[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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In the magnificent Imperial Palace
Blackbeard knelt on one knee, his body wrapped in bandages, his faintly bloody black beard swaying slightly. His face was etched with grief and self-blame.
Before the young emperor seated on the high throne could speak, Blackbeard burst into a bitter wail.
"Your Majesty, this is all my fault!" he cried out.
"If I had discovered the traces of those assassins earlier, Lord Ogre... Lord Ogre would still be alive!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Beneath the throne, Blackbeard put on a heart-wrenching performance, his anguish and remorse palpable. Anyone unaware of the situation might have believed he was mourning the death of his own father.
Moved by Blackbeard's display of loyalty, the young emperor's eyes flickered with emotion. He cast a glance at the Prime Minister standing beside him, who returned an encouraging nod of approval.
Emboldened, the emperor's expression brightened as he addressed Blackbeard in a commanding, albeit childish, voice:
"Your name is Marco Teach, correct?"
"The Prime Minister has already informed me about the events of yesterday. This was not your fault; the assassins were truly despicable!"
"I've heard that you fought valiantly against those two killers and were gravely injured in the process."
"Rise, Marco. The empire will never forget those who have bled for its glory."
"Your Majesty..." Blackbeard raised his head, his face glistening with tears as though deeply moved.
At that moment, the Prime Minister standing beside the emperor spoke up, offering a reminder:
"Your Majesty, with Captain Ogre gone, the security force is now leaderless. This could jeopardize the safety of the imperial capital."
"I urge Your Majesty to appoint a capable successor promptly to command the police force."
The young emperor nodded thoughtfully.
"Hmm... That is indeed an important matter. Prime Minister, do you have anyone in mind?"
The Prime Minister smiled knowingly, recalling the events of the previous night when Blackbeard had brought Ogre's family and all their wealth to his residence.
Turning to the emperor, he declared:
"Your Majesty, the ideal candidate is none other than Adjutant Marco, who now kneels before you in this very hall!"
"Adjutant Marco?"
The emperor's gaze shifted to Blackbeard, his curiosity piqued.
The minister continued:
"Your Majesty, although Marco has only recently joined the security force, his abilities far surpass those of the late Captain Ogre. His lack of seniority has merely kept him from showcasing his true talents—until now."
"You've already heard of his heroic actions in yesterday's battle. Adjutant Marco is undoubtedly a man of great strength."
"With him leading the security team, Your Majesty can rest assured that the imperial capital will be better protected than ever before!"
Hearing this, the young emperor's eyes sparkled. Trusting his prime minister implicitly, he made up his mind as he looked back at Blackbeard.
Finally, everything unfolded just as Blackbeard had planned. He successfully replaced Ogre as the captain of the Imperial Police, rising swiftly from his position as an adjutant to assume command of the empire's security force.
It hadn't been in vain that Blackbeard and Leone rehearsed their act the previous night and delivered such a convincing performance.
Because his position as captain was personally conferred by the emperor, the announcement of his promotion was met without a single complaint from the entire police force.
This allowed Blackbeard's rise to proceed smoothly, and within just a few days, he had seized full control of the imperial police force.
---
At the same time, at a Night Raid base outside the imperial capital
Night Raid Leader Najenda sat at the conference table, scrutinizing the intelligence in her hands. After a moment of deliberation, she finally looked up at the Night Raid members seated on either side of her and said:
"According to the latest intelligence, the man calling himself Blackbeard has indeed become the new captain of the Imperial Police, just as he claimed."
"What!?"
"The report states that he's been in the Imperial Army for only three months, including his time at the training camp…"
"How could the empire's leadership entrust him with such an important position!?"
"There must be something shady going on behind the scenes!"
Leone slammed the table, her voice brimming with indignation.
In just three months, he had gone from an unknown newcomer to the captain of the Imperial Police!
From a political standpoint, he was still far removed from the empire's true ruling elite. However, from the perspective of the revolutionary army, controlling the police force responsible for safeguarding the imperial capital was far more significant than the actions of the corrupt dignitaries who spent their days indulging in luxury.
"Calm down, Leone."
"This is the reality," Najenda said coolly, unfazed by Leone's outburst. After a brief pause, she added:
"Leone, do you think Blackbeard could ever be recruited to join the revolutionary army?"
"Who? Blackbeard!?"
