The news of Orion leading the training ship into the New World and making a brief stop at Wertz Country quickly spread.
The pirates, who had already been forced to keep their heads down due to Admirals like Akainu and Aokiji being stationed in Wano and Whole Cake Island respectively, now became even more frightened.
"Mad Dog" Perkins, a pirate captain with a bounty of 230 million Berries known for his brutality and recklessness, kicked open his captain's cabin door the moment he received the news.
"Set sail! Full speed!!"
His eyes bloodshot, he screamed hysterically at his stunned crew.
"To Red Hair's territory! Now! Anyone who slows us down, I'll personally sink them to feed the fish!"
"Captain, suddenly heading to the Red Hair Pirates' territory at this time will definitely bring disaster upon us!"
"Better than crashing into Orion's training ship!" Perkins grabbed the crew member by the collar, spraying saliva as he shouted.
"Follow orders! That guy's a madman! He even dares to kill Celestial Dragons, do you think he'll spare us?!"
Immediately, the Mad Dog Pirates' flagship "Hell's Roar" carved a desperate arc across the sea, fleeing recklessly toward Red Hair Shanks' territory at any cost.
....
In another sea area, the atmosphere aboard the "Siren Sisters" pirate ship appeared much calmer.
The eldest sister, Rowling, was tapping her slender fingers on the map spread across the table, while her two younger sisters stood nearby with grave expressions.
"Has the information been confirmed?"
"Confirmed, sister. Orion's ship is currently at Wats Country, filled entirely with Marine cadets, along with former Warlord of the Sea, Boa Hancock."
Upon hearing this, a bitter smile tugged at the corner of Lorraine's lips.
"Cadets? What a grand gesture—using the entire New World's pirates as training partners for his students. Truly worthy of being the most insane fleet admiral in history."
"What should we do, sister?" the third sister asked anxiously. "Akainu and Aokiji have already blocked the two most important shipping routes, and now Orion has come personally. We're like birds trapped in a cage."
"Let's go to Red-Hair's territory." Lorraine's finger landed heavily on a point on the map. "Shanks values balance; he won't hand us over easily."
"Let's go. While the Marine's encirclement isn't yet complete, we still have a chance."
...
Meanwhile, another well-known pirate crew in the New World, the "Iron Jaw Pirates," made a different choice.
Captain "Iron Jaw" Gross, a burly man whose jaw had been reconstructed into a massive steel prosthetic, stood at the bow of his ship, gazing into the distance.
"Captain, are we really going to Whitebeard's territory?" the first mate asked worriedly. "I heard Whitebeard has been considering retirement. He even voluntarily returned jurisdiction over Fish-Man Island to the Marine. If we go now..."
"We have no choice now; we can only take our chances!" Gross's voice was muffled, like metal grinding against metal.
"The only one who can protect us now is the 'Strongest Man in the World'! If Whitebeard is willing to take us in, even Orion will have to think twice!"
Their ideals were grand, but reality dealt them a harsh slap in the face.
The moment the Iron Jaw Pirates' ship entered Whitebeard Pirates' territorial waters, they were surrounded by three patrol ships.
"Halt! State your name!"
Not daring to act arrogantly, Gross shouted.
"We are the Iron Jaw Pirates! We wish to see Whitebeard! We're willing to pledge allegiance to the Whitebeard Pirates for his protection!"
Before long, a figure flew up from the lead patrol ship, transforming into a phoenix wreathed in blue flames and landing steadily on Gross's bow.
The newcomer was none other than the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' First Division, "Phoenix" Marco.
With his signature pineapple-shaped hair and sleepy eyes, he looked Gross over and said flatly.
"Turn back. Pops isn't taking in any more sons."
Gross's expression changed, and he pleaded urgently, "Commander Marco! We truly have nowhere else to go! Orion has led a training ship into the New World—sooner or later, he'll come for us!"
"Nowhere else to go?" Marco raised an eyebrow. "Then turn yourselves in at the nearest Marine base. If you go now, you might still keep your lives."
