The Targeted Navy, the Navy's Encirclement

"The Navy is here! Everyone, get ready!" The lookout stood at the top of the mast, shouting through a pair of binoculars.

"Thud." "Thud." "Thud." The pirates lined both sides as Whitebeard strode forward, one step at a time. He carried the supreme-grade blade Cloud Splitter and wore a billowing white cloak emblazoned with the Whitebeard Pirates' insignia.

"Gurararara! We've been sitting around for so long, my body's about to rust. Let's stretch our legs and teach those Marines a lesson!" Whitebeard roared with laughter.

"The target is the Marine warship! Charge!" "That's more like it!" "They're just Marines. The Whitebeard Pirates have nothing to fear!"

"Let's teach those Marines not to mess with us!" The crew was brimming with fighting spirit, not a trace of fear in the face of the Navy. Even Teach had started polishing the Purgatory in his hands.

Teach had been part of the Whitebeard Pirates for two years now, and he'd completely settled in. Life at sea wasn't nearly as dull as he'd imagined. His days were full: drinking, eating meat, asking Vista and Kozuki Oden for advice on swordsmanship—they didn't keep much to themselves—and sparring with the other crew members. During that time, Teach had improved rapidly. He could easily handle both one-sword and two-sword styles, and had even developed sword techniques of his own.

His physical training had progressed just as quickly. The Whitebeard Pirates had a large collection of training methods that anyone could use, including the Marine Six Styles, though few bothered to practice them. Teach had chosen Finger Pistol and Geppo for focused training. Finger Pistol strengthened his fingers, while Geppo was extremely useful for fighting in the air.

No one had taught Teach physical combat; he'd trained on his own. He sometimes sparred with others, and the training methods he'd found—fist techniques, claw techniques, and kicking techniques—had helped him refine his fighting style. Finger Pistol in particular, combined with his claw techniques, had brought his claw style together.

The sea was vast, filled with mysterious islands unlike any other. The customs and landscapes of each new place opened Teach's eyes. He kept a small notebook and recorded what he saw. Of course, as a notorious pirate crew, the Whitebeard Pirates were growing at a snowballing pace. Fighting was inevitable: small-time pirates foolish enough to challenge them, powerful crews looking to test Whitebeard's authority, and strong pirate crews who couldn't meet without throwing down. It was practically a habit—even in the future, Emperor-level pirate crews would spar whenever they crossed paths.

Then there was the Navy, which never seemed to leave them alone. Sometimes the fleet was led by the Navy hero Garp; other times, it was commanded by the current Admiral, Sengoku. The Navy was still very active in the New World in this era, and Teach had seen its rising stars: the future Three Admirals, Logia Devil Fruit users Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino.

They hadn't fought each other, but those three had already begun to shine on the battlefield. They were famous throughout the New World.

Teach had an unusually strong spirit from birth, so he didn't need to sleep. He never let up on his nightly training. He hadn't yet reached his rapid-growth phase, but his body was still getting tougher and his strength kept increasing. When fishing, he often went down into the depths to train under the crushing water pressure. Monsters weren't born that way; even a monstrous physique had to be trained and developed.

Kaido's Immortal Body had also been forged through constant training. Otherwise, why would he keep trying to kill himself? Did he really want to die? Big Mom was an exception—she'd been a monster from birth. Teach had no idea how strong her body had been when she was young.

For now, Teach had only revealed his swordsmanship.

The Marine captain's expression darkened as he watched the Whitebeard Pirates draw closer. "Vice Admiral Thomson, the Whitebeard Pirates are closing in fast. What should we do?" his aide asked.

Thomson took a hard drag on his cigarette, a ruthless glint in his eyes. Without hesitation, he ordered, "Fall back for now and buy some time. Immediately request support from the warships in the surrounding waters. We can't take on the Whitebeard Pirates ourselves." After spending years in the New World, he knew just how terrifying Whitebeard was. With his world-shaking Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Whitebeard was already earning the title of "the Strongest Man in the World."

"Yes, Vice Admiral." The aide nodded and hurried off to pass on the order.

