The Capture of Thatch

Three months have passed, and the navy, which has been busy for so long, can finally have a good rest.

However, we still cannot let our guard down; this is merely preparation for what may be a major move in the future.

No one took the rumors from headquarters as a joke; many people could see the purpose of clearing the Grand Line.

"You should know our target: the Whitebeard Pirates."

"You all work together to capture a division commander without the Whitebeard Pirates noticing."

Sengoku is secretly sending messages to Novoya and Borsalino.

The operation was actually quite simple: capture an important member of the Whitebeard Pirates and lure Whitebeard Pirates to Marine Headquarters through a public execution.

Using the Marine Headquarters as the battlefield, they had the home-field advantage and wiped out the Whitebeard Pirates in one fell swoop.

Saying it would wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates is an exaggeration. If that were to happen, the Navy would suffer enormous losses, which is unacceptable to them.

From beginning to end, Sengoku and his crew had only one goal: to kill the core leader of the Whitebeard Pirates, namely Whitebeard.

The Whitebeard Pirates will collapse completely once Whitebeard falls.

The New World will also go wild as a result. Without Whitebeard's deterrent, this vast territory will be fiercely contested and divided among numerous pirates.

Even if the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates are still alive, the Whitebeard Pirates will cease to exist. Without Whitebeard, they simply could not defend such a large territory.

Many things in the future are predictable, but it's also important to guard against unforeseen changes, given how many variables have emerged over the years.

"Don't worry, leave it to us." Novoya nodded, appearing somewhat like a soldier.

"This is terrifying, this is the Whitebeard Pirates."

Borsalino sighed. Whitebeard had already started receiving intravenous fluids, and the operation against Whitebeard should have been delayed for several more years.

Even if the navy develops steadily for a few more years, Whitebeard's health will continue to deteriorate and he will age.

That would be the best time to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Navy would be more confident in their ability to succeed.

Plans never keep up with changes. Under intense pressure from the Night Pirates and the Beasts Pirates, the Navy and the World Government had no choice but to bring the plan forward.

Among the Sea Emperor, the easiest to deal with are the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red-Haired Pirates, and the Red-Haired Pirates don't have that many weaknesses.

Their actions were crucial to the Navy's next move, and they couldn't afford to make a mistake. Borsalino, unusually, became serious.

Bringing back an important member of the Whitebeard Pirates in a short period of time, even without the Whitebeard Pirates noticing, means he will definitely be the main force in the operation.

"Yes, just make sure there are no mistakes."

If the Whitebeard Pirates discover this, the chances of the plan succeeding will be greatly reduced.

Only the main members of the Whitebeard Pirates could attract them; ordinary members wouldn't be qualified.

Even though they are all "sons," there are differences in closeness. Many times, the Whitebeard didn't even know he had a son, and when he met him, he couldn't even remember his name.

After all, too many people call him "Pops".

"Wait for an opportunity. Headquarters will notify you if there is any intelligence. Try to strike when they are alone."

Watching the two leave headquarters, Sengoku began his next move.

Regarding war, the layout of the battlefield, and many other things, all need to be planned carefully.

Details determine success or failure. How to maximize the effectiveness of existing forces, the issue of supplies, and obtaining financial support again from the World Government and Affiliated Nation are all crucial.

The Sengoku still needed to discuss the matter with the Staff Department overnight.

If it wasn't necessary, Sengoku really didn't want to set the battlefield in the Holy Land of Marineford, given Whitebeard's abilities; he might cause too much damage to the island.

The navy would then have no choice but to relocate its headquarters to Marine Headquarters.

The Marine Headquarters also suffered considerable damage, such as the ferocious beasts that fell from the sky during the battle with the Flying Pirates, and most memorable of all, the terrifying explosion at Bondy a.

The Navy needs to mobilize its entire force, gathering the true elites from all corners of the world and the Grand Line to fight the Whitebeard Pirates, and it also needs to draw strength from the major branches of the Navy.

At the same time, it is absolutely necessary to forcibly summon the Shichibukai. The Shichibukai are all very powerful, and several of them played a significant role in the Navy's recent cleansing of the Grand Line.

Especially not to mention Doflamingo, who is already a very well-known strongman, and Dracule Mihawk, who is currently the World's Greatest Swordsman, a monster who can fight against the Sea Emperor.

With their help, the navy will certainly have an easier time.

Shichibukai have enjoyed so many privileges, now is the time for them to make their move.

