Chapter 353: Big Scoop

Ace's expression was incredibly serious. Suddenly, scorching waves of flame erupted from his body, keeping everyone who wanted to approach him at bay.

"Ace... only this once."

Ace took a deep breath, looked deeply at his Old Man, and then turned to leave.

Bai Huzi watched Ace's departing back. He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. He could only watch in silence as Ace jumped off the Moby Dick and boarded his own small boat.

The next day, news of the Bai Huzi Pirates' internal strife had already spread across the sea via newspapers.

New World, Red Hair Pirates.

Looking at the content in the newspaper, Shanks inexplicably felt the claw marks on his eye throbbing with pain.

"Teach..."

That man—he had known him back when he was still an apprentice on Luo Jie's ship. He didn't need to sleep, his will was firm, and his martial arts were solid...

Most importantly, his name, like Captain Luo Jie's, contained the D.

Yet, a man like that had remained obscure for over twenty years, not even having a bounty, and now, on Bai Huzi's ship, he had committed the act of killing a comrade.

"Shanks? What's wrong? You seem a bit different?"

Shanks revealed a faint smile: "No, it's just an inexplicable feeling that the sea is about to become chaotic."

"Haha, when is the sea ever not chaotic? As long as that guy Karl doesn't come looking for trouble with us, it'll be fine."

Beckman spoke his true thoughts. Ever since Karl became a Hero of the Navy, he seemed to have taken over Garp's heavy responsibility—hunting them down.

If it were Garp, it wouldn't actually matter; although he was hard to fight, they could at least run. But this guy Karl was different—if you didn't "beat him to death," don't even think about leaving. The key point was, this thing couldn't be beaten to death!

Every time they gathered everyone's strength to repel him, a few days later, this guy would come back again, chasing them around. It was very annoying.

Shanks couldn't help but nod, feeling the same way.

Grand Line, Paradise, the lawless zone on the edge of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Teach, who had just fled from the New World, looked around vigilantly. After confirming no one was there, he took out the anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi given to him by the mysterious person.

"Did you see the newspaper? I've finished what you asked me to do. Now it's time for you to fulfill your promise, right?"

"I saw it. Well done. Where are you now?"

"The lawless zone of the Sabaody Archipelago."

Karl was silent for a moment. Teach had actually run to Paradise. How to put it? Unexpected, yet within reason.

"Fine. Come to Island 43. At the top of the Yarukiman Mangrove on Island 43, the thing you want is there."

"Good, I'm coming right away!!!" After saying this, Teach hung up the phone immediately and rushed toward Island 43 without stopping.

Far away on the Sky Island, Karl tossed the Den Den Mushi into the sea of clouds, then his entire body erupted with dazzling golden light—the kind even more dazzling than Shining Tiga.

The next second, with a flash of golden light, Karl vanished from the spot instantly. Two minutes later, Karl appeared at the top of the Yarukiman Mangrove on Island 43.

After placing the box containing the Dark-Dark Fruit on a conspicuous branch, Karl's figure flickered again, leaving the Sabaody Archipelago and heading toward Navy Headquarters.

Not long after Karl left, a panting, fat black man appeared at the base of the Yarukiman Mangrove on Island 43. He was soaking wet, looking as if he had swum and run his way there.

Teach stared fixedly upward, suddenly revealing a look of wild joy. He leaped violently, climbing toward the top of the Yarukiman Mangrove.

"Hahaha~"

Teach held the Dark-Dark Fruit in his hand, letting out unbridled, wild laughter. When the laughter ceased, Teach bit into the Dark-Dark Fruit without hesitation. His complexion turned visibly worse; perhaps because it was too hard to eat, Teach simply swallowed the whole thing.

Looking at the black vortex in his hand, Teach could no longer suppress the ambition in his heart. He looked cruelly at the bustling street below.

Having finally obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit, how could he not test it?

But thinking that Navy Headquarters was not far away, Teach decided to keep a low profile for now. It would be embarrassing if he died before his mission even began. After all, there were too many powerhouses at Navy Headquarters, and as a lone man, it was better for him to be cautious.

To be honest, Teach had originally prepared to be played for a fool, but he never expected this mysterious person to actually keep his promise and really give him the Dark-Dark Fruit.

How to put it? Teach felt he had met a benefactor.

Standing at the top blowing in the cold wind, Teach's restless heart gradually cooled down. Since the Dark-Dark Fruit was successfully in hand, the next step was to recruit crew members and establish his own pirate crew.

Where to recruit crew, how to recruit crew, and what kind of crew to recruit—Teach already had the answers in his heart.

But no matter what, the most important thing right now was to leave the Sabaody Archipelago and make plans later.

And if nothing went wrong, the Old Man should be sending people to catch him soon. Just don't know who it would be?

Fleet Admiral's office.

"Karl, you're here. Have you read today's newspaper?"

Karl nodded: "I've already read it. I just didn't expect Bai Huzi to actually dare to let Ace go hunt down that Teach. Isn't this old guy afraid that before the person is found, Ace will be captured by us first?"

Sengoku smiled lightly: "What's so unexpected about that? That Teach was originally Ace's subordinate. Teach killed a comrade; in terms of emotion and reason, it should be his captain who goes to hunt him down. Moreover, this kid Ace is loyal and respects Newgate very much. Even if Newgate didn't let him go, this kid would probably run off to hunt Teach down on his own."

"So, I have a new mission again?"

"Correct. According to the information I've received, Newgate knows Ace's background, which is why he is cultivating him as a successor. This shows that Newgate values Ace very much."

"As long as we can capture Ace, we can use Ace to make a move."

After finishing, Sengoku took off his glasses, rubbed his brow, stood up, and walked to the window. Looking at the vast Navy Headquarters, he said with emotion: "I have fought with the Bai Huzi Pirates for a lifetime; it is time to draw a period to this."

Karl thought to himself, as expected, Sengoku really wanted to bow out together with the Bai Huzi Pirates!

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I understand what you mean, but has the Navy made preparations?"

Sengoku turned his head to look at Karl: "I have already made preparations; that is enough."

"No, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I mean, the Bai Huzi Pirates don't seem like that much trouble to me. The preparations I'm talking about are for welcoming the next Fleet Admiral."

Sengoku was silent for a long while: "The next Fleet Admiral should be chosen between Kuzan and Sakazuki. I favor Kuzan more; Sakazuki... he is more suited to be a sharp blade in the hands of the Navy."

"His philosophy is not something that can be realized just by becoming Fleet Admiral."