and water to stay alive, nothing more.

  After nearly a week of confinement, Thatch was finally seeing sunlight again. But what greeted his eyes wasn't salvation—it was the towering Marine Headquarters fortress and the bustling war preparations around it.

  For a moment, Thatch was dumbfounded. He'd figured Teach had betrayed the Whitebeard Pirates, but he'd assumed it was to join Kaido, Shanks, or some other pirate crew. He never imagined Teach would turn to the Marines.

  A pirate for decades, now standing in Marineford? What kind of twisted joke was this?

  Teach, noticing Thatch's shock, ughed heartily. "Ze hahahaha! Didn't see this coming, did you, Thatch? Turns out I've been with the Marines all along!"

  Teach was clearly joking, but Thatch took it seriously. His face twisted in anger as he roared, "Teach, Pops treated you like family! He made you a division commander! And this is how you repay him?!"

  "Spare me the moral talk," Teach sneered. "The old man's past his prime. It's only a matter of time before someone topples him. Better me than someone else."

  Teach ignored Thatch's continued curses and turned his attention to the silent man beside him.

  Rob Lucci... The name was unfamiliar. Teach could sense the pressure radiating from him, a quiet, unyielding aura of strength. Masters recognized each other at a gnce, and Lucci was no ordinary bodyguard.

  "Marshall D. Teach?" Lucci asked coldly.

  "That's me," Teach responded with a grin. "And you are?"

  "Rob Lucci. Personal guard to His Highness. Come with me. His Highness is expecting you," Lucci said. His gaze flicked to Thatch. "Bring your 'prey' along."

  "Ze hahahaha! So you're with the prince? Then we'll be comrades from now on. I'll count on you, Brother Lucci!" Teach said jovially.

  Lucci didn't respond, turning on his heel and heading toward the fortress. Teach followed, dragging Thatch behind him.

  As they passed through Marineford, Teach observed the scale of the preparations, new fortifications, countless Marine elites moving with purpose. The Whitebeard Pirates were walking into a trap they didn't even know existed.

  Thatch, watching the same scene, felt dread settle in his gut. The Marines weren't just preparing for a skirmish. They were preparing for war. And from the looks of it, that war was aimed directly at Whitebeard.

  "Teach, you bastard! Kill me here if you have any dignity!" Thatch screamed.

  Teach didn't even gnce back. He was already imagining his future.

  After navigating the fortress's winding hallways, they entered a rge conference room. Cudius sat at the head of the table, a cigar between his fingers. Fleet Admiral Sengoku and other high-ranking officers sat nearby.

  Lucci silently took his pce behind Cudius like a shadow.

  Teach, recognizing the moment, dropped to his knees, dragged Thatch forward, and pressed his forehead to the floor.

  "Your Highness Cudius, Marshall D. Teach, at your service!" Teach decred. "As you commanded, I've captured the Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates—Thatch!"

  Thatch struggled to lift his head. His eyes widened when he saw Cudius. The name alone conjured images of fallen legends: Big Mom, Golden Lion, Redfield, Roger... and now, Whitebeard?

  Cudius took a slow drag on his cigar, eyeing Teach with satisfaction. He tapped the ash into the tray and said, "Good work. You didn't disappoint me, Teach."

  Teach kept his head down. "I'm honored to have fulfilled your command, Your Highness."

  Thatch snarled from the floor. "Teach, you sold out the old man for a damn fruit and a title?!"

  Cudius frowned slightly. "So noisy."

  In an instant, Lucci appeared beside Thatch, grabbed his head, and smmed it into the floor. Thatch fell unconscious in a pool of blood. Lucci returned to his spot without a word.

  Teach's heart skipped a beat. Fast... too fast.

  Cudius smiled again. "I'm a man of my word, Teach. You proved yourself by eliminating Moria and earning the Dark-Dark Fruit. Now you've brought me Thatch. As promised, I'll make you one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Satisfied?"

  Teach trembled with excitement. "Satisfied beyond words, Your Highness!"

  Cudius gestured toward Sengoku, who handed him a document. Without reading it, Cudius signed his name and tossed it to Teach.

  "Take a look," Cudius said.

  Teach's hands shook as he opened the document. There it was: official confirmation of his new title as a Warlord of the Sea.

  He dropped to his knees again, pressing his forehead to the ground. "Thank you for this honor, Your Highness! I'll serve you with everything I have!"

  Cudius chuckled softly. "For now, keep a low profile. We won't announce your position until the war is fully prepared. Until then, act as though nothing has changed."

  Teach hesitated. "Shall I remain in Marineford, Your Highness?"

  Cudius ughed aloud. "What, you think I don't trust you? You've proven yourself. Go wherever you want, just be here when the time comes."

  "Understood, Your Highness!" Teach said, suppressing the wild grin threatening to spread across his face.

  As he clutched the document, Teach cast a quick gnce at the officers around the table. Every one of them, from Sengoku to the admirals, deferred to Cudius without question. He's the true power here, Teach realized.

  And if Cudius was willing to elevate a pirate like him... what else did he have pnned?

  ***

  This book is completed so you can read all chapters on: patreon.com/Blownleaves.