They have this obligation.

However, everything depends on the success of Novoya and Borsalino's operation. For now, we can make some preparations.

As orders were issued one after another, forces continued to converge at Marine Headquarters.

This news further confirms that something big is about to happen, and it seems to be happening very soon.

Apart from a few core members, including Novoya who joined the operation, no one else knew what the Navy was going to do next.

Thanks to the steam shock, Novoya's flight speed was not slow.

The two remained silent throughout the journey, flying high in the sky, making it difficult for the residents of the island below to see them.

At their current speed, it won't take them long to reach the Whitebeard Pirates' territory.

However, the Whitebeard Pirates' territory is vast, and after arriving at their destination, they still need to find their target and wait for intelligence from headquarters.

What they didn't know was that they were discovered not long after they entered the New World.

The satellites orbiting the planet projected perfectly still images of the two people as they moved, revealing their identities.

Many powerful individuals are under the close watch of the Night Pirates, who are observing their every move.

Since a year ago, the Night Pirates have launched five satellites, covering the entire New World, half of the Grand Line, and parts of the West Blue.

To create a dense, world-covering network, more satellites will need to be launched in the coming days. These five are sufficient for now and are crucial for the Night Pirates' future operations.

"War is about to begin!"

His gaze drifted into the distance, towards the Whitebeard Sea.

As dusk falls and the sky darkens, it seems to signify something: everything will eventually come to an end.

That's how the ocean is; it doesn't tell you anything before things happen, and by the time you realize it, it's too late.

Still basking in the aura of Whitebeard's power, the Whitebeard Pirates lived a blissful life as head of the family.

Although there were some comments in the footage on the high seas that displeased them, they still didn't expect that someone would actually attack them.

Each division of the Whitebeard Pirates patrols the Whitebeard Sea or suppresses incidents that occur in certain areas.

These tasks are done in rotation among the various squads, and there is no hierarchy involved.

Now, it's the turn of Captain of the Fourth Division Thatch.

Upon receiving this news, Teach couldn't help but wonder if it was a coincidence.

But none of that matters.

As the cook for the Whitebeard Pirates, Thatch can make Teach's favorite cherry pie.

As the Captain of the Fourth Division, Thatch is quite strong. He is a Two-Sword Style swordsman, and although he is not as good as Vista in swordsmanship, he has reached the level of Great Swordmaster.

After saying goodbye to his companions, Thatch left the Moby Dick.

"Don't worry, we'll deal with those small-time pirates quickly." Thatch was very confident in his abilities.

A pirate crew is causing trouble in the western part of the territory, and the Whitebeard Pirates need to deal with it promptly. If left unattended, the negative situation will quickly escalate.

People might think that the Whitebeard Pirates' prestige has declined, since only internal stability signifies a pirate crew's strength.

The Night Empire is similar; there are few troublemakers, and any who do appear are eliminated immediately.

This has become a common practice.

If it's too chaotic, it means you don't have enough power to guard such a large territory, you don't deserve to own it, and you need to give it up.

Faced with rumors and gossip, the Whitebeard Pirates need to use their strength to defend their prestige.

The Navy quickly learned of Thatch's departure and planted spies on islands frequented by members of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Based on intelligence, they quickly analyzed Thatch's next course of action and his ultimate goal.

He then relayed the message to Borsalino and his companion, who had been waiting for some time.

"Remember to strike after their battle, then erase all traces, and try to shift the blame onto the Whitebeard Pirates' target this time, creating the illusion that this will give us more time to prepare."

The Sengoku gave another order, revealing his cunning and shrewdness in every detail.

The task was to accomplish something without letting the Whitebeard Pirates know, but that wasn't too difficult for the two of them.

Killing Den Den Mushi is a very simple thing.

These days, the two also have a plan of action. Who is their target? How will they act and how will they work together to complete the arrest with maximum efficiency?

Even against an opponent like Marco, they have specific action plans.

Of course, the probability is not high. The headquarters prefers something safe and stable, Marco is not easy to deal with.

The Hag Pirates accomplished a major feat a few days ago, plundering an island within the Whitebeard Pirates' territory and killing dozens of ordinary members.

They then traveled to various locations to escape potential pursuit by the Whitebeard Pirates.

They are currently having a happy banquet on the ship.

Wine and meat, fighting, gambling, pirate games, and even singing.