Leone hesitated momentarily before shaking her head firmly.
"Impossible! That man isn't someone who fights for justice!"
"All he cares about is his insatiable ambition!"
"Ambition isn't necessarily a bad thing," Najenda said with a slight smirk, her sharp eyes glinting with wisdom.
She turned back to Leone, her tone calm but persuasive.
"By the way, have you thought about what I mentioned before?"
"What do you mean?" Leone asked, puzzled.
Najenda's smirk deepened. She spoke with measured composure:
"Of course, I'm talking about you joining the police force."
"What!?" Leone's voice shot up. "Boss, you aren't secretly working for the empire, are you!?"
"Let's not even talk about that revolting Blackbeard! How could you possibly ask me, your loyal and beautiful subordinate, to deal with that disgusting, fat creep!?"
Leone slammed both hands onto the table, visibly protesting.
However, Najenda remained unfazed, her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression turned serious as she pressed Leone further.
"Leone, do you honestly think Blackbeard is the kind of man who would obediently bow to the emperor and his Ministers?"
"This…" Leone faltered, momentarily at a loss for words.
Najenda leaned forward slightly, her tone steady and pointed.
"Let me put it another way: do you believe Blackbeard's invitation to you was genuine?"
"This…" Leone hesitated again, but after a moment, she nodded reluctantly.
"With my instinctive perception as a beast," she began, "I don't think he was lying."
As an assassin who moved undetected in the shadows, Leone's instinct and perception were far sharper than those of other Night Raid members.
When transformed into her beast form, her senses rivaled those of a predator in the wild, capable of discerning even subtle emotional shifts in others.
From what she sensed, Blackbeard was an arrogant, egotistical man driven by an endless hunger for power and influence.
Such a person would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. His betrayal of Ogre—the very man who had facilitated his rise—was a prime example.
And yet...
Leone couldn't deny that Blackbeard's offer to her had been sincere.
For the revolutionary army, gaining a foothold within the Imperial Police at this time could prove invaluable.
Whether it came to orchestrating assassinations or engaging in open warfare later on, having someone embedded within the police force would undoubtedly provide them with a critical advantage.
Thinking this through, Leone quickly realized why Najenda had made the request of her.
It was simple: infiltrate the police force for the sake of justice.
As a member of Night Raid, someone willing to sacrifice her life for the dawn of a better future, Leone knew she should have accepted the organization's orders without hesitation and completed her mission with determination.
But, unfortunately, her face was clouded with resistance at that moment.
It wasn't for any grand reason.
It was simply because Blackbeard was so hideously ugly!
The mere thought of staying by his side and being subjected to his whims made Leone's stomach churn.
Yet...
Understanding the gravity of her mission, Leone finally let out a long, resigned sigh.
Under Najenda's approving gaze and the sympathetic looks from her comrades, she spoke reluctantly:
"Alright, Boss. I understand what needs to be done."
---
A few days later.
In the imperial capital, near the palace's commercial district.
It was the same familiar inn, the same familiar private room.
Blackbeard, now clad in a guard captain's uniform, raised his wine glass high and declared in a booming voice:
"Let's give a warm welcome to our new teammate—Leone!"
"Ohhhh!!!"
The already-tipsy security team members erupted in cheers under Blackbeard's lead.
After all, Leone was undeniably beautiful. Having such a charming new colleague join the team was a welcome surprise for the single men present.
At that moment, Leone stood up, wine glass in hand. With a polite smile, she gave a respectful toast to Blackbeard before turning to address the crowd:
"Thank you all, seniors, for the warm welcome!"
"I grew up on the empire's borderlands and came to the capital seeking a better life. I'm truly grateful to Captain Marco for giving me the opportunity to join the police force, despite my background!"
"I'm not a big drinker…"
"But here's to everyone!"
Without hesitation, Leone raised her glass and downed it in one gulp.
"OOOHHHHH!!!"
Her boldness electrified the room, and the men present cheered wildly, reveling in the festive atmosphere.
By the end of the drinking party, Leone had successfully integrated into the police force and earned everyone's acceptance.
After all, with the captain himself introducing her, it was only natural for the others to show her respect.
Watching this unfold, Blackbeard's lips curled into a satisfied grin.
The captain's position was firmly his now, and he had successfully brought Leone, a member of Night Raid, into the fold.
