Rayleigh slowly drew the saber at his waist. The blade glinted with a cold light under the moonlight.
"Back then, you almost killed Shakky... I've never forgotten that debt."
Cold sweat slid down Sommers's forehead, but he still blustered. "Don't think I fear you. Back then, if not for carelessness, I might not have lost to you."
"And..." Sommers raised his voice, seemingly bolstering his own courage. "The God's Knights and Five Elders have all mobilized! Once anyone arrives, you're dead!"
Hearing this, Rayleigh and the other pirates laughed.
This laughter irritated Sommers inexplicably. "What's so funny?"
"You won't get reinforcements," Rayleigh said leisurely. "They all have their own 'guests' to entertain..."
A chill of fear shot through Sommers's heart, 'Could Rayleigh mean there were over a dozen powerhouses of his level on the island? But how?'
"Although you won't get other support, you can have my support," Rayleigh smiled towards the other end of the alley. "Old friend, seems we'll fight side-by-side again."
Heavy footsteps approached from afar. A small old man carrying a giant axe emerged from the shadows.
"G-Gaban?" Sommers's face instantly turned ashen.
The Pirate King's right and left hands assembled, plus several Four Emperors' officers... even as a God's Knight, he couldn't handle this!
...
Deep in the valley of the Sorbet Kingdom, fierce winds whipped up sand and dust, howling past jagged rocks.
Ochoku lay wretchedly on the ground. His right arm twisted at a grotesque angle. Blood constantly overflowed from the corner of his mouth.
His chest was firmly stomped by Teach. Each breath brought intense pain.
"This island... is out of control..." Ochoku raised his head with difficulty, eyes full of fear. "We should... cooperate... escape first..."
His voice grew lower, almost becoming a plea. "I'm willing to be your subordinate..."
Teach looked down at the man underfoot, his face showing sick pleasure. "My father already fell for your tricks once. You think... I'd make the same mistake?"
Ochoku's body trembled violently. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Teach bent down, grabbing Ochoku's hair. "Don't play dumb. You already guessed, didn't you? My father is Rocks!"
"No, that's not how it was," Ochoku shook his head frantically, his face covered in cold sweat. "I never expected him to die on that island! Really! I just... wanted to become independent."
"You're also a pirate..." A flicker of hope appeared in Ochoku's eyes. "You should understand... only benefit is eternal, right?"
He swallowed saliva, speaking with difficulty. "Let's put aside the hatred..."
Teach grinned savagely. "I only know about putting aside debts of gratitude, not hatred!"
Pitch-black Armament Haki instantly covered his right fist. It slammed down, piercing through Ochoku's chest.
Ochoku's eyes widened immensely, seeming unable to believe even in death that he'd meet such an end.
"This is just the beginning of my revenge..." Teach pulled out his fist, murmuring to the corpse. "All who betrayed Father... none will escape!"
"Then you can continue."
An elegant voice came from behind. Teach's hair stood on end.
He slowly turned. A man with a crescent-moon hairstyle leaned against a rock wall, playing with his sword.
"The one who personally killed Rocks back then... was me," Garling's sword tip lightly pointed at Teach's chest. "Commander of the God's Knights, Saint Figarland Garling."
Teach's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat. He had been starved for many days and just fought a life-and-death battle with Ochoku. He couldn't possibly handle such a powerful enemy.
"Zehahahaha..." Teach suddenly laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, retreating two steps. "You jest. The island is so chaotic now. What a waste to spend time on a nobody like me. Shouldn't you rescue other Celestial Dragons first?"
"A nobody?" Garling laughed lightly. "You're no nobody. The Four Emperors, Revolutionary Army, Giant Tribe joined forces to rescue you. Rocks truly left you precious assets."
Teach looked bewildered, 'My deadbeat father left me such vast connections? Why didn't I know that?'
Seeing Teach's genuine-looking confusion, Garling raised an eyebrow slightly. "You don't know?"
"I don't know," Teach said, then suddenly knelt, forehead heavily knocking on the ground. "Godfather!"
Garling's sword nearly slipped from his hand. "What did you call me?"
"Godfather!" Teach looked up, eyes full of obsequiousness. "Didn't you say those people came to rescue me? I'm willing to cooperate to capture them! As long as I can become a Celestial Dragon afterward!"
Garling suddenly burst into loud laughter, echoing through the valley.
"Interesting! Too interesting!" He wiped tears of laughter. "You want to acknowledge your father's killer as father?"
"That man only brought me pain," Teach said through gritted teeth, cursing angrily. "I've long wanted to sever ties with him!"
Just then.
Boom!
The entire valley suddenly shook violently. Rubble rolled down the cliffs.
Garling whirled around. The valley entrance was shrouded in dust. Over a hundred figures surged in like a tide.
The leading man wore a white captain's coat. His naginata dragged on the ground, scraping blinding sparks.
Moonlight illuminated his tall frame, casting a suffocating shadow.
Whitebeard looked down at the kneeling Teach, a flash of disappointment in his eyes.
His voice was low like thunder. "Teach, I see no trace of Rocks in you."
Teach shuddered all over, suddenly shouting heart-wrenchingly. "Oyaji! I was pretending!"
Tears and snot mixed on his face. "I was numbing him! Come save me!"
Garling's sword instantly pressed against Teach's throat. "Silence!"
He looked up at Whitebeard. "How are you here? Has that trash Akainu already been killed by you?"
Whitebeard didn't answer, simply calmly declaring. "The Celestial Dragons' doom has come."
Garling's blade sank into Teach's skin, oozing thin lines of blood. "Take one more step, and he dies."
Whitebeard kept advancing, each step shaking the ground.
"Oyaji! Don't worry about me!" Teach suddenly shouted hysterically. "Kill us both! Avenge Father!"
His voice suddenly became choked. Tears streaked his filthy cheeks. "All these years... I saw you as my true father. Dying by my father's hand... I have no regrets..."
Whitebeard's footsteps halted.
Garling inwardly sneered. 'Retreating to advance? What a cunning bastard.'
He shouted sternly. "Drop your weapon, or I'll—"
Clang!
Murakumogiri fell to the ground, kicking up dust.
The corner of Garling's mouth lifted slightly—
Boom!
Whitebeard's fist suddenly pierced the air. The shockwave that shattered space simultaneously pierced both their chests.
Blood mist bloomed under the moonlight.
Garling looked down at the bloody hole in his chest, then at the similarly pierced Teach, his face filled with disbelief.
Though he was immortal, such injuries were difficult to recover from.
Teach's eyes almost popped from their sockets. "Oyaji, you..."
"Since it was your own request, Teach..." Whitebeard slowly withdrew his blood-stained arm. "A father should grant it."
"You motherf—" Teach spat out a mouthful of blood, only managing to curse before his body stiffened and fell.