After two days, the entire crew had gathered. Most had changed their appearance, some had bought weapons, while Doc Q had stocked up on medicines. Laffitte had purchased the tripose to travel in the New World and also revived the ship to leave Fish-Man Island and rise to the surface.
"So, Captain, where are we heading?" "We'll take the one in the middle."
Rising to the surface was easy; no sea creatures attacked us. Once on the surface, Teach spoke:
"Now I have some questions I should have asked earlier. Who among you doesn't know Haki?" No one spoke. Perfect. "Then, who hasn't mastered any type of Haki?"
This time, Dédanos, Roxan, Hannaw, Token, Kamatello, and Billy Wood stepped forward.
"I see. During our journey on the island, I have no illusions: you won't master everything in a month. But we'll review the basics. Armament Haki allows you to hit those who have eaten a Logia. It's one of the two energies a human can develop with intense training. It consists of reinforcing your blows with an invisible armor. You can harden a part or even the entire body, as well as weapons, with this energy, which significantly increases both power and defense. The hardened area turns black.
The second, Observation Haki, allows you to foresee the opponent's attacks and sense the presence of others without seeing them. Burgess is well-versed in Armament, while Augur excels in Observation. For some, it's innate; for others, it's a long journey."
"Those seeking advice should go see them quickly. If that doesn't work, I have my own methods." A shiver ran through the crew. It was better to avoid the captain and learn as much as possible from Burgess or Augur.
"Alright, that's the basics. Now let's move to the advanced part."
The new crew members who already knew the basics relaxed a bit, except for Shiryu, who had some knowledge from his time with the Marines.
"An advanced technique of Haki involves imbuing your fists to create a barrier, repelling an attack without even making direct contact. You can strike directly into your opponent, bypassing their defenses. This requires great concentration and energy, but a strong blow can guarantee victory.
It's also possible to see a few moments into the future, though that requires an even greater mastery." "Who here has mastered an advanced form of Haki?"
"I know Armament, though 'mastered' is a strong word. After about 15 hits, my Haki starts to wear out," said Shiryu.
"Well, in any case, I can tell you that you'll improve on this island," Teach said.
"Burgess, you're already on the right path, and Augur too. You just need battles to perfect your techniques. Luckily, that's all we'll be doing for the year: wars and conquests."
"We're heading to the island of Bortuga. Buy an Eternal Pose for the Hive; there's a good chance you'll find one there, as it's a pirate's paradise. And it's the first territory I plan to conquer."
This declaration made the crew smile, but the following words made them understand the gravity of the task ahead. "It's like entering a cave full of lions... except these lions are pirates. Thousands of pirates."
"On this island is one of the competitors for the Emperor's title, Ochoku. To defeat him in the next two months, you'll undergo intense training. We could charge in and win, but I don't want to lose half of you in the process. So we'll focus on one thing: Haki. I have no illusions: I can't save you all or make you into monsters. But after the hell you're going to endure, you'll either die or you'll improve. Zehahahaha!"
Upon hearing Teach, the crew's smiles widened. They knew it was "do or die." Only the strong survive in a real war. If someone died in training, what use would they be in a battle against monsters?
"And how will this training go?" Shiryu asked.
"Simple. The island is sparsely populated, but there are pirates. Kill them. There are also animals on the island, and they're the only useful ones," said Teach, eyeing certain crew members. "Dédanos, Roxan, Hannaw, Token, Kamatello, Billy Wood, you'll be in charge of killing all the pirates on the island, accompanied by Augur, Devon, and San Juan Wolf to ensure everything goes smoothly. Valdaas, Harris, Le Borgne, Allen Turner, and Pizalo, you'll handle the unruly villagers. Keep some of them alive for food, bread, and all that stuff."
Two days later, they arrived on the island. Several pirate ships were docked at the port. Upon arrival, those tasked with eliminating the pirates attacked the ships. The sound of explosions attracted members of the various crews, while those assigned to enslave the villagers killed any pirates in their way. Meanwhile, Teach headed towards the center of the island, which was a labyrinth-like jungle.
The tension at the docks rose quickly as Devon looked at his group with an annoyed sigh.
Devon: "Why am I stuck babysitting you like children?"
This comment stung the six other crew members. Token, arms crossed, was the first to respond.
Token: "You're not babysitting us. You're just here to help with the loot, Devon, and nothing else."
Rosxan, looking thoughtful, sharpened his sword with a precise motion.
Rosxan: "There's a chance there are Haki users in this group of pirates. I'd rather not break my new blade on an Armament user."
Dédanos, a playful smile on his face, crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly.
Dédanos: "I'm looking forward to seeing if I can learn anything by fighting them. You know what? There are four ships. I'll take two, and leave the rest to you. I wouldn't want you to die accidentally, like the captain said."
Token, irritated, shot him a harsh look.
Token: "Shut up. There are six of us and four pirate captains. How are we splitting this up?"
Devon, visibly tired of their bickering, intervened.
Devon: "Stop acting cocky. Against a Haki user, your chances of victory drop by 20%. If they've mastered both types, your only options are to run or dig your grave... though there are exceptions."
Devon's gaze then fell on Augur.
Augur nodded and spoke in a calm but sharp voice.
Augur: "We're only here to keep you from dying too soon. Teach is aiming for the Pirate Emperor's throne. If you don't quickly unlock your Haki, you'll end up among the corpses."
While they were talking, some crew members had discreetly withdrawn to alert their captains. Devon turned to the group.
Devon: "Kamatello, Billy, handle the crew. The rest of us—Token, Dédanos, Rosxan, and I—will take care of the captains."
Billy Wood, visibly irritated by the order, frowned.
Billy Wood: "What gives you the right to order me around, Devon?"
