Teach suddenly shouted, the sauce smeared around his mouth making him look somewhat savage, yet carrying a crude loyalty. "Since that Marine 'Lin Xuan' is so troublesome, we can't just sit and watch! That 'Fire Fist' Ace who's been making trouble for us lately-sure, the kid's a Logia, but he's strong as a monster!"
Everyone froze, unsure why Teach had suddenly brought up that rookie...
"The Marines have a sixteen-year-old monster. If we don't bring in some fresh blood, won't those uniform-wearing bastards outshine us?" Teach waved his arms, his voice impassioned. "I think that Ace is a great choice! Since he wants to challenge the strongest, let's show him how vast the world is, then... make him our family!"
Whitebeard set down his bowl of liquor.
He gave Teach a long look, then gazed out at the turbulent sea in the distance.
He didn't really care that the Marines had produced a genius, but Teach's words had indeed touched him.
That brat named Ace really had been causing quite a stir these past few days, like a flame that would never go out.
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard laughed, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Want to be my son? Interesting. If that Marine brat can knock magma into the sea, this fire-playing brat shouldn't be too weak, either."
He turned to Marco.
"Marco, go take a look. If that Fire Fist really has potential... bring him aboard."
"Got it, Pops."
Marco nodded, blue-green flames rising behind him and turning into phoenix wings. He cast one last glance at Lin Xuan's figure in the newspaper before taking flight toward the distant island.
Watching Marco leave, Teach grabbed another piece of cherry pie, lowering his head and gulping it down.
No one saw the cold, sinister curve of his lips.
*The Dark-Dark