Teach said, "With a position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, I can go to Impel Down and recruit the powerful allies I want! Then, I can head to the New World!"
"Is it just like that?" Sage frowned.
But upon thinking carefully, he realized it was indeed just like that.
The Summit War was something he had some memory of, triggered by the capture of Fire Fist Ace.
But was this intentional?
Not really.
This guy was just aiming for a spot in the Seven Warlords of the Sea to recruit comrades, nothing more elaborate.
As long as the weight was sufficient, anyone could be captured.
Who would have known that 'Fire Fist' would come from the New World looking for someone?
You could only say that capturing Ace and the subsequent chain reaction fit well with Teach's plan.
This guy, after enduring for over twenty years, had his luck explode.
And Sage...
He really liked people who were lucky!
"I could never be one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. How could the World Government trust someone like me, an O'hara survivor? Hahaha!" Sage laughed heartily.
"There's such an identity? Hey, doesn't it bother you to tell me this?" Teach laughed in response.
"You revealed your purpose, so why can't I talk about my identity? Do you think I'm someone who hides everything?" Sage replied disdainfully.
Being a pirate meant there was nothing to hide; the World Government would reveal it sooner or later anyway.
"Zehahaha, I also love history! If you're an O'hara survivor, you must be able to read the Poneglyphs?" An inexplicable glimmer flashed in Teach's eyes.
"Quite the opposite, I'm illiterate."
Sage laughed, "I can't read a single character."
"Is that so? What a pity, zehahaha!" Teach laughed loudly.
"Oh? You believe it so easily?" Sage asked.
"Do you have any reason to lie to me?!" Teach grinned, "Someone like you wouldn't have such strong Haki if you lied willy-nilly!"
Sage picked up a bottle of alcohol and poured another glass, "Enough talking, let's compete in drinking! Until you pass out today, no matter how eloquent you are, it won't extinguish your fire for my head!"
"I'm not afraid of you!" Teach chuckled, pouring himself a drink, continuing the drinking challenge with Sage.
They drank from day until night, and not until Teach was slumped over in the tavern did Sage get up unsteadily, laughing, "Such drinking capacity is really lacking, hahahaha!"
Saying that, he tossed a bag of gold coins to the owner and walked out by himself.
Though Teach said he'd treat, since they had confirmed a cooperative relationship, it wasn't a problem.
Lily and the others followed behind Sage. It was on down the road that Lily asked, "Sage, is this guy Teach really powerful? I didn't see any bounty on him..."
"Whether he's powerful or not depends on his strength and will... and he has both, which is quite good," Sage shook his head and laughed.
"Eh? High praise, indeed. You rarely compliment anyone like this."
Renedia curiously asked, "How do you compare to him? Can you beat him?"
"Beat him..."
The sea breeze on the street sobered Sage up a little. He looked up at the moon in the sky, smirked, and laughed loudly, "Of course, he would break! Hahahaha!"
Dark-Dark Fruit?
That kind of thing, even without having eaten a Fruit, is not a weakness.
Even if he had eaten a Fruit, he wouldn't be afraid of it.
Without being touched, Fruit abilities can be immensely powerful, especially with his North Star Divine Fist...
Absorb him?
That would be pure suicide!
However, Teach isn't so weak either.
Sage avoids fighting with him because the entire town would be reduced to ruins if a fight broke out.
He had many subordinates to rely on for voyages here as well.
Moreover, the other party had given in and without any conflict and had even cooperated now, making it a better outcome for Sage than fighting.
"In the future, if you see an Ability User and like them, capture them and give them to that guy, he will give us the abilities." Sage said.
That's the greatest benefit of the Dark-Dark Fruit, isn't it?
It can absorb the Devil itself, turning it into a new Devil Fruit.
With his bad luck, he's not likely to randomly find a Devil Fruit, but with Teach around, as long as they cooperate, they can always find the right Fruit for him. In that case, even if it's eaten, no harm; just capture the person and bring them over.
This deal, although effective in future, is absolutely worthwhile!