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"Damn it! Why is this guy the one presiding over the Seven Warlords meeting?"
The man, holding a cane and wearing a black top hat like a character from a stage play, was filled with fear.
Lafitte couldn't help but feel tense and terrified. Not long ago, he had just met this man and experienced firsthand the sheer terror of his strength.
Although the Blackbeard Pirates had escaped, they were nearly annihilated, and it took them a long time to recover. After sneaking into Marineford to participate in this Warlord meeting, he unexpectedly ran into him again.
"A-Admiral Arashi?!" "I didn't expect you to be the one hosting this meeting." Lafitte feigned surprise and delight, but the bead of sweat on his forehead was undeniable.
Arashi sat there silently, staring at him with a gaze as heavy as a mountain. "I have no time for idle talk, Lafitte!" "Give me a reason to let you leave!"
Lafitte trembled. He knew all too well that this man could carry out his threats. His decisive and forceful nature meant he never showed mercy. Even to Teach, this man was a formidable opponent, someone even Blackbeard found difficult to deal with.
Teach even regarded the scars left by Arashi as badges of honor. "I-I'm here to recommend a new candidate for the Seven Warlords!" Lafitte took a deep breath and spoke solemnly.
"Oh?" "Since when does a pirate have the authority to recommend a Warlord?" Arashi sneered.
Vice Admiral Tsuru watched from the side, a faint smile appearing on her face. From the moment Arashi entered the room, he had seized complete control of the situation. He maintained an overwhelming presence and authority even when facing the notoriously unruly and difficult Warlords.
It was clear that the assembled Warlords feared him. It was an interesting sight, like mice encountering a cat. These infamous Warlords of the Sea were facing their natural predator.
"Lafitte, if I recall correctly, you recently joined the Blackbeard Pirates?" "You were once a West Blue security officer, but your excessive use of violence got you exiled." "Your captain is Marshall D. Teach?"
Tsuru narrowed her eyes and spoke softly.
Hearing that it wasn't Arashi questioning him, Lafitte released a sigh of relief and turned toward Tsuru with a forced smile. "Yes, Captain Teach!" "I am here to recommend my captain, Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach, as the newest member of the Seven Warlords!"
Tsuru furrowed her brow. "Marshall D. Teach, huh?" "His name has certainly been making waves lately." "But becoming a Warlord requires both strength and reputation." "What makes Marshall D. Teach qualified?"
Arashi remained silent, crossing his arms and watching with a faint smile. He already knew what was coming. But like a river's current, fate could sometimes be steered to achieve one's goals.
"Our captain recently defeated and captured Portgas D. Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!" Lafitte said, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
Without a major achievement, he wouldn't have dared to stand on this stage—especially in front of this terrifying man.
"What?!" At those words, everyone in the room was shocked.
The gathered Marine officers were especially dumbfounded. "Fire Fist Ace has been captured?!" "A figure of his caliber... lost?!" "And the one who defeated him was a former crew member, Marshall D. Teach?!" "Blackbeard has been hiding his strength well!"
The full implications of this news had yet to sink in. Only Vice Admiral Tsuru narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced toward Arashi.
"You claim Fire Fist Ace is in your custody?" Arashi lifted his gaze slightly and spoke in a calm tone.
"That's correct!" Lafitte replied nervously.
"With Portgas D. Ace's status and position, your captain, Marshall D. Teach, indeed qualifies for a seat among the Seven Warlords." Arashi said.
Hearing this, Lafitte felt a surge of excitement. If he could help his captain become a Warlord, it would not only advance their plan but also mean he wouldn't have to face Arashi directly.
Arashi was an untouchable figure to the Blackbeard Pirates, a man they could not afford to provoke. At least, not until they had gathered enough strength. Until then, they had to tread carefully.
"However, before anything else, Fire Fist Ace must be handed over to the Marines!" Arashi's cold voice cut through the room, making Lafitte tense up.
"The Marines cannot simply take your word for it!" "Until Fire Fist Ace is in our custody, Marshall D. Teach becoming a Warlord is nothing more than a pipe dream!"
Lafitte's expression shifted. Looking into Arashi's cold eyes, he felt as if he had returned to that fateful day—adrift on a stormy sea, with thunder crashing all around.
"This...?!" Lafitte hesitated.
"Hand over Fire Fist Ace, and Marshall D. Teach will be granted the title of Warlord." "That is a deal we can accept!" Arashi said plainly. "Otherwise, you'll be staying here today!"
