A vast storm of war was quietly brewing. Meanwhile, on Hachinosu in the New World...
Half the setting sun had already sunk beneath the horizon. The lingering sunset set the clouds ablaze and stained the sea red, slowly fading with the tide.
Surging darkness rose from the island and spread across the sky. The remaining sunset was soon swallowed by the black mist, and the world abruptly dimmed.
"Don't curse me when you get to hell, Van Augur. I'll kill the Straw Hat Crew to avenge you. Zehahahaha!"
Teach grinned wickedly and flung Van Augur away, sending him crashing through an icicle and into the corner of an ice-covered house.
The moment a Devil Fruit was extracted marked the end of its user's life.
Van Augur lay motionless in the corner, his eyes wide with hatred. He had already stopped breathing.
Luffy, in Fourth Gear Snakeman, landed on the roof of a frozen four-story building. He had witnessed everything and glared fiercely at Teach.
"You bastard. You actually attacked your own crewmate. That really pisses me off."
"Betrayed by the captain he devoted himself to... Even if he was our enemy, I feel sorry for him."
Sanji caught up and sighed heavily.
This went beyond being treacherous and cunning. He had seen plenty of vicious criminals, but few disgusted him the way Teach did.
At least other monsters directed their cruelty at their enemies. Killing a crewmate to steal his ability was despicable even among the most depraved pirates.
"Crewmates? Zehahahaha! Aren't crewmates just a means of making yourself stronger? I've simply found another way for them to coexist with me."
Turning around, Teach stared at Luffy with a savage grin. His left palm turned pitch-black, dark mist spilling from his curled fingers.
"You're next, Straw Hat Kid. Let me