Impact: Queen Anne's Revenge

Teach's face broke into a smile. Barton felt a sense of foreboding, but it was already too late.

Anthony's voice rang out. "Rokushiki Secret Technique: Rokuogan - Exploding Bear." The powerful blow slammed straight into Barton's heart, delivering the final, fatal strike.

"This!" Barton couldn't believe it. He looked down at his chest as blood flowed out. His Blood Scythe Domain began to fade, and he could no longer sustain it. He closed his eyes. The Great Pirate Barton was dead, killed in battle.

He had fallen to the combined efforts of Anthony and Teach.

Teach stretched his limbs and looked at Anthony, who had spent all his strength on that final strike and now lay on the ground, gasping for breath.

"Vice Admiral Anthony," Teach said, looking at him.

"What is it?" Anthony asked.

"The New World hasn't reached its most chaotic point yet. When it does, there won't be any room for the Marines to survive here. You've spent so long in the New World, so you should know how powerful the pirates are." Teach spoke slowly, then turned and walked away. "Besides, what's most precious to you now? Think of them."

"Them..." Teach left, and Anthony fell silent. Their faces appeared in his mind.

Then Anthony watched Teach's departing figure. Teach's last two moves kept replaying in his mind. Those techniques were terrifying. "What a frightening kid." The young people these days... He hadn't been able to compare with them even in his prime. Teach had surpassed even Garp and Sengoku as he remembered them, when they were the same age.

"Am I getting old?" Looking at his still-robust self and then at Teach, Anthony couldn't help feeling that he was old.

Elsewhere, Anne saw that the sounds of battle had died away and knew the fight was over. But the closer it came to this moment, the more nervous she and the others became.

A familiar figure gradually appeared in the distance. "It's Boss Teach! He won! I knew Boss Teach could do it!" Mobius recognized Teach at a glance.

"Zehahaha! My queen, I have returned victorious!" Teach laughed heartily.

"Teach, what about my dad?" Anne asked anxiously.

"Don't worry. His injuries are serious, but they're not life-threatening." Teach smiled.

The war was over. It ended with Vice Admiral Anthony killing Blood Scythe Barton.

When the news spread, the island was awash with both joy and sorrow. They had won the war, but the pirates' invasion had brought terrible casualties and fear.

After receiving the news, the remaining pirates of the Blood Scythe Pirates either fled or were killed by the surviving Marines, angry islanders, and other pirates. After all, the Blood Scythe Pirates had destroyed the port as soon as they arrived, and had made enemies of countless people.

The Marines had also suffered heavy losses. Half of their several thousand elite troops had been wiped out. The losses were far better than expected, but for the Marine Branch on Sess Island, they were still devastating. Vice Admiral Anthony had led his men deep into the New World to establish a Marine Branch, and they had never suffered losses this severe before.

A deep sorrow hung over the entire branch. There was no joy in victory when so many comrades and friends had died.

"Well done, Anthony! This is a great victory. You wiped out the entire Blood Scythe Pirates!" On the other end of the Den Den Mushi was Fleet Admiral Kong. His delight was plain to see, and his words greatly boosted Marine morale.

"But, Anthony, come back. It's too dangerous for you to stay deep in the New World, and the Marines can't support you there," Fleet Admiral Kong said.

Anthony showed no reaction. He remained silent. On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Kong, Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, and the other high-ranking officers were gathered. A sense of foreboding suddenly came over them.

Anthony looked at the Marine officers before him. Some places in their ranks now stood empty; he could guess how things would end. Then he looked outside. The people of Sess Island were mourning. Though night had fallen, people still stood outside holding candles. Even the pirates stayed silent, not daring to cause trouble. Every shop was closed.

"I'm sorry, Marshal Kong," Anthony said slowly. "I've decided to retire."

"What? How can you do that? Anthony, you're still young!" Sengoku couldn't sit still. He shouted at the Den Den Mushi, while the others looked anxious too. How could the Marines afford to lose such a powerful fighter? He was one of the strongest Vice Admirals. Two Vice Admirals had failed to defeat Blood Scythe Barton, but Anthony had succeeded—and killed him. The difference was plain to see.