Lafitte's expression darkened, and he fell silent.
The meeting room descended into stillness.
Doflamingo grinned, Mihawk remained indifferent, showing no interest in the new Warlord candidate, while Bartholomew Kuma sat quietly, as always.
A powerful Marine figure had taken control of the entire room, leaving even the Warlords speechless. With just a few words, it seemed the decision on the new Warlord had already been made.
"I don't have time to wait here." "Lafitte!" "Make your decision now!"
After a brief silence, Arashi's voice rang out once more.
Lafitte took a deep breath, his expression shifting before he gritted his teeth and said, "We accept Admiral Arashi's proposal."
He had no intention of being detained at Marine Headquarters. Besides, this had been part of Blackbeard's original plan all along. One way or another, Fire Fist Ace had to be handed over.
Arashi smirked slightly and shifted his gaze toward the others in the room.
"Then, the new Warlord will be Marshall D. Teach, the man who defeated Portgas D. Ace of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division." "I assume no one has any objections?"
Doflamingo chuckled. "I'll go along with it!"
Mihawk frowned but said nothing. He was only here as a formality.
Bartholomew Kuma remained as expressionless as ever.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru?" Arashi asked lightly.
"I'll leave the arrangements to you," Tsuru replied with a small smile.
She was surprised and pleased at how effortlessly Arashi had subdued the Warlords. To her, he was still a junior, a boy who had grown into a formidable force.
The future truly holds infinite possibilities.
Arashi nodded with a smile before turning his gaze back to Lafitte.
"Now then, Lafitte..."
"Take me to your captain!"
Lafitte's expression changed drastically, his voice trembling. "Right now?"
"I have no time to waste on you," Arashi said calmly. Lafitte shuddered inside, suspecting that this man intended to take the opportunity to wipe out the entire Blackbeard Pirates. The battle in the waters of Hachinosu had nearly annihilated them. If another one were to break out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Relax. I'm just more interested in Fire Fist Ace," Arashi said. "As for you lot…" He paused, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips. "You're nothing more than small-time pirates I could crush with ease."
Lafitte's mouth twitched, angry at the blatant disdain, but he had no choice but to endure it. The man before him undoubtedly possessed absolute strength. He could only bide his time until their crew gained enough power to strike back.
"I need to inform my captain in advance." Lafitte took a deep breath and said seriously.
"Suit yourself," Arashi replied indifferently.
Lafitte sighed in relief, took out a Den Den Mushi, turned away, and spoke hushedly with Marshall D. Teach on the other end.
"The captain agrees. Admiral Arashi, please follow me!"
Arashi nodded. Lafitte led the way, and Arashi followed. As they reached the door, Arashi suddenly stopped, his gaze locking onto the silent figure of Bartholomew Kuma.
"Kuma! Come with me!"
The unexpected command visibly surprised Kuma. He remained still for two or three breaths before finally reacting, rising slowly to his feet.
"Alright."
He did not refuse and silently followed Arashi.
"Then, I'll be counting on you," Arashi said faintly.
Kuma gave no response. Standing nearly seven meters tall, he loomed behind Arashi like an unyielding guardian, his imposing presence undeniable. Lafitte glanced back unintentionally and felt a chill run through him.
"Even though this guy is so strong, he's still this cautious?"
"Truly a difficult enemy to deal with!"
Before long, Lafitte led them to a secluded area in Marineford, where he pulled out a seemingly unremarkable small raft. Arashi raised an eyebrow but did not comment. The Blackbeard Pirates were still in their early stages, clearly struggling financially—so much so that they couldn't even afford a proper ship.
The makeshift vessel soon drifted toward them. Arashi stepped on board first, with Kuma following closely behind. Standing at the front of the raft, Arashi gazed ahead at Lafitte, who was rowing with all his strength. Suddenly, he chuckled.
"A Revolutionary Army officer like you… what exactly is your goal?"
"Bartholomew Kuma!"
The atmosphere on the raft instantly grew tense. Behind him, Kuma's normally placid eyes flashed with a sharp glint.
"It seems you've begun cooperating with the World Government." Arashi continued. "Has your body already been modified?"
"Such crude methods…"
"It seems the scientist in charge of your transformation is rather unskilled."
Arashi chuckled again. Kuma remained silent for a moment before responding coldly.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Arashi smiled but did not immediately answer. Instead, he looked at Lafitte, who was still struggling to row. After a long pause, he finally spoke in a reflective tone.
"The world sees you as a brutal and violent pirate."
