This way, they gained a clearer understanding of the vast sea. Circumstances create heroes; to succeed, one must seize the tide, especially when one's strength is not yet enough.
"I don't have any immediate plans to leave the Whitebeard Pirates," Teach said frankly, his grin half-hidden in the firelight. "I need to keep sharpening my strength. When the time's right, I'll set sail, gather companions, and charge into the New World."
"Hah! Your strength needs work, that's for sure," Mostima laughed, shaking his head. "But you should see more of the world! The fastest way to grow stronger is through combat."
"What other ways are there?" Mostima pressed, his expression tight. "How do those monsters out there become so powerful?"
Teach's eyes gleamed. "Good question. If you want to rise faster, you need to know the paths of power."
He ticked them off one by one:
"Rokushiki. Haki. Swordsmanship. Devil Fruits."
"Rokushiki's the foundation. Even if it's not your main style, you need a body built like iron, strength, stamina, and durability. Without that, you'll never step into the monster's arena."
"Haki," Teach continued, his voice lowering, "is fundamental. Without it, you'll never be a true powerhouse. Armament Haki depends on your physique. Observation Haki needs talent, but when pushed far enough, it can glimpse the future. And as for Conqueror's Haki, well, you already know its weight."
He eyed Mostima's sword. "Swordsmanship is talent, but also obsession. Don't abandon it. Train Rokushiki on your own, harden your Armament, sharpen your Observation. Build your body to endure the storm. But..." He leaned forward, his grin widening. "If you want to leap ahead in a short time, that depends on Devil Fruits."
Mostima frowned. "Devil Fruits…" Of course he knew of them, those cursed treasures of the sea. He had considered it before, but as a swordsman…
"Zehahaha! You think it doesn't fit? Golden Lion Shiki is a top swordsman and a Devil Fruit user. He fused ability with blade to carve his own path. Sword and Fruit aren't enemies... only tools. If the ability suits you, it'll make you soar higher than your sword alone."
The words struck Mostima like sunlight breaking through clouds. His Rokushiki had limits but with a Devil Fruit, perhaps those limits could be shattered.
"But where would I even find one? And how do I know which one fits me?" he asked.
Teach chuckled, reaching into his thick coat. From the folds, he pulled out a silver-white fruit etched with strange swirls. He set it on the table. "The Feather-Feather Fruit. I think it suits you perfectly. Do you want it?"
Mostima froze. Even Hademan's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "A… a Devil Fruit!" he gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth after blurting it.
Teach simply smiled. He always kept his Devil Fruits close, sewn into a double-layered inner coat. It made him look a little plump but it kept his treasures safe.
Now, after giving away the Thorn-Thorn Fruit earlier, he had only three left; the Spring-Spring Fruit, already earmarked for someone; and two Zoan Fruits looted from a Marine warship.
Mostima stared at the Feather-Feather Fruit, his mind racing. Its name didn't sound overwhelmingly powerful but Teach's words echoed in his ears: sword and fruit together.
Slowly, his hand closed over the fruit.
One bite. His face twisted instantly from the infamous, indescribable taste. He gagged, but forced it down.
Teach sighed at the small bite taken. Mostima rolled his eyes, understanding perfectly well what he was thinking, then closed his eyes to feel the power stirring inside.
When he opened them again, there was light in them. "My body… it feels lighter."
"Zehaha, of course. The fruit changed your physique. You now carry the nature of feathers. Speed, mobility, freedom." Teach grinned. "But don't just think of flying. Grow feathers as hard as steel. Shape them into attacks, armor, weapons. Build new techniques. Fuse it with your sword. That's your path."
As if answering, white feathers burst from Mostima's shoulders, swirling around him. They gathered into massive wings that flapped once, lifting him from the ground.
"Boss! He's flying!" Hardman shouted, pointing like a child at the fair.
The flight lasted only seconds before the wings unraveled and Mostima crashed to the floor.
Teach laughed. "Abilities take time. Start small, master a single feather before you command a thousand. And Observation Haki expand its range if you want full control."
Mostima nodded firmly, then looked at him. "Teach. Before you go—fight me. Let my crew see for themselves why I chose to follow you."
Teach's grin widened. Then his eyes sharpened, and the ground shuddered beneath his feet. Cracks split the earth. Tables shattered. An invisible wave pressed down on Mostima's crew, forcing them to their knees.
"Conqueror's Haki!" Hademan gasped, trembling.
Mostima, straining against the weight, recognized it instantly. He had felt this power before, once, from afar. Now, up close, it was undeniable. "Teach… you—!"
"Zehahaha! Since you believe in me, I'll show you why," Teach roared, cutting off the pressure.
The duel began.
Mostima's speed was breathtaking, his Feather-Feather Fruit making his slashes whisper-quiet, cutting the air itself.
But Teach's Observation Haki read every movement. Lightning wrapped around Thunder Fang as he cut Mostima's wind-slashes cleanly in half.
The ground split, flames roared, lightning cracked, and still, Teach pressed forward.
The White Bird Pirates watched in awe. At first, it seemed close but as the minutes passed, their captain was forced on the defensive, panting and scorched, while Teach stood tall, grinning through the storm.
After ten minutes of relentless combat, Mostima collapsed to one knee, exhausted, his clothes torn and soaked with sweat. Teach sheathed his blades, the fight clearly decided.
"Train your Haki. Build your body. That fruit will take you far but only if you make it." Teach's words cut deeper than any blade.
For Mostima and his crew, the message was clear; this man was a monster and a leader worth following.
That night, Teach left quietly, loading food into a small boat and setting sail alone into the horizon.
From the shore, Mostima, Hademan, Hadena, Doyle, and little Loya watched him go.
"Not saying goodbye?" Doyle teased, ruffling Loya's hair.
"Hmph!" She slapped his hand away, cheeks puffed. "Next time he comes back, I'll give him a surprise. I'm not a child anymore." Her eyes, though, glimmered with determination as she watched the silhouette fade.
Mostima clenched his fist. "We all need to work harder. Next time, Teach won't be the same and neither should we."
Hademan laughed, clutching the 'Marine Six Powers' and 'Haki Explained' manuals Teach had left behind. "No way I'm showing up empty-handed next time. I'll surprise him for sure!"
Their laughter echoed on the shore.
Out at sea, Teach stood on his little boat, one boot on a barrel, his coat whipping in the wind. A grin spread across his face as the horizon called.
"Zehahahaha! The New World awaits!"