Teach's merchant ship finally reached the towering Red Line, docking at one of its ports where the World Government conducted strict inspections. Every vessel was searched, prohibited goods confiscated, and the captain required to present a travel permit.
"Stop. Inspection time," barked one of the officials, waving another ship through before turning toward Teach's merchant vessel.
Of course, no merchant of this size ever sailed clean. Contraband meant enormous profit, and few captains resisted the temptation. The truth was simple: every ship carried at least something forbidden, and bribery was the silent agreement that kept the system afloat.
"Haha, we're old customers here," the captain said smoothly, striding forward. With practiced ease, he slipped a thick wad of Berries—at least a million—from his coat and handed it off discreetly.
The lead official's eyes gleamed. He weighed the bribe in his hand, exchanged a glance with his men, and nodded. Strolling aboard, he cast only the laziest glance around.
"Alright. This ship is clear," he declared before moving on.
Watching from the shadows, Teach smirked. The rot of the World Government was plain as day. Corruption ran top to bottom, and bribery was business as usual. It was no wonder, he thought, that in the future even the Holy Land of Mary Geoise itself would be attacked. After that catastrophe, Marines would be forced to increase defenses, even stationing an Admiral to guard the Celestial Dragons.
But for now? The worse their corruption, the better. The more chaotic the seas, the more room for Teach's ambitions to flourish.
Through the cabin window, Teach looked up at the Holy Land. Mary Geoise sprawled like a heavenly city atop the Red Line: dazzling white streets, ornate buildings, fountains sparkling under sunlight, greenery carefully cultivated into paradise. But beneath its beauty, its shadows reeked of evil.
Countless slaves labored here, many dying daily, only to be replaced by fresh bodies dragged in chains. The Celestial Dragons and the World Government were the heart of this grotesque trade.
Teach restrained himself, carefully cloaking both his and Pito's presence with finely controlled Observation Haki. He dared not extend it too far. Too many dangerous presences lurked nearby. If CP0 took notice of him here, he wasn't sure he could escape unscathed.
Still, what he glimpsed impressed him. The Government's strength was formidable; stockpiles of rare Devil Fruits, secret training of countless hidden agents. How strong was CP0's elite? How many monsters did the Government truly command? The questions stirred in his mind.
Time passed, and soon their ship crossed through and emerged at their true destination: the Sabaody Archipelago.
Near Marineford itself rose the world's greatest mangrove, the Yarukiman Mangrove. Its massive roots stretched across the sea, forming the seventy-nine numbered islands of Sabaody.
The place was famous for its "bubble culture." The Mangrove's roots exhaled a natural resin that expanded into floating bubbles, unique to Sabaody's climate. These bubbles filled the air, drifting lazily, their shapes used to craft houses, cars, even Ferris wheels. A dazzling sight that made Sabaody both a tourist wonderland and a favorite leisure spot for Celestial Dragons.
Yet beneath the bubbles, the island's heart was rotten. Human auctions, slave pens, and illegal markets thrived, especially in Areas 1 through 29.
The island broke down as follows:
Areas 1–29: slave auctions, human-trafficking, lawless zones. Areas 30–39: attractions like Soap Bubble Park. Areas 40–49: tourist districts and specialty shops. Areas 50–59: shipyards and coating craftsmen. Areas 60–69: Marine stations and Government checkpoints. Areas 70–79: hotels and general commerce.
This was the final stop before the New World, every pirate aiming for the second half of the Grand Line passed through Sabaody. Its docks swarmed with cutthroats and hopeful dreamers.
Teach's merchant vessel moored at Area 21.
Instantly, eyes turned toward the ship. Wolves in human form watched greedily; thugs, petty pirates, and traffickers sizing up prey. A large merchant ship meant cargo, and cargo meant wealth.
But its guards were disciplined, heavily armed. The small fry hesitated. Unless a real pirate crew struck, none dared challenge them openly.
Teach and Pito disembarked, walking calmly down the main road. Yet Teach felt the prickle of attention—the weak, hungry gazes of predators hiding in the alleys.
A dozen men soon stepped out to block their way. The leader grinned, gun drawn, while his crew circled around.
"You two, come with us. Don't resist, or someone might… pull a trigger by accident." His tone dripped mockery as he waved the gun toward Pito.
The traffickers herded them into a side alley. Passersby looked away with pity but no protest. Everyone knew these men, slave traders with powerful backing. Even pirates despised them, yet none intervened. The Marines rarely interfered in Sabaody's illegal zones, where money and connections reigned supreme.
Once deep in the alley, the trafficker sneered. "Hand over your valuables—and that girl. Then maybe you walk out alive." His eyes glittered at Teach's massive greatsword, its gemmed hilt shining. He had no intention of letting them go; he just wanted to play with his prey first.
Teach saw through it instantly. To him, they were gnats. He didn't even bother to raise a hand.
"Pito," he said coldly. "Kill them."
The traffickers blinked, startled—then a blur of shadow cut across their vision. Pitou vanished and reappeared in the same instant. Blood sprayed. One by one, the men surrounding them collapsed, throats slashed open.
Only the leader remained standing, trembling as his legs gave out. He dropped to his knees, eyes wide with terror.
"I—I was blind! Forgive me! Spare me!" he babbled, pressing his forehead into the dirt. "I can pay! I'll buy my life with money!"
Pito's claws rested gently against his throat, pricking the skin. A bead of blood rolled down his neck. The man panicked, scrambling for anything to bargain with.
"Devil Fruits! I know where Devil Fruits are!" he blurted. His boss would surely kill him for spilling the secret, but death loomed either way.
"Oh?" Teach arched an eyebrow, amused. "What kind?"
Desperate, the man spilled everything. His boss, a major slave trader with ties to a Celestial Dragon, had recently acquired two Zoan-type Devil Fruits. To curry favor, he planned to gift them to the Dragon during an upcoming auction.
One was the Ape-Ape Fruit, Silverback Gorilla form. The other, the Lizard-Lizard Fruit, Megalania form. Both high-grade Zoans, hard-won after years of searching. Celestial Dragons, after all, loved arming slaves with Zoans to fight for sport, earning them prestige among their peers.
The trader revealed everything: storage location, headquarters, manpower, even his boss's mistress's infidelities. He babbled every secret he knew, praying for mercy.
Teach chuckled. The man was clearly telling the truth. And indeed, a grand auction loomed—Teach had already seen the flyers. In three days, Area 1 would host a spectacular event sure to draw Celestial Dragons. He'd once bought rare fruits at such underground auctions himself—the Human-Human Fruit, Half-Demon Form he'd given Ares had come from just such a place.
"Well," Teach said at last, smiling faintly. "You can go. I won't kill you."
Relief flooded the trafficker's face. He scrambled up, bowing repeatedly. "Thank you, thank you! I'll never forget—"
A flash of claws cut his words short. His eyes bulged, and he collapsed in a heap, lifeless.
Teach's grin widened. He had spoken no lie—he hadn't killed him. Pito had.