Nothing is more exhilarating than plundering a large amount of wealth. In a few days, they will leave the Whitebeard Pirates' territory and enjoy their spoils to the fullest.

As long as they hide in the territory of other major powers, even the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't dare to do anything to them.

Captain Hague strode forward, wielding a large knife, drinking wine in one hand and holding a steak in the other.

Cheers erupted continuously, and classic music from "Pirates of the Caribbean" was played during the performance.

This is pirate, an unbridled pirate.

Soon, night fell, snoring filled the air, and the banquet venue was a mess, with people working overtime.

Except for a few lookouts, almost all the other pirates were asleep.

A pirate ship approached, flying the flag of the Whitebeard Pirates. Thatch and his crew had been chasing it all night and had finally caught up with the Hag Pirates.

I gazed at the shadow of the ship in the distance under the night sky.

"Let's just charge straight in."

Thatch drew his twin swords from his waist, and at the same time, the members of the Fourth Division behind him also prepared for battle.

Each of these crew members is a veteran of countless battles, having experienced numerous engagements, both large and small, over the years.

This demonstrates confidence in one's capabilities; there's no need for clandestine infiltration.

The approach of another pirate ship was quickly detected.

The ship's piercing bells rang out, and the sleeping pirates quickly awoke, grabbing their weapons and preparing for battle.

The ringing of the bell meant that enemies were approaching.

Even though it was night, they could still clearly see each other's figures on the boat.

"Thatch, how could it be so fast?"

Upon seeing Thatch, Captain Haggard shrank back, thinking that the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't catch up so easily.

"Hmph! Go to hell and think about it then."

Thatch snorted coldly, not wanting to give Hager any time, and charged forward with his twin swords, followed closely by the members of the Fourth Division.

The two sides began to fight, and even at night, the battle was extremely fierce.

However, the Hag Pirates were no match for the Whitebeard Pirates, and they weren't in good shape after just finishing a banquet, so the attack came too suddenly.

As dawn broke and the battle ended in the early hours of the morning, the entire Hag Pirates were wiped out.

Next comes the harvest time. According to the Whitebeard Pirates' tradition, whoever finds the treasure keeps it.

The Hag Pirates are quite famous, so they must possess a considerable amount of treasure.

Perhaps due to the early morning, a thick fog suddenly rose from the sea.

Suddenly, Thatch's expression changed; he sensed something was wrong. "Oh no, this isn't fog!"

Unfortunately, it was too late. Novoya and Borsalino, who had been watching the battle between the two pirate crews, finally decided to intervene.

"Cold Steam, Zero Degrees!"

A calm voice suddenly filled the air with a chill, followed by a series of crisp, cracking sounds as frost spread across the bodies of the pirates.

At the same time, cold air invades their bodies.

Over a vast area, many pirates were frozen to death, along with all the vulnerable Den Den Mushi.

This is not over yet.

"The Yasakani no Magatama!"

Endless laser beams rained down from the sky, precisely locking onto the bodies of the pirates under Borsalino's Observation Haki, leaving distinct golden spots on their bodies.

There's simply no way to avoid it.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Their vision was obscured by the thick steam.

The powerful laser pierced through the bodies of these pirates, taking their lives.

They were caught completely off guard by the sudden and successive attacks.

Soon, only Thatch remained alive.

What he faced was a combined attack from two powerful individuals.

"Hot Steam Powered Boom!"

Have you ever been Light Speed Kick?

Thatch was completely unable to resist and was easily defeated.

His hands and feet were Seastone Handcuffs, making it impossible for him to break free or move.

They watched helplessly as Novoya and Borsalino cleaned up the battlefield, or more accurately, buried it all in the sea, leaving no trace, not even a single plank.

Then, gripped tightly by the steam of Novoya, the cold air freezing his body and weakening him, he was carried away from this sea area.

Thatch was somewhat desperate; he was starting to realize what the navy was going to do next.

Why? The Navy's target was their Whitebeard Pirates! A deep sense of resentment filled his mind.

Images of the Beasts Pirates and the Night Pirates also surfaced in my mind.

As the one who caused all of this, the Whitebeard Pirates, who were unrelated to the incident, were ultimately targeted by the Navy.

Were they their initial target?

Teach, is that you? Why did you do this?

There is no particularly specific connection in the causal relationship here.

Thatch's mind was in complete disarray, and even with his intelligence, he could hardly make sense of the relationships involved. However, based on his intuition, he suspected that the Night Pirates might have some connection to the world.