At the same time, in the first half of the Grand Line.
A supremely luxurious pirate ship was anchored on the sea.
The ship's body was decorated with extravagance, the meticulously crafted details revealing the owner's care for the vessel.
The flag fluttering on the mast was particularly striking, the symbol of three skulls snapping in the wind, declaring the domineering ambition of its master – Blackbeard Teach.
Right next to the ship, on the beach, a bonfire illuminated a group of pirates reveling.
They sat around the bonfire, heartily enjoying the grilled meat in their hands, the air filled with the aroma of alcohol and meat. The flickering bonfire reflected the excitement and fervor on their faces.
“Zehahaha…”
A burst of wild laughter broke the silence of the night.
Teach, who now wore his beard in three braided pigtails and sported the Blackbeard Pirates' signature captain's hat, raised his glass high, his face filled with triumph.
His trademark laughter caused the surrounding pirates to laugh along, raising their glasses to drink with him, celebrating his success.
“To our success in becoming a Warlord of the Sea, cheers!” Teach shouted, his voice filled with anticipation and ambition for the journey ahead.
Many pirates responded in kind, raising their glasses and drinking the fine wine with Blackbeard.
In the night, the sound of clinking glasses mingled with their hearty laughter, as if foreshadowing a storm brewing in these waters.
“Glug… glug…” Teach drained his entire glass in one gulp, then turned his gaze to a figure bound hand and foot in the nearby open space.
His smile instantly turned cold, and his voice became icy: “Since you're unwilling to do that thing for me, then I'll have you burn brightly one last time, Oronbus.”
Oronbus, once a famous and powerful figure on the sea, was now bound by ropes, unable to move.
He raised his head, looking at Teach with disdain, his eyes flashing with a tenacious light, and retorted coldly: “Boy, when I started making a name for myself by killing, you were probably still hiding in some corner. Don't put on such a righteous front. From the moment you captured me, you never intended to let me live, did you?”
The task Blackbeard wanted him to do was fraught with danger, and he couldn't understand the other party's intentions, which was what worried him the most.
Hearing this, Blackbeard was not annoyed by being exposed, but laughed even more wildly: “Zehahaha! Can't be helped, it's just that you're not strong enough and disobedient. Doing one thing for me in exchange for a lifetime of wealth, what a worthwhile deal.”
“Since you're unwilling to work for me, then use your life to ensure the success of my next plan. It just so happens you can serve as my entry ticket there.”
Upon hearing this, the sneer on Oronbus's face gradually faded, replaced by a touch of desolation and helplessness.
He knew that under Teach's control, he no longer had any choice.
Even though he was a well-known figure on this sea, he was now nothing more than a pawn to be manipulated.
“Teach, don't you think you're going too far?” Oronbus said in a deep voice, “Your ambition will lead you to destruction.”
Blackbeard smiled dismissively, his tone full of contempt.
“Zehahaha, going too far? Ambition? Oronbus, you still don't understand. This world has always been controlled by ambitious people. I won't stop. My goal is to stand at the pinnacle of this world, and anyone who obstructs me will be ruthlessly swept away.”
He slowly walked towards Oronbus, his gaze as sharp as a knife, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression, “You, and those like you who are unwilling to submit, are just stepping stones on my path forward. Your existence will have no meaning, except to pave the way for me.”
Oronbus stared at Blackbeard, a sense of powerlessness welling up in his heart, but even more so, disdain and anger towards this man, “Teach, you may be able to use me, but in the end, you will be devoured by your own ambition.”
Blackbeard stopped, widened his eyes, and then burst into laughter, “Zehahaha! You're really interesting, Oronbus. Fine, I'll let you see who will be devoured in the end.”
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the bonfire, his back to Oronbus, his tone relaxed and casual. “Do what you need to do. It's your only way out.”
“Do I even have a choice?” Oronbus murmured to himself in self-mockery, his gaze falling on the end of the sea before him, as if recalling his past glory and pride.
Teach's laughter echoed in the air again, his eyes flashing with a cold light: “Doing what I choose for you is the best choice I can give you.”
With that, he turned and left the bonfire, leaving Oronbus in that silent shadow.
The night deepened, and the sea breeze continued to blow on the skull flag, as if foreshadowing the coming darkness and bloodshed.
And in this darkness, Blackbeard's cunning ambition was being realized step by step, while Oronbus's fate seemed to be sealed.
Under the silent night sky, the stars twinkled, reflecting the endless darkness, as if countless flickering lights were struggling in the distant universe, trying to break through the boundless black curtain.
Blackbeard stood on the deck of the ship, looking up at the starry sky.
His figure appeared lonely and unfathomable in the moonlight, as if merging with this boundless darkness.
He slowly opened his arms, as if to embrace this vast starry sky.
The night wind blew his robes, and his beard fluttered in the wind.
There was no trace of warmth on his face, only the coldness and determination filled with ambition.
Suddenly, a low and wild burst of laughter erupted from his mouth, breaking the silence of the night.
The laughter echoed on the ship, on the sea, and even seemed to penetrate the starry sky, reaching the sky.
The stars reflected a cold light in his eyes, but that light quickly disappeared in his deep pupils, as if swallowed by the endless darkness.
Blackbeard narrowed his eyes slightly, a sneer appearing on the corner of his mouth.
In his eyes, these stars were like the various forces on the sea. They seemed to shine, but in the end, they would all be swallowed by darkness.
And he, Teach, would become the master of that darkness, defeating all enemies and standing at the pinnacle of this world, looking down on all living beings.
“People’s dreams never end…”
He whispered, his voice like a whisper from the abyss, carrying an unshakable determination and ambition.
Then, his laughter rang out again, even more wildly and unrestrained.
“Zehahaha!!!”
That laughter was like a storm, sweeping across the entire night sky, declaring his unparalleled ambition and belief.
He knew that no matter how many obstacles lay ahead, he would break them one by one.
Because he believed that only by standing at the highest point could he truly overlook this world.
The night sky was still deep, and the stars were still twinkling, but in Blackbeard's heart, that starry sky was destined to be overshadowed beneath his feet.
The world, this vast and boundless sea, would eventually belong to him, to the dark king who conquered everything.
And in his eyes was the reflection of the distant, magnificent Enies Lobby.
...
...
