Anne (1)

"Does the Night Pirates have any special meaning?" Anne frowned, unable to figure out how it related to Teach, and asked doubtfully.

"Fufufu! I can't say, but you'll understand one day. By then, I'll definitely be famous across the seas." How could Teach possibly tell her? He chuckled, leaving Anne's curiosity lingering in her heart.

"Alright, then what about your ship's name? There shouldn't be any requirements for that, right?" Anne said, looking at Teach.

"Hmm, any ideas? It's still early, but there's no problem deciding on a name first," Teach smiled, giving Anne space to use her imagination.

Anne pondered, resting her chin on one hand, her small head tilted slightly, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she looked at Teach. "I feel it needs to fit your characteristics, and your pirate crew's name. Fallen Angel Lucifer, fitting the dark characteristic, or like the Roger Pirates' ship name, Twilight Black. Or like the Whitebeard Pirates' Moby Dick, naming it based on the pirate ship's features and appearance. But I don't know what your future ship will look like?"

Listening to the names she came up with, Teach couldn't help but nod. "These names are quite good. I'll consider them."

"What's wrong? So many questions, do you also want to go out to sea?" Teach asked curiously.

"How can I go out to sea? With you? Hmph! I'm just afraid you won't dare to keep me!" Anne smiled, staring at Teach with great confidence, as if she had some backing behind her.

"Fufufu, my little princess, surely no one would stop you from going out to sea? Tell me, and I'll solve it for you. On my ship, no one can do anything to you!" Teach was very confident, laughing heartily. He opened his mouth wide and took half of a cherry pie in one bite. Another bite, and the entire cherry pie was gone.

"Please call me Queen!" Anne corrected him, saying so with great confidence. She couldn't help but puff out her chest and raise her head high.

"Fufufu! Alright, my Queen." Teach found it very amusing, chuckling softly and bowing his head slightly in a show of respect.

Seeing Teach like this, Anne's lips curved upwards. She seemed to be secretly delighted. She cautiously glanced around, as if no one was paying attention to them. She leaned forward, covering her mouth with one hand, and whispered to Teach, "My father is a Marine."

"Hmm?" Teach froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Fufufu! So what? Just a Marine."

"He's a Vice Admiral."

"Pfft! Cough cough!" Teach shuddered. The teacup he had just picked up, filled with black tea, was at his lips. He spat it out instantly. Fortunately, Teach reacted quickly, turning his head and spraying the tea onto the glass beside him.

"What did you say? Did I hear you correctly?" Teach was startled, finding it hard to believe. He pulled a tissue from the table and wiped the tea-stained glass. Turning to Anne, he asked.

Anne had long anticipated Teach's shock and found it very amusing. She chuckled, "What's wrong, Teach? Are you scared?"

How could Teach be scared by her like this? It was just a little surprising. However, the thought of abducting a Vice Admiral's daughter to become a pirate was quite interesting.

"Scared is impossible. It's just a Vice Admiral. But since you're the descendant of a high-ranking Marine, why weren't you taken to Marine Headquarters for protection?" Teach asked.

"I don't know?" Anne shook her head, actually having her own doubts. "Dad is very busy. He needs to be stationed on this island and rarely gets to see us. No one knows about our relationship."

"Dad also told us not to reveal it, saying it would bring disaster," Anne added.

"Interesting. Your father must be Vice Admiral Anthony, stationed on Sess Island. It's understandable why he wouldn't want pirates to know. He must have offended many people throughout his life at sea. If pirates who hate him found out, you would become a bargaining chip to threaten Anthony, or they would slaughter you to cause Anthony pain," Teach's eyes flashed with a dangerous light, and a smile appeared on his face.

"But if even Marine Headquarters doesn't trust you, then it's interesting. It seems there are some problems within the Marines. What I can think of should be related to that incident."