Though she belonged to the enemy faction, Blackbeard was confident. If he carefully revealed bits of his plans and offered her a share of his authority, he was sure he could sway Leone, the fierce little lioness, to his side.
After all, once he conquered the world, he had no intention of staying in it for long.
To Blackbeard, these dimensional worlds were merely hunting grounds for points. The fleeting power of a single small world wasn't worth clinging to.
If he could leverage Leone's influence to bring the entire Night Raid organization under his control, his team in this world would finally be complete.
However, there was one complication.
After Ogre's murder, the palace had begun planning to form a new elite unit to target the assassins of the revolutionary army.
Blackbeard resolved to figure out a way to manipulate Tatsumi into joining this new unit.
When that happened...
He would have influence over the empire's security force, the revolutionary army's Night Raid, and the empire's elite troops.
Everything would be under his control!
Blackbeard was curious to see what other tricks the people of this world had up their sleeves.
Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on his face. He quickly gathered his thoughts and shifted his gaze back to the corner of the private room.
Just like last time, the lovely young Seryu sat there alone, silently sobbing.
Blackbeard knew she was still mourning Ogre's death.
To Seryu, Ogre had been a righteous and noble master, despite being corrupt and abusing his position for personal gain.
It could only be said that first impressions truly mattered.
However…
For someone like Seryu, who lacked strength but constantly preached about justice and moral righteousness, Blackbeard could only feel a tinge of disgust.
All he could think was:
Such people deserve to be deceived for the rest of their lives.
Laughing derisively in his heart, Blackbeard's expression turned somber as he approached Seryu.
With a rough palm, he patted her gently on the shoulder.
Blackbeard sighed deeply.
"My condolences, Seryu," he said, his voice dripping with false empathy.
"Although Lord Ogre is no longer with us, you still have me and the entire security team."
"We are your family now—the ones who will stand by you no matter what."
Even though Blackbeard was the indirect cause of Ogre's death, he sat down next to Seryu, wearing an earnest expression, and began to console her.
After all, she was a Teigu user.
No matter how much Blackbeard disdained Seryu's naïve sense of justice, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity to win her over. For the sake of points, he was more than willing to cozy up to this "righteous girl."
In Blackbeard's mind, every person was a pawn in his larger game.
Once the entire empire supported him, the moment to seize control of the world would arrive!
ZEHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA!!!
——
Meanwhile
As Blackbeard played his games in the new world, progress was being made in the pirate world.
Three months earlier…
After the interviews, Leo had finally selected six candidates—besides Blackbeard—from among the many applicants. These six successfully earned membership in the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
Among them were Nami, Robin, Doflamingo, and Crocodile, who all passed Leo's rigorous interview and officially became trainee dimensional merchants.
The other two successful applicants were Jinbei, the former Shichibukai, and Bartolomeo, the gang leader from the East Blue.
The positions these two applied for were dimensional investigators.
This was perfect timing, as Leo had been exploring numerous worlds recently and was in desperate need of more personnel.
After carefully evaluating their characters, Leo decided to accept them both.
Jinbei hardly needed an introduction—a brave and chivalrous warrior with extraordinary strength.
His reason for joining the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce wasn't the promise of eternal life or immortality offered to its members.
Jinbei's goal was simple:
By becoming a member of the Chamber, he could use his status to ensure the lasting safety of Fishman Island.
As for Bartolomeo, his story was slightly more convoluted.
Years earlier, when Ace fought and defeated Smoker in Loguetown, Bartolomeo had been nearby, collecting protection money.
He happened to witness the moment Ace and Charizard teamed up to overpower Smoker.
The fiery spectacle was seared into Bartolomeo's memory forever.
From that moment on, he became Ace's devoted fan.
After Ace became the champion of the first Pokémon League Tournament, Bartolomeo's admiration reached new heights.
Determined to learn more about his idol, Bartolomeo sought out members of the Spade Pirates and discovered that Ace had become a dimensional investigator.
When Bartolomeo learned of an open application to join the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, he didn't hesitate to submit his name.
By some twist of fate, he passed the rigorous evaluation and earned a spot as a dimensional investigator, just like Ace.
Now, Bartolomeo served as one of Leo's exclusive investigators.
Sometimes, fate plays strange tricks.
No one can predict the people or events they'll encounter around the next corner.