Marco led the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates, originally rushing at full speed toward Amazon Lily.
Somehow, they had gotten wind that Leno was being targeted by the Marines and might be surrounded.
Although they hadn't been under Leno for long—
Marco and the others had already made their decision.
If Leno needed them—
No matter where they were—
They would go.
The debt of retrieving their old man's body…
Was not something they could ever repay.
And yet—
Under these circumstances—
Marco never expected to run into the one man he wanted to kill the most:
The traitor of the Whitebeard Pirates—Marshall D. Teach!
Blue phoenix flames roared around Marco's body.
His eyes locked onto the ship ahead, flying the black-bearded flag.
His voice turned ice-cold.
"Teach… what a small world."
This time, he had only brought several division commanders.
Not the full force—
Just a portion of the crew.
Blackbeard, seeing Marco's fleet approaching, was briefly stunned.
Then—
A savage grin spread across his face.
"Zehahaha!! Captain Marco! What a coincidence!"
Standing at the bow, arms wide open, he sounded almost friendly—
As if he had never betrayed the crew.
He glanced at Marco's side.
Though their numbers weren't large—
They were all heavy hitters:
Vista, Jozu, Izo…
Then he looked at his own side.
Sure, a few had been captured by the Marines—
But overall?
Still stronger.
Confidence surged in him.
"These Whitebeard remnants… think they can take me on now?"
But Blackbeard didn't attack immediately.
His eyes shifted.
A thought formed.
Break them from within first.
"Captain Marco, you all seem in quite a hurry. Where are you headed?"
He asked casually—
Without waiting for an answer.
Suddenly, his tone changed.
"Oh right~ There's something you probably don't know yet."
"Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi…"
"It already has a new owner!"
Those words—
Instantly changed expressions across the Whitebeard ranks.
Marco, Jozu, Vista—
All of them froze.
They didn't know.
"Who is it?!"
That reaction—
Was exactly what Blackbeard wanted.
He knew it.
Anything related to Whitebeard—
Would hook them instantly.
A twisted grin spread across his face.
"Who is it? Zehahaha!!"
"It's your beloved new captain—Leno!!"
"And not even him personally!"
"He gave it to a woman by his side!"
This was only the beginning.
From the moment he learned Leno had taken the fruit—
Blackbeard had already crafted the narrative.
Truth didn't matter.
Only division did.
"You idiots don't actually believe…"
"That brat risked everything to retrieve Whitebeard's body for your sake, do you?!"
"Don't be naïve!!"
"He did it for himself!"
"For the strongest Paramecia in the world!"
"Taking the body back? That was just convenient!"
"He gets the fruit—and wins your loyalty!"
"A perfect two-birds-one-stone plan!"
"Zehahaha!!"
Those words—
Cut deep.
Marco and the commanders held their composure.
But among the crew—
Doubt began to spread.
"What…? Captain Leno did it for the fruit?"
"He was using us?!"
"Was retrieving Pops' body just for that…?"
"No way…"
The seed of suspicion—
Had been planted.
Marco's expression darkened.
Even he was shaken.
The Gura Gura no Mi…
Of course he knew its value.
Anyone would want it.
"Leno… what were you really thinking…?"
A flicker of doubt crossed his mind—
But he crushed it immediately.
This was not the time.
"SHUT UP!!"
Marco turned and roared at his crew.
The commotion instantly stopped.
His gaze swept across them—
Then locked onto Blackbeard.
Cold. Sharp. Resolute.
"Don't fall for this traitor's lies!"
"Have you forgotten?!"
"Who caused all of this?!"
He pointed directly at Blackbeard.
"HIM! Marshall D. Teach!"
"He killed Thatch!"
"He betrayed Pops!"
"He betrayed ALL OF US!"
"He's the reason for the war!"
"The reason Pops is dead!"
"Whatever Leno's intentions were—"
"He brought Pops' body back from the Marines!"
"He gave us the chance to lay him to rest!"
"To let him return home!"
"And when we had nowhere to go—"
"He gave us a place!"
"Don't forget Pops' final will!"
Marco's flames surged violently.
"And now—"
"The one responsible is right in front of us!"
"What are you hesitating for?!"
"AVENGE THATCH!!"
"AVENGE POPS!!"
"KILL BLACKBEARD!!!"
"Kill Blackbeard!!"
"Kill him!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates roared in unison.
Eyes bloodshot.
Killing intent overflowing.
Thankfully—
The core members weren't fools.
They saw through Blackbeard's manipulation.
Whitebeard's death—
Was a wound shared by all of them.
Blackbeard clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Tch. Stubborn idiots."
"If you want to die…"
"I'll grant your wish!!"
Seeing his psychological attack fail—
His expression turned vicious.
Darkness began to pour from his body.
"ATTACK!!"
"Kill these Whitebeard leftovers!!"
Wano's fruit—
He wanted it.
But Marco's fruit—
He wanted that too.
Meanwhile…
On Red-Haired territory—
Ace, who was training intensely—
Suddenly clutched his chest.
"…What's going on?"
"Why do I have such a bad feeling…?"
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