"I've already avenged the Navy! You're not entirely responsible, and you don't need to tell me! If not, Teach! You'd be a corpse!"
With a clang!
Amidst Whitebeard's furious roar, the blade of his large naginata was already across his neck.
Feeling the cold touch against his skin, Blackbeard's smirk froze, his Adam's apple involuntarily rolling.
With difficulty, he turned his head to look. Whitebeard's face seemed etched with shadows, and the look he gave him was filled with disappointment and deep fatigue...
He looked around.
Marco, Vista, Thatch... these former companions all stared at him, their gazes fixed on him, some cold, some disdainful, some incredulous.
Some were filled with rage, eager to kill him right then and there...
A normal person would feel a pang of rage.
But not him.
He was Teach!
"You still can't bear to kill me with your own hands, Dad!"
Blackbeard's toothless grin widened in a reckless laugh. "I knew it... I knew it! After all, I'm your son! The son who's followed you for over twenty years, Dad!"
"..."
Whitebeard stared at him expressionlessly.
Suddenly, he raised his head, gazed at the sky, and let out a long breath. Then, he abruptly sheathed his sword, clenched his left hand into a fist, and unleashed the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, condensing a dazzling, terrifying white light from the tip of his fist...
"Go away, Teach! Escape to the ends of the sea!"
Whitebeard roared at the top of his lungs.
"From today on, the Whitebeard Pirates have nothing to do with you! The next time we meet, it will be to take your life!"
Before he could finish his words,
the fist, brimming with the power to shatter mountains and rivers, slammed into Blackbeard's abdomen!
Boom!
The surrounding space instantly shattered like a mirror. Blackbeard groaned in pain, his eyes popping out, and his internal organs shifted under the blow.
Immediately, his body flew backward like a cannonball, crashing through the ship's railing. Under everyone's astonished gaze, he transformed into a streak of light, streaking across the sky and hurtling towards the horizon.
In the blink of an eye,
he was reduced to a tiny black dot at the end of the horizon.
Crack!
The Kusugawa-Kiri sword stabbed heavily into the deck.
The crew members looked at each other in bewilderment, the captains with complicated expressions. In the utter silence, Whitebeard silently returned to his seat.
As he passed Shano's seat, he paused, visibly hesitating, but ultimately continued forward without a word.
He sat down, grabbed the wine jug, and drank deeply.
"Is it necessary?"
Shano suddenly asked, taking a sip of his own wine.
"What?"
Whitebeard muttered, "If you have something to say, just say it clearly."
"Are you afraid of me, Whitebeard?"
Shano said faintly.
Whitebeard paused slightly as he tilted his head back to drink, and the wine dripped slowly down his beard.
He slowly put down the wine flask, stared down at Shano, and grinned:
"Gulala, kid, everyone in this sea knows that you have an arrogant character, but can you be arrogant to this extent?"
"Am I afraid of you?"
"You really can say such words... I know that Golden Lion died in your hands some time ago, but if you regard me as an old man who is no longer as strong as that guy, then you are totally wrong!"
"Then why did you keep looking at me out of the corner of your eyes?"
Shano shook the wine flask and didn't take it seriously:
"You looked at me when you grabbed Teach with your hand, and looked at me again when you knocked him away. Why are you so worried that I will kill him?"
Whitebeard's breathing stagnated.
"What a disgustingly sharp intuition..."
Whitebeard was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. He grabbed the wine flask, tilted his head back, took a long gulp, and then set it down heavily.
"Indeed! I was indeed afraid you'd be too murderous, so I'd kill him right then and there!"
He muttered. "That bastard Teach deserves death, but he was once my son after all. It's my job to clean up the mess!"
"Letting that guy escape makes it hard to catch him again. So maybe that was your only chance, but you were soft-hearted,"
Shano said flatly.
"Young people who grew up in happy families can't understand. For a pirate who considers his ship his home, killing his own son in his own home is illogical..."
Whitebeard shook his head. "I know you said that for my own good, but there's no need to mention it again, kid. I've already made it clear: after today, Teach is no longer my son. In the future... if we ever meet again, I will never show mercy."
Really?
Shano raised his eyebrows, looking at Whitebeard with pity.
