As Wright had predicted, news of Moria's defeat spread almost instantly among those keeping a close watch.
Many Marines who had previously lost their shadows to Moria noticed their return right away, making the Marine Headquarters one of the first to confirm the Warlord's downfall.
Because of this, when Kuma received orders from the World Government, it had been less than half an hour since Moria's defeat.
Why did the World Government choose Kuma to suppress the news? Because Kuma had honed his Devil Fruit abilities to a conceptual level—allowing him to reach Thriller Bark from Marineford at unparalleled speed.
As for how Blackbeard learned of the news so quickly, that was due to Wright's arrangements in Water 7.
Water 7 was close to the Florian Triangle, and many victims who had lost their shadows had fled there.
Thus, it was only natural that Blackbeard, who was repairing his ship in Water 7, would "happen" to hear the ecstatic shouts of returning survivors: "Our shadows are back!" "Moria was defeated!"
Upon hearing this, how could Blackbeard sit still? He immediately summoned his crew and set sail, rushing toward the Florian Triangle at full speed!
Meanwhile, Marco and his team had only just learned that Teach was in Water 7!
It had to be said—within the so-called "Paradise" of the Grand Line, even the Whitebeard Pirates had limited access to real-time intelligence.
Conversely, Teach was intimately familiar with the area—after all, he had recently navigated backward from the New World!
With one party in pursuit and the other on the run, if not for Marco's superior mobility, they wouldn't have even clashed the few times they had.
Though Moria had become a shadow of his former self after Kaido crushed his spirit, he still had a few fiercely loyal subordinates.
The "Ghost Princess" Perona had been casually swatted away by Kuma, but the Invisible Man Absalom and Dr. Hogback remained.
After Moria's defeat, they secretly spirited him away, escaping Thriller Bark aboard a pirate ship.
Heading toward the Red Line was out of the question—the Marine Headquarters was stationed there, and in his current state, Moria dared not go near it. By the time Kuma arrived, Moria was already unconscious, and Absalom and Hogback wouldn't dare approach him!
They knew all too well—if a Warlord of the Sea failed so spectacularly, the World Government might erase him entirely.
Unfortunately, they ran straight into the Blackbeard Pirates, who were sailing at full speed toward the same destination.
"Zehahaha!"
Standing atop his massive raft, Teach spread his arms wide and laughed wildly as he eyed the pirate ship ahead, still bearing the name "Thriller Bark."
"Truly, the heavens favor me!"
"I was worried Moria might escape or flee to Marineford—but he ran right back into my hands!"
"Oh? Left in such a hurry that they didn't even stock enough supplies? Well, not that they'll be needing them anymore!"
Laffitte twirled his cane and spoke coldly, "Captain, it seems our plan is ready to proceed. Shall I handle negotiations with the Marines?"
"Zehahaha! Go for it!"
…
The news of Warlord Gecko Moria's defeat at the hands of the Blackbeard Pirates quickly reached both Marine Headquarters and the World Government.
This time, the World Government had no excuses—Moria was finished.
Though Teach had failed to capture Moria, and the Warlord had mysteriously disappeared after his defeat, there was undeniable photographic evidence of the incident.
Laffitte had deliberately taken the pictures, and by the very next day, the ever-gleeful Morgans had splashed them across the front page of the newspapers, enraging the World Government beyond measure.
A Warlord of the Sea, defeated twice in mere days—first by the Straw Hat Pirates, then by the Blackbeard Pirates. It was an absolute humiliation for the World Government.
If they insisted on keeping Moria in the Warlord system, the backlash would be even worse than if they simply revoked his title!
"So, another seat in the Warlords has opened up."
"In that case, I nominate our captain—Marshall D. Teach—as the next Warlord of the Sea."
In the conference room at Mary Geoise, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Chief Advisor Tsuru, and representatives of the World Government were discussing the matter when Laffitte arrived.
"To waltz into Mary Geoise so easily…"
Sengoku put on a look of mild surprise—though in reality, he had already been keeping tabs on the Blackbeard Pirates.
"You're with the Blackbeard Pirates, recommending your captain…"
"I'll overlook your trespassing for now, but do you really think that simply defeating a gravely injured Moria—who is now missing—proves that your captain is worthy of becoming a Warlord?"
"Of course not…"
Laffitte lightly tapped his cane on the floor, his expression unshaken.
"Moria was indeed injured, and his combat strength was compromised."
"Originally, we had planned to capture the one who actually defeated Moria—Straw Hat Luffy!"
"Now that would have been an undeniable qualification for the Warlord position, wouldn't it?"
"Unfortunately, Straw Hat Luffy is already nearing the Sabaody Archipelago. Causing a major disturbance there would be… unwise."
"..."
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged glances before responding,
"You've considered this quite carefully. Indeed, the Sabaody Archipelago often sees visits from the Celestial Dragons. Both the Marines and the World Government have stationed forces there specifically to prevent pirates from causing trouble."
Laffitte smirked, unfazed. "Heh… Naturally, we understand Fleet Admiral Sengoku's concerns. If we upset the Celestial Dragons, the Warlord position wouldn't even be up for discussion."
"So, we came up with an alternative proposal—one that requires just a little cooperation from you, Fleet Admiral."
Sengoku steepled his fingers, his round glasses reflecting a sharp gleam. "What proposal?"
"We are being pursued by three individuals."
Laffitte planted his cane into the ground and leaned forward.
"Three commanders from the Four Emperors—Whitebeard's First, Fifth, and Sixteenth Division Commanders."
"Marco, Vista, and Izo."
"Under normal circumstances, capturing them would be an almost impossible task. Even in the New World, the Marines have less influence than Whitebeard!"
"However, if we willingly serve as bait while you set up a trap…"
Laffitte's lips curled into an icy smile.
"Capturing three Whitebeard commanders—especially the First Division Commander, 'Phoenix' Marco—surely you wouldn't refuse, would you?"
"With our captain's assistance, they won't be able to escape so easily. Marco won't be able to flee at full speed."
"And in return, a Warlord position for our captain seems like a fair deal, doesn't it?"
"You lot… The Blackbeard Pirates really are cunning…"
Sengoku snorted.
"We've been tracking Marco's movements for some time now. Don't underestimate the Marines' intelligence network."
"Using us to eliminate your pursuers while securing a Warlord seat—you've got quite the nerve!"
"So, Fleet Admiral Sengoku… what do you think of my proposal?"
Laffitte swung his cane up and rested it on his arm.
"It's a win-win, is it not?"
"Indeed…"
After a moment of feigned deliberation, Sengoku finally spoke.
"Very well. I accept."
"You won't regret this."
Of course not… If anything, we've been waiting for this moment all along!
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