The clash had ended at last. Redyat did not fall unconscious. He stood there, chest heaving, staring across the ruined island at Teach. The outcome was clear. He had lost.
He replayed that final exchange. Their punches had been evenly matched until Teach suddenly seized a hidden opening. Redyat had not expected Teach to conceal a technique that focused Conqueror's Haki into his eyes before releasing it.
Normally, such a burst would have no effect on him. He, too, possessed Conqueror's Haki. Yet Teach's version carried a sharp spiritual force that struck directly at the mind. It caused no physical wound, but the impact was enough.
Redyat had watched the entire sequence within Teach's mind. Teach had used an open strategy, a move too obvious to ignore. If Redyat tried to evade, he would lose the decisive exchange. That was the cruel truth. The moment he entertained the thought of retreat, his attack would weaken. If that happened, he would be overpowered without question.
So he gambled that Teach's Conqueror's Haki would not affect him.
And he lost the gamble.
Even someone like Stephanie, a Vice Admiral strengthened by rigorous CP training, could not withstand Teach's spiritual strike. Redyat's own resistance was far higher, and Teach's blow was weakened from exhaustion, yet Redyat's mind had been worn thin by the nearly four day battle. Fatigue met spiritual force, and the result was inevitable.
In that moment, Teach saw the future. Redyat saw it too. They both knew who the victor would be. Yet strangely, Redyat felt no disappointment. A faint smile formed on his lips.
He closed his eyes, breathing raggedly. His body finally gave way, sinking into the battered earth as his strength began to return in slow waves.
A shadow fell across him. He sensed the footsteps even before he heard them. Without needing to look, he knew who it was.
Redyat opened his eyes. Teach was approaching on unsteady legs, each step heavy with exhaustion. Even in this state, he wore a broad, satisfied grin.
"Haha, I won." Teach's voice carried a mixture of triumph and relief. Victory meant more than pride. It meant he had gained another powerful companion. He extended a hand.
Redyat laughed weakly. "You won." His body felt like it was splitting apart. During the fight he could ignore the strain, but now every muscle screamed. Three and a half days of nonstop combat had drained him to the core.
Even so, he reached out and placed his hand in Teach's. Teach gripped it firmly and pulled him up. With some effort, Redyat managed to stand again. Given enough time, his regenerative ability would handle the rest.
Later that night, beneath a sky scattered with stars, the shattered island echoed with laughter and firelight. The Nightfall Pirates had gathered in the largest open space available to hold a noisy, joyful banquet.
They celebrated the battle that had stretched nearly four days and shattered an entire island. They celebrated Teach's victory. And they celebrated something even greater: the arrival of a new monarch-level powerhouse, someone whose strength rivaled the legends.
Teach and Redyat sat together, both freshly bandaged. After a few plates of food, their bodies had already begun to recover with astonishing speed. Once their stamina returned, they would be almost fully healed.
Their fight had been evenly matched, not like Teach's battle with Bullet when many of his bones had shattered. This time the damage was severe but manageable.
Redyat glanced at Teach, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Now can you tell me who he is?"
Teach chuckled. "You should know his name. He is a legendary figure, quite famous."
The mention of that man made Teach's expression grow excited. Even now, the image of the man appeared in his mind with striking clarity.
Redyat resisted the urge to read Teach's thoughts. That would be rude. Teach was now a companion, possibly even his captain. Until the matter was settled formally, he would hold himself with respect.
Teach noticed Redyat's tense expectation. He reached into his coat and pulled out two objects: a wanted poster and a photograph. He set them on the ground before Redyat, one on each side.
"Patrick Redfield."
Redyat's pupils contracted. His gaze locked onto the photograph and the worn wanted poster. Disbelief flickered across his face.
The photograph was one of Teach's treasured keepsakes. A bar counter in a tavern. A figure dressed in striking colors.
Hair as red as blood.
Two white braids falling over the shoulders. A magenta shirt, blood-red trousers, black shoes with gold trim. A wide crimson cloak with a checkered lining. A blue rose pinned at the neck. A slim umbrella with a bat-shaped handle resting against the bar.
The man held a glass of crimson wine with elegant indifference. A gold chain hung from his mouth. His smirk carried a dangerous charm. His sideways gaze toward the entrance pierced like a blade.
The photographer had won a major competition with that single picture.
"This was taken right before he fought Marine Hero Garp," Teach explained with an amused tone. "The tavern had already been cleared out. You can tell he was surrounded."
The wanted poster displayed the same confidence and aristocratic menace. The bounty below his portrait remained astonishing.
Five billion.
Teach continued. "You know his name, but being from the West Blue, you probably never had much information. If the man you seek really is him, there would not be much reliable news for you to hear."
Teach had already reached his conclusion. Redyat resembled Redfield far too closely, and the clues were numerous. The rare mind-reading ability. The talents. The extraordinary potential. Had Teach's Armament Haki not been slightly stronger, Redyat might have defeated him by the second day.
Redyat felt the same. That photo stirred something deep within him. Familiarity. Blood calling to blood.
He studied the blue rose pinned to Redfield's chest. That flower was identical to his mother's favorite bloom, and a garden of them grew in the royal palace.
His gaze shifted to Redfield's blood-red hair. He touched his own long purple hair. His brother's hair was blue, matching their mother. His had always been different.
Blue and red. Purple.
Two bloodlines combining.
He wanted to confirm everything with his own ears. He finally knew the man's name. The rest he could discover easily.
His decision was immediate.
He would return to his kingdom.
Teach noticed the change in his expression. "Redyat, you are leaving?"
"Yes," Redyat replied. "It has been too long. They must be worried. And I need to ask them something important."
Teach nodded. "Then how should we exchange information about the Kraken Kingdom and the war?"
"Give me a Den Den Mushi. I will send news quickly once I return. Some details are too complex to explain over a call, so someone will need to come here to collect them."
"Then Lafitte can go. You know his abilities." Teach raised his cup with a grin. "Take five bottles of this tribute wine back to Tirisfal as my gift."
Redyat smiled and poured himself another glass. "Then I will not hold back. And when the time comes, I will treat you to our West Blue wine."
Their glasses touched with a soft chime.
The celebration continued long into the night.