Blackbeard cursed inwardly: How can that kid listen to the Captain so much? Doesn't he have any judgment of his own? Do I look like a "dangerous person" to him?
Clearly, Blackbeard didn't think that Sig thought highly of him because of his "good judgment" —Blackbeard was very confident that he had never shown any "dangerous" side since he couldn't help but injure Shanks twenty years ago!
Blackbeard was certain that the person who felt threatened by Shanks wasn't doing so because of his keen eyesight, but because... he unconditionally trusted Shanks.
Blackbeard doesn't want the achievement of "once injuring Shanks" at all, so he always uses the excuse that "we were all kids back then".
Little William actually falls for this...
However, Sig breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. If little William had been trained to look like Blackbeard, Sig would have been in real trouble!
Just then, Sig suddenly frowned, and then little William saw the surrounding scenery crack and then disappear.
Beneath the tattered curtain, the tavern remained bustling. Aside from Teach, who was asleep at the bar, the other members of the Whitebeard Pirates were still drinking and chatting...
William suddenly tensed up, realizing he wasn't invisible. But just as he was about to disappear into the shadows, Sig grabbed his hand and led him out of the tavern. Despite not hiding, no one seemed to have seen them!
If William had any doubts before, he was now completely convinced that the man holding his hand was his father—an ability he had only ever seen in himself before.
It is said that...
It seems that the Big Mom Pirates also have a few kids who aren't Devil Fruit ability but still have special abilities. That's why William came to Big Mom's territory after "running away from home".
However, the way Sig was holding his hand made William feel a little awkward—although he was only six years old, William already looked like a child around ten years old...
Although they are still considered "children," they are clearly becoming somewhat rebellious and dislike being led around.
But...
William did not struggle.
After all, his running away from home was, to some extent, to find "someone like himself," and now that he's found his "father" right away, he's naturally relaxed.
Not long after Sig led him away, William understood why his father had been in such a hurry to bring him out.
A disturbance had broken out at the town's harbor...
The approach of the Ice Witch Pirates caused some of the subordinate pirate crews of the Big Mom Pirates on the island to become extremely nervous.
Compared to Teach now, Ice Witch Whitey Bay, is clearly not just a nobody. At this time, Whitey Bay's arrival in the Big Mom Pirates' territory is a very sensitive act!
However, Whitey Bay clearly didn't want to cause trouble, and simply said flippantly that he was there for a trip and told them not to be so timid.
On the other hand, in Teach's view, it was as if William had suddenly "disappeared," while Sig was still right in front of him!
For Sig, who is already a "Dreamwalker," although he cannot yet create a relatively independent Virtual Personality like Sequence 4 "Manipulator," this level of multitasking is as simple as breathing.
After discovering that Whitey Bay couldn't resist approaching the island in the Big Mom Pirates' territory, Sig took William to find his Mom. However, he also maintained Teach's dream, and there was still a consciousness within it— Sig naturally still had something to say to Blackbeard!
"You and William have a good relationship?" Sig looked at Teach seriously.
Teach, adopting an honest demeanor, replied, "Young Master William is always very popular, while I'm probably more liked by the children..."
"Oh? Really? I thought those guys would be prejudiced against my son because I beat Whitebeard to a pulp." Sig with a surprised tone.
That is indeed the case!
Although, due to Whitey Bay's doting affection for William, the officers, especially the more reasonable ones at the squad leader level, didn't outwardly harbor any resentment towards William —not even Jozu would have a problem with a child, especially since William was Whitebeard only Sig's son but also Whitey Bay's son—but...
In private, it's inevitable that there will be some gossip and backbiting!
After all, the Whitebeard Pirates had a large number of members, so they couldn't be as pure as the Red-Hair Pirates, which had an "elite force strategy." In addition, the ordinary crew members all respected Whitebeard very much, and the new crew members were not familiar with Whitey Bay, so it was inevitable that some of them would have some negative opinions about "Siegfried's son."
William's running away from home and even coming to the Big Mom Pirates' territory to "find his kind" was also influenced by this.
However, upon hearing Sig's words, Blackbeard didn't immediately deny it. Instead, he nervously swallowed, took a deep breath, and then bravely said, "I... I don't remember anything like that! Old Man wasn't injured at all; he just didn't chase after you!"
Instead of continuing Sig's line of thought, Teach spoke up for his Old Man.
It's unclear whether he's "pretending to be tough to maintain his persona" or "genuinely angry that Sig was insulting Whitebeard."
Sig's reading of his emotions was somewhat vague, but Sig guessed it was a mixture of both.
Teach certainly respected Whitebeard, but...
This respect will not affect his pirate nature!
"Hahaha..." Sig laughed loudly a few times, making Teach feel a chill run down his spine.
Then Sig poured himself another glass of wine, stared at Teach, and said, "Me... I actually really like pirates."
Blackbeard was utterly bewildered—what are you, an old pirate, doing here pretending to be a bystander?
"However, there are very few people on this vast sea who can truly be considered 'real pirates'..."
Upon hearing this, Blackbeard felt a sudden pang of unease. He had initially thought Sig cared about him only because Sieg lacked his own opinions and completely trusted Shanks. However... now Blackbeard was wavering!
Because Sig's words struck a chord with Blackbeard, his Sig Blackbeard increasingly strange—could it be... that he's like me?
However, Blackbeard cautiously smiled humbly and asked with feigned suspicion, "Eh? Aren't pirates the most common creatures on the high seas right now?"
"Pirates? The like?" Sig scoffed, then Sig a glass of iced sweet rum and asked, "Teach, who do you think can be considered a 'real pirate' in this world?"