The next day.
On an island somewhere in the New World.
The Blackbeard Pirates' banquet had only just begun.
Rows of barrels were carried into the square, while roasted meat piled high across long tables.
The pirates stood on tables and laughed uproariously. Liquor ran down the wooden planks, and some were already too drunk to stand straight.
At the very center.
Teach leaned back against a broad chair, gripping half a slab of roasted meat. His grin stretched across nearly half his face.
"Zehahaha—!"
"In the end, didn't those World Government bastards still come crawling to me?"
On the table.
A special Den Den Mushi had not yet hung up, and the voice from the other end remained cold.
"Your task is simple."
"Enter the waters near the Eight Kingdoms and stir up pirate activity."
Teach tore off a huge chunk of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.
"So, you just want the whole world to see—"
"That once those countries leave the World Government, pirates will immediately come knocking?"
The other end of the Den Den Mushi fell silent for a moment.
"You could put it that way."
Teach's smile immediately widened.
"Zehahaha!"
"Interesting!"
"Of course it's interesting!"
But after laughing, he suddenly rubbed his chin.
"However..."
"If you want me to work for you, we'll need to renegotiate the price."
There was an obvious pause on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"You were already given resources before."
"That was before. Besides, you people got me slashed by Red-Hair!"
Teach said it with perfect righteousness.
"Now is now!"
"There are Marines patrolling around the Eight Kingdoms, and the Shichibukai and those Adventure Groups are wandering all over the place."
"Even that lunatic Hawk-Eye has gone over there."
"This job is far more dangerous than