Chapter 449: I

As for consuming that Devil Fruit? Over the years, Blackbeard had not found the Dark-Dark Fruit, but he had discovered many rare Devil Fruits.

He could easily pick one from them.

But once Blackbeard truly made up his mind, he hesitated again.

After all, Vegapunk, that big-headed fool, never spoke a single truth.

When he underwent bloodline modification, Vegapunk had patted his chest and sworn that the Lunarian race was one of the gods’ lineages, with unmatched defense against flame.

And what happened?

Blackbeard was first smashed into the ocean by Loki’s hammer, then beaten senseless by Aokiji and punched straight into the sea.

When sparring with his wife Luffy, he had been forced to spit blood nonstop due to his half-integrated Bakiyan bloodline.

Every single incident proved: Vegapunk was a complete fraud.

If he truly consumed another Devil Fruit and rendered himself unable to eat the Dark-Dark Fruit later, he would have no place to cry.

Thinking of this, Blackbeard’s head throbbed.

“Lu Bianyi, call a meeting.”

Since the old method had failed to locate the Dark-Dark Fruit, Blackbeard decided to try a different approach.

Not long after, aboard the Queen Ship’s cabin.

Blackbeard sat at the head of the conference room, with Vice Captain Lafitte on his left, Helmsman Dragon on his right, Navigator Lu Bianyi beside him, and trainees Kid and Kira, the two brothers, seated below.

“Brothers, I’m going to infiltrate the enemy from within.”

Blackbeard’s words stunned everyone, including Lafitte, who all drew sharp breaths.

“The United Kingdom is now overwhelmingly powerful. If we stick to our old methods, we won’t topple it in a hundred years.”

“But if we join the United Kingdom, we gain the chance to dismantle it from within.”

As soon as he finished, Lafitte asked.

“Captain, if we all join, what happens to the Club’s assets? The brothers have worked for years to build this foundation—do we just hand it all over to the United Kingdom?”

Blackbeard nodded slightly, clearly pleased with Lafitte’s cooperation.

“This problem is easy to solve. I’ve decided to use the method of dispersal.”

Didn’t Whitehair use exactly this method to disperse the Morning Star Guild, evade the Five Elders’ surveillance, and ultimately overthrow the World Government?

With that, Blackbeard gave his orders.

“Dragon, you’ll join former Seven Warlord, now Fish-Man Island Province Governor, Tegu. I recall you were once his subordinate.”

Dragon opened his mouth to protest, but his eyes caught the sight of Kobi crushed under Blackbeard’s foot—his words died instantly.

What Blackbeard had done to Kobi had shown the Blackbeard Pirates what true cruelty and madness looked like.

“Lu Bianyi, the Army is recruiting right now. Join them. Find a way to infiltrate the Army’s high command.”

Lu Bianyi’s eyes widened, his whole body went stiff, and he pointed at himself in disbelief.

“Captain… me? Infiltrate the Army’s high command?”

Even jokes have limits, Captain.

The Army copied the Marines’ rank structure exactly—climbing from recruit to high command takes at least thirty years, and I’m nearly forty.

Seeing this, Blackbeard frowned.

“I don’t care how you do it. I only care about the result.”

Dragon didn’t complain. You, Lu Bianyi, spend your days drunk. I once thought you were some kind of expert.

Turns out, I didn’t misname you.

Lu Bianyi is exactly what his name says: a roadside nobody.

“Fine,” Lu Bianyi sighed and nodded.

Kobi’s suffering was too great—Blackbeard didn’t even forget to crush Kobi’s face with his foot during the meeting. Lu Bianyi didn’t dare anger him.

Besides, joining the Army would let him escape this hellhole called the Blackbeard Pirates.

As for avenging his comrades?

Forget it.

He, Lu Bianyi, was just a lucky ordinary man. If he’d followed his old captain, he’d be dead long ago.

These years serving Blackbeard had shattered all illusions—Blackbeard’s dream of toppling the United Kingdom was pure fantasy.