Kamatello, indifferent, just shrugged.
Kamatello: "I don't care. More fights for me is fine."
Devon: "I don't care about your problems. Hurry up. I want to finish this chore as soon as possible."
Without further delay, Kamatello charged in. His bewildering agility allowed him to dodge a rain of bullets as he attacked the enemy pirates with a series of swift kicks. Several enemies were sent flying by the force of his strikes. Drawing knives from his sleeves, he began massacring the pirates, slashing throats and arteries in a bloody dance.
Billy, seeing Kamatello wreak havoc, decided to join the slaughter. He plunged into the fray, his massive axe splitting torsos and limbs with brutal force. But he came face-to-face with a hulking pirate, whose thick layer of fat absorbed part of the blow. The pirate retaliated with a massive fist, but Billy, ever relentless, countered and chopped off the pirate's arm before finishing him off.
Meanwhile, Dédanos, Rosxan, Token, and Augur were observing the carnage. Augur, as calm as ever, watched his allies' abilities.
Augur: "Not bad. But it looks like your enemies are on their way."
Indeed, ten pirates were approaching at high speed, including the four enemy captains and their lieutenants. Devon frowned.
Devon: "I already know who they are. We'll have to switch targets, or else you won't survive."
The four exchanged determined looks and nodded.
Augur, with his usual indifference, wished the others good luck before the chaos erupted.
The enemy captains approached, revealing their identities:
Captain Tristan, of the Scarab Beetle Devil Fruit, with a bounty of 382 million berries.
Captain Hydem, of the Chaos Buccaneers, with a bounty of 475 million berries.
Captain Tokba, the collector, with a bounty of 293 million berries.
Captain Galios, silver arm, with a bounty of 210 million berries.
The four pirate captains, enraged after witnessing their crews decimated, wasted no time in regrouping.
Captain Hydem of the Chaos Buccaneers roared with fury: "You've barely entered the New World, and you slaughter my men?! I'll kill all of you and plant your heads on spikes, including that of your captain, Blackbeard. Where is he, anyway? Does he think that with two Devil Fruits and an old man's death, he can do whatever he wants?!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield, stoking the anger of the other captains present.
Captain Tristan, Captain Tokba, and Captain Galios, with his silver arm, turned to Hydem, then nodded. Hydem continued: "I propose an alliance! Together, we'll wipe out Blackbeard's entire crew and put their heads on spikes!"
In an instant, the alliance between the four captains was sealed. Without saying another word, they understood that the only way to survive was to eliminate Blackbeard's crew. They gathered together, exchanging knowing looks, ready to face what awaited them.
Augur and Devon, on the opposite side, observed the scene calmly. The four captains knew who they were; they had seen their wanted posters and understood this battle would be to the death. The lone giant, who was staring at them with an impassive look before turning his gaze to the sea, reminded them that fleeing was an option, but not for them. If they wanted to survive, they had to kill all their enemies here and now.
Suddenly, without further delay, Hydem charged directly at Augur with surprising speed, his rage driving him to attempt a frontal attack. At the same time, Tristan, the captain with the powers of the Beetle, charged at Devon, ready for a showdown.
Meanwhile, Tokba and Galios advanced toward the other four members of Blackbeard's crew, leaving behind them an aura of menace. The pirates from their respective crews, outnumbering their opponents, were also closing in, making the situation even more dangerous for Blackbeard's subordinates.
The battle was about to reach its climax, and everyone knew this fight would decide who would live to see another day, and whose heads would be mounted as trophies.
Hydem rushed toward Augur, while Tristan attacked Devon. Tokba and Galios headed toward the other members of the crew. The battle was escalating, as Kamatello was already clashing with Darren, Galios' vice-captain, known as the Boar, with a bounty of 81 million berries. Darren's powerful hooved kicks dealt heavy blows, but Kamatello, countering with precision, eventually sent him crashing into a ship.
However, there was no time for rest, as three more enemies charged at him and Billy. Seeing this, Kamatello cursed, realizing the scale of the situation.
Billy: "I'll take two, you get the other."
Without further hesitation, they charged at the vice-captains. Kamatello engaged in battle with Riston, the manipulator, a Devil Fruit user who could influence emotions, while Billy faced Branton and Egerton, two ruthless killers.
Kamatello rushed at Riston, and their weapons clashed violently. Suddenly, Kamatello felt an overwhelming sense of imminent death. Instinctively, he pushed off with his legs and retreated just in time. His knife had been destroyed by the impact. "One second later, and I'd have lost my head," he thought, touching his neck.
He saw blood on his hands. That sense of death had literally saved him. But why had he felt it? An irresistible urge to charge forward, as if he was certain of victory, overcame him.
"This guy... he's done something to me," Kamatello thought.
Already wounded, Kamatello felt a chill of death creeping up on him, but he backed off just in time, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. He realized that Riston was playing with his emotions.
Riston, disappointed that his strike hadn't worked, still charged at Kamatello with a grin. Kamatello dodged while keeping his distance from Riston. A strange fear gripped him toward this man. He quickly understood that this guy had eaten a Devil Fruit, likely one tied to emotions or desires.
Meanwhile, Billy was wielding his two axes against the two vice-captains. Branton, vice-captain of Tristan, known as the Executioner, had a fitting passion for executing his enemies. His bounty stood at 151 million berries.
Egerton, the vice-captain of the Collector, wielded a serrated blade. His bounty was 108 million berries. Their weapons clashed violently, but eventually, the three fighters were pushed back.
Billy, grinning, said: "Two against one? This is gonna be fun! woowod wodwood!"
Chaos reigned on the battlefield, and everyone was fighting not just for victory, but for survival.