In the aftermath of the battle, most of the island had sunk beneath the sea. Only a few scattered areas still remained above the water.
The sheer destruction made it clear just how intense the fight had been.
Teach had been defeated. After battling for an entire day and night against such a legendary figure, he had finally lost his ability to continue fighting.
Redyat appeared instantly beside Teach. His shadow spread outward from beneath his feet and wrapped around Teach's body. In the next moment, Teach sank directly into the shadow.
Redyat glanced toward Rayleigh with a hint of caution before returning to the others.
"Let's go."
One by one, he retrieved the remaining members of the Nightfall Pirates into the shadow space using the same method.
Then dragon wings unfolded from his back. With a light flap, Redyat rose into the air and quickly headed toward the direction of the Sabaody Archipelago.
It was simply a precaution. When dealing with dangerous situations, there was no such thing as being too careful.
Rayleigh watched them leave, breathing slightly heavier than before, but he only smiled and did not pursue.
As for Shanks and Buggy, the battle had left their hearts unsettled even after it ended.
They felt both urgency and pressure.
From the Nightfall Pirates.
After witnessing the battle with their own eyes, they finally understood just how terrifying that crew truly was. Even though Teach had lost, he had lost with honor. His opponent had been the legendary pirate, Silvers Rayleigh, the "Dark King."
For someone under twenty to push Rayleigh to such an extent was already monstrous.
Moreover, the battle had clearly not been easy for Rayleigh either.
Training.
That thought surfaced almost simultaneously in both Buggy and Shanks' minds.
Even Shanks temporarily lost his desire to wander around and enjoy life. Traveling could wait until he became stronger.
"Mr. Rayleigh! Are you alright?"
Once the Nightfall Pirates departed, Buggy and Shanks rushed toward Rayleigh with worried expressions.
Shakky was already standing beside him, a cigarette between her lips. Seeing Rayleigh's appearance, she smiled.
"Looks like you're not that old yet."
She handed him his glasses.
These injuries were nothing serious for Rayleigh. The worst one was the bloody hole in his waist, which would require some time to heal. The flesh lost there needed time and energy to regenerate.
Although Buggy and Shanks knew Rayleigh would be fine, they still felt uneasy.
"Heh heh, I'm fine."
Rayleigh smiled, accepted his glasses, and put them on.
"Now start preparing for training. In two days, I'll take you there."
Rayleigh still needed some time to properly treat his injuries. He could not rely entirely on natural recovery anymore. As he grew older, his healing ability had declined somewhat.
The next morning.
Teach sat on his throne wearing a black pirate coat.
Thanks to his extraordinary vitality and the control granted by Life Return, most of his injuries had already healed after a single day of rest. He tore away the bandages. Aside from a new scar on his body, there was almost no sign that he had been severely wounded.
Of course, his injuries were not completely healed.
Several bones in his hands had fractured, and those would require a few more days to recover.
Still, it no longer affected his combat ability.
All members of the Nightfall Pirates had returned to their ships. Over the past three days, all three pirate vessels had been fully coated.
During this time, very few people dared provoke the Nightfall Pirates. However, trouble still occurred occasionally. After all, not every crew member displayed the crew's emblem prominently.
And the Sabaody Archipelago was a naturally chaotic place. Conflicts were common.
For Teach, these were trivial matters.
There was simply no way the Nightfall Pirates would suffer losses in such minor incidents.
At the same time, many people attempted to join them.
After all, standing beneath a large tree provided shade.
As the final stop before entering the New World, Sabaody gathered elites from the Four Seas and the Grand Line.
Pirates, bounty hunters, and lone fighters filled the archipelago. While they might not stir the New World, they were still far stronger than ordinary pirates.
Teach did not reject them.
Before entering the New World, the Nightfall Pirates needed expansion.
After a strict selection process, roughly four hundred elite fighters were chosen. Among them were several pirates with bounties exceeding one hundred million Beli.
The total number of the Nightfall Pirates surpassed 1,600 members.
