"How should we shout? Let's think."
"Captain, I've got it!" a pirate shouted excitedly, drawing every eye toward him.
"Go on," Teach said, swirling a bottle of fine liquor he had found on a Marine warship.
He hadn't used Future Sight to peek at the idea beforehand, spoilers ruined the fun.
"What if we all shout… 'For Justice!'"
"Pfft!" Teach choked mid-sip, spraying the wine in one explosive burst.
For a second, silence. Then laughter erupted like cannon fire.
"Hahahaha!" Baccarat doubled over, covering her mouth but unable to contain herself. Even Van Augur's arm trembled, his rifle shaking with suppressed laughter.
People elsewhere who overheard it couldn't help but laugh too.
"Who's that genius?"
"How did he even come up with that?"
"Tomorrow's headline's already written: 'When Pirates Fight for Justice, It's All Because of Him!'"
"Wearing Marine uniforms was already bad enough, but this? That's just suicidal."
"What's his name? I need to remember that face!"
The power of gossip was terrifying. Within minutes, information about the Nightfall Pirates' new "genius" spread across the sea.
His name: Jim Carrey, only eighteen years old, once a comedian before becoming a pirate.
After the laughter subsided, Teach grinned and raised his thumb. "Very good. Believe me, your bounty's going up at least ten million for that one sentence."
"Then let's get started," Kappa said, still amused.
"I'll count down from three. When I say one, we shout together and hold the pose."
It was the most extravagant photoshoot in pirate history, with the whole world watching and the most infuriating one for the Marines, who could do nothing but grind their teeth.
"Alright… three, two, one!"
"For Justice!"
The Nightfall Pirates roared in unison.
For a brief, surreal moment, the air itself seemed to shift. Their aur, —once infamous and dark, twisted into something absurdly righteous.
Suppressing laughter, they froze in place while Kappa's camera clicked rapidly.
Click, click, click.
Moments later, the shoot ended, and with it, the war.
Teach turned to the world, arms spread, palms open, smiling broadly.
"If you're interested in Marine warships, you can find me at Bar Harbor," he announced. "Don't worry about the Marines coming after you. Just erase the Marine insignia, repaint them, and blame everything on me. After all, the Nightfall Pirates already sank these ships."
He knew people were still live-streaming, every word going out across the seas.
He didn't need that many warships anyway, and this was a perfect way to turn them into gold. Each one was worth at least 300 million Berries, twenty ships made for six billion in total.
At once, countless eyes lit up.
Kings, nobles, merchants, pirates, and underworld brokers.. all of them felt their hearts race.
The Marines' dominance came from their warships, and they had just seen their power firsthand. Owning one meant unparalleled security—or unmatched destruction.
Teach's words spread like wildfire.
"I'll only be in Bar Harbor for three days," he said. "Three hundred million Berries per ship, first come, first served."
With that, Teach and his crew departed, assigning several men to sail the captured warships behind them.
Bar Harbor lay close to Soba Island. It was crawling with pirates, a perfect place to recruit new members and expand.
Teach already had a plan in mind.
Across the East Blue, chaos erupted.
"Quick! His Majesty must get a warship—no, at least one!" cried a frantic king.
"We'll buy three! With those, no pirate will dare threaten our trade routes!" shouted a wealthy merchant.
"The firepower's insane! Empty the treasure vaults, we're getting one and turning it into a pirate ship!" roared a captain.
No one had expected this twist: pirates openly selling Marine warships. The Marines must be vomiting blood by now.
At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong sat slumped in his chair, face dark.
His head throbbed. His heart ached. He wanted to vomit blood.
Twenty warships.
If they had been destroyed, he could've accepted it. But sold, by pirates, there was no recovering from that humiliation.
Teach had even declared publicly that he'd already sunk them. Even if it was an obvious lie, the Marines could only chase the Nightfall Pirates in frustration.
The Lucky Goddess sailed at the front, followed by twenty majestic warships, their silhouettes towering against the horizon.
The battle was over, but the ripples it left behind were immense.