"What do you think of that assessment?"
Kuma narrowed his eyes, staring at Arashi. "What the world says has nothing to do with me."
Arashi chuckled. "I happen to know a little about you."
Kuma's expression showed a hint of surprise, but he remained silent, unsure of where this conversation was leading.
"You have deep ties to the Revolutionary Army. Twelve years ago, you, Dragon, Ivankov, and other officers appeared in the East Blue, rescuing survivors from the fire in Goa Kingdom's Foosha Village."
"Among them was a young noble named Sabo."
"I imagine by now, he must be an important figure in the Revolutionary Army, correct?"
Arashi spoke with a smile. Kuma's massive frame trembled slightly, his gaze sharpening as he evaluated whether to take action. However, in the end, he remained still. He was wary of Arashi's strength. He had heard the rumors but had never witnessed the man's true power firsthand.
"Why did you choose to work with the World Government and become a Warlord of the Sea?" Arashi asked.
"Is your cooperation merely a cover to assist the Revolutionary Army in secret?"
Kuma remained silent.
"Furthermore, you don't seem fully aware of what your collaboration with the World Government entails."
Arashi's voice rang out again, making Kuma's body tense.
"I can see that parts of your body have already been modified, but the process is still crude. If this continues…"
"You will eventually lose your consciousness and become nothing more than a mindless puppet."
Arashi sighed as he spoke. From the moment he first laid eyes on Kuma, he had already seen the truth. His massive frame had undergone multiple modifications—he was a cyborg. But, for now, at least, he still retained his human consciousness.
Dr. Vegapunk was currently hiding in Skypiea, meaning someone else had been overseeing Kuma's transformation. And that individual was clearly not as skilled.
If things proceeded as they were, Kuma's fate would be even more tragic than in the original timeline.
Kuma's eyes flickered, but he still said nothing.
"Is it worth it?"
"If you are sacrificing yourself to fulfill a belief, if you are determined to see it through…"
As he spoke, Arashi slowly turned around and looked directly at Kuma.
Kuma remained expressionless, silently meeting Arashi's gaze. After a long moment, he finally sighed.
"Admiral Arashi…"
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Arashi chuckled and turned back toward the horizon. "Would you be interested in working with me?"
"Work with you?" Kuma asked, puzzled.
"That's right."
"Dragon's ideals are undoubtedly firm, but I do not agree with his methods," Arashi said, shaking his head. "He does not understand what it truly means to reshape or change the world."
Kuma looked at him in surprise. "You know Dragon well?"
"We met several times years ago," Arashi said. "We share similar ideals, but we ultimately chose different paths."
Kuma fell silent, his thoughts complicated. This was his first time meeting the legendary admiral, and after witnessing how easily Arashi had subdued Mihawk and Doflamingo during the meeting, he had already determined that this man possessed terrifying power.
"Join me, Kuma!"
"Dragon's actions are too small in scale!"
"He has no true understanding of what a revolution truly means!"
Arashi's voice carried conviction. Revolution was about shaking the very foundations of the world, about igniting change through both ideology and war. It was a grand movement, not just whispers in the dark. As someone who had lived under a red flag in his past life, Arashi understood the true weight of those words far better than Dragon ever could.
That man's mere understanding of the surface alone far surpassed Dragon by ten thousandfold. In terms of ideology and greatness, there was simply no comparison between the two—the gap was too vast.
"Work with you?" Kuma murmured. "But I still don't know what exactly you intend to do."
Hearing this, Arashi suddenly burst into laughter. "What I want to do is very simple! To be reborn from the ruins, to awaken from the wreckage, to witness the dawn of a new era, and to bring forth true justice!"
Kuma's gaze remained indifferent. These words sounded empty and idealistic, devoid of real meaning. But then, the next sentence from the figure before him caused his pupils to contract sharply.
"I intend to rebuild a new nation from this fortress known as Marineford."
"To implement true equality and fairness in justice, and from here, overthrow that sacred land towering atop the mountain!"
"Kuma, this world should not have nobles, nor can it tolerate the existence of a race like the Celestial Dragons!"
"For eight hundred years! The world has rotted for eight hundred years! Discrimination, slavery, whippings, humiliation, injustice, darkness—atrocities happen every single day, all because of those perched above everyone else!"
"It is a tragedy! And what I seek is change!"
"Change—to revolutionize this flawed world!"
As his words fell, the waves ahead crashed fiercely, splashing a massive spray of seawater, and the sea breeze in the air inexplicably intensified.
