Te turned to the scout, his voice cold. "Who sent you?"
The figure hesitated, clearly fearful of what would happen if they spoke. But with both Koby and Te's auras looming over them, they eventually gave in.
"The 'Syndicate', formed by the current warlord "white crow" Qasarhog Yanbaal."
"God dammit." Te muttered
Hearing Te mutter something " what is it."
"I know who this guy is and your not going to like it." Te replied. " Just know Oda screwed us over."
"Oda?" Lila had a puzzled look on her face.
"Just some old fart."
Te was having an existential crisis, That name wasn't a part of the canon storyline but he did know where he had heard that name before. One day accidentally he found himself on a One Piece fanfiction wiki and he remembered this guy being one of the warlords of that verse.
The reason for his crisis was that his future knowledge might not be as reliable as he once thought. He believed koby and he could easily skate by the storyline and make small changes here and there as long as they knew the future, but with the White Crow now existing it could put a wrench in their future plans.
"GOD DAMMIT!!" TE shouted. Te is usually a laid back person but this really irked his nerves and he needed to let out some steam. "Koby tie this person and protect Lila."
Before Koby could give a response Te had already dashed to the nearest Syndicate member.
Te's sudden outburst startled both Koby and Lila. Koby glanced at his brother, seeing the rare flash of frustration, and knew it was serious. Te was usually the calm one, always collected, but something about this "White Crow" had rattled him. Without wasting any time, Koby tied up the scout, using quick, precise knots to ensure there was no escape.
Lila, still puzzled by the mention of "Oda," couldn't hide her concern. "Te... Is everything going to be okay?" she asked quietly.
Koby gave her a reassuring nod. "Don't worry. Te's just dealing with some unexpected news, but we'll handle this. You're safe with us."
Meanwhile, Te was already in motion. His mind raced as he darted through the trees toward the closest Syndicate member. White Crow, a name he knew from the fanfiction wiki, wasn't supposed to be real. The realization that his knowledge of the future was flawed made his stomach twist. He had always believed that by knowing the future, he and Koby could manipulate events to their favor. But this unexpected twist was a slap in the face—a reminder that nothing was guaranteed.
As he approached the first Syndicate member, Te let his frustration fuel his speed. The man, dressed in dark, ragged clothes, was caught off guard by the blur that was Te. Before he could even react,
HAND PISTOL!!!
Te's hand went through his chest, killing him instantly.
The man's body crumpled to the ground motionless.
Te stood over him, emotionless. Feeling nothing as he just took his first human life.
"Barely human anyway, taking kids from islands."
Te sped off towards the next closest member, and repeated the process for the next three killing them before they even had time to even react.
With the fourth and final Syndicate member down, Te stood amidst the bodies, his aura swirling faintly around him. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, but his expression remained blank. These men—these things—had been preying on children, taking them from their homes, from their families. Te felt no guilt, no remorse. In his mind, they barely qualified as human.
"They deserved it," he muttered under his breath, wiping the blood from his hand onto the grass.
Shaking off the thoughts for now, Te turned and headed back to where Koby and Lila were waiting. His mind was still racing with questions, but the immediate threat had been dealt with. There would be time to think later. Right now, they needed to regroup and figure out their next move.
Koby scrunched his face when Te arrived where he and Lila were. He could still smell the stench of blood coming from Te. and judging by how fast he left and came back he knew that he didn't spare a single one.
Still his best friend and now brother, koby approached Te and put both hands on his shoulders. "It's okay we'll talk about it later."
Te nodded his head, simply acknowledging Koby words.
Lila, still wide-eyed from the sudden turn of events, cautiously stepped forward. "Are… are we safe now?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of fear and awe. She hadn't seen exactly what Te had done, but she could sense the change in the atmosphere.
Koby turned to her, giving a small, reassuring smile. "For now, yeah. We'll make sure of it."
Te's gaze flickered to Lila, her innocent face a stark reminder of why they were doing this. Protecting people, especially the innocent, was what mattered most. He exhaled slowly, the tension in his body easing slightly as he made a silent promise to himself: they'd keep fighting, but they wouldn't lose sight of who they were.
"We should get you home, Lila," Te finally said, his voice steady once again.
Lila nodded, her earlier enthusiasm tempered by the seriousness of the situation. "Thanks… both of you."
-----------------
Off the shore of Greed Island, a looming ship sat anchored, its dark silhouette cutting an imposing figure against the horizon. The vessel belonged to the Syndicate—a notorious group now commanded by the warlord known as "White Crow." Its weathered hull was painted in ominous shades of black and gray, and jagged metal spikes jutted out along the edges, a clear deterrent for anyone thinking of boarding uninvited.
The ship's sails, tattered and stained from years of harsh seas and battle, bore the emblem of the White Crow: a skeletal bird with outstretched wings, perched atop a twisted throne. Dark flags flapped violently in the wind, making the ship feel alive with malice.
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
"Damn fools, why is no one answering their transponder snail?" a feminine voice ranged out. " all they had to do was capture a couple of kids than head before being notice. This island was perfect it barely has any marine presence"
Her dark eyes flickered with impatience as she leaned back, the shadows playing across her sharp, angular features. Her hair, long and black as night, cascaded over her shoulders, contrasting with the stark white of her uniform. She was tall and slender, yet exuded an aura of authority and lethal precision.
"This is unacceptable," she hissed, gripping the transponder snail. "No delays, no mistakes...and yet here we are." She narrowed her eyes at the maps on the table, her mind racing. Something had clearly gone wrong on the island, and it was a mistake that the Syndicate could not afford.
"White Crow will not be pleased," she muttered to herself, glancing out of the small porthole, where the shadow of Greed Island loomed in the distance.
Purururu
Purururu
The transponder snail rang again.
Kacha
"Sir there is something going on with the operation. None of the members are answering their transponder snail,' The woman said. "I'm canceling the operation and heading back."
... No words were said coming, just eerie silence making the woman uncomfortable.
Kacha
The transponder snail hung up.
Canceling the operation wasn't a decision she could make lightly, and the silence from White Crow felt more ominous than any direct reprimand.
She stared out of the porthole again, the shadow of Greed Island almost taunting her with its mystery. Something was happening on that island, something beyond her control, and she hated not knowing.
Standing up abruptly, she moved toward the door, her cloak billowing behind her as she strode out of the cabin. She needed to prepare the crew, to get them ready for a swift departure.
As she stepped onto the deck, the sharp sea breeze hit her face, bringing a momentary clarity. The crew, sensing her approach, snapped to attention. She glared at them with cold authority.
"Prepare to pull anchor!" she barked, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. "We're leaving immediately. If anyone sees even the slightest sign of trouble, alert me at once."
She turned her back to the crew, staring out at the dark horizon. The silence from White Crow haunted her, but she couldn't afford to wait any longer. Something was terribly wrong on Greed Island, and she had no intention of being caught in the middle of it.