"Pururu… Pururu…"
The insistent ringing echoed across the ravaged landscape of Banaro Island.
On the ground, amidst the splintered trees and shattered rock, a Den Den Mushi lay on its side, its call unanswered, a lonely, piercing shriek in the unsettling quiet that followed the battle.
"Zehahaha… hic!"
A broken, triumphant laugh ripped through the air.
Marshall D. Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was a mess.
He was propped up against a boulder, a crude tourniquet tied around the stump where his leg used to be.
Dark, shadowy mist swirled around him, clinging to his massive frame like something alive, a physical manifestation of the abyss itself.
At his feet, his crew, the Blackbeard Pirates, were scattered like broken toys, knocked out cold and utterly defeated.
Even in victory, the cost had been steep.
"Ace," Teach wheezed, his voice a gravelly mix of exhilaration and sheer relief.
He stared at the unmoving form of his former crewmate.
"I gotta hand it to you… I almost didn't win this one!"
He coughed, a glob of blood splattering on the ground beside him.
His tone shifted, turning cold and sharp, laced with a bitter sort of glee.
"But that's your problem, isn't it? You've always been too damn confident! Thinking you could come after me all by yourself… what a fool."
With a roar, Teach forced himself up, balancing precariously on his one good leg.
"Dark Vortex!"
He threw his arms wide, and the very air in front of him seemed to warp and collapse inward.
A swirling black hole of pure gravity materialized, sucking in debris, dirt, and light with an insatiable hunger.
Ace's Devil Fruit power flared instinctively, a final, desperate act of defiance.
"Flame Emperor!"
BOOM!
The colossal fireball, the sun-like magnum opus of the Flame-Flame Fruit, slammed head-on into the crushing darkness.
The resulting explosion wasn't just loud; it was a reality-shattering event.
The very foundations of Banaro Island groaned, cracked, and then gave way, crumbling into the sea as a mushroom cloud of fire and shadow ripped into the sky.
"Guh—!"
The shockwave sent Ace's already broken body flying like a discarded kite.
He tumbled through the air, spitting a mouthful of blood, before crashing hard against the unforgiving ground, finally succumbing to the blackness.
"Huff… huff…"
Teach gasped for air, his lungs burning. He glanced at his unconscious crew, a dark look clouding his eyes.
'Damn that Kuzan… If it weren't for that bastard and his ice, I wouldn't have lost a leg. I was this close to losing to Ace.'
But he hadn't.
Luckily, his crew had done their job, wearing Ace down just enough for him to land the final blow.
In the end, that's all that mattered.
Victory was his.
Now, he had the perfect bargaining chip.
He would hand Portgas D. Ace over to the World Government, and in return, he'd get the Warlord of the Sea position he'd been craving for so long.
And then… then his real plan could finally begin.
"Zehahaha! A man's dream… will never die!"
....
Meanwhile, halfway across the world, a completely different scene was unfolding.
The docks of Fish-Man Island were buzzing with an energy they hadn't seen in years.
The place was packed.
You had Ryugu Kingdom officials in their finest robes, soldiers standing at ramrod-straight attention, and even members of the royal family—figures who rarely made public appearances—all gathered together, waiting with an air of respectful anticipation.
Every eye kept darting towards the colossal submarine moored at the port—the Nautilus.
This beast of steel and engineering wasn't just a ship; it was a symbol.
It carried their hopes for a safer future and represented their alliance with a powerful, mysterious, and unbelievably effective new ally: Captain Mike.
The reason for all this fanfare? Well, while Mike was busy enjoying the… ahem… warm hospitality of some very charming mermaids, his second-in-command had been hard at work.
The perpetually bored-looking Enel had taken to his new role as guardian of Fish-Man Island with terrifying efficiency.
Just last night, a thick blanket of storm clouds had silently gathered over Fish-Man Street, the lawless, shadowed district of the island.
Then, without warning, the sky had erupted.
Dazzling, jagged bolts of lightning, like scythes wielded by a wrathful god, rained down from above.
The entire district was sealed off by grim-faced Ryugu soldiers.
No one got in, and no one got out.
Thanks to Enel's island-spanning Mantra, or Observation Haki, every dissident, every thug, every shadowy figure unhappy with the Ryugu Kingdom's rule was pinpointed and… purged.
It was a swift, brutal, and undeniably effective cleanup.
In one fell swoop, Mike had solved their two biggest problems.
The external threat of human slave traders was now nullified by his protection, and the internal rot—the New Fish-Man Pirates and all the other factions brewing rebellion—had been cauterized by Enel's lightning.
Watching the storm from their palace, King Neptune and Jinbei had been left speechless as a deep, profound sense of shock running through them.
They had once again been shown the sheer scale of Mike's power, making them more certain than ever that they had made the right choice.
"Is that… the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?" Neptune had whispered, his voice full of awe as he watched a single thunderbolt vaporize a whole gang of thugs that had been giving him headaches for years.
"A Logia-type Devil Fruit, paired with Observation Haki of that caliber," Jinbei had added, a rare note of relaxation in his deep voice.
"It seems Enel-san is exactly as advertised. The safety of our home is in good hands."
Neptune nodded, his heart finally feeling a sense of peace as the thunderclouds slowly dissipated.
And that brings us to today's grand farewell.
To show his immense gratitude, Neptune had ordered everyone of importance to be present to see off their new protector.
