What Bad Intentions Could a Division Commander Possibly Have?

Why was Ace lying here unconscious, covered in blood?

It turned out...

It had happened today.

While Lin Yan had swept through the Whitebeard Pirates,

on the Banaro Archipelago,

a fierce clash had also erupted.

On one side was Fire Fist Ace, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division.

On the other was Marshall Teach, who had recently obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit and defected from the Whitebeard Pirates.

The two had long held grudges against each other.

Blackbeard and Ace had barely exchanged a few words when they met.

After meeting,

they had started fighting at the slightest disagreement.

The Mera Mera no Mi and the Dark-Dark Fruit collided.

A battle was on the verge of erupting across the Banaro Archipelago.

The two fought until the skies darkened and the sun and moon lost their light.

Even the small island had been flattened by their clash!

Though Blackbeard was covered in wounds,

the excitement in his eyes was impossible to suppress.

There was no other reason.

Fire Fist Ace, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division,

had been defeated by him.

"Zehahahaha!"

"Second Division Commander, thank you for personally delivering such a generous gift to me. In return, I'll thank you properly by destroying the Whitebeard Pirates!"

Madness flickered in Blackbeard's eyes.

The reason he had joined the Whitebeard Pirates back then

had been very clear.

He had merely wanted to lie low within the Whitebeard Pirates,

waiting for the chance to soar into the sky.

Now, the arrival of the Dark-Dark Fruit

had ignited his ambition!

His goal had never been to succeed a division commander or become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

From beginning to end,

Blackbeard had only ever had one goal.

That was to replace the Whitebeard Pirates,

establish a throne of his own,

and become one of the Emperors of the Sea in the new era!

Thinking of the plan he had brewed for years,

the future he had long plotted for,

and the future that was practically within his grasp,

Blackbeard could barely suppress the excitement in his heart.

And all of this

would begin with Ace before him, with the Whitebeard Pirates!

Just then,

Burgess of the Blackbeard Pirates delivered a newspaper.

"Boss, there's news about the Whitebeard Pirates!"

In the news,

Blackbeard naturally saw that the Whitebeard Pirates had recruited a newcomer.

"Lin?"

Though Blackbeard's body was exhausted, he did not take Lin Yan in the newspaper seriously at all.

A newcomer.

How big of a storm could he possibly stir up?

He was merely looking forward to it.

After the Whitebeard Pirates were destroyed,

would this newcomer

regret joining the Whitebeard Pirates today?

"Van Augur, contact the Marines. Tell them we have a big deal that needs them to take over!"

Blackbeard did not linger any longer.

After capturing Ace,

he immediately began contacting the Marines without pause!

The undercurrents of the Grand Line

began to brew

from this very moment!!!

Meanwhile, on Lin Yan's side,

after Izo had settled Lin Yan in,

he then

began introducing the various facilities of the Whitebeard Pirates and the current situation aboard the Moby Dick.

After roughly three to five hours,

Lin Yan had learned most of what he needed to know!

At that moment,

Izo smiled awkwardly at Lin Yan. "Could I... ask you for a favor?"

"A favor?"

Lin Yan paused.

Izo had already secured him ten times the pay.

It was only a small favor, nothing difficult. "Go ahead and ask!"

"Can we have another fight?"

Expectation filled Izo's eyes.

Hearing that,

Lin Yan glanced at Izo.

"Didn't we already have a match before?"

Lin Yan asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Lin, I won't beat around the bush with you. Ever since our match, I've realized that I'm lacking in many areas, whether it's my strength or my abilities!"

"More importantly, after losing to you, my overall abilities have actually improved quite a bit."

"So... how about another round?"

Izo looked eager to give it a try.

Hearing Izo's words,

Lin Yan smiled.

He had thought it would be some difficult request!

"Sure!"

After agreeing,

the two immediately headed to an open area!

This was within the territory of an island governed by the Whitebeard Pirates.

Basically, no one would disturb their match!

Their battle was on the verge of beginning!

Since it was only a match,

neither fought to the death. They stopped at the proper point!

However,

the commotion from their fight

was simply too great!

The entire archipelago rumbled.

This also drew the attention of the local Whitebeard Pirates crewmen.

"Why is the ground beneath our feet shaking?"

"Is it an earthquake?"

"Could another pirate crew be invading?"

"Quick, go take a look!"

Many of those on guard immediately threw aside what they were doing

and hurried toward the source of the noise.

Very soon,

they found Lin Yan.

At that moment,

many of their pupils constricted!

They saw Lin Yan gripping Azure Thunder as he unleashed the power of the Goro Goro no Mi.

Lightning filled the heavens and descended upon Izo like an overwhelming tide.

Wherever the lightning passed, it devastated everything in its path, leaving ruin everywhere.

Before this,

everyone aboard the Moby Dick had only known that Lin Yan was a Devil Fruit user.

But as for which Devil Fruit he possessed,

they had never seen it before.

Now,

when they saw the overwhelming lightning in Lin Yan's hand,

the crewmen were so shocked they could barely close their mouths.

"Is this... Lin's Devil Fruit?"

"Azure Thunder filling the sky... isn't this far too terrifying?"

"Why is Lin sparring with Captain Izo?"

"Are they having a match?"

"Perfect, we can watch. It might benefit our future training!"

As more and more people gathered around, large numbers joined the spectators.

Unfortunately,

they had not watched for long

before the battle was already nearing its end!

Actually,

Lin Yan had not intended to use the Goro Goro no Mi.

But at Izo's request,

he brought out his Devil Fruit power!

Because of that,

Izo could not even last twenty minutes.

Under a sweeping barrage of lightning,

Izo was struck solidly.

He slammed heavily into the ground, smashing a huge crater into it.

The impact left his entire body feeling as if it had fallen apart.

"Lin, you're so strong!"

Once again, Izo felt the chasm-like gap between himself and Lin Yan.

"As long as you're willing to work hard, catching up is only a matter of time!"

Lin Yan answered sincerely.

Hearing Lin Yan's words,

Izo shook off his previous exhaustion. "If there's another chance, let's do it again!"

"I'll be ready anytime!"

Lin Yan said warmly.

As far as Izo was concerned.

This was merely a way to improve his strength.

For Lin Yan, it was simply his way of thanking Izo for applying for ten times the usual pay for him.

However.

No one had expected it.

In just one night.

News of Izo and Lin Yan's sparring match.

Gradually spread through the Whitebeard Pirates!

One had to know.

Previously, apart from Jozu and Vista.

The other division commanders had all regretted never getting the chance to spar with Lin Yan!

It had left them utterly frustrated.

After learning of this.

The division commanders immediately hit it off.

The next day.

At dawn.

The sun had just risen over the horizon.

Outside Lin Yan's door, nearly everyone from Jozu, captain of the Second Division, to Izo, captain of the Sixteenth Division, had gathered there.

There was no other reason.

We division commanders merely wanted to challenge the newcomer. What bad intentions could we possibly have?

One Piece: Starting by Fishing Up the Goro Goro no Mi and the Mangekyō Sharingan

Presented by Tatam