All three pirate ships were fully staffed.
Coincidentally, this was roughly the same number as the Whitebeard Pirates.
The Whitebeard Pirates had sixteen divisions, each with around one hundred members. Altogether they numbered about 1,600 people, not including their captain, Edward Newgate.
However, the Nightfall Pirates still had a significant gap compared to them.
Their individual combat strength was also not yet on the same level.
Some pirate crews even asked to become subordinate forces under Teach's banner.
Naturally, those with bounties below one hundred million Beli did not qualify.
Teach simply told them to meet him in the New World if they were serious.
"Prepare to set sail. Our destination is Fish-Man Island."
The three pirate ships slowly descended into the deep sea.
The crew of the Nightfall Pirates sat along the bow, watching schools of fish swim between the enormous mangrove roots.
The creatures varied greatly in size and color.
It was a breathtaking scene rarely witnessed on the surface.
Yet even while admiring the view, the crew remained alert.
They were in the deep sea.
Any accident could prove fatal.
Of course, the most dangerous creatures in these waters were the Sea Kings. But for Teach and his crew, a single burst of Conqueror's Haki could solve that problem.
Aside from the sound of currents and the distant growls of massive sea beasts, the deep ocean was silent.
As the ships sank deeper, sunlight could no longer reach them. The surroundings gradually darkened, creating a slightly eerie atmosphere.
Soon they arrived at a descending current.
Like the famous Knock Up Stream, it was a wonder of the sea.
But this downward current was permanent. It existed due to unique geographical conditions. Dense seawater forced vessels downward toward the seabed.
The deeper they went, the colder the temperature became.
This was one of the main routes leading to Fish-Man Island.
Fortunately, no dangers appeared along the journey.
Sea beasts and Sea Kings instinctively avoided the ships because of Teach's faint but oppressive Haki presence.
The beauty of the deep sea fascinated many of the crew members. For those experiencing it for the first time, everything felt new.
They had already visited the sky ten thousand meters above the sea.
Now they were traveling ten thousand meters beneath it.
The experience was unforgettable.
As they continued descending, the temperature dropped sharply. Some crew members began shivering and quickly put on the cotton clothing they had prepared.
Eventually they reached the hydrothermal vent region, an underwater volcanic zone.
Massive cylindrical stone pillars rose from the seabed. Thick smoke and scorching steam erupted constantly, turning the surrounding waters extremely hot.
Many members of the Nightfall Pirates began sweating immediately.
It was clear the volcano remained active. Fortunately, volcanic eruptions were rare and usually preceded by warning signs. These signals were monitored by Fish-Man Island and communicated to the surface.
During such periods, ships would avoid traveling there.
Unless they wished to die.
Teach's fleet encountered no problems and soon arrived at the eight-thousand-meter trench.
At such depths, the immense pressure could crush almost anything.
Only the protective bubble coating reduced the terrifying water pressure.
Another two thousand meters and they would reach the seabed where Fish-Man Island was located.
In the dark ocean, luminous shells from Skypiea illuminated the ships, casting soft light across the decks.
Slowly they continued toward the ocean floor.
After some time, faint lights appeared ahead.
Everyone realized they were close.
Even though the journey had not taken very long, the oppressive environment of the deep sea left a deep impression on many crew members. A natural fear lingered in their hearts.
The light grew brighter.
Gradually the scenery became visible.
The crew grew excited.
It was Teach's first time seeing Fish-Man Island as well.
Gigantic mangrove roots rose from the seabed like enormous pillars supporting the world above. Huge sea beasts and Sea Kings swam between them, circling the island peacefully.
Strangely, these creatures showed no aggression.
Colorful coral reefs covered the seabed like underwater gardens.
The view was breathtaking.
Fish-Man Island had long been famous as a tourist destination.
Using Observation Haki, Teach could sense the colossal creatures lurking in the surrounding darkness.
Lord-class Sea Kings.
Each measured over five thousand meters long.
They slept outside Fish-Man Island like ancient guardians.
