"Wow! What a huge ship!" Mobius, Pito, and Voss all shouted in unison as they stepped onto the deck of the Moby Dick.
Mobius's heart was racing. He had seen Whitebeard's legendary flagship from the shore before, but standing on it was a whole different thing. The massive timbers, the towering sails, the sheer scale of it—it left him trembling with awe.
"Hey, you three brats! Don't go running wild. You're not even apprentices yet, you're just Teach's little tagalongs," Whitey Bay said with a teasing smile.
Her icy-blue hair shimmered as she bent down to ruffle Pito's head. But she ducked away, leaving her hand hanging awkwardly in the air.
Whitey Bay froze, lips pursed.
"Zehahahaha! Rejected, Whitey Bay!" Teach bellowed, striding over, his laugh booming across the deck.
"Hmph! Unlovable little brat," she muttered, pouting before swishing away. There was plenty of work left to do on the ship anyway.
Teach waved a hand at his three followers. "Go look around. If you find something useful to do, pitch in. If not, stay out of the way on deck or rest in your quarters."
Whitey Bay's reputation on the ship was undeniable.
She was like the big sister of the Whitebeard Pirates, wielding both her Ice powers and swordsmanship with elegance and ferocity. In time, she could have easily claimed the seat of a division commander. But Teach knew that her restless spirit would one day lead her away to form her own crew.
With that thought, he hefted two crates of Wano's finest sake and carried them into his quarters.
The Whitebeard Pirates had lingered in Wano for half a month, but now it was time to leave. Oden, too, was departing. Many thought he would finally ascend as Shogun, but instead he stunned everyone by refusing. He would set sail again—promising to return in two years to claim his rightful position.
Until then, his father, Kozuki Sukiyaki, would retake the throne.
But Oden's departure carried sorrow.
Momonosuke had died only three days after the battle, despite all efforts to save him. His funeral weighed heavy on the hearts of Wano. Toki and infant Hiyori remained behind, keeping the flame of Kuri alive while Oden chased the horizon.
Teach wasn't surprised. Oden had always been wild and free, a man who could never stay caged. Toki understood that better than anyone, even if others objected.
This time, unlike his secret flight years before, Oden left openly. He waved at the gathered crowd on the shore, laughing with his usual boundless energy.
"Oi! I'm setting sail! Wait for me, I'll be back!"
The anchor rose, the sails unfurled, and the Moby Dick drifted out toward adventure.
On shore, Kin'emon wept, waving frantically.
"Lord Oden! Take me with you!"
Denjiro grabbed him. "Fool! Kuri needs you."
Then a gentle voice joined them. Kozuki Toki, carrying Hiyori in her arms, looked at Kin'emon with calm strength. "Protect Kuri until he returns."
"Yes, my lady!" Kin'emon straightened, his resolve reforged.
That night, a great banquet roared on the Moby Dick. Pots of steaming Oden lined the deck, the crew gorging themselves on the authentic flavors of Wano. Half a warehouse was filled with gifts and ingredients from Wano's daimyos—enough to feast for months.
Teach sat with two new blades at his side. One was a violet-hued sword, the Yoru Kami Katana—the cursed heirloom of the fallen Kurozumi Clan. Ame no Habakiri had gone back to Oden, but this ominous weapon had been offered to Teach. Wano had no need for such a reminder.
Mobius eyed the blade with unconcealed hunger.
"What's this? You want it?" Teach smirked. The Yoru Kami Katana was a Great Grade sword—far too valuable to hand out lightly.
Mobius didn't deny it. "I… want a weapon."
"Fine. But not this one. You'll use this for now." Teach tossed him his heavy steel training sword. Mobius barely caught it, stumbling under the weight.
"If you master Snake Hand and the Six Powers in two years—and keep up your sword basics—then I'll give you a real gift. Something worthy."
Mobius's eyes burned with determination. "I'll do it!"
"Voss, same for you. Train hard. Your gift will come too."
Voss only nodded, his silent confidence speaking louder than words.
Teach ruffled Pito's hair, then flexed his hand, showing off the dark-gold gauntlet forged in Wano. Made from thunderstone, its joints expanded with his size, channeling lightning into his attacks.
"You too, brat. Work hard, and I'll get you one."
Pito's small fists clenched. "I will!"
From across the deck, Vista raised a bottle. "Teach! Come drink!"
"Zehahahaha! Coming!" Teach swaggered over, slamming back a jug in one go. "Let me show you what heavy drinking really means!"
...
Two months passed.
On the Moby Dick, the trio of Mobius, Voss, and Pito grew sharper by the day. Surrounded by powerful crewmates, sparring endlessly, their strength soared.
One calm afternoon, Teach paused mid-training, his brow furrowing.
"What's wrong, Boss?" Mobius asked, dropping his stance.
Teach wiped his sweat, threw on a dark-blue shirt, and strode for the deck. "Something big's happening.."
The sea had erupted into chaos. Schools of fish leapt madly, fleeing in the same direction.
"Oi! Look at that!" a fisherman cried.
Oden pointed toward a small island in the distance. "They're running from there." His Observation Haki stretched far, sensing turmoil.
"Monsters?" Rakuyo grinned eagerly.
"Want me to scout it?" Marco hovered overhead, wings blazing.
"Nah, boring," Marco laughed, shaking his head.
The crew's excitement grew. Monsters, beasts, whatever it was—they were Whitebeard's men. Nothing scared them.
Teach, though, already guessed the truth. The Roger Pirates.
He grinned. Fate had teased him once before, but this time, he'd see them.
"Gurararara! Let's head to that island!" Whitebeard boomed. Cheers erupted across the deck.
As the Moby Dick neared, chaos spilled across the shoreline. Wild beasts stampeded from the forests, hundreds, even thousands of them, fleeing some unseen terror.
"What in the world…?" Izo muttered.
Whitebeard's frown deepened. He knew this aura.
On the far side of the island, the answer revealed itself. Marines lay strewn across the earth, their ships shattered, their blades snapped. A Vice Admiral dangled helplessly in the grip of a man with a broad grin and a crescent mustache.
"If you want to catch me, send Garp and Sengoku! You lot are boring!" Gol D. Roger roared with laughter.
At his feet, the Roger Pirates stood among the wreckage. Shanks and Buggy, still apprentices, scrambled to and fro.
"Captain!" Buggy squeaked, telescope in hand. "Whitebeard's ship just docked on the other side!"
The Roger crew stiffened. Rayleigh narrowed his eyes. "We've just fought. This isn't the best time to clash with Whitebeard's whole fleet."
But Roger only smiled, his eyes gleaming. "It's been too long. Whitebeard…"
From the forest, a storm of birds burst into the sky.
"They're already here," Rayleigh murmured.
Roger puffed out his chest and bellowed with joy. "Good! Then let's fight! Only the living can fight, hahahaha!"
His gaze turned toward the sea, and his voice dropped. "I don't have much time left… maybe this is the last time we meet, old friend."
Buggy's shrill cry interrupted. "That guy—he's fast! Is he a samurai?!"
Roger's grin widened. "The rumored samurai, huh?"
And so the two greatest pirate crews in the world, Whitebeard's and Roger's, stood on the brink of collision.