With this ragtag crew, they couldn’t even defeat the Marines, let alone stand before the World King, Barzab Seven.

Better to join the Army and use the secrets he’d gathered over the years to secure a decent future.

Every single member of the old aristocratic alliance behind Blackbeard—Lu Bianyi remembered them all clearly.

At that moment, Blackbeard turned to the two trainees.

“Kid, Kira.”

“You two brothers will infiltrate the Marines. Within eight years, you must become base commanders of Marine branches.”

This arrangement came from years of observation—Blackbeard had studied the news reports.

The World King, Whitehair, seemed to do nothing, yet his subordinates managed the United Kingdom flawlessly.

Whitehair could.

So could he, Blackbeard.

Subordinates’ potential was always forced out under pressure.

Eight years from now, when the former World King, Yimu, returns, Blackbeard must have a territory. A Marine branch would be a perfect choice.

No one would ever suspect that Blackbeard would play the “darkness under the lamp” trick—spreading his crew into the Army and Marines.

By this point, Lafitte had figured it out: where Blackbeard would send him.

Only the Air Force—after all, he was the only one in the Blackbeard Pirates with flight ability.

As Lafitte expected, Blackbeard hesitated, then looked at him with reluctance.

“Lafitte, you’ll join the Air Force.”

“With your strength, you’ll earn a place there. We’ll reunite in eight years.”

After saying this, Blackbeard got up and walked away without looking back, and Lafitte hurried after him.

“Captain, what about you?”

“Where are you going?”

Of course, Blackbeard wanted to return and keep having children with Luffy—but he couldn’t say that aloud.

“Luffy and I raised three hundred boys. Then our Blackbeard Pirates will never lack manpower again.”

Lafitte clenched his lips.

Done. Completely done.

His hopes for promotion and raise vanished in an instant—what had his nine years of undercover work in the Blackbeard Pirates amounted to?

Was it sunk cost?

Had his constant urging triggered Blackbeard’s rebellion? Had Blackbeard simply given up entirely?

Was he now betting everything on those three hundred fools, like Charlotte Luffy?

Or on the child Blackbeard and Luffy had just conceived?

The offspring fused with Lunarian, Ancient Giant, Davis bloodlines, and Luffy’s own lineage?

“Captain… take care.”

Honestly, Lafitte was tired. No credit, no credit.

Even if there was no merit, there should be at least some hardship.

Blackbeard nodded, left his crew on Jiayadao, stepped on Kobi beneath his foot, and steered the Queen Ship swiftly toward the North Blue.

Just thinking of returning to Luffy’s side, Blackbeard wished he could tear open space itself.

Seeing this, Dragon bowed.

“Farewell, everyone.”

After Dragon left, Kid and Kira also departed, leaving only Lu Bianyi and Lafitte.

Just as Lafitte was about to leave, a crewman Blackbeard had sent to Jiayadao to gather intelligence rushed over, carrying a wooden crate.

“Vice Captain, where’s the Captain?”

Lafitte’s face was blank. “He’s returned to the North Blue. What is it?”

The crewman carefully opened the crate, revealing a pale purple Devil Fruit. Lafitte’s throat went dry; his breathing grew rapid.

The Devil Fruit he had longed for years—right before his eyes—how could he not be stirred?

Lafitte forced himself to calm down.

“Give it to me. I’ll take it back to the Captain.”

The crewman didn’t think twice—he handed the crate to Lafitte. Everyone in the Club knew Lafitte, Vice Captain, was utterly loyal to Captain Blackbeard.

Lafitte lifted the crate and soared into the sky.

Only Lu Bianyi stared after Lafitte’s retreating figure, frowning: Something’s wrong. Very wrong.

Lafitte had been too excited just now.

Was there something special about that Devil Fruit?

And Lafitte said “take it back to the Captain,” not “take it to the Captain.” Thinking of this, Lu Bianyi pulled out his Den Den Mushi, preparing to warn Blackbeard.

After all these years of camaraderie, it was his final farewell before leaving.