Gross's iron jaw nearly shattered from gritting his teeth.
"If we turn ourselves in now, it's certain death!"
"Stay here, and you'll die all the same." Marco couldn't be bothered to waste more words. "Don't cause trouble for Pops."
With that, he transformed into a fiery bird and soared into the sky, heading back toward the Moby Dick without a backward glance, leaving Gross and his crew standing on the deck with ashen-faced.
Their last hope utterly shattered.
...
Moby Dick.
On the massive deck, Whitebeard Edward Newgate sat upon his exclusive throne, an IV drip hanging beside him.
Marco reported the recent events along with the news of Orion entering the New World.
Whitebeard showed no reaction, but the division commanders on the deck erupted into an uproar.
"An internship? Who's he trying to fool!" Vista stroked his thin mustache, his gaze sharp.
"I think he has ulterior motives. Under the guise of an internship, he's actually trying to scout the New World to wipe us out in one fell swoop!"
"I don't think so," Diamond Jozu retorted in his deep, rumbling voice. "The Marines are full of powerful fighters now. Orion alone is enough to give us a hard time. If he really wanted to attack, he could just lead the Admirals and their fleet directly. Why bother with such tricks? It's unnecessary."
"Maybe it's just a simple internship. Everyone, calm down."
The commanders argued back and forth, and the entire deck grew noisy.
Just then, a patrol ship charged toward the Moby Dick at near-collision speed, stopping only at the last possible moment.
A crew member scrambled onto the deck, his face as pale as paper, his lips trembling as he stammered.
"S-something terrible has happened! Commander Thatch... Commander Thatch... has been killed by Teach!!"
BOOM!
Those few words exploded in everyone's minds like ten thousand tons of dynamite.
The noisy deck fell deathly silent.
All eyes instantly locked onto the messenger.
"What did you say?"
Marco instantly appeared before the crew member, grabbing him by the collar.
Blue flames flickered in his eyes as he spoke in an icy tone, "This is no joking matter!"
"It's not a joke, Commander Marco!" The crew member trembled in fear, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"I saw it with my own eyes! Teach really killed Thatch!"
Gasping for breath, he haltingly recounted what had happened.
"I was on patrol with Commander Thatch and Teach when we found a floating box in the sea. Commander Thatch retrieved it, and inside was a Devil Fruit."
"The moment Teach saw the fruit, he went completely mad. He demanded that Commander Thatch hand it over. Commander Thatch said that according to the ship's rules, anything found must be given to Pops first."
"Then Teach suddenly tried to snatch it. When Commander Thatch tried to stop him, Teach went for the kill! I tried to intervene, but he punched me into the sea."
"When I surfaced again, Commander Thatch was floating in the water, no longer breathing, and Teach was gone!"
As the crew member spoke, several others carried a stretcher covered with a white cloth onto the deck with heavy steps.
The cloth was pulled back, revealing Thatch's face, which usually wore a gentle smile but was now lifeless, with a gruesome, gaping hole in his chest.
"THATCH!!!"
"That bastard Teach!!"
"I'll kill him!!"
The commanders' eyes turned bloodshot, their minds consumed by grief and rage.
Yet, Whitebeard showed no reaction.
He only stared fixedly at the figure on the stretcher, whom he regarded as his own son.
For the first time, his massive frame trembled visibly.
After a long while, he slowly withdrew his gaze.
His normally booming voice, which could shake the seas, now sounded as hoarse as a dying candle in the wind.
"All for a single fruit? Why would Teach do this?"
The reporting crew member trembled as he replied.
"Before I was knocked away, I heard Teach laughing maniacally. He said he'd been lurking on this ship for so many years just waiting for this fruit to appear."
"He also said now that he has the fruit, there's no need for him to remain as your son anymore!"
These words pierced Whitebeard's heart like the sharpest blade.
"Pops!"
Marco could bear it no longer.
He spun around abruptly to face Whitebeard and requested.
"Let me go and capture this traitor!"