On a scarred island, the Blackbeard Pirates' flag—three white bone skulls—fluttered overhead amid carnage.
Everywhere were bodies, wounded survivors, dying groans filling the air.
Marshall D. Teach—Blackbeard—took a hearty bite of cherry pie while grinning at a wanted poster.
"One hundred million Berries?" he roared with laughter. "Ha! The Marines just get more pathetic. Bounties like this for a newcomer—what a joke! If I ever find this Pirate's crew, I'll take his head for sport!"
He wiped his mouth on the poster and tossed it into the drizzle. The winds of change whispered in his ears.
"My era is coming. Am I right, Peninsula Clan Chief?" he jeered.
Beneath him lay the trembling Peninsula Clan Chief, bleeding profusely, weakly lifting his head.
"Justice will come…" he croaked, his eyes fading.
Blackbeard sneered, tossing back his head in raucous laughter.
"Justice? How absurd! Only the strong shape fate!"
---
A short distance away, Van Augur calmly raised his rifle—Chiroku—targeting fleeing Peninsula Clan survivors, his voice even.
"It's their destiny."
Bang! Bang! Bang! The shots rang out, and crimson bloomed on the sea's surface—bait for hungry seabirds above.
---
Nearby, Burgess, the Champion, theatrically held two terrified survivors aloft, smashing them together like toys.
"Please, spare us!" they screamed.
Their skulls cracked, echoes of agony silencing their pleas. Burgess tossed the shattered corpses aside, bored.
"So dull here. When do real threats show up?"
Blackbeard rose, surveying the devastation with pride.
"Soon, Burgess. Fate will bring us powerful foes—and you'll have your real fun."
Burgess grinned madly.
"Finally! I'll be the fearsome Pirate King's greatest warrior!"
They laughed with vicious delight.
---
Not far off, Doc Q hunched, near death himself, offering ointment to a crying little girl.
"Cough… use this on your parents. They'll heal."
The girl hesitated, then applied it. Her mother's bleeding stopped miraculously.
"It works!" the girl whispered.
Doc Q chuckled softly.
"Lucky you."
She began applying the second tube to her father. At once his wound blackened, poison flooding his body. He wailed in raw agony.
"Papa!" she cried as he died, odor and rot spreading.
Doc Q finally smiled, whispering, "Cough… goodbye, unlucky child."
She collapsed—poison seeping into her skin. Soon she too lay blackened, lifeless.
Doc Q's "lucky" meant painless death—and nothing more.
---
Aboard the Going Merry
The news onboard was electric:
"Shirogai's bounty hit one hundred million Berries!"
"Even higher than Luffy's!" Luffy cried, holding the poster.
"Five, six, seven, eight zeros!" he counted.
Shirogai Yamikuro—now "Vice Captain Shirogai"—was the talk of the deck.
Luffy pleaded, "Teach me how to get a bounty like that!"
Shirogai chuckled. "Luffy, don't worry. Your bounty will skyrocket soon."
Nearby, Zoro and Sanji sparred in Usopp's "danger zone" cordoned off area. Zoro launched an Oni Giri slash; Shirogai deftly blocked using Kisame, grip firm, quipping:
"Zoro, your strength is solid, but speed is lacking—use Soru!"
From behind, Sanji attacked with Collier Shot, foot aimed at Shirogai's back. He blocked it with ease.
"Good Rankyaku power," Shirogai commented. "But your timing and coordination need polish."
Then he flicked Zoro's sword feet, disrupting his stance. Zoro stumbled into Sanji, and both tumbled with a loud thud.
Shirogai laughed, holding his sword.
"They're powerful alone, but together—they're messy. One plus one should be two, not less."
From above, Usopp laughed so hard his nose twitched.
"Hahaha! You're right, Shirogai! They even hit each other instead of you!"
Zoro yanked himself upright, glaring at Sanji.
"Curly-brow, why'd you hit me?"
Sanji sneered back.
"You can't even land a blow on Shirogai—your swords are toys."
---
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