The island itself rested among massive mangrove roots, protected by a giant double-layered bubble membrane.
Pearls and rare shells decorated the island, making it shine with dazzling brilliance.
"A delicious cake… yet without enough strength to protect it."
Teach looked at the prosperous island and sighed quietly.
"If Fish-Man Island didn't exist ten thousand meters beneath the sea, it would have been destroyed long ago."
Even here, the island was constantly coveted.
That was its tragedy.
Life here was peaceful overall. Although fish-men and merfolk sometimes disappeared, such incidents were insignificant compared to the island's population of millions.
Fish-men were naturally stronger than ordinary humans. Even if they were not as powerful as the Mink Tribe, properly trained fish-men could become excellent soldiers.
Yet despite living ten thousand meters under the sea, they were still bullied by the world above.
Slave traders once operated openly here.
Now they hid in the shadows.
In truth, Fish-Man Island possessed considerable strength and could produce many powerful warriors.
But in Teach's eyes, the root of the problem lay with its rulers.
Powerful fish-men were governed by gentle merfolk.
To him, that was a tragedy.
In this world, kindness without strength could not protect anything.
"A pirate ship has arrived!"
Fish-man guards stationed outside the island noticed the approaching fleet and immediately became alert.
Three massive pirate ships drew closer.
Soon the flag became visible.
The guards' expressions changed instantly.
"It's the Nightfall Pirates!"
"They've come to Fish-Man Island!"
"Report to the King immediately!"
The leading fish-man warrior spoke sternly while gripping his weapon.
Every guard tensed.
One soldier nodded and quickly boarded Fish-Man Island's unique transportation vehicle, rushing toward the royal palace.
Meanwhile, the Nightfall Pirates arrived at the island's main gate.
"Welcome to Fish-Man Island, members of the Nightfall Pirates."
The fish-man guards approached politely to greet Teach and his crew.
They had no choice.
The Nightfall Pirates were far from ordinary pirates.
Even though Fish-Man Island flew the flag of the Whitebeard Pirates, that did not mean they wished to provoke another powerful crew.
"Ah, you are too kind, gentlemen."
Laffitte stepped forward with a gentle smile. Leaning lightly on his cane, he bowed like a perfect gentleman.
"Could you help us find a place to dock our ships? This is our first visit to Fish-Man Island, so we are unfamiliar with your customs and taboos. To avoid causing trouble, we must rely on your guidance."
The fish-men were instantly flattered.
Their goodwill toward Laffitte and the Nightfall Pirates rose noticeably.
They had not expected such a notorious pirate crew to be so polite.
Of course, this was partly because Fish-Man Island lay so deep beneath the sea. While the Nightfall Pirates were famous, the island's residents were unfamiliar with many of their individual members.
If they truly understood Laffitte, they would not feel comfortable at all.
Laffitte was no benevolent man.
What they saw was only a mask.
If Teach ordered a massacre, Laffitte would not hesitate for a moment.
"You are too polite. Please follow us."
"What? The Nightfall Pirates have arrived?!"
Inside the Ryugu Palace, the royal residence of Fish-Man Island, the king shouted in shock.
Neptune wore a crown and held a trident. His large merfolk body was covered with thick orange-red hair and beard, while flame-like tattoos decorated his arms.
His expression grew tense.
As someone who had once sailed with the Whitebeard Pirates and maintained a friendship with Edward Newgate, he had paid special attention to Teach's rise.
But that connection meant little now.
The Nightfall Pirates were not to be trifled with.
Destroying a powerful kingdom for a Devil Fruit.
Massacring large numbers of Marines.
Those rumors alone made Neptune uneasy.
He could not help worrying that something on Fish-Man Island had caught Teach's interest.
"Don't worry."
Queen Otohime gently patted his tail to calm him.
"Since it's the Nightfall Pirates," Neptune said after a moment of thought, "we should welcome them with the highest honors."
He was a responsible king.
And he knew very well that offending such a crew would only bring disaster.