"You really are one bold man!"
After a long silence, Kuma finally spoke, his gaze shaken. He had understood the meaning behind Arashi's words—he actually intended to use Marineford and the entire Marine force as the starting point to oppose the World Government and ultimately crush it completely.
This plan was undoubtedly bolder and more decisive than Dragon's passive methods of gathering suffering people from the shadows.
In fact, it could be said that Arashi's vision was incredibly precise, aiming to seize the last remnants of kindness and justice in this world to quickly cultivate his own power.
At the same time, once the Marines were truly under his control, he could rapidly expand his influence to the common people.
For the civilians of the world, the Marines were the only force they could trust. Could they really place their faith in pirates or the rebellious Revolutionary Army?
With his thoughts flickering, Kuma suddenly developed a strong curiosity. He wanted to see just how far this man, with such audacity, could take his ambitions.
After a long pause, Kuma gave a firm nod. "I can work with you. You truly are an intriguing man."
Hearing this, Arashi smiled. The infamous Bartholomew Kuma was, in reality, a delicate, kind, and gentle person. In his past life, Arashi had admired and sympathized with him greatly.
Moreover, Kuma's abilities were of immense value. The Paw-Paw Fruit's power was nearly beyond comprehension—it could repel exhaustion and pain from the body.
This was essentially a conceptual-level ability. If used properly to train subordinates, it could drastically increase the speed at which strong individuals emerged.
It could be said that Kuma was not only a formidable combatant but also an extraordinary support asset.
With their preliminary cooperation established, the atmosphere between them visibly eased, no longer as tense as before. Kuma could sense Arashi's sincerity.
Anyone who dared to openly speak of toppling the Holy Land and Marineford undoubtedly carried genuine intent.
The Sand Ship followed closely behind the raft. After approximately four to five hours, they arrived at a desolate island not far from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"Captain Teach and his crew are on this island," Lafitte said, wiping sweat from his forehead before tossing the oars onto the shore. Then, he leaped off the raft.
Arashi waited for the Sand Ship to dock, his body flickering with lightning as he instantly appeared beside Lafitte.
This scene immediately made Lafitte tense up. At the same time, Kuma also moved as if teleporting, standing silently behind Arashi. He remained expressionless and silent, resembling a loyal bodyguard.
"These two...!" Lafitte shuddered internally.
"Where is Marshall D. Teach?" Arashi asked calmly.
At the same time, his Observation Haki expanded outward, instantly covering the entire island and perceiving the Blackbeard Pirates sitting in a circle within the forest.
"Follow me!" Lafitte responded hastily before leading the way forward.
No unexpected incidents occurred along the way. Marshall D. Teach had grand ambitions but was not foolish. His mind was just as meticulous.
He had long planned to become a Warlord of the Sea and would not allow any disruptions to his plan.
When he finally saw Arashi approaching, Teach was momentarily stunned before bursting into hearty laughter, displaying an extremely welcoming demeanor.
"Zehahaha! We meet again, Admiral Arashi!"
"Last time, thanks to your mercy, we managed to escape with our lives!"
Teach's eyes subtly scanned his surroundings and, noticing no other individuals besides Arashi and Kuma, showed a hint of surprise.
"Oh? You realized that I deliberately let you go?" Arashi raised an eyebrow in amusement.
Teach's heart tightened, but he immediately laughed. "Of course! For a powerhouse like you, if you had truly intended to eliminate us, we would never have had a chance to escape."
In reality, it had merely been a casual remark to ease the tension of their reunion.
But unexpectedly, Arashi admitted to it outright—meaning the intense feeling of being watched when he fled last time had actually been real.
"Heh." Arashi chuckled. "Keeping you alive has its uses."
That statement made the Blackbeard Pirates' expressions shift slightly.
However, Teach's expression remained unchanged. He continued laughing. "If there's anything we can do for you, Admiral Arashi, it would be our honor."
"You are indeed adept at concealment, Teach!" Arashi remarked. "But you're also intelligent, and I prefer working with intelligent people. That is why you're still alive."
"Thank you for the compliment, Admiral Arashi!" Teach responded gleefully.
"Hand over Ace."
"After that, you will officially become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
Arashi's gaze passed over Van Augur and landed on a motionless figure lying in the distance.
"Thank you, Admiral Arashi!" Teach exclaimed excitedly.
Meanwhile, the bound figure, unable to move, suddenly opened his eyes before shutting them tightly again.
The one handling his transfer... was that man?!
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