Soft music drifted through the air.
Ordinary instruments blended together, their sounds weaving and converging before gradually quickening in tempo. The melody was short, powerful, and full of momentum. It carried passion, a longing for life, and a hopeful vision of the future.
No one wanted to disturb them.
Teach and the others arrived quietly. The children, with their backs turned, remained unaware of their presence.
But someone had already noticed them.
The thin young man who appeared to be the children's teacher sensed them the moment they stepped into the area. An invisible perception reached out with precision, brushing past Teach and Redyat before withdrawing.
It was not a gaze in the usual sense, but something closer to a spirit.
There was no malice in it, only curiosity.
Still, it was impossible to ignore.
Teach and the others immediately understood that this young man was the one Baccarat's ability had indicated.
Luck was not prophecy. It could not reveal everything. But sometimes, it was even more reliable. It pointed toward favorable outcomes, toward opportunity.
And this direction felt right.
The music continued.
The most striking part was the teacher himself.
He held a small piano, similar in structure to a standard one but much smaller, with only half the keys. It rested easily on his lap. His long, slender fingers moved rapidly across the keys, guiding the children through the rhythm.
Under his lead, the scattered instruments came together, forming something like a miniature symphony orchestra.
The instruments were simple and worn. It was obvious they could not afford anything expensive. Their clothes told the same story.
Teach, Redyat, Baccarat, and Pouf stood silently and listened until the final note faded.
As the music softened and dissolved into the wind, its echoes seemed to linger in the world itself.
It felt ceremonial.
Everyone closed their eyes and remained silent for a few seconds before slowly opening them.
Only then did some of the children notice the newcomers.
The moment they recognized Teach, fear flashed openly in their eyes. They rushed behind the young man, clinging to his back.
Teach's appearance and reputation were well known throughout the West Blue. Even children understood what the Nightfall Pirates represented.
Adults might manage to hide their emotions. Children could not.
Compared to many of the reactions they had encountered before, this scene was oddly amusing to Teach.
The young man had already noticed them and rose slowly from the grass. A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. He had not expected the captain of the Nightfall Pirates to appear in such a place.
The remoteness of the area meant news of the Nightfall Pirates' arrival had not yet reached them.
Still, he had a guess.
Sensing Teach's attention, he understood that the reason they had come was likely him.
"May I ask what brings you here, Mr. Dark Emperor?" he said calmly. He bowed politely, his manner gentle and refined. "My name is Liszt."
Perhaps due to his physical condition or some other reason, his perception was extraordinarily keen. He felt no hostility from Teach or the others. Instead, there was anticipation, and even interest.
Teach laughed and stepped forward.
"Looks like fate brought us here," he said. "The Nightfall Pirates happen to be missing a top-tier musician. I'm here to invite you to join us."
The children froze.
Liszt himself was stunned.
Teach was a pirate, but also a legend. For him to personally extend an invitation was something none of them had imagined.
Liszt felt his heart stir.
He had always hidden part of himself. His music was not gentle or soothing by nature. It was wild, violent, like a raging storm.
Teach's invitation, combined with the restlessness deep in his chest, awakened something he had suppressed for a long time.
Still, he shook his head.
"I'm sorry," Liszt said softly. "My body is too weak. Doctors say I may not live past twenty-four. I cannot board your ship."
His refusal carried hesitation.
Redyat and Pouf exchanged glances, unable to hide their regret. They had noticed Liszt's condition earlier. His physical state was not merely poor. It was far below that of an ordinary adult.
In terms of raw strength, he was weaker than someone rated at five, let alone the standard ten of an average man.
Yet despite that, there was something dangerous about him. His mental power was sharp and unusual.
Teach smiled.
"If that's the problem," he said, "then I should be able to solve it."
Liszt's pupils shrank. His fists clenched unconsciously.
Hope rose again, cautious but undeniable.
No one understood his condition better than he did. His body had weakened inexplicably after eating a Devil Fruit. No doctor could explain it.
And yet Teach spoke with certainty.
"Your condition appeared after you ate a Devil Fruit, didn't it?" Teach asked.
Liszt blurted out, "How did you know?"
"Because your illness isn't an illness," Teach said. "Your ability is related to the mind, maybe even the soul. Your mental power grew too strong, and your body couldn't keep up. That imbalance is what's weakening you."
Liszt froze.
His Devil Fruit had granted him immense mental strength. It had also awakened powerful Observation Haki.
It all made sense.
"As long as you train your body properly and restore balance," Teach continued, "this problem can be resolved."
Liszt felt as if a fog had lifted from his mind.
Looking back, his decline had started exactly after gaining his ability.
Relief washed over him.
But then he turned to the children behind him. Worry filled his eyes.
"They stayed with me when I was at my lowest," Liszt said gently. "They're all orphans of Venus. I can't imagine what would happen to them if I left."
Teach followed his gaze and nodded.
Then he smiled.
"Then come together," he said. "Sail the seas with me. Become pirates. Free pirates."
The children stared at him in shock.
"My ship doesn't need just one musician," Teach continued. "We need a band."
"There will be training every day. You'll grow stronger. You'll gain the power to change your destiny."
He paused.
"But you could also die. We fight the Navy. We fight other pirates. That's the life."
Even Redyat had not expected this approach.
But it made sense.
The children hesitated, then began to speak one by one.
"Can I have my own instrument?" a boy asked nervously.
Teach laughed. "Money isn't a problem. Tell me what you want, and you'll have it."
"I want Teacher Liszt to chase his dream."
"If we join, will we get three meals a day?"
Teach blinked, then chuckled. "Of course."
"I want to change my destiny."
One by one, they agreed.
They were orphans. Life in the City of Music was harsh without money or status. Even with talent, their future was bleak.
Joining the Nightfall Pirates meant food, instruments, strength, and a chance.
In this Great Pirate Era, power meant security.
And they wanted to follow Liszt.
Moved, Liszt stepped forward and extended his hand.
"Franz Liszt," he said. "Captain."
Teach clasped his hand firmly.
"Welcome aboard. You're our ship's musician now."
Afterward, Teach couldn't help asking, "What's your ability?"
"Paramecia-type," Liszt replied with a faint smile. "The Ghost Cry Tree Fruit."
Teach and Redyat's expressions changed instantly.
The Ghost Cry Tree was infamous. A rare and dangerous existence. Fragile like an ordinary tree, yet terrifying in the realm of the mind.
Its cries shattered sanity.
Those who approached it either fled in madness or died outright.
Around such a tree, nothing lived.
And now, that power belonged to their new musician.