Thirty Years of Lies

The images on the sky screen continued.

Twenty-six years ago, a young Teach boarded the Moby Dick, grinning through a gap where his front teeth were missing as he called Whitebeard "Pops" for the first time.

Whitebeard was in his prime then. He laughed heartily and patted the young man on the shoulder.

"Come on, kid. Starting today, you're my son."

Beside this heartwarming scene, the sky screen displayed a line of chilling text.

[Teach's inner monologue: There must be a clue to the Dark-Dark Fruit somewhere on this old man's ship. As long as I find it, I can become the strongest.]

Aboard the Moby Dick, the crew members who saw those words felt as if knives were twisting in their hearts.

"It started twenty-six years ago?"

Vista's voice was hoarse.

"I remember the day he first came aboard. He stole three of my sausages, then said we were all brothers and should look out for each other."

"Stop."

Jozu closed his eyes, unable to bear watching any longer.

The scene jumped to twenty years ago. Teach deliberately got himself injured in a battle, and Whitebeard personally bandaged his wounds.

"Pops, I'll become a man you can be proud of."

Teach spoke with gratitude written all over his face.

The note beside him read: [Teach's inner monologue: Where the hell is the Dark-Dark Fruit? I've already been looking for six years.]

Fifteen years ago, Teach was drinking with Ace, laughing as he slapped Ace on the back.

"Brother Ace, you're the one Pops values most. You'll definitely become commander of the second division someday."

[Teach's inner monologue: If Roger's son becomes a commander, he'll have access to more resources. Maybe there's a clue to the Dark-Dark Fruit along the second division's route.]

With every monologue that appeared, the world grew a little quieter.

The sky screen peeled back thirty years of one man's darkness, layer by layer like an onion, and displayed it for everyone to see.

From the East Blue to the New World, from civilians to pirates, everyone who saw those images felt a bone-chilling dread.

This man had smiled for thirty years.

Deceived everyone for thirty years.

Waited for thirty years.

All for a single Devil Fruit.

Alabasta, inside the royal palace.

Princess Vivi covered her mouth, her eyes reddening.

"How can someone be like that? Smiling at his own family for thirty years while plotting against them all along."

King Cobra was silent for a moment before speaking softly.

"Vivi, the most terrifying enemy in this world has never been the one standing across from you, but the one standing beside you."

Water 7, the Franky Family.

Franky slammed an iron fist on the table.

"If I ever meet that despicable bastard, I'll tear him apart piece by piece."

Mayor Iceburg adjusted his glasses and said nothing, only turning his gaze toward the sky screen.

Sabaody Archipelago.

Luffy watched the entire course of Teach's betrayal of Whitebeard on the sky screen, his fists creaking as he clenched them.

"Teach. He's the one who got Ace killed."

"Luffy, calm down."

Zoro stood behind him, a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Going after him now won't help. Instead of getting angry, think about how to save Ace in that war."

Luffy's body trembled, but he took Zoro's words to heart.

"You're right."

He lifted his head and looked at the sky screen. The fury in his eyes slowly settled into something more resolute.

"I'll save Ace, no matter what I have to face."

His newly awakened Conqueror's Haki fluctuated slightly with his emotions, and the air around him grew heavy.

Rayleigh stood nearby, watching the change in Luffy. He nodded slightly.

"This kid is growing at an incredible speed."

On the sky screen, the complete timeline of Teach's thirty years in hiding finally came to an end.

The final frozen image showed Teach's retreating figure as he fled after murdering Thatch, alongside Whitebeard standing at the bow in a rage after hearing the news.

The system's voice rang out again.

[Supplementary material playback complete]

[Now passing judgment on Marshall D. Teach]

On Teach's rickety raft, the atmosphere had grown icy.

Teach's companions all instinctively moved away from him. Even a brute like Burgess sensed that something was wrong.

"Captain, what happens next?"

For the first time, Lafitte's voice carried genuine concern.

Teach gritted his teeth. The smile had vanished from his face, replaced by a frantic agitation.

"Hehehehehehe, come on, then. Let's see what this shitty livestream can do to me."

His laughter came in fits and starts, his bravado pushed to its limit.

On the sky screen, the punishment appeared word by word.

[Punishment subject: Marshall D. Teach]

[Reason for punishment: Using thirty years of deception to murder a comrade, betray his family, and plunge countless lives into the abyss for the sake of personal ambition]

[Punishment: The permanent "Traitor's Mark" shall be applied. This mark shall remain visible on his forehead forever. It cannot be concealed or removed. Anyone who sees it shall be able to sense the betrayal he committed.]

A jet-black beam shot down from the sky screen and struck Teach squarely on the forehead.

Teach let out a scream.