The Ten Greatest War Criminals: Blackbeard's Doom

Lin Qi burped, his fingers clattering over the keyboard.

"A rundown of the Ten Great War Criminals of the Paramount War. This series is going to be explosive, huh?"

He muttered to himself as he stuffed peanuts into his mouth and adjusted the question's format to make it more impactful.

"First up has to be that old dog Teach. He's the shit-stirrer of the whole story. I'd be letting the audience down if I didn't drag him out first."

He casually pressed the enter key, as if he were posting an ordinary thread on a forum.

Meanwhile, the world was still reeling from Whitebeard's order to mobilize his entire fleet.

The communications room at Marine Headquarters had descended into complete chaos. Den Den Mushi screamed one after another as intelligence poured in from every branch like a blizzard.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Whitebeard Pirates have begun assembling. They're expected to move at least three days ahead of schedule."

"I know."

Sengoku's voice was terribly hoarse, and the hand he rested on his desk trembled slightly.

The execution plan they had spent months carefully preparing had been thrown into complete disarray within half an hour of that livestream's appearance.

"Sengoku."

Vice Admiral Tsuru pushed the door open and entered, her expression graver than ever.

"Garp is in very bad shape. That so-called punishment was real. His Haki has weakened by at least twenty percent."

"Twenty percent."

Sengoku repeated the figure, feeling his temples throb.

Garp was the Marines' mainstay, a legendary powerhouse who could go toe-to-toe with Whitebeard. What it meant for him to be weakened by twenty percent on the eve of the decisive battle went without saying.

"There's one more thing."

Tsuru lowered her voice even further.

"There's a problem with the soldiers' morale. That video had too great an impact. Many of them have started discussing in private whether Vice Admiral Garp really will hold back on the battlefield."

"Enough."

Sengoku slammed his palm onto the desk, shattering its corner.

"Tell everyone that it was nothing more than the enemy's psychological warfare. The Marines' justice will not be shaken by a video of unknown origin."

That was what he said, but even he didn't believe it.

The footage had been too real. Every expression, every movement had looked genuine.

Just as the Marines were at their wits' end, the sky screen lit up again.

Hearts around the world had only just begun to settle, but now they raced to their limits once more.

[New question series begins]

[Topic: A rundown of the Ten Great War Criminals of the Paramount War]

Golden words hung across the sky, every character glowing.

"The Ten Great War Criminals."

Akainu's voice was cold enough to freeze a man to death as he read those words aloud.

"Does this so-called god intend to nail the entire Marines to the pillory?"

"Interesting."

With his hands in his pockets, Aokiji tilted his head to look at the sky screen. "Ten people. I wonder how many spots we Marines will take."

"Kuzan, would it kill you to talk a little less?"

Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses, his tone as unhurried as ever, but the light in his eyes was sharper than ever.

More words continued to appear on the sky screen.

[Ten Great War Criminals, tenth place]

[Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard]

Somewhere in the dark waters of the New World.

On a battered wooden raft, Marshall D. Teach was devouring cherry pie, crumbs covering half his face.

"Zehahahaha! That livestream just now was really something! To think old man Garp would get Ace killed! That's hilarious! This world is getting more and more fun!"

"Captain, your name has appeared on the sky screen."

Lafitte closed the folding fan in his hand and calmly pointed it out.

Teach's laughter stopped abruptly. He looked up at his name in the sky, his eyes darting around.

"Tenth place? Only tenth?"

His first reaction was not fear, but dissatisfaction.

"Zehahahaha! Looks like this 'god' doesn't know much after all. The great Teach ought to be in the top three, at least."

"Captain, I don't think this is as simple as you think."

Burgess spoke up beside him in a muffled voice.

Teach waved a hand dismissively and stuffed another large piece of pie into his mouth.

"It's fine, it's fine. The Paramount War is in the future anyway. What can it expose? I haven't done anything yet, hehehehe."

He was wrong.

The sky screen flashed gold, and new words began to appear.

[Question: What role did Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, play in the Paramount War?]

[A. Reinforcements for the Whitebeard Pirates]

[B. A secret ally of the Marines]

[C. Took advantage of the chaos to break into Impel Down, release the most vicious prisoners in history, and form his own pirate crew]

[D. Dealt Whitebeard a fatal blow at the end of the war and stole his ability]

Four options, every word glowing.

The contents of options C and D made the air around the world freeze.

"Impel Down?"

Sengoku's pupils contracted sharply. "He's going to break into Impel Down?"

"Release the prisoners? Form a pirate crew?"

Vice Admiral Tsuru's fingers trembled. In an instant, she understood how it all fit together. "This man's ambition is greater than any of us imagined."

But the final option, option D, was the real nuclear bomb.

Aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's expression changed.

"Steal Pops' ability?"

Flames burst uncontrollably from Marco's shoulders, the blue phoenix fire illuminating his contorted face.

"That traitor Teach didn't just kill Thatch. He's going after Pops' Tremor-Tremor Fruit too?"

"Damn it."

Jozu punched the ship's rail, and the thick planks shattered under the blow.

Vista the Flower Sword gripped his twin swords, veins bulging on his forehead.

"That traitor deserves to die."

Whitebeard said nothing, but the emotions churning in his eyes kept all the commanders from looking directly at him.

It was unrestrained killing intent born of betrayal by someone as close as family.

"Marco."

Whitebeard finally spoke, his voice low.

"Pops, go ahead."

"Where's Teach now?"

"According to the latest intelligence, he's on a course for Impel Down."

Whitebeard closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the killing intent in his eyes had become almost tangible.

"Pass down the order. Send a team to Impel Down to intercept him."

"Yes."

Marco accepted the order and turned to leave, but stopped when he reached the door.

"Pops, option D says Teach will steal your ability. Does that mean that in that war, you..."

He didn't say the word.

Whitebeard's figure cast a long shadow in the setting sun.

"Gurararara! Knowing the future gives us the chance to change it. Don't worry, Marco. I'm not planning to die yet."

Meanwhile, out on those dark waters, Teach finally realized how serious the situation was.

Because the sky screen was showing the entire sequence of his murder of Thatch, the fourth division commander.