They had thought the news would be good, but instead they were met with bad news.

The officers before Anthony hadn't expected him to say that either. They had followed him for more than ten years. Anthony was strong and gentle with his subordinates. He never kept good things to himself, and liked to share them with others. He was the backbone of their group.

"I've made up my mind, Sengoku." Anthony sighed, but his resolve was firm. He thought of Teach and what he had said, and of his beloved wife and daughter.

"I joined the Marines when I was thirteen. It's been thirty-two years. I've devoted half my life to justice, and I'm tired. I've guarded Sess Island for thirteen years. This place is like a second home to me. Even after I retire, I'll use whatever time I have left to protect it."

Anthony spoke slowly. Sengoku had nothing to say. He wanted to, but couldn't bring himself to. He couldn't ask Anthony to return to Marine Headquarters. It was impossible. They all knew why Anthony had spent thirteen years away and never wanted to return.

"Sengoku, have faith in your own justice. From now on, I'm no longer a Marine." Anthony spoke, then hung up the Den Den Mushi.

Anthony looked at the subordinates who had stood by him for ten years. He gazed at each of them, then bowed. "Please forgive me for making this decision on my own."

"No, Vice Admiral Anthony. I want to stay and protect Sess Island with you," one officer said, rising to his feet.

"Haha, my son is already seven years old, and he lives on West Street. Where else could I go? I'll follow you, Vice Admiral Anthony—or rather, Lord Anthony now," another Marine officer said with a smile.

Without exception, every Marine officer who remained was willing to follow Anthony.

"You..." Anthony was deeply moved. Tears welled in his eyes.

The news that Anthony had retired and resigned from the Marines spread quickly. He intended to remain on Sess Island. After the island had endured the turmoil of war, the announcement gave everyone a tremendous boost.

The rest of the Marines also chose to stay. Many had already settled down and started families here, while others had been recruited in the New World.

"Wonderful! Lord Anthony has resigned from the Marines and plans to settle down on Sess Island!" someone shouted excitedly.

"No, we should call him mayor now! Hahaha, Mayor Anthony!" another person called out. Everyone quickly agreed.

"Damn it!" Sengoku slammed his fist on the table.

"Hmph. Anthony is a traitor. He's too selfish—he hasn't considered the Marines' position at all," a Vice Admiral beside him sneered. He had always been at odds with Anthony.

"Well, I recommend we immediately send troops to eliminate Anthony," another Marine Vice Admiral said.

Sengoku flew into a rage. For the first time, he was this furious. He smashed the table before him and glared at the two Vice Admirals. "Who do you think drove Anthony to this? You did! You two useless fools. In my eyes, ten of you aren't worth one Anthony. You have neither strength nor accomplishments. All you ever do is plot behind people's backs. Say another word, and I'll slap you to death."

Golden light shone from Sengoku's body as his overwhelming presence erupted, bearing down on the two Marine Vice Admirals. A powerful killing intent emanated from him.

"Sengoku, calm down," Kong said, trying to settle him. At that moment, Sengoku's terrifying strength pressed down on everyone. No wonder he was a monster who could trade blows with Whitebeard.

The golden light around Sengoku gradually faded, and his body returned to normal. He and Anthony had been close. Anthony was a little younger than him, and Sengoku had always thought highly of him, both for his strength and his character. Yet a few petty men had driven him out of Marine Headquarters. Sengoku had been holding back his anger for a long time, and the two Vice Admirals' words had finally set him off.

The two old Vice Admirals were so terrified they could barely stand.

Kong glanced at them. He had long been fed up with them. They were parasites in the Marines, but they had acted so discreetly that he hadn't been able to make a move against them. He looked at Sengoku, Tsuru, and the others, feeling reassured. The Marines' future belonged to them.

