Teach and his crew were in luck. These were the days when the Heavenly Gold was due, and the Grape Kingdom's tribute had already been prepared, awaiting Marine escort.
In the kingdom, there was a heavily guarded forbidden area, the Royal Winery. It was the world's top winery, holding countless secret winemaking techniques that formed the foundation of the kingdom. If these secrets were ever leaked, other nations could easily occupy a few islands, acquire some resources, and—given enough time—replicate the production of fine wines.
While the taste might not fully match the Grape Kingdom's professional craft, it would still deal a devastating blow to the nation's prosperity. Those who coveted the Grape Kingdom's secrets often ended up dead in the streets.
Though the Grape Kingdom's military was weak, it spared no effort in nurturing top-tier fighters, individuals who stood at the peak of power within the first half of the Grand Line.
The tribute wine brewed by the Grape Kingdom offered as part of the Heavenly Tribute to the Celestial Dragons had an annual yield of less than three hundred bottles. Two hundred of these were sent as tribute, while the remaining few were reserved for royal consumption or limited circulation on the black market.
This exquisite wine, named "Aphrodite's Kiss," was said to bring happiness to whoever drank it. A single bottle sold for five million Berries in underground trade. Whitebeard himself had once acquired several bottles, and, reluctant to share them with his crew, had secretly drunk them all alone.
Now that Teach had come across this opportunity, and with the new batch of tribute wine already brewed, how could he resist getting his hands on a few bottles? He had long yearned to taste this world-renowned vintage.
Using his Observation Haki, Teach scanned the entire island. Every detail of the Grape Kingdom was within his perception. He knew exactly where the heavily guarded areas were, the Royal Palace and the Royal Winery stood side by side, right in the heart of the kingdom.
Two Vice-Admiral-level powerhouses guarded the center, along with several other strong individuals.
Yet, in the vast sea, that still wasn't much. Some powerful nations harbored strength rivaling the Marines themselves—countries whose defenses were guarded by monsters on par with Admirals. Even the World Government avoided provoking them, letting their internal affairs remain untouched.
Just as the World Government had its CP intelligence agencies, those nations also had secret organizations hidden in the shadows, though few knew of their existence.
On the western shore of the Grape Kingdom, a river wound its way toward the royal city and eventually connected to the sea. Ships were docked along its banks, watched by royal sentries patrolling with such vigilance that not even a mouse could slip past.
Through his Haki, Teach filtered through the countless noises in his mind until he locked onto something useful, the location of the Heavenly Gold.
The tribute wine had already been loaded onto the Heavenly Gold transport ship a month ago. Such information was a tightly guarded state secret, known only to a handful of high-ranking officials.
Teach couldn't gather every detail, but his Observation Haki revealed a highly suspicious location, a large coastal cave. It was well hidden and perfectly suited to conceal valuable cargo. Although there were fewer guards here than in other areas, a particularly strong presence lingered within.
To Teach's surprise, this small nation actually housed three Vice-Admiral-level powerhouses. Though not exceptional in strength, that was still quite the force for a kingdom of its size.
The presence of one of these powerhouses at the cave confirmed Teach's suspicion—the Heavenly Gold was stored there.
Night soon fell. After sending Peto back to the inn, Teach set out alone toward the site he had sensed.
The great river that cut through the island was surrounded, near its mouth, by dense forest filled with wild beasts. The area was uninhabited and largely unexplored, perfect cover for hiding something as valuable as the Heavenly Gold.
Teach perched atop a tree, gazing across the dark water at the opposite bank. Elite guards patrolled the docks below, standing watch over ships moored beside a cliff that rose more than twenty meters high.
Through Observation Haki, Teach confirmed that the treasure was here: countless gold and silver artifacts and, most importantly, those exquisite bottles of Aphrodite's Kiss.
But in the deepest shadow of the storage cave, one of the Vice-Admiral-level guards stood silent, probing the area with his awakened Observation Haki.
He never noticed Teach. Not only had Teach erased his own presence completely, but the man's Haki range barely extended fifty meters—too weak to detect him.
