Laffitte's dossier ended with one clear conclusion: he possessed severe violent tendencies. A man driven by cruelty, fascinated by torture, and deeply warped at the core.
Teach barely reacted. The seas were full of madmen. What mattered was not Laffitte's eccentricities but his potential.
He closed the last page. Just as he did, he paused, his expression sharp. Something on the far side of the port had changed.
"Get ready. The Marines have arrived, eighteen warships in total."
The intelligence officer froze. Before he could even respond, Teach had vanished.
The words finally sank in, and he scrambled to pull out his Den Den Mushi to call his superior.
At the port, Wallace was watching Gar butcher his way through a cluster of pirates and bounty hunters when his Den Den Mushi rang.
"What is it, Captain?"
"The Marines have surrounded the island. Two Marine Vice Admirals are sailing toward the port. Move the ships to the back of Modern Island and alert the others."
Wallace sighed. "Marines again? Tell me it's not Vice Admiral Brom."
Vice Admiral Brom was one of the few Marine officers every member of the Nightfall Pirates recognized instantly. He appeared so often that at first it was amusing. Then it simply became irritating.
"Yes, it's him. But the other Vice Admiral is stronger. Not sure who. Be careful."
"Understood." Wallace hung up.
All three pirate ships immediately lifted anchor under his orders. They departed the port and circled toward the back of the island. Wallace also began calling their scattered crew.
Inside the casino, a crowd had gathered around a gambling table.
"How did she win again?"
"Is she really blessed by luck?"
Baccarat's chip pile had grown into a glittering mountain. Ever since she stepped inside the casino, she had not lost a single game. Members of the Nightfall Pirates cheered around her, happily riding her hot streak to easy profit.
And no one dared to aim malice her way. Robbing someone under Teach's flag was suicide.
In a dim corner, Nelson leaned back with a lazy smile, fingers subtly dancing. A few gamblers had already lost their purses without realizing it. The money was trivial, but the thrill was addictive.
Then his Den Den Mushi vibrated.
Several heads turned as he answered.
"What's up, Wallace?"
"Who's with you?"
"Baccarat and a few others. We're in the casino," Nelson replied. "Something happen?"
"The Marines have come. Eighteen warships, two Vice Admirals. Captain wants everyone at the back of the island."
Nelson stood up, still smiling. "Understood. We're leaving now."
The entire casino overheard.
Nelson addressed the crew. "Let's move. These Marines can never let us relax. We gather first, then put them in their place."
"Teach them a lesson!"
"Today is my lucky day," Baccarat said, her voice soft and dangerous. She had already consumed enough luck to fill a vault.
The pirates streamed out of the casino, leaving stunned gamblers behind.
"Eighteen warships? Two Vice Admirals?"
"Notify the captain! The Marines must be targeting someone!"
On the shopping streets, the news spread like wildfire.
Prufrock hurriedly pointed at the rack. "Pack everything. No time for trying things on." He bought an entire wall of clothing at once.
Elsewhere, Clemons and Daz Bonez left a jewelry store wearing matching rosaries, Clemons's a deep red and Daz Bonez's jet black.
A different group of pirates erupted in fury. They had just taken off their pants when the warning came. Marines always had the worst timing.
Out at sea, three Marine warships raced toward Modern Island. Fifteen more ships formed a loose perimeter.
Tsuru stood at the bow, arms folded.
"Are you certain this will work?" she asked Brom. "Modern Island is too large. Eighteen warships aren't enough to maintain a proper encirclement. Too many gaps."
Brom straightened. He was the commander of this operation and had invited Vice Admiral Tsuru for support.
Over the past two and a half months, he had fought the Nightfall Pirates more than twenty times. His ship had been repaired eight times. The pirates always escaped, and every encounter ended with Brom losing men, artillery, or dignity.
Seeking Tsuru had become a necessity.
"It will work," Brom insisted. "Most of their ships are in the port. If they don't want them destroyed, they'll have to fight. This time, I'll round up every pirate on that island."
An officer rushed up. "Vice Admiral Brom! News from our intelligence team on Modern Island. Our arrival has been exposed. The whole island knows."
Brom stared at him in disbelief. "Impossible. No one knew except me and Vice Admiral Tsuru!"
"The leak came from the Nightfall Pirates. Their captain somehow detected our approach and warned his crew. Their three ships have already left the port."
Brom's fists trembled. "Damn it! Nightfall Pirates!"
Tsuru took a calm breath. "This makes sense."
"Makes sense? How?"
"Teach likely possesses Observation Haki on an extraordinary scale. It explains why he always detects your movements, why every ambush fails, and why they escape before contact."
Brom looked horrified. "How far would that range have to be?"
"There is no limit to what is possible on these seas," Tsuru said. "If Teach dared to leave the Whitebeard Pirates, he had the confidence to do so. His Observation Haki may already rank among the strongest in the world."
Her expression hardened. Teach's threat level had risen in her mind.
"Leave the Nightfall Pirates to me. We probably won't catch them this time, but I want to see for myself."
She glanced at Brom. "You handle the pirates on the island. Eighteen warships for one crew is excessive. But with the plan already compromised, you need results. If you delay, they will all scatter."
Brom had no choice but to obey. Humiliation stung, but failing to produce any results would be worse.
Most of the fifteen warships peeled away. Only three remained to shadow the Nightfall Pirates under Tsuru's direction.
Tsuru's own warship curved around the island's edge toward the back.
By now, the Nightfall Pirates had regrouped. Their ships sat aligned by the shore. Teach watched the Marine formation shift. They were focusing on the port but still kept three vessels headed toward him.
And the Vice Admiral accompanying them carried strength far beyond the average officer.
An Admiral candidate? Teach wondered. He remained relaxed.
Nelson, Gar, and Wallace boarded the three Marine ships with ease. Wallace soared through the air with Moonwalk. Gar bounded across the sea. Nelson blinked across distances, teleporting repeatedly until he reached the Marines first.
Within minutes, all three Marine ships were taken.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru! Three of our ships have already been boarded!" a frantic voice crackled through the Den Den Mushi.
Tsuru exhaled. "What an audacious brat." She could only acknowledge the reality. Three ships were never going to stop the Nightfall Pirates.
Ahead, the captured Marine warships were pulled into formation alongside the pirate ships, facing Tsuru head on.
"Vice Admiral, should we continue?"
"Of course," Tsuru replied with a small smile. "Let us go. I am prepared."
As Tsuru's warship approached, a pirate lifted a fuse. "Captain, should we open fire? They're in range."
Teach recognized the woman standing calmly at the bow.
Vice Admiral Tsuru.
He chuckled. He had not expected her to travel all the way to the West Blue.
"No. Let them come closer," Teach said, his voice steady. "But keep the cannons ready. Fire the moment I give the order."