Fromm Town lay along the coast of a kingdom in the West Blue.
Today, the Nightfall Pirates arrived.
Half a month had passed since they last stripped Devil Fruits from their captives. Van Augur had successfully obtained the Penetration Fruit, and his combat power had risen dramatically.
The Rage Fruit was given to Gar.
This Devil Fruit suited him perfectly. Gar's Moon Lion transformation required intense rage, especially without moonlight as a medium. Until now, his rage could only sustain the form for three minutes at most.
With the Rage Fruit, that limitation was pushed back.
The fruit itself was a straightforward power amplifier. It did not demand complex development, only the presence of rage, something Gar had never lacked. Through long-term Moon Lion training, he had already learned how to provoke that emotion at will.
The result was terrifying. The Rage Fruit enhanced his already monstrous physique and even allowed him to generate flames born from fury itself. In direct combat, the boost was no weaker than that of a powerful Zoan.
To safeguard these precious Devil Fruits, Teach had ordered special containers forged from ultra-dense materials. They were strong enough to withstand the crushing pressure inside his dark space. The boxes were sealed and hidden within that darkness, inaccessible to anyone but him.
At this point, concealment was unnecessary.
Five massive ships sailed openly toward the port, including two standard warships from the Kraken Kingdom. They were impossible to miss.
The moment the fleet appeared on the horizon, alarm spread through Fromm Town. Within minutes, the port authorities cleared a wide central berth, leaving it vacant for the Nightfall Pirates.
This had become routine.
Whenever the Nightfall Pirates docked at an inhabited island, the port was cleared in advance. As long as this was done, the pirates rarely caused trouble. Most of the time, they simply bought supplies, ate, and occasionally stayed overnight.
Feeding over a thousand people required enormous purchases. Ironically, their presence often stimulated local economies rather than destroying them.
As the crew dispersed to restock, Teach sat down with his cadres. Redyat took the seat beside him.
"How are things progressing?" Teach asked.
"Everything is complete," Redyat replied calmly. "All potential resistors have been eliminated."
The others understood the weight behind those words.
Even at sea, they had felt it. The West Blue was in unprecedented turmoil.
With Redyat and Laffitte acting together, their speed and infiltration capabilities were terrifying. Nearly thirty percent of the underground forces opposing them had been wiped out. These were not minor groups, and their collapse sent shockwaves through the entire region.
At the same time, it revealed just how deeply the West Blue's dark world influenced reality.
The five major mafias, the open overlords of the underground, remained untouched. They had grown cautious, and even gang conflicts had sharply declined.
"They weren't on Stephanie's list," Redyat continued. "Their influence is wide, but their strength is mediocre. They can be dealt with later."
He smiled faintly.
"The underground world here is sharper than expected. They traced our movements, but showed no hostility. Instead, they approached us about forming a council."
Teach raised an eyebrow.
"I had Laffitte deliver the general charter you drafted. The framework is already spreading. Official formation will wait until the appointed date, but the news is moving fast."
Redyat looked at Teach with clear admiration.
"I didn't expect you to design such a complete structure in one stroke."
Teach's Dark Council consisted of six core institutions: the Dark Council itself, the Dark Senate, the Dark Tribunal, the Dark Arbitration Court, the Dark Bank, and the Dark Audit Office.
The Dark Council was formed by the major magnates of the West Blue's underground world, along with ministers from affiliated departments. At its head stood the Speaker, elected for a two-year term with the option of re-election. If an underground king lost their power, they could be expelled outright.
This body served as the legislature, responsible for establishing the laws of the West Blue's dark world.
The Speaker led the council in name and direction.
Below it sat the Dark Senate. Laws proposed by the Dark Council were voted on here. Any proposal that secured over half the votes was enacted. Those that failed were discarded.
Underground forces were divided into tiers.
First-tier magnates held three senate seats each. Second-tier forces held two. Third-tier forces held one. Fourth-tier groups were excluded entirely, while fifth-tier forces were deemed insignificant.
The total number of senate seats was capped at one hundred and forty-four: eight for first-tier forces, twenty-four for second-tier forces, and seventy-two for third-tier forces.
Competition was built into the system.
The Dark Tribunal acted as the judicial arm, punishing internal and external actors who violated underground law or destabilized the region.
Internal conflict and mergers were not forbidden. Instead, the tier system encouraged ambition. Advancement meant privileges. Stagnation meant decline.
The Dark Arbitration Court served as the council's military force. It was staffed and trained by member organizations and led by one Chief Justice and eight Stewards. Its provisional strength stood at eight thousand members.
The Dark Bank functioned as the treasury. Members could deposit funds, take loans, invest, and purchase property under its protection. It was overseen by a Bank President and two deputies.
The Dark Audit Office reviewed finances and evaluated the rankings of internal forces.
Below these sat auctions, exchanges, and countless auxiliary systems.
"This is an alliance," Teach said lightly, "but not one you can simply walk away from. It binds interests together."
He smiled.
"At first, few will see its value. In a few years, when its power is clear, they'll be fighting to join."
Redyat nodded. "The Nightfall Pirates already have a seat."
"They know?" Teach asked.
"They suspect. That's enough. Exposure isn't a problem."
Teach laughed. "Then let it be known. Since I built it, our representative will be the first Speaker. Codename Hades."
He glanced at Laffitte .
"You'll take the position for now. If things get dangerous, Redyat will step in. Four years is enough to turn this council into a monster."
Redyat hesitated. "News is spreading that many underground forces are secretly backed by foreign powers. Could that cause trouble for us?"
Teach waved it off.
"They're in the West Blue. That's what matters. Identities are irrelevant."
"As long as we're alive, the Dark Council stays under our control."
"And the World Government?" Redyat asked.
"They'll interfere quietly. As long as they don't know it's us, CP0 won't act recklessly. If they try to suppress the underground directly, the West Blue will fall into chaos. That's a loss they won't accept."
"And even if they find out," Teach added, eyes sharp, "they'll only come for the Nightfall Pirates."
The surrounding cadres exchanged stunned looks.
Their captain had nearly taken control of the entire West Blue's underground world without them even realizing it.
Teach activated a Den Den Mushi.
"Speak," came Stephanie's voice.
"Are preparations complete?" Teach asked.
"Mostly," she replied. "The Dark Council is established. Headquarters construction has begun on Kagres Island, near the center of the West Blue. Invitations are out, but attendance will be low."
Teach laughed. "They'll regret that later."
He paused. "Which tier did you land in?"
"Barely first tier," Stephanie admitted. "I might drop later. Influence is one thing, strength is another."
"That's fine."
She hesitated, then added, "Vice Admiral Brom is looking for you."
Teach's smile widened. "Just him?"
"Five Rear Admirals, nine Commodores, and over five thousand elite Marines."
Teach blinked. "That's ambitious."
Stephanie continued, her tone sharpening. "He secretly consumed a Devil Fruit reserved by the World Government. A Paramecia. The Crush-Crush Fruit. It caused internal outrage."
Teach's eyes gleamed.
"A top-tier fruit," he murmured. "Wasted on an old man."
"Even so," Stephanie warned, "he's far stronger than before. Don't underestimate him."
Teach laughed loudly. "Worried about me?"
She chuckled. "Maybe."
"He violated orders to come after you," she added. "These Marines followed him willingly."
Teach stood, excitement rolling off him.
"Then let him sink with his ambition. We've been quiet too long."
He grinned, dark and eager.
"Send me his location. The sea shouldn't forget the name Nightfall Pirates."