For four consecutive months, the Nightfall Pirates sailed without carrying out any major operations.
To outsiders, it appeared that the crew was simply enjoying themselves throughout the West Blue.
Aside from daily training, whenever the ship reached an island or kingdom, they would stay for a while, sometimes several days, to explore the area. Markets, taverns, streets, and local scenery were all taken in at a leisurely pace.
They rarely caused trouble.
And no one dared provoke them.
Over those four months, the Nightfall Pirates underwent a quiet but profound transformation. Their overall morale stabilized and then steadily rose. The crew grew more cohesive, more disciplined, and noticeably stronger. This extended period of consolidation benefited both ordinary members and officers alike.
Training under six times gravity was brutal. For many, simply completing the routine was already pushing their limits. Although the plan had originally been to advance to seven times gravity, six was the absolute ceiling for most of the crew. For the rest, it was more than sufficient to temper their bodies.
The officers had already moved a step further.
Teach, along with several others, had switched to training with Seastone handcuffs. Teach himself did not wear them. The moment Seastone restrained him, the gravity field he controlled would collapse entirely.
Because of that limitation, Teach adjusted his routine. During the day, he focused on foundational training and refining his Devil Fruit abilities. Even six times gravity still had some effect on him, but his true training only began at night.
It was precisely because of this intense pressure that Teach allowed the crew to relax whenever they reached a new place.
At one point, he even took the Nightfall Pirates to Phantom Street, run by Stephanie.
With an enormous sum of Beli, the Nightfall Pirates booked the entire street. For several days, those crew members who had been curious about Phantom Street finally indulged themselves.
Months of pent-up energy were released all at once.
After the Nightfall Pirates departed, Phantom Street closed for an entire week. The girls needed time to recover. Stephanie loudly complained that she had suffered an unbearable loss, even though she had been paid generously.
Regular patrons were furious, but the Nightfall Pirates did not care. The incident spread quickly and became casual gossip across the West Blue. Many were openly envious. Phantom Street was famous, and for quite a few Nightfall Pirates, it had been their first experience.
The women Stephanie arranged were of particularly high quality. Some were even virgins, previously sought after by countless men, only to be jokingly described later as "ruined" by the Nightfall Pirates.
It became yet another legend attached to the crew.
After months of sailing and wandering, the Nightfall Pirates finally arrived at their true destination.
The City of Music, Venus.
It was an island where music never ceased, a holy land devoted entirely to sound.
In the world of music, Venus held the same position that Water 7 did in shipbuilding. Even Marine warships were constructed in Water 7's shipyards. That alone spoke volumes about its importance.
Venus was no different.
At a glance, the city resembled a pure maiden. White dominated its architecture, but it was accented with countless other colors, like an elegant and vibrant dress. Music of every genre converged here, colliding and giving birth to new styles.
Countless legendary compositions were born in this city. Countless famous musicians rose from it.
This was Venus.
The arrival of the Nightfall Pirates attracted a fair amount of attention, but as long as they caused no trouble, most people merely glanced and looked away.
Still, fear lingered.
Even knowing that the Nightfall Pirates rarely caused incidents, the instinctive fear of pirates could not be erased so easily.
Some crew members disembarked, while others stayed on the ship. Everyone knew Teach's purpose for coming here. He was searching for a musician, and a city like this was not suitable for large groups of pirates wandering around freely.
A few people, however, showed clear interest.
Pouf. Baccarat. Redyat.
"Let's take a look around," Teach said. His gaze settled on Baccarat. "This part depends on you."
Venus was vast. Everywhere were people engaged in music. Composers, instrumentalists, singers, and performers filled the streets. Even ordinary residents were immersed in music from childhood.
Musicians from Venus were esteemed guests in royal palaces and noble estates across the West Blue, and even throughout the world.
Teach did not know where to begin. Observation Haki was not omnipotent.
"Captain, you need to give me something to work with," Baccarat said helplessly. "Otherwise, I don't know how to look."
