Teach's fingernails dug deep into the sand. He remembered how, twenty years ago aboard Whitebeard's ship, he had pretended to be a fool to hide his ambition. He remembered putting on a show of unbearable grief beside Thatch's corpse for the sake of the Dark-Dark Fruit. He had long since carved the word "endure" into his bones.
In the end, Teach's voice still squeezed out from the sand. He slowly turned his face, his dislocated right arm twisted at a grotesque angle as he used his left hand to push himself up bit by bit.
The once-arrogant Blackbeard Teach was actually thanking someone now. Ace was completely dumbfounded at the sight, though he knew Teach had no choice.
Mu Chen naturally understood as well. He knew Blackbeard Teach far too well. This was merely a venomous snake lying low. Teach would probably sneak up and bite him later, but Mu Chen did not care in the slightest. Before absolute strength, every conspiracy was laughable.
With the matter settled, it was time to take Ace back to Impel Down.
As he spoke, Mu Chen turned and walked toward Ace. He did not forget to tell Lafitte and the others watching from the side, "Take your worthless captain and don't let me see you again."
Although Mu Chen's tone was frivolous, to Lafitte and the others, it sounded like a pardon.
They hurried forward to support the swaying Teach.
Burgess wanted to wipe the sand from his captain's face, but Teach shot him a vicious glare. There was no gratitude in that look, only the fury and restraint of someone whose wound had been exposed.
Van Augur's voice trembled slightly, and the muzzle of his sniper rifle unconsciously lowered toward the ground. They knew their captain was no ordinary man. Anyone who