The negotiation with Otto went more smoothly than expected. After settling the details, Teach helped him organize his belongings, called for Nelson, and began transferring Otto's materials, experimental gear, and research results into the spatial inventory.
"This is troublesome, Captain. You're treating me like a laborer," Nelson complained half-heartedly.
Despite his words, his hands moved tirelessly, stowing box after box into the shimmering space. Otto watched with wide eyes.
"A spatial ability user?" he muttered, stunned. "Just how many surprises does this crew have…?"
Joining the Nightfall Pirates had given him security, but also pressure. With proper backing at last, his ambitions surged. Upgrading his mechanical hand had always been limited by the lack of rare components.
Now thanks to Teach those limitations were gone. If his current model could exert half a ton of grip strength, then with new materials he estimated he could raise that to at least five tons.
But a full mechanical arm was far more complex. Achieving free, seamless movement would take time. Some necessary components could be fabricated, but most of what he wanted wouldn't be found on Viper Island. Progress would be incremental… for now.
Far away, in a dimly lit room drenched in shadow, a woman lounged with her legs crossed, the light from the window tracing the pale curves of her long, elegant legs. Silver heels tapped lightly, echoing a crisp staccato note.
She swirled a glass of red wine, lifted it to her lips, and took a delicate sip.
"Hehe…" Her laugh chimed like a silver bell.
"Well? Something important must have happened for you to contact me directly." She set the wine down, amused.
"Stephanie, two intelligence officers were found dead on Scorpion Island. If possible, investigate." The voice over the Den Den Mushi was cool and sharp.
"Oh, come on. You wouldn't call me over two dead agents," Stephanie said lightly. "What's the real issue?"
"Hmph. The Navy's lacking manpower again, and they want CP to fill in." Arrogance crept into the man's tone.
Although the Navy and Cipher Pol were both pillars of the World Government, rivalry had always simmered between them. The Navy, public, glorified, revered, was the government's blunt weapon. Cipher Pol, hidden beneath layers of shadows and orders, occupied a similar rank on paper… but everyone knew the Navy held more prestige.
CP0, however, was different. The elite among elites, tasked with guarding the Celestial Dragons and carrying out secret missions the world would never hear about. Their members' identities were buried beneath layers of secrecy, and their strength often rivaled the Navy's highest forces.
"What is it?" Stephanie asked, though not surprised by the woman's proud tone. Most within CP0 carried that same subtle air, an echo of their proximity to the Celestial Dragons.
"Intelligence on the Nightfall Pirates. The Navy's becoming pathetic. They can't handle a newly risen crew. Yes, their captain was with Whitebeard, but he was just a small fry." Contempt dripped from his words.
"They've humiliated the Navy multiple times now. The Nightfall Pirates are on Scorpion Island. Make contact. Observe them. If they're strong enough, they'll be placed on the list as potential candidates."
"A list?" Stephanie lifted an eyebrow.
"A new system is being drafted: the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Not finalized, but the plan exists. The Navy's stretched thin, even with the upcoming World Conscription, the pressure won't ease enough."
He continued coldly. "This era is too chaotic for the Navy alone to suppress. The higher-ups intend to use pirates. Recruit seven powerful and famous crews, grant them particular privileges, and use pirates… to hunt pirates."
"And the Nightfall Pirates are potential candidates," Stephanie murmured.
"If they qualify, they'll be documented. Frankly, I hope they keep embarrassing the Navy."
"Hehe… interesting." Stephanie's smile deepened.
She already knew of the Nightfall Pirates, their victories in the East Blue, and their escape from two Vice Admirals in the West Blue, one of which was Vice Admiral Tsuru herself. CP intelligence had compiled a profile: unknown total strength, mastery of Rokushiki, top-tier Observation Haki, uncertain Armament Haki, remarkable potential.
It wasn't a mission she would refuse. In fact, she welcomed the challenge. It had been some time since she'd handled a job like this. Her very identity was a mission in itself, but a new assignment added spark to her routine.
And in a corner of her mind, she was curious about Teach.
"Hehe… this will be fun."
The lively noise of Phantom Street, the men's paradise of the West Blue, rose faintly through the window. Bright lights, decadent color, and lingering moans drifted through the night. Stephanie smiled softly.