"You've slandered your fellow officers. I think you need two years of training in the New World. Any objections?" Kong asked.

"None!" They didn't dare refuse. How could they not know how dangerous the New World was? They had just joined forces to hunt down Blood Scythe Barton, suffered heavy losses, and slunk back from the New World in defeat. Their injuries hadn't even healed, and now they had to go back. But they didn't dare refuse, not with Sengoku watching them. He had been terrifying earlier, and they feared he might really slap them to death.

Sengoku, Tsuru, and the others couldn't help admiring Kong's decision. They had learned a thing or two: the older, the wiser. Sending the two men to the New World meant they wouldn't have to see them anymore, and they would have less chance to scheme. It was also a way to get some use out of them. The two men were over sixty, and while they had enough strength to become Vice Admirals, their deaths would free up those positions for younger officers.

Sengoku couldn't help sighing. "We've lost more than just Anthony. Given his influence, the remaining elite Marines and officers will stay on Sess Island too. They're no longer Marines." The others sighed as well.

This had little impact on Teach. The Marine Branch Anthony had commanded should now be called the mayor's office. He ruled over the entire island, overseeing the reconstruction of the destroyed port and ruins, along with all the other problems, great and small. Anthony's reputation on Sess Island had reached its peak. He was not only the hero who had saved the island, but also its universally recognized mayor, having defeated the notorious Blood Scythe Barton single-handedly.

The ruins on the battlefield showed just how brutal the fight had been.

Anthony was exhausted. After the great battle, he had countless matters to attend to, and his wounds had only received basic treatment. He stayed busy until late at night, when everyone else had already gone to bed. Alone, he quietly made his way to the familiar place filled with warmth.

The dessert shop was still lit. Anthony instinctively glanced around and released his Observation Haki. Seeing no one, he slipped in through the back door.

They were all still awake. Anthony knew they were waiting for him. "Dad!" Anne and Fanny had been sitting on the sofa, waiting for Anthony to return. When she heard his familiar footsteps, Anne leapt to her feet in excitement.

As soon as Anthony stepped inside, he saw Anne run over happily. He was delighted too, and opened his arms to pull her into an embrace.

"Anthony!" His wife, Fanny, hurried over, her face streaked with joyful tears. "You're all right. Thank goodness." She opened her arms and hugged him and Anne, then touched Anthony's bandage-wrapped chest.

"You too! I won't leave you again," Anthony said with a smile, stroking his wife's long hair.

The family was reunited in happiness after narrowly escaping disaster. It had nothing to do with Teach.

That night, Teach continued training alone in silence. The whole city was mourning, and it was destined to be a sleepless night. Elsewhere, a pair of eyes watched him train in secret. Despite the pain, the watcher imitated Teach and started doing push-ups. It was Mobius.

Early the next morning, a small section of the new port had already been built on the site of the old one. Teach's small boat had been destroyed by cannon fire during Barton's invasion, so to reach the next island, he would have to board a merchant ship heading to the same destination.

Teach had no intention of staying. If not for the unexpected events of the previous day, he would have left that afternoon.

Anne and the others saw him off at the newly rebuilt port. "Teach, you have to come back!" Anne waved reluctantly, wiping away the tears that were about to fall.

"Zehahaha! Of course I will. By then, I'll be a Great Pirate renowned across the seas," Teach said confidently as he headed toward the merchant ship.

Suddenly, Teach stopped and turned to look at Anne. "Anne, remember how you named my future pirate ship yesterday?"

"Hm?" Anne blinked.

"It'll be called Queen Anne's Revenge. I've made up my mind. Isn't it imposing? She'll make waves across the seas with me. Zehahaha!" Teach laughed and walked away.

"Queen Anne's Revenge? It has my name?" Anne thought, unable to stop herself from smiling.

In a corner, amid the shadows of the ruins, Anthony leaned against a wall, smoke curling from his mouth as he watched Anne bid farewell to Teach.

"Queen Anne's Revenge. I can't wait to see it."