Teach Had Drifted Through Half His Life, Regretting Only That He Had Never Met a Worthy Master...

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" Teach swam desperately through the icy seawater, his heart filled with resentment.

Today had simply been the worst day of his life. First, he had been humiliated by the enemy who had killed his father. Then he had been hunted for no apparent reason. In the end, he had even been forced to reveal his strength.

I can only hope those Marines won't publicize it themselves. Teach comforted himself inwardly. Those Marines had betrayed Marine Headquarters and were trying to establish their prestige. They certainly would not expose their own shortcomings.

Teach swam through the vast sea for an entire day and night before finally spotting the Taotie.

Tears welled up in Teach's eyes. He had followed Chiaki Setsuna for only two months, yet it had been more tormenting than following Whitebeard for twenty years.

When he finally dragged himself aboard the Taotie in utter exhaustion, he was greeted by Ace's hearty laughter and enthusiastic applause.

"Teach, you're something else! You actually escaped from Black Arm Zephyr!"

Teach's body instantly stiffened, and he could no longer maintain his foolish grin. "Y-you... how did you know?"

Ace waved the newspaper in his hand. On its front page was a photograph of Teach confronting Zephyr. "No idea which reporter got the shot, but you really should thank that benefactor. The entire New World is talking about it now—"

Ace deliberately drew out his words. "A pirate named Marshall D. Teach actually made it out unharmed from the hands of a former Marine Admiral!"

The surrounding crewmen gasped in amazement, and some even whistled.

Ace excitedly patted Teach on the shoulder. "The captain said he's promoting you to an officer! He's going to let everyone on the seas know your name!"

Teach's vision went dark, and his ears buzzed.

He