"Lafitte, I'm leaving this to you," Teach said, glancing sideways at him.
"Consider it handled, Captain." Lafitte tipped his hat with one finger. The faint smile on his pale face made it impossible to tell whether he was pleased or simply amused.
He already knew his assignment. He would gather intelligence on the Kraken Kingdom from the Kingdom of Tirisfal and negotiate the terms of cooperation on Teach's behalf. Diplomacy was his craft, after all. He was the face of the Nightfall Pirates.
"Then go. Contact me if anything happens," Teach said.
Wings unfolded from Lafitte's back, wide and leathery, gleaming like polished crimson in the light. With a single gentle flap, his body vanished into the sky, leaving behind only a streak of red that shot toward Tirisfal.
Teach and Redyat had planned ahead. Someone in Tirisfal would receive Lafitte once he arrived.
The rest of the Nightfall Pirates were already aware that Teach intended to attack the Kraken Kingdom, one of the strongest nations in the West Blue. Not a single crew member objected. Teach gave the order. They obeyed. It was simple.
Besides, a royal treasury was waiting. The thought alone had already sparked hungry daydreams among the crew.
While Lafitte cut across the sky, Teach lifted a Den Den Mushi from his coat. It rang a moment later.
"Fufufufu. Teach, what's so important that you called me yourself?" Doflamingo lounged on a sofa with both feet thrown onto the table, wearing an expression that could be described as an aristocratic smirk mixed with chaos in human form.
Life had been kind to him lately. Vice Admiral Tsuru had been reassigned to the New World, which meant the one woman capable of choking his ambitions had finally moved far out of his way. With the funds Teach had poured into his hands, his power was expanding like wildfire. Several small factions had already fallen under his control, and his factories were assembling weapons at a breakneck pace.
"There are two matters," Teach said. "First, I want you to find Devil Fruits related to technology, weapons, or machinery. They're rare, but I trust your reach."
This was for Otto. His mechanical arm was impressive, but his actual body was a weakness. A fitting Devil Fruit would fix that. Teach knew what Otto could do with the right ability. His scientific mind could wring every drop of potential from a power like that.
If a suitable fruit couldn't be found, they could fall back on a Logia. Caesar was proof of how a Logia made survival trivial. And if Otto developed it correctly, he could turn one into something monstrous.
But Teach remained convinced that a technology-based fruit was the ideal match.
Doflamingo nodded slowly. "Understood." His eyes hardened with calculation. Teach had never asked for anything this specific before, which only made him more curious.
He was well aware of the rarity of such fruits, but none of them looked particularly valuable through his current lens. He simply didn't have the insight Teach did.
Their relationship was mutually beneficial. Teach wanted it. He would find it. After all, Teach was the reason his organization had grown so quickly.
"How long can you sustain expansion with the funds I gave you?" Teach asked.
Doflamingo looked over at Trebol.
Trebol pushed his glasses up his nose with one gooey finger. "More than two months, Young Master. Revenue is rising fast thanks to all the new territories."
Teach nodded. "Good. Then for the next two months, don't contact us. And don't come looking either. We're about to begin something important."
"I see. Then I wish you success," Doflamingo said without digging deeper.
The line clicked off.
"Doffy, what are the Nightfall Pirates up to?" Trebol leaned in so close his dripping snot practically cast a shadow.
Doflamingo recoiled. "Get back. And our intelligence can't track them right now, correct?"
"That's right. The Nightfall Pirates have vanished. Not a rumor, not a whisper."
"Then we leave it alone. Whatever they're doing will make the papers soon enough. Focus on the expansion." Doflamingo knew better than to meddle. Being nosy around Teach was a shortcut to an early grave.
A grin peeled across his face. "Fufufufu. I'm looking forward to their move."
Teach put the Den Den Mushi aside and opened another one.
"Little Teach, what brings you to me now?" Shakky said from Sabaody, exhaling a slow stream of smoke.
"Keep an eye on the Marine presence in the West Blue for the next two months," Teach said. He would not let any surprise forces disrupt the attack on the Kraken Kingdom.
"Understood. If any strong Marines approach the West Blue, you'll know immediately," Shakky replied. "The New World situation needs a few more months to settle anyway. You should be safe for now."
Teach already knew nothing was ever absolutely certain, but Shakky's information network was one of the few he trusted.
Then he activated the final Den Den Mushi. The other side clicked open inside a richly decorated room.
"Oh my, you finally called me on your own!" Stephanie said, sounding delighted. Since they had separated at Scorpion Island, she had always been the one calling him. She still held a grudge about the times he simply didn't answer.
Her cheerful expression froze when Teach spoke.
"Don't contact me for the next few days. I have something important to do."
"Can you tell me what it is?" she asked with a strained smile.
"I cannot. I'll contact you when it's done." Teach hung up.
Stephanie stared at the silent Den Den Mushi, her expression twitching. Her fingers tightened until the wine glass in her hand shattered.
"That bastard. How dare he hang up on me!"
Teach remained blissfully unaware of her suffering.
He was focused entirely on the plan.
Far above the clouds, a blood red silhouette carved across the sky. No one on the sea could see Lafitte flying thousands of meters up. At that speed, he would reach the Kingdom of Tirisfal soon enough.
The kingdom's territory was vast. His destination was the capital, the oldest and most prosperous city in the nation.
He slipped into the capital without anyone noticing, his wings already tucked away.
He tapped his cane rhythmically as he walked toward the palace. People passed him without a second glance, the subtle haze of hypnosis wrapped around their minds. Only children watched him curiously, unaffected by the technique.
At the western entrance of the royal palace, a court official waited. When he saw Lafitte, he bowed.
"You must be Mr. Lafitte. His Majesty awaits you in the Palace of Serenity."
Lafitte smiled, removed his hat for a moment, and returned the bow. He followed the official through the grounds with an unhurried grace.
Inside the Palace of Serenity, the Kateroj family, Redyat, and high ranking ministers filled the meeting hall. They had gathered as they had several days earlier, only now Redyat stood with them.
Upon reaching the steps, the official stopped. "This is as far as I can go, Mr. Lafitte. Please continue alone."
Lafitte nodded and ascended the ninety nine steps. Each one was broad, tall, and carved with the kingdom's ancient symbols. His cane tapped lightly with every step.
People inside the hall turned at the sound.
"Open the gates," King Wilhelm said.
Ten guards pushed the towering doors. They groaned open, flooding the hall with sunlight.
The first thing visible was the top of a black hat. Then the pale face beneath it, followed by Lafitte walking with a pleasant smile that somehow made everyone uneasy.
He stepped into the hall. The doors shut behind him.
"You are the brat the Nightfall Pirates sent? What is your name? And why did your captain not come himself?" one minister snapped. His voice echoed through the chamber, equal parts arrogance and irritation.
To him, a pirate seeking cooperation should have brought someone famous at minimum. Instead they had sent this unknown, unsettling figure.
Although the Nightfall Pirates were strong, he clearly still considered himself above them.
Lafitte continued forward with that same mild smile, completely unfazed.