"Vroom—"
A low rumble emanated from the Nautilus, the sound of a sleeping giant stirring.
Steam hissed from its vents, blanketing the dock in a thick white mist.
The steel behemoth was preparing to return to Marine Headquarters.
The first replica wasn't finished yet, but once it was, Mike would have Kuzan arrange for it to be delivered to Fish-Man Island.
From then on, all future models would be under the command of the New Navy, but this original masterpiece would remain Mike's personal vessel.
"Alright, my little angels, I'm afraid it's time for me to go," Mike said, a charming smile on his face.
He was surrounded by a flock of beautiful mermaids, gently ruffling one's hair and playfully pinching another's cheek.
"I look forward to our next meeting, I promise~"
"Captain Mike, we wish you a safe journey!" Neptune called out from the edge of the dock, waving with a genuine, heartfelt smile.
"King Neptune, no need to be so formal!" Mike laughed back, a real warmth spreading through his chest as he looked at the adoring crowd.
He turned to Enel, who was standing beside the king, and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Enel. I'm leaving Fish-Man Island in your hands."
"Don't you worry," Enel mumbled around a mouthful of the island's finest apples, giving Mike a lazy, half-hearted salute.
"Leave it to me, Captain. I got this."
"You can rest assured," Jinbei added, stepping forward and giving Mike a deep, respectful bow.
"Captain Mike."
"Jinbei, we'll be seeing each other again soon," Mike said, his eyes holding a knowing look.
He knew that in the original timeline, Jinbei would soon be imprisoned in Impel Down over the Summit War.
But things were different now.
With Mike in the picture, he had a feeling Jinbei would know who to call when things got rough.
As for how the war itself would play out… well, he'd just have to see.
"Understood," Jinbei replied, assuming Mike just meant he'd visit again soon.
"Fish-Man Island will always welcome you!"
"CAPTAIN MIKE, GOODBYE!" the crowd of merfolk shouted in unison, their voices a powerful wave of warmth and gratitude that echoed across the water.
"Hahaha, I'm off!" Mike laughed, turning and boarding the Nautilus with a final wave.
The sun caught his tailored suit and the admiral-style cape on his back, making him shine like a figure from a legend.
"You damn show-off," Smoker grumbled from the sub's deck, watching the spectacle with a smirk.
"Everywhere you go, it's the same thing. People just love you. It's kinda sickening."
"Can't help it when you've got this much charisma," Mike shot back with a smug shrug.
"Let's get going. Time to head back to HQ. I wonder what kind of fancy gift old man Kizaru has cooked up for me."
"Captain, you can rest easy," a calm voice said from behind him.
Kuro stood there, adjusting his glasses as a sliver of light glinted off the lenses.
"Regarding any military assets… quantity will not be an issue. You simply need to provide your signature."
"Hahaha, Kuro, always reliable!" Mike clapped him on the shoulder, beaming.
Nearby, Kuzan let out a lazy chuckle.
"Arara, I can't wait to see Borsalino's face when you and him start haggling. It surely is a sight to behold." He grinned.
'Though, in the end, Borsalino is definitely going to lose this one. After all, those two chests full of Belly are a pretty convincing argument.'
"Hummmm—"
The Nautilus began to move.
A faint blue glow shimmered around its hull, and then, like a mirage, it started to blend in with the surrounding ocean.
The stealth system engaged, and the massive submarine vanished from sight and sound, slipping away from the docks in complete silence, a true leviathan of the deep.
Back on the pier, the merfolk and fish-men stayed for a long time, their eyes fixed on the spot where their savior had disappeared, their hearts full of hope.
Inside the submarine, Mike was sprawled comfortably on a plush sofa.
He had a cigar in one hand and a familiar yellow-covered comic book in the other, smoke curling lazily around his head. It was the picture of total relaxation.
"Brrring brrring… Brrring brrring…"
The sudden ringing of Kuzan's Den Den Mushi broke the peaceful silence.
The admiral lazily picked up the receiver, listened for a moment, and then turned his head towards Mike.
"Hey, kid. Got some news about those people you wanted me to keep an eye on."
Mike lowered his comic, raising an eyebrow in silent invitation.
"Looks like they went head-to-head with the Straw Hat Pirates," Kuzan said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"And they lost. Badly." He paused for effect. "And just like you called it, that moron Spandam, the head of CP9, has issued a full-scale arrest warrant for every single one of his former agents."
A slow, meaningful smile spread across Mike's lips.
"Good."
He took a final puff of his cigar, an excited glint in his eyes as he exhaled a perfect smoke ring.
Talk about a gift from the heavens.
Just when he was feeling short on skilled personnel, the entire Cipher Pol 9 unit falls right into his lap.
Every one of them was a master of the Six Powers, each with their own unique specialty.
They were meticulously trained by the World Government from childhood, only to be tossed aside like trash the moment they failed.
They were disillusioned, hunted, and perfect for recruitment.
He had been worried that Kizaru's influence alone might not be enough to sway them, but now, with Kuzan in his corner as well… An endorsement from two Marine Admirals?
Not even the World Government could ignore that kind of weight.
Mike stood up, his relaxed demeanor gone, replaced by sharp, decisive energy.
He crushed the cigar in an ashtray, his gaze locking onto the navigation map.
"Change of plans," he declared, his voice firm and resolute.
"Set a new course. Our first stop is… Enies Lobby!"
-----------------------------
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