"Just my luck," Thomson muttered. They'd spotted the Whitebeard Pirates and planned to tail them for a while, only to have the pirates notice them first. But he'd never been more focused. One mistake, and his entire fleet could be wiped out. I just hope the reinforcements get here soon. He was ready to fight.

"Pops, that Marine warship is trying to escape!" the pirates shouted, keeping their eyes fixed on it.

"Gurararara! We've finally got our prey in our sights. We can't let them get away! Full speed ahead, boys!" Whitebeard laughed. He gripped Cloud Splitter and slammed its hilt against the ground. In an instant, the Moby Dick picked up speed, rapidly closing the distance to the warship.

Teach's eyes lit up. This was such a precise use of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. It was much like triggering a seaquake to create a tsunami: wave after wave surged forward, driving the Moby Dick onward. He watched the waves roll up behind the ship.

Meanwhile, the Marine warship slowed sharply. "What's going on? Why's the ship slowing down?" "This is bad! The current's changed direction. We're sailing against it!" "How can this be? How is the Whitebeard Pirates' ship moving so fast? Aren't they affected?" Panic swept through the ship.

"Silence! This is Whitebeard's power. If we can't escape, then prepare for battle! Justice will not fall! For justice!" Vice Admiral Thomson shouted, quickly rallying the shaken crew.

That was Whitebeard: he could change the direction of the current all by himself. They were about to fight the Whitebeard Pirates, and they hadn't managed to buy much time at all. Thomson hadn't expected the battle to come so soon.

"What? Vice Admiral Thomson has been targeted by the Whitebeard Pirates?" At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong slammed his palm down, smashing the desk in front of him to pieces. He caught his breath, then asked, "Which Vice Admirals are closest to him?"

"Two of them: Vice Admiral Rona and Vice Admiral Xi. They'll arrive in fifteen and twenty minutes, respectively."

"Notify them both to reinforce Vice Admiral Thomson. Then contact G1 Branch and tell Sengoku to depart immediately. Whitebeard's influence has grown too quickly over the past few years. We have to suppress it," Kong said. The situation in the New World was becoming clear. The Flying Pirates led by Golden Lion had the greatest influence and many powerful subordinates. Then there were the Whitebeard Pirates, whose captain alone held tremendous sway, and whose sons were growing into powerful fighters. Finally, there were the Roger Pirates: few in number, but every one of them an elite. They had the greatest concentration of top-tier fighters and posed the biggest threat.

Those three were the strongest pirate crews in the New World, and their captains were known as the "Three Legendary Pirates."

That reputation had dealt a severe blow to the Navy's prestige. The Navy needed a battle to prove itself, and this was the perfect opportunity. The Whitebeard Pirates' location had been exposed, and their affiliated crews hadn't received the news in time to come to their aid. Their forces weren't concentrated, giving the Navy a chance.

"Understood! We'll set out at once." Sengoku received the message and stood. Tsuru was beside him.

"All Navy personnel, prepare to assemble!" Soon, the whole force received the order. Boots pounded across the base as Marines left the fortress and returned to their posts.

"What happened? The whole fortress is heading out." "No idea. Just be ready. I saw Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru heading out, too."

Wearing his Justice cloak, Sengoku strode aboard the warship. Vice Admiral Tsuru stood at his side, and the Navy's three rising Logia stars stood behind him.

They were priority candidates for the Navy's future leadership, and were currently training in the New World. They still held the rank of Rear Admiral, but their strength was already on par with many Vice Admirals.

"Yoo-hoo-hoo, we're going up against that monster Whitebeard. How frightening," Borsalino said, dressed in a yellow pinstriped suit.

"Hmph! The Navy stands for justice. Pirates like these shouldn't be allowed to live. We'll wipe them out in this operation," Akainu said grimly, dressed in a red suit.

"Don't make such a scary face," Borsalino said with a carefree smile.

Kuzan, the Ice-Ice Fruit user, glanced at the two teammates beside him. After spending several years together, he knew their personalities well. He said nothing.

G1 Branch worked with remarkable efficiency. In just five minutes, everything was ready. "All ships, set out!" Sengoku shouted toward the sea. "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" One warship after another got underway, cutting through the waves.

There were ten warships in all, carrying nearly thirty thousand Marines. G1 Branch had practically sent out its entire force.