The Queen of Phantom Street had work to do.
On Scorpion Island, the influx of powerful underworld figures over the past few days was impossible to ignore. Some arrived in person, others sent their most trusted subordinates. Under the guise of business, alliances, or opportunity, they all came.
Stephanie disembarked gracefully from her ship, silver heels clicking against stone. She wore a yellow-violet dress, a black jacket draped loosely over her shoulders, and a white sunhat shading her blue, wavy hair that fell to her shoulders.
A small escort greeted her on the streets. In the shadows, countless eyes followed her steps—admiring, fearful, and awestruck. Everyone knew better than to touch the Queen of Phantom Street. Too many had paid dearly for trying.
Her eyes scanned both sides of the bustling underground marketplace until she spotted a cluster of figures whose presence swallowed the very street.
The Nightfall Pirates.
Their mere walk down the main road cleared space; no crew dared approach. Their combined aura was unmistakable. Most of these elites could start powerful crews of their own. Their captain, Teach, rarely revealed his strength, but that only made him more terrifying.
"Captain, look. A woman's coming toward us," Baccarat murmured beside him, her tone teasing. "Maybe she's into you."
Her gaze stayed fixed on Stephanie, intrigued. Beauty and danger radiated from the woman in equal measure.
Nelson snickered. "That's the Queen of Phantom Street, Captain. Looks like she's interested!"
"Don't be fooled," Wallace warned quietly. "Anyone who becomes royalty in the West Blue underworld isn't simple."
"I know her story," Pouf said nervously. "A few years ago, she wasn't the queen. The original vanished without a sound, and suddenly she was in charge. No one ever saw the transition."
Teach had already sensed her approach and turned with a mild smile. He had heard of Stephanie, but more importantly, her resemblance to Stussy set off alarms in his mind. Aside from color and style, the likeness was uncanny. Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District in the New World, was secretly CP0.
There had to be a connection.
But Teach's face remained unreadable.
Stephanie's bright eyes studied him and sharpened. She could not sense his aura at all. It was too perfectly concealed. That alone marked him as dangerous.
The Nightfall Pirates stepped aside slightly as she approached, knowing exactly who she was here for.
After a brief pause, Teach greeted her calmly.
"What brings the famous Queen of Phantom Street to me?"
Whether or not the World Government was paying attention to him, Teach accepted that reality easily.
"Hehe! I'm surprised myself," Stephanie replied. "A great pirate showing up in a place like this, why can't I come greet you? Maybe I'll need your help in the future. And if your crew ever visits Phantom Street, I'll give you a discount."
"Haha! Then walk with me." Teach grinned.
Two schemers began walking side by side, each hiding their true intentions behind flawless conversation.
The mention of discounts from the legendary pleasure district made several crew members behind them visibly excited. Rumors painted Phantom Street as a paradise where anything but truly anything could be found… at a price.
As they walked, Teach and Stephanie exchanged thoughts on the sea, the West Blue, the New World, and the Nightfall Pirates. The crew was surprised, it wasn't nearly as awkward as they had expected. Stephanie's arrival was unquestionably suspicious, but Teach handled every topic with expert distance. Whenever she approached anything sensitive, he shifted the subject effortlessly.
Stephanie was equally skilled in the art of conversation, and more than once, Teach picked up subtle attempts to steer the discussion toward the New World.
Eventually, they arrived at the grand auction house. Teach and Stephanie entered a private room, while the rest of the crew occupied another.
After settling in, Stephanie lounged on the sofa, chin resting on her hands, studying him.
"You used to be with the Whitebeard Pirates, didn't you? Why did you leave?" she asked.
Teach chuckled softly. "That's an interesting question. The Whitebeard Pirates are strong, no doubt. A massive family with incredible potential. The only crew comparable to them is the Flying Pirates."
"Then why leave? Isn't it good to be under Whitebeard?" she pressed, noticing the subtle criticism hidden beneath his praise.
"Whitebeard's power has flaws," Teach replied. "Side effects he once ignored. But age doesn't forgive. He won't withstand the recoil of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit much longer. In twenty years, he'll be crippled by illness, and when he falls, the Whitebeard Pirates will collapse first. Without a successor, their vast territory will be swallowed whole."
Teach leaned back, eyes cold.
"That is why I left."