"So, you want to join the Fourth Division?" Thatch grinned. "That's not a problem, but with so many divisions in the Whitebeard Pirates, why pick mine?"
Even though Shin was technically a prisoner, his healing abilities were so extraordinary that he received treatment almost equal to that of a squad captain. His medical skills alone warranted respect from all the divisions, making it unwise for anyone to be on bad terms with a doctor—especially one of the world's finest.
When Thatch asked, Shin simply smiled and thought, 'Of course, it's because of the Dark Fruit. I've spent two months modifying my physique to prepare for this.'
'Since I've already pulled one over on Teach, why not take his Dark-Dark Fruit too? This way, Teach won't rebel, there won't be catastrophic battles, Ace stays safe, and I get to save your life, Thatch. Quite the achievement, if I do say so myself.'
Naturally, Shin kept these thoughts to himself. Instead, he replied that his reason for joining the Fourth Division was simple: he loved good food.
Thatch accepted this without question. As someone with a fruit that allowed him to eat nearly anything, it seemed logical for Shin to appreciate good meals. Besides, Shin's appetite was impressive. As a user of the Munch-Munch Fruit, he could consume almost as much as Luffy, and he ranked among the top eaters in the entire Whitebeard Pirates.
And why link food with the Fourth Division? Well, not only was Thatch the captain of the Fourth Division, but he was also the head chef of the Whitebeard Pirates. In fact, most of the Fourth Division worked as his kitchen crew, honing their cooking skills under his guidance.
"Alright, fellow food lover! You can come along with us!" Thatch declared, slapping his chest with pride.
Over the next month, Shin accompanied the Fourth Division on a few missions, though encounters in the New World were scarce. Unlike the smaller crews embarking on high-seas adventures, the Four Emperors' pirate groups were akin to stable political organizations. The territories were clearly defined, and most pirate crews operating within them were affiliated with each other. The primary rivals they faced were the other Four Emperors.
For new pirate groups just entering the New World, few dared to challenge the Four Emperors, and fewer still had the strength. The Spade Pirates had come the closest in recent years, having fought their way into Whitebeard's territory.
Thus, the Fourth Division's work mainly consisted of patrolling Whitebeard's waters and occasionally handling rogue pirates who violated Whitebeard's laws. But this quiet period didn't last. Tensions had begun to rise between the Beast Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates, leading to the possibility of war.
And the reason? Naturally, it was the Spade Pirates. With Kaido watching Ace's likely induction into the Whitebeard Pirates, his territorial instincts were triggered.
Initially, Kaido wanted to storm Whitebeard's territory directly. However, his top officers, King and Queen, urged him to show restraint and send a diplomatic message first. Despite their constant bickering, they agreed on this, both having recently tasted defeat at the hands of the Spade Pirates. They knew firsthand the Spades' strength.
With the Beast Pirates' current power, challenging Whitebeard and the rest of his crew, including the Spades Pirates, would be near impossible.
Although Kaido was known for his aggressive, often reckless behavior, he could be remarkably calculating. If the Whitebeard Pirates alone were formidable, adding the Spade Pirates made them almost unbeatable. He agreed to King's diplomatic approach, hoping it would yield better results.
But when Whitebeard received Kaido's message, he barely glanced at it before tearing it up.
Whitebeard had no love for Kaido's crew. He had once shared a brotherly bond with Oden Kozuki, who had fallen to Kaido. If Whitebeard hadn't been deterred by the massive casualties a war might cause, he would have gone to Wano himself to avenge Oden. And now, Kaido dared to send a message demanding he hand over his "children"—Ace and Yamato? Whitebeard scoffed at the very notion.
Were it not for his restraint, Whitebeard would have driven his weapon through Kaido's envoy.
Kaido, naturally, didn't take Whitebeard's response well and decided to prepare for war.
While the Fourth Division's ships sailed to rendezvous with the Moby Dick, Shin stood on the deck, mulling over his next move. 'Wonder if the Dark-Dark Fruit will still be around, and if not, what other devil fruits could be worth acquiring?'
Yes, two Devil Fruits. After examining Teach's peculiar physiology, Shin realized that, like Teach, his body could endure three Devil Fruits.
'Why did Teach stop at two in the original story? Maybe he hadn't found the right fruit yet, or he was just waiting for the perfect one.'
'I remember a legendary Vampire Fruit mentioned in Ancient Town… A rare and unusual power. Luckily, I remember it from that one-off story.'
'Ideally, I'll still get the Dark-Dark Fruit. Acquiring a third devil fruit will be much easier with its abilities.'
Lost in thought, Shin barely noticed the Fourth Division's ship reaching their rendezvous point. From a distance, he saw the colossal Moby Dick, and he could hear raucous cheering echoing from its decks as if a grand celebration were underway.
'What's going on here? Are they throwing a banquet to rally morale before the battle?' Shin tilted his head, puzzled by the pirates' timing.
After all, a pirate banquet wasn't like a disciplined military rally—it involved massive amounts of drinking and carousing.
Though perhaps not a concern for a chaotic, freewheeling crew like the Whitebeard Pirates, Shin couldn't shake the thought that such revelry seemed strangely laid-back, given the looming war.
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Mass Release: [4/5]
For each power stones milestone—50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.
I will also release a bonus chapter for every two reviews until it reaches ten reviews.
Review status: [9/10]