Like other great clashes, the "Edd War" two years earlier between the Flying Pirates and the Roger Pirates, this too earned a name: The Battle of Soba Island.
The Marines had lost one-fifth of their East Blue strength in a single day.
Dozens of islands once under firm control would now descend into lawlessness. It would take months to restore even partial order.
For the moment, the East Blue would grow far more dangerous.
A few hours later, the Nightfall Pirates' fleet arrived at Bar Harbor.
Even with advance notice, the crowd gathered at the docks froze at the sight.
The cold gleam of steel cannons reflected in countless wide eyes.
They had seen the live broadcast, these warships could erase islands. Fear prickled at their hearts, though they knew the Nightfall Pirates weren't here to fire.
Bar Harbor was already overflowing with pirates, traders, and ambitious adventurers who had rushed over after the battle.
As the fleet approached, ships quickly pulled aside, clearing the central dock for the Night Pirates.
"Look! It's the Nightfall Pirates, they're coming down!"
No one mocked the trembling voice. Awe and fear were reasonable.
After all, these were the pirates who had humiliated the Marines on a global stage.
Once ashore, Teach turned to Wallace. "The recruitment's yours. Around four hundred people."
"So many? Our ship..."
Teach grinned knowingly. "The Lucky Goddess can't fit them all, I know. But we're not short on money anymore. Buy two more ships."
He chuckled. "We're not using Marine warships; those are too recognizable. The Marines would never let it go."
His tone hardened slightly. "I'm not afraid of Vice Admirals, or even Admirals, but facing one too early would cost us dearly. We're still in our growth phase."
He looked at his officers. "Our name is spreading fast. That's good, it'll attract ambitious and capable people. But until you've all grown stronger, avoid Vice Admirals where possible. We can't afford to draw an Admiral's attention yet."
"Understood," Wallace said, taking a dozen crewmen with him.
They carried a large sign reading "Nightfall Pirates Recruiting" and walked toward the open plaza.
Pirates around them immediately stirred, eyes brightening.
"Quick, move aside! I have to join the Nightfall Pirates!" shouted one man.
"Calm down! Everyone's here for the same thing," another laughed. "I heard their recruitment is strict. Not everyone makes it."
"The sign says they value strength," someone explained. "Aside from the Captain and officers, crew ranks are divided into three: Elite Crew, Regular Crew, and Apprentice Crew. Elites can become squad leaders later. Apprentices handle chores and training until they're strong enough."
"But only four hundred openings," another said grimly. "Even for apprentices, competition will be fierce."
It was true.
Pirates in the East Blue were generally weak. If Teach maintained his old recruitment standards, they wouldn't find many at all.
That was why the apprentice tier was introduced, to train raw talent. Strength could be forged. Potential could be developed.
Staying on the island for three days wasn't just for selling warships—it was also for recruitment.
Teach wasn't in a rush. The Marines were the ones on the clock.
Even if Vice Admiral Brom sailed day and night, it would take a week to reach them. Only one Marine could possibly arrive sooner: Borsalino of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
And even then, Teach wasn't worried.
Among the future Admirals, Borsalino's power was the most dangerous. The Glint-Glint Fruit was a top-tier Logia, and Teach suspected the man hid his full strength behind that lazy act.
After all, the saying "Salary in place, Four Emperors laid to waste" didn't come from nowhere.
Still, the Marines couldn't spare him now. The New World was burning, branch after branch annihilated in the ongoing war against the pirates.
Teach remained at the harbor, guarding the warships.
Nelson and Pito lurked in the shadows, ready to kill anyone foolish enough to test their luck.
Before long, the first buyer arrived.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Teach," the man said nervously. "I'm here to discuss the warships."
He forced a smile, trying to mask the fear that rose from facing the infamous pirate whose deeds had shaken the world just hours ago.
Teach wasn't interested in pleasantries. "Is the money ready?"
The man swallowed hard. "Due to time constraints, we couldn't gather the full amount immediately. We'll send one and a half billion Berries within three days to reserve seven ships. The remaining six hundred million will be paid with three Devil Fruits."