Teach exchanged glances with Redyat and Pouf, then thought for a moment.
"Singing isn't important," he said. "They need to be top-tier in composition and performance. They should be able to play lively, grand music. If they're strong, that's a bonus."
"That's a high demand," Pouf said, frowning. Grand music was rare. Still, he understood Teach's thinking. For a pirate crew, a musician capable of stirring blood and igniting passion would naturally win everyone over.
After spending so long with the Nightfall Pirates, Pouf knew it well. Lively, rhythmic music worked. Softer pieces simply put half the crew to sleep.
"Music that makes people's blood boil," Teach added. "Like a battlefield."
"Strength is secondary," Redyat nodded. "The ship needs a top-tier musician. If they're willing to become a pirate, playing such music is one thing. But composing it… that requirement is extremely high."
Teach laughed and pulled out several sheets of yellowed paper from his clothes.
"I already prepared something. It's rough, but it needs a real musician to finish it."
All three understood music to varying degrees. Redyat was an amateur. Baccarat, after long study, was barely professional. Pouf had grown up surrounded by music.
At the top of the manuscript was a title.
He's a Pirate.
The three froze.
Teach was not trained in music. He could appreciate it and sense emotion, but his technical understanding was shallow. Even so, drawing from memories of his previous life, he had managed to recreate half of the piece from memory.
That alone was already remarkable.
This manuscript had been written long ago. The paper had yellowed with age. Teach had feared that if he did not write it down, he might forget it entirely.
Pouf stared at Teach in disbelief.
Music was a sophisticated art.
And their captain was a pirate who had sailed the seas since the age of twelve. He had never formally studied music, at most reading a few books.
As a professional, Pouf could not immediately praise the quality. But he admired the courage.
Given what Teach had said earlier, Pouf could already guess the style of the piece.
With a skeptical mindset, he carefully examined the manuscript.
"Hm?"
He frowned slightly, surprised. On paper, combined with his imagination, it was not bad at all.
Still, music had to be heard.
"This looks like a multi-instrument piece," Pouf said. "Let's try it with a single instrument first."
They returned to the ship. By the time they arrived, a crowd had already gathered.
News spread quickly. In short order, the entire Nightfall Pirates knew that their captain had composed a piece of music, and Pouf was about to perform it.
Pouf himself was curious. So far, the piece looked decent enough. There was nothing embarrassing about trying it.
Under everyone's gaze, he lifted a violin.
The surroundings fell silent.
The bow moved.
A familiar pirate rhythm filled the air.
For several minutes, the crew stood immersed in the urgent, stirring melody. When the final note faded, Pouf opened his eyes and looked at Teach with genuine shock and admiration.
"Captain… I underestimated you."
He bowed deeply.
"This piece is extremely difficult," Pouf continued. "To perform it properly, we would need an entire orchestra. Perfecting it will take time, and assistance from master-level musicians."
Teach laughed loudly. "We have time. As for musicians…"
He grinned.
"We're pirates. Is there anyone we can't invite?"
He then turned to Baccarat. "Your turn."
"I already used my ability," Baccarat said with a smile, pointing northwest. "That direction feels fortunate. There should be a good harvest."
Trusting her judgment, Teach led the group onward.
As a holy land of music, Venus produced countless instruments. Its environment was soothing, refreshing the spirit. Musicians often found inspiration here amid nature and sound.
Moving away from the city's prosperous core, where nobles lived and music was a luxury, the scenery grew simpler. There was a rustic calm to the area.
Here, singing could be heard clearly.
Teach and the others eventually reached open grasslands filled with flowers. A breeze swept through, washing away the weariness of the sea and bringing a quiet sense of peace.
With the wind came music.
It was a beautiful melody, drifting from beyond a nearby slope.
They walked toward it, certain that this was the direction indicated by Baccarat's ability.
Yet something puzzled them.
From the sound alone, it was clear that it was not just one person.
It was many.