"What incident?" Anne asked curiously. "This has to do with the former Marine Admiral Zephyr." Teach had no reason to hide this. The incident had shocked the entire sea when it happened, and it was easy to find out with a little investigation. "After being hit by this event, Zephyr resigned from his position as Admiral and became an instructor."

"Fufufu, an Admiral's wife was killed by pirates in the rear of Marine territory. Isn't that hilarious? If you say there are no problems within the Marines, I won't believe it," Teach laughed heartily, finding the matter more and more amusing the more he thought about it. "Vice Admiral Anthony is probably in this situation for similar reasons. He might have people he doesn't get along with within the Marines. Being on the front lines of the New World, how could he possibly place his wife and daughters in the rear? He trusts his own strength more."

"How could this happen? The Marines." Anne couldn't believe it. However, she was a smart child and quickly understood. Although she was a Vice Admiral's daughter, living on Sess Island in the New World, she didn't have the typical Marine sense of justice. All she saw was the supremacy of the strong.

"Haha, there's too much. It's a matter of ideology. There are countless kinds of justice within the Marines, with numerous factions. Generally, they are divided into three factions: pacifists, hawks, and neutrals. You should understand what that means." Anne nodded; she had read many books. "Besides that, there are also quite a few rotten apples within the Marines," Teach chuckled. He had personally witnessed a Marine Vice Admiral cooperating with a pirate crew for immense profit. As for how he knew, it was because that pirate crew was a subordinate pirate crew of Whitebeard's.

"Among them, even Marine Vice Admirals are divided into two types. One type is promoted through military merits, and there's a lot of room for manipulation in obtaining military merits." Teach grinned. "The other type is promoted through immense strength and military merits. Vice Admiral Anthony is likely of this type. Without great strength, it's impossible to survive in the New World among so many pirates."

Hearing Teach praise her father, Anne smiled. Her father was very good to her, solving many troubles for them both openly and secretly. The area where they lived was very safe because of Anthony.

"Well, let's not talk about this anymore. If I join the pirate crew you establish, aren't you afraid of being disciplined by my dad?" Anne said with a smile.

"Fufufu, Anne, if you dare to come, I dare to accept you. If your dad comes, I'll beat him up," Teach said with a smile, leaning forward towards Anne's small face. "However, if you're too weak, I won't let you join my pirate crew."

"Hmph, I'm not weak. My dad trained me. He even said my talent is very good. If you're weaker than me in the future, you can join my pirate crew. I'll decide the pirate crew's name, flag, and ship's name, haha!" Anne looked at Teach, a smile on her face, very excited.

"It's a deal. I will definitely become famous across the seas. When I return here again, don't break your promise," Teach smiled and extended his hand.

Teach could feel that Anne's aura was not weak. It was evident that her father, Vice Admiral Anthony, cared a great deal for her, laying a solid foundation for her, fearing any accidents. That way, Anne would also have the strength to protect herself.

"Hmph hmph! It's a deal." Anne extended her small hand and placed it in Teach's, and they clasped hands.

"Teach, do you have time this afternoon?" Anne seemed to have an idea. "Hmm, what is it?" Teach asked.

"That's great. Then you'll accompany me to play," Anne said excitedly, jumping up from her seat. "Wait a moment, I'll go change my clothes."

Anne made up her mind and left in a flurry. Teach had finished his cherry pie. Anne didn't make Teach wait too long. She soon ran down, having taken off the blue bandana from her head. Her brown long hair was tied up with a rubber band. She wore a black short-sleeved shirt with a white skull pattern, paired with white long pants, looking very refreshing and cool. She was only twelve years old, but her chest was already developing.

"Mom, I'm going out to play!" Anne called out to her mother, who was still working.

"Okay, come back early." Anne's mother heard her and came out. She bowed to Teach with a gentle smile on her face. "I'll trouble you to look after Anne. She's a bit lively and might cause you a lot of trouble." "Mom! Why are you saying that! I'm very well-behaved," Anne said shyly, blushing when she heard her mother speak about her like that.

"Haha, I'll take good care of Anne. She's a very cute girl!" Teach laughed heartily.