Such defenses would be child's play for Teach to overcome. He could take them all down without a single soul noticing.
Just as he prepared to move, Teach suddenly stopped and turned. In the distance, he sensed another person—someone sneaking closer, seemingly with the same goal in mind.
Curious, Teach decided to wait and observe. His Haki identified the intruder as a young adult with a baby face.
That person was Nelson, and his heart was racing with excitement. After much effort, he had finally tracked down the secret storage of the Heavenly Gold. Just the thought of claiming even a fraction of it made his blood boil.
A black cloth covered his face, and a scarf was tied around his head. Every motion was careful and deliberate; he couldn't afford to become a wanted man.
Years of living as a thief had taught him patience, caution, and how to act decisively when the moment came. Quietly, he crept toward the light, unaware that Teach shadowed him from behind.
Reaching the cliff, Nelson peered down. There weren't many guards—only about a hundred—but each was elite. Beneath the opposite cliff stood a small dry dock with several ships, but Nelson's real target was behind it: a hidden cave.
Without prior intelligence, no one would have imagined that the Heavenly Gold transport ship lay concealed there. The dry dock's structure completely masked the entrance, which could only be opened through a secret mechanism to allow ships passage.
Below, guards were eating from large pots, their weapons nearby. Torches burned bright, and the air was thick with tension.
Nelson studied them in silence. From a young orphan to a street thief, he had survived by stealing, developing keen eyesight and judgment. He could tell instantly whose pockets he could pick—and whose he could not.
The guards radiated killing intent. Though the Grape Kingdom's military was small, it had to deal with rowdy pirates daily, forcing them to maintain elite troops capable of suppressing trouble quickly.
Teach raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Despite his lack of training, Nelson had instinctively learned how to conceal his presence—not perfectly, but well enough to fool average soldiers. It wasn't the refined stealth of a professional assassin like Gal, but it was impressive nonetheless.
Nelson watched, breathing quietly, timing his moment. When a patrol turned away, he finally made his move—jumping from the cliff, stepping off protruding rocks, and plunging toward the river below.
But the splash betrayed him.
"Who's there?!" shouted a guard. Flashlights swung toward the river, their beams cutting through the darkness.
The men eating immediately dropped their bowls and reached for weapons. In such silence, even the faintest noise was amplified. Nelson had been careless. Ripples spread across the water—clear evidence that something, or someone, had fallen in.
"Check it out! Surround both banks!" barked the captain.
Moments later, a guard returned, clutching a dripping wet cat. "Relax—it's just a cat!"
"A cat? Falling into the river?" one soldier muttered in confusion.
"Everyone stay sharp," the captain warned, frowning. "Something feels off."
The others dispersed, but unease lingered. It was impossible, he thought, for a cat to fall into the river by accident—especially during such a critical time. The Heavenly Gold was due for transport in just a few days, and any anomaly could spell disaster.
Still, with no evidence of an intruder, they could only resume their posts. The guards finished eating quickly, patrols tightened, and vigilance increased even further.
Unbeknownst to them, Nelson had already slipped inside the dry dock—hiding in a grain warehouse, patting his chest in relief. "That was close… way too close," he muttered.
Outside, Teach's eyes gleamed in astonishment. "A space-type ability…" he murmured.
He had seen it clearly. The moment Nelson hit the water, his body vanished and a cat appeared in his place. Even Teach's Haki couldn't sense him. It was as though Nelson had disappeared from the world entirely.
Moments later, Nelson reappeared in a shadowed corner of the dock. At the same time, a stone vanished from that very spot, destination unknown. After two more swaps, Nelson was inside the granary.
Teach immediately pieced it together. Nelson was a Devil Fruit user with a space-type ability, allowing him to swap places with objects.
Moreover, he clearly possessed a personal storage space, since the cat hadn't been there originally—it must have been kept within that pocket dimension. By swapping with it, Nelson entered his own space, which explained why Teach's Observation Haki couldn't detect him.