This old man's body was tougher than anyone else's, but his heart was as soft as cotton, full of flaws.
Even in the original timeline, the fate of the entire Whitebeard Pirates was on the verge of destruction because of Blackbeard and Ace.
But on the battlefield at the top, after Blackbeard's horrified cry of "Dad," Whitebeard, despite clearly still having the energy to retaliate, chose to let him go.
He admired Whitebeard's magnanimity and courage, his unique chivalry among the pirates...
but there was one aspect he couldn't empathize with.
It was completely different from Whitebeard.
Eliminating the root of the problem had always been his first... second best.
"Sir Shano,"
Marco said with a wry smile, as if finally coming to his senses.
"I agree with you on this matter. If I were Dad, I would make the same choice as you, killing Teach right then and there, not giving him a chance."
He was a gentle man, but also one who had a clear distinction between love and hate, and reason prevailed over emotion.
The strength that Teach had just shown was already on the same level as him.
If the future really found the Dark-Dark Fruit as he said, his strength would be even greater.
The Whitebeard Pirates would then have a formidable enemy who understood them better than anyone else, with a personality as ruthless and vicious as a snake.
Marco didn't like this happening.
But, there was nothing he could do...
"That's just how Dad is."
Marco looked up at the huge figure drinking silently and smiled.
"He's not a perfect captain, but he's definitely a perfect father... It's because of him that we've been willing to follow him until now, isn't it?"
"Indeed."
"That's exactly it."
"Captain Marco is right!"
The surrounding crew members responded loudly, and the captains exchanged glances, grinning.
On the deck, the atmosphere, which had been somewhat heavy for a moment, gradually lifted, regaining some of the atmosphere of the welcome party.
"Gulala, are you going to say such sentimental words on this occasion?"
Whitebeard laughed, "A bunch of stupid sons! But, it makes me feel a little better!"
He narrowed his eyes and looked at Shano, "Although this is my family affair, but since that guy Teach has offended you, with your temper, I'm afraid you won't let him go easily?"
"Of course."
Shano said leisurely, "How can I tolerate a guy who hates me to the core and wants to eat me alive to live in this world..."
"But Whitebeard, I'm willing to give you a favor. Since you've already said that he's no longer your son after today, I won't take action today. Stay here and finish your drinks, and we'll talk tomorrow morning."
"Wait until tomorrow?"
This brat...
Whitebeard was speechless. Even if he was giving him a favor, he was still as arrogant as ever, as if he could just let Teach escape for a night and chase him down if he wanted.
The ocean is vast, how could it be that simple?
Just as this brat said, let's just keep drinking!
"Hey, guys!!!"
Whitebeard raised his wine jug high, his booming voice echoing across the deck:
"Listen up! From today on, we, the Whitebeard Pirates, owe Shano and the Fallen two huge favors! Until we've repaid this debt, remember these two!"
"First, it was this guy who saved Vista and Wildbee's lives!"
"Second, it was he who helped me, and everyone else, catch that treacherous, venomous snake, Teach!"
"Gulala! So, from now on, the Fallen is the friend we, the Whitebeard Pirates, must cherish most! If there's a request from the Fallen in the future, no one is allowed to refuse!"
"Yes, Dad!"
The Whitebeard Pirates on the deck roared in unison.
"Tonight, we're not going to stop until we're drunk?"
Whitebeard held out his wine jug and looked at Shano.
"Not until we're drunk!"
Shano laughed heartily, raising his own jug high and clinking it together.
——————
The night deepened.
Buzz!
The blood-stained wings suddenly stopped vibrating.
Blackbeard's strength had finally reached its limit, and he plummeted from the sky, slamming heavily onto the sandy shore of a deserted island, blood pouring from his mouth.
He folded his wings and struggled to his feet, clutching his still-aching chest and abdomen, his eyes gleaming with frantic excitement.
"Hahahaha, I'm finally alive! I didn't die!"
He'd escaped so far, with no one chasing him, and they'd actually let him go.
Dad, after all, was an idiot who valued family too much.
Of course, no matter what, the White Whale wouldn't be able to return.
But this was just as well, just as well!!!
He was tired of playing the good son, and now he was free and unfettered, which was refreshing.
