The Mission to Take Custody of Prisoner Ace!

Marshall D. Teach?

Wasn't that Blackbeard?

Wait!

Ace and Blackbeard?

And Garp had gone to the Grand Line at this time... did that mean he was headed for Water 7 to find Luffy?

While Roya was still thinking.

Sengoku continued, "A few days ago, during a meeting at Marine Headquarters with the Shichibukai to discuss Crocodile's vacant position, 'Ghost Sheriff' Lafitte suddenly appeared and recommended Marshall D. Teach. He also had a bargaining chip: they had captured 'Fire Fist' Ace alive. Besides being the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace had another identity—he was the only child left behind by the Pirate King Roger before his death!"

As he said this, Sengoku's expression gradually turned grave.

"I understand, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. What do you need me to do?" Roya asked with a nod.

"Lafitte came to deliver Teach's message. They had formed the Blackbeard Pirates, and he wanted to use Ace as a bargaining chip to make a deal with us. First, he wanted a Shichibukai position. Second, he wanted one billion Beli. The matter has already been approved in the meeting, but they also demanded that no one of vice admiral rank or above be sent. Otherwise, they would refuse to trade with us. So I need you to take one billion Beli and make the deal with Teach, then safely escort Fire Fist Ace to Impel Down," Sengoku said solemnly.

It seemed highly likely that Sengoku had not agreed with the decision to trade with pirates. It was probably a decision made by someone higher up.

"One billion Beli?"

Even Roya was startled when he heard that number.

After all, in this world, aside from rare and special Devil Fruits, an ordinary Devil Fruit on the black market only sold for around one hundred million Beli. Wouldn't one billion Beli be enough to buy ten Devil Fruits?

"No problem, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Roya said seriously.

"Mm. Remember, you must complete this mission. That Ace is very important to the Marines! And be careful of the Blackbeard Pirates, especially their captain, 'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach. Fire Fist Ace is no weakling. If they were able to capture him alive, then Teach must be extremely powerful," Sengoku warned.

"Understood." Roya nodded.

"Mm. Go prepare yourself. You'll depart shortly, and the one billion Beli has already been arranged. The meeting place is Dabalaro Island on the Grand Line. Remember, be careful. These pirates are all cunning and treacherous people," Sengoku added one final warning.

Not long after Roya left the Fleet Admiral's office.

The office door was pushed open again.

"My, my, the Blackbeard Pirates seeking a Shichibukai position... how frightening."

A flippant voice drifted in.

That was right. The newcomer was Admiral Kizaru of Marine Headquarters!

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, are you sure you're letting that kid Roya go alone? Those are the Blackbeard Pirates, you know. How frightening. Although that young man is someone Old Man Garp favors, what if he runs into danger? How about I accompany him?" Kizaru said with a crooked smile.

"No. If I could send you, I would have done so already. One of Blackbeard Teach's demands was that no one from Marine Headquarters of vice admiral rank or above could go. Only one rear admiral with one warship could be sent, and that is also the decision from above," Sengoku immediately refused and explained.

"Hehe, that Blackbeard is quite cautious," Kizaru said with a chuckle.

"Nothing will happen to Roya. He is already a rear admiral at Marine Headquarters. If Teach is smart, he definitely won't make a move against him. Borsalino, I need to speak with you," Sengoku said.

Very soon.

Roya arrived at the harbor where Marine Headquarters kept its warships.

"Rear Admiral Roya! Hello! The warship and the Marines are ready and awaiting your orders!" A Marine immediately stepped forward to greet Roya upon seeing him.

"Good. Then we depart now!" Roya ordered.

"Set sail!"

Soon after, Roya's warship slowly left the harbor of Marine Headquarters and swiftly vanished into the distant horizon of the boundless sea.

Sengoku had not assigned many Marines to Roya, fewer than a hundred in total, but Roya did not particularly care.

What concerned him more was why Blackbeard wanted that one billion Beli.

"Right, where are the one billion Beli Fleet Admiral Sengoku arranged?" Roya asked immediately.

"Rear Admiral Roya, please follow me."

A Marine led Roya into the ship's hold, which was packed with bag after bag of gleaming golden Beli.

"Reporting to Major Roya, all one billion Beli are here." The Marine who had led the way saluted respectfully.

"Good. You can leave first." Roya waved his hand.

Looking at the one billion Beli before him, Roya fell into deep thought.

Actually, Sengoku was right. Pirates were all cunning and treacherous people, and Blackbeard Teach had brought every one of a pirate's traits to the fullest.

At the same time, Roya knew very well that Blackbeard Teach merely wanted to use Ace to obtain a Shichibukai position, allowing him to enter Impel Down easily to recruit men before carrying out his later evil plans.

But Roya could not figure out what he wanted the additional one billion Beli for.

Even though he could not understand it.

Roya had already begun making his own calculations.

After drifting at sea for several days.

"Rear Admiral Roya, we are about to arrive at Dabalaro Island!"

Roya was still studying the nautical chart in the captain's cabin when a Marine suddenly entered to report.

"Good, I understand." Roya nodded.

When he stepped out of the cabin and looked out from the warship's deck, sure enough, the warship he was aboard was about to reach an island. By the shore was a boat cobbled together from several pieces of wood, flying a pirate flag—the Blackbeard Pirates' flag!

Thick smoke rose all over the island. Not only were the roads utterly devastated, but many of the plants had also withered and yellowed.

Without a doubt, Blackbeard had done all of this. The Blackbeard Pirates had most likely slaughtered and pillaged the entire island.

But Roya was unmoved, because that was the cruel reality of a world overrun by pirates!

What caught Roya's attention most were the people already standing by the island's shore.

They were Burgess, Van Augur, Lafitte, Doc Q, Blackbeard Teach, and Ace, who stood beside them bound in Seastone.

"Hahahaha!"

"Boys, their warship really is here."

"Our one billion Beli will soon be ours!"

Standing in the middle, Blackbeard spread his arms and bared his incomplete teeth as he let out a sinister laugh.