"I'm paying for these things with Belly." As he spoke, Teach took out a handful of Belly.

"That's too much, sir." Anne's mother immediately knew that a lot of money had been added. "It's okay, I had a very enjoyable conversation with Anne! Haha," Teach said with a smile.

"Then I'll trouble you. It's been a long time since I've seen Anne so happy," Anne's mother smiled, patting Anne's head. "Remember to come back early, and don't play too wildly."

"Okay!" Anne nodded, a gentle look in her eyes.

"Teach, let's go," Anne called out to Teach and ran outside quickly.

"Haha!" Seeing her like this, he couldn't help but smile, following Anne like a doting father.

Meanwhile, outside the dessert shop, more than a dozen youths were standing in a corner, watching for any suspicious individuals near the shop. Leading them was a Snake-Head Tribe youth. No, it should be a mixed-blood Snake-Head Tribe youth. His neck wasn't as long as a typical Snake-Head Tribe member, but his features were very distinct.

Such a race was extremely rare in the first half of the Grand Line, also known as the "Paradise," and the Four Seas. It was a rare species. However, in the New World, although not common, it wasn't unusual to encounter a few occasionally. There was a Snake-Head Tribe kingdom in the New World. Their population was much smaller than that of normal humans, but it still numbered in the hundreds of thousands or even millions. Coupled with their strong unity, they formed a considerable force.

There were also many mixed-bloods of humans and the Snake-Head Tribe, but their status was rather awkward, and they were easily ostracized.

"Boss Mobius, Sister Annie is out," a young boy beside him exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he shouted to Mobius, who was at the front.

"Really!" Mobius, a young boy from the Snake-Head Tribe, shouted upon hearing this. "Annie Guard, prepare yourselves! Prepare to welcome Sister Annie!"

"Yes!" "Yes!" came the unified reply.

As Teach followed Anne out, he saw over a dozen boys running towards them. They stopped neatly in a line before them, then bowed.

"Greetings, Sister Annie," they said in unison.

"Haha, this is quite interesting," Teach chuckled. Anne, however, looked a bit helpless. She patted her forehead and explained to Teach, "These are all orphans and delinquents from the island. I disciplined them for robbing people, and then they formed this group. They just won't leave, so I let them be." Anne smiled as she spoke. "But ever since they joined, fewer people have come looking for trouble, and the shop's business has improved."

As a major island in the New World, pirates were inevitable. The Marines couldn't possibly focus their energy on these petty pirates, so there were always troublemaking pirates. Whenever an incident occurred, their "Annie Guard" would rush over, capture the troublemakers, and beat them up. As orphans and delinquents, they were already used to fighting and their strength was considerable. Each time, they would beat the troublemakers so badly they'd be spitting teeth, and gradually, they gained some notoriety here.

"Sister Annie is the best person. She didn't care about our backgrounds, gave us food, and taught us how to work and earn money. Our 'Annie Guard' exists to protect Sister Annie and we'll dedicate our lives to it," one of the boys cried, tears welling up in his eyes. Some of the other boys were also moved to tears.

The young boy at the front, Mobius, stepped forward. "I've always worked hard to protect everyone, but I was too weak. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't defeat those delinquents. If Sister Annie hadn't saved us and helped us, we would probably be dead by now."

"Boss Mobius!" the other boys looked at him, shouting excitedly, tears streaming down their faces. This boy named Mobius had always been their leader, responsible and caring. Before meeting Anne, as their leader, he bore the responsibility of keeping everyone alive, fighting other delinquents on the island for resources and food. However, due to his age, he won more than he lost, and was always bullied.

One day, while he was being beaten up by a delinquent, Anne, who had come out, discovered him. With her powerful strength, she defeated the delinquent and saved Mobius. After learning about the situation of these young boys, the kind Anne provided them with great assistance.

Now, under Mobius's leadership, these boys have established a foothold and spontaneously formed the "Annie Guard."