Besides, he'd been on Whitebeard's ship for over twenty years, yet he hadn't seen the Dark-Dark Fruit.
It seemed Whitebeard's ship was incompatible with the Dark-Dark Fruit!
Now that he was on his own, perhaps he'd run into one soon.
The Dark-Dark Fruit belonged to him! This was determined by fate long ago, there is no doubt about it!
"No matter what, I can't stay in the New World."
Blackbeard tore off his shirt and bandaged his chest, thinking in his heart, "Dad doesn't want to kill me, but Marco, Joz and the others may not, and that Shano brat..."
Shano...
At the mention of this name, Blackbeard couldn't help but twitched his eyes, and a trace of deep fear flashed across his eyes.
Before finding the Dark-Dark Fruit and using it to build up his own power, this guy must not be provoked, and must be kept as far away as possible.
First swallow your anger, and after becoming stronger, then plot revenge!
He turned and looked into the depths of the sea, which was the direction of the White Whale.
"Hahaha, wait, old man..."
His voice was hoarse, like a demon crawling out of hell. "When I find the Dark-Dark Fruit, I'll repay your kindness... and take your life!"
"Hahaha... Then, I'll let you see with your own eyes how I pull your Tremor-Tremor Fruit from your body, bit by bit!"
Whitebeard ate the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and became the strongest man in the world, so could Teach!
After that, little Shano wouldn't be worth mentioning, he could kill him anytime he wanted!
Laughing wildly, Teach ran deeper into the island, his figure gradually disappearing into the night.
——————
The next morning.
"Goodbye, Mr. Shano!"
"If you get into trouble, if you start a war with any family, be sure to contact us!"
"We'll help!"
With Marco and the others' reluctant farewell waves, the White Whale, anchored near the reef, set sail and gradually sailed away.
"Hey, why isn't Dad awake yet?"
"He's awake, isn't he? Just after dawn, when I got up to pee, I saw him draining water at the stern."
"Then why didn't he come out to see me off?"
"I don't know. I saw Dad staring blankly at the sea for a long time after he finished peeing. No matter how I called him, he wouldn't turn back. After he went back to his room, he hasn't come out since. Maybe he's still worried about Teach, or maybe he's too old to handle this kind of farewell scene..."
"Well, that's true. Let him be alone for a while. Don't disturb him."
Shano was naturally unaware of the discussions on the deck.
He watched the White Whale quietly as it sailed away. Once it was a small black dot in his sight, he slowly launched his hoverbike.
After sitting on it, he crossed his legs and casually opened the Marauder's Map.
He always kept his word.
If he said he'd give Whitebeard a favor and take a night off to drink, then he put aside his distractions and drank to his heart's content.
If he said he'd kill Blackbeard, then he would kill him, leaving no room for any future trouble.
As for...
the vast ocean, can't find Blackbeard?
What a joke, it's just a matter of 2,000 points.
And he doesn't even need to pay for this money himself. At the banquet last night, almost everyone was drunk and lying on the ground.
The wool he got was enough for him to check every kind of beard in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Shano glanced at the information flow list.
A lot of new reminder messages flashed, and he flipped through several pages without finishing reading them.
\[You sacrificed Whitebeard's Whitebeard and gained 5,500 points]
\[You sacrificed Jozu's shoulder armor and earned 2,100 points.]
\[You sacrificed Kozuki Oden's old pistol and earned 3,000 points.]
...
The top captains' wool is quite valuable.
Whitebeard himself is truly worthy of being the leader of the Four Emperors, with outstanding contributions.
When he returned from the East Sea, he had 51,600 points. Since rescuing Vista and contacting the Whitebeard Pirates,
his points have now risen to 64,500. That's
a surge of more than 10,000 points. Soon, when the shop refreshes, I'll be able to enjoy a feast again.
But right now, business is the priority.
Shaking his mind from distractions, Shano turned his gaze to the Marauder's Map. After entering Teach's name, the screen jumped, successfully locking onto a section of the sea.
"Heading towards the Red Earth Continent? You really don't dare stay in the New World anymore..."
Shano had anticipated this. He was about to close the Marauder's Map when he noticed the name of the largest island in this area of sea.
Suddenly, his eyes flashed with surprise:
"Coron Island?"