In just three minutes, the Moby Dick had drawn alongside the Marine warship. The pirates shouted as they leapt aboard and slashed at the Marines. Each attacker had picked a target. Vista set his sights on a swordsman aboard the warship. "Whitebeard!" Thomson stared at Whitebeard at the bow, cold sweat breaking out on his back. But as a Marine Vice Admiral, he couldn't retreat.

"Leave this one to me. It's been a while since I've had a chance to stretch my legs." Kozuki Oden leapt down from the ship, drawing his beloved blades, Enma and Ama no Hane. He landed right in front of Thomson with a smile, putting him under tremendous pressure.

A samurai from Wano Country? What a monster. Kozuki Oden was already famous throughout the New World, known for his monstrous strength and countless victories over powerful opponents—not to mention his origins in the isolationist Wano Country.

Seeing their lord step in, his retainers were eager to join the fight as well. Nekomamushi, Inuarashi, and Izo each fixed their sights on a target.

The Whitebeard Pirates had the overwhelming advantage in strength. Whitebeard didn't need to get involved. It would be beneath him to personally fight opponents like these, and his sons needed the chance to hone their skills.

"Shing!" Teach's blade pierced a Marine Captain through the heart. He entered the warship, and no Marine he'd faced along the way had been able to stop him.

Pirates plundered treasure and collected spoils. Over these two years, Teach had made great strides through constant fighting. Beyond his adventures, he'd gathered plenty of spoils from battles against pirates and Marines: treasure, swords, berries, and even Devil Fruits.

In the original story, Teach had calculated that his best chance of finding a Devil Fruit lay within the Whitebeard Pirates. During these two years alone, he'd come across more than twenty Devil Fruits. He'd kept one for himself: a Zoan Lizard-Lizard Fruit stolen from another pirate crew. He'd traded with a crewmate for a Feather Fruit, which he believed had far greater potential than the Lizard-Lizard Fruit. No amount of development could turn that one into Godzilla.

Teach's Observation Haki spread in every direction, bringing every corner into his mind. His Observation Haki had advanced rapidly on a microscopic level over the past two years. Even inanimate objects couldn't escape his sight. He went straight into the captain's quarters, where the Marine officers usually held meetings.

Teach knew warship layouts extremely well. This wasn't his first time doing this. As soon as he entered, he spotted a hidden compartment. Beneath the deck under the desk, behind the steel plating, there was a concealed space. Inside were some treasure, two Devil Fruits, and a small booklet. It was a major haul. The booklet contained the complete Marine Six Styles, along with plenty of annotations—and, more importantly, the secret art of the Six Styles, Life Return. These must have been part of the Vice Admiral's collection. Now they belonged to Teach.

Teach didn't have time to check what kinds of Devil Fruits they were. Carrying them around would make them easy to discover, so it was safer to leave them here. If nothing unexpected happened, the warship would sink, and the two Devil Fruits would be buried beneath the sea.

Suddenly, Teach's expression changed. Through his Observation Haki, he detected a Marine in a hidden corner, using a Den Den Mushi to make a call. "Headquarters, this is an emergency! We can't hold out much longer. The Whitebeard Pirates are too strong!" The communications officer had seen the battle outside. It was completely one-sided. Vice Admiral Thomson was being suppressed from start to finish, and was panting so hard it was unclear how much longer he could hold on. But Kozuki Oden seemed to be holding back and didn't appear intent on killing him. They might be able to last a little longer.

"Vice Admirals Xi and Rona are on their way to you. G1 Branch has set out under Admiral Sengoku and is also coming to reinforce you. Together, we'll wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates. You must hold on! You'll be our greatest heroes. For justice!"

"For justice!" the communications officer shouted. The Den Den Mushi call ended, and hope flared in his heart. He grabbed his weapon and prepared to head outside and fight. The longer the battle dragged on, the better it would be for the Navy.

Suddenly, a flash of white streaked across his vision. What was happening? Why was he flying? He looked down and saw his own corpse.

"How could I let you keep holding out?" Teach said. This was undoubtedly a major crisis. If they weren't prepared, the Whitebeard Pirates would suffer heavy losses.