Three days have passed since Maki effortlessly crushed Captain Hina. This victory served as a reminder to the marines that they are far from being able to compete with the Infinite Pirates, one of the most feared crews on the seas.
In the majestic enclosure of Gojo Castle, the atmosphere is strangely light. Sitting across from Yuta, who had recently returned after a long absence, Gojo enjoys a cup of tea, with biscuits placed between them. Cards are spread out on the table, a reflection of a pastime that Gojo indulges in with almost childlike enthusiasm... despite his obvious lack of talent.
"So, you met the Mugiwara Crew?" he says, a mischievous smile on his lips as he sips his tea.
"They are as eccentric as you described them," replies Yuta, a playful gleam in his eyes. "I barely had time to figure out who they were before they recognized me! They remind me of you."
"Really? And why is that?" asks Gojo, picking up a card. His face briefly twitches when he sees his disastrous hand, but he quickly masks his disappointment.
"Reckless, stubborn, no respect for anyone..." Yuta lists with a smile, picking a card from Gojo's deck. Gojo grimaces again, betrayed by his bad luck.
"You really suck at this game," declares Yuta, laying down his cards, victorious. Even sitting down, Gojo looks pouty, almost comical.
"Another round!" exclaims Gojo, shuffling the cards at lightning speed to prevent Yuta from refusing.
"However..." Yuta pauses, his tone becoming serious. "What will you do if they die?"
Gojo looks at his cards, a mysterious smile forming behind them. "If they die, it means they weren't meant for great things," he replies with chilling nonchalance. Yuta smiles slightly, understanding his captain's brutal philosophy.
"You're right, they haven't even reached the New World," adds Yuta, glancing at his cards. "By the way, is it true that he's at Sabaody?"
"Yeah," confirms Gojo, downplaying the information as he plays a card with feigned confidence. "Maki was around there too."
"I heard that the Dark King, Raylight, is also there," murmurs Yuta, placing a card on the table.
Gojo raises an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Raylight? It's been a while. Sabaody is going to turn into a real mess," he says, a predatory smile lighting up his face.
"Who knows..." Yuta leaves the sentence hanging, his gaze piercing. Then, in a dry tone, he says, "By the way, reveal the cards you're hiding under the table."
Gojo startles, caught in the act. His expression shifts from surprise to a feigned innocence, but Yuta looks at him with amused skepticism. Not only is Gojo terrible at cards, but his cheating attempts are just as clumsy.
---
Elsewhere, on the island of Banaro, in the turbulent Grand Line, a palpable tension builds up. A pirate bearing the Whitebeard tattoo on his back stands atop a ruined house. Facing him are five menacing silhouettes: the Blackbeard Pirates, led by Marshall D. Teach.
Teach, with an unsettling smile on his face, greets his former commander, Ace, with disconcerting joviality. This behavior contrasts with the brutality of his past actions: the murder of another commander to seize a coveted power. Yet, he acts as if nothing has happened.
"Let's stop this nonsense, Teach. You know why I'm here," declares Ace, crouched down, his clenched fists radiating an incandescent aura.
"I know," replies Teach, nonchalant. Then, raising his arms theatrically, he exclaims, "But first, join me, Ace! Become my comrade! Everything is finally falling into place. It's neither fate nor Father, but Gojo himself who has changed the game! Zehahaha!"
Ace narrows his eyes, his voice tinged with disdain. "Gojo!..."
"Exactly!" Teach bursts into laughter. "After surviving our encounter with him, all I have to do now is deliver Luffy's head to the straw hat to the government to fulfill my plans. Let's conquer the world together!"
"Luffy?" Ace's face freezes, a glint of doubt in his eyes. "He's my little brother. And of course, I will never ally myself with you."
A heavy silence falls. Suddenly, two gunshots ring out. Augur, the sharpshooter of the Blackbeard Pirates, aims at Ace, but the bullets pass through his intangible body. A mocking smile appears on Ace's face.
"Tsk, another Logia," mumbles Augur, remembering their desperate escape from Gojo.
"You seem to have bad manners," retorts Ace, his smile widening. "Higan!"
Bullets of fire shoot out from his hands, forcing the Blackbeard Pirates to dodge hastily. Burgess, a colossus, tears an entire house from the ground and hurls it at Ace. Undeterred, Ace murmurs, "Enkai! Flame Commando!"
A titanic column of flames rises, reducing the house to ashes. Teach, furious, reproaches his men for their lack of initiative. Surviving an emperor, even if severely injured, has given them fragile confidence, but Ace remains a formidable opponent.
"Randonnée!" Ace shouts, unleashing a wave of fire that engulfs his enemies. Teach, burned but protected by the darkness of his devil fruit, gets up, panting. He explains to Ace the reason for Thatch's murder: the Yami Yami no Mi, a unique devil fruit capable of absorbing everything, even the powers of other users.
"You killed Thatch just for that?" asks Ace, his face impassive.
"A whim of fate, zehahaha! With this fruit, I will be the most powerful!" Teach cackles, his arrogance at its peak.
"Didn't you say that Gojo nearly wiped you out?" Ace retorts, skeptical.
"Another twist of fate! When my plans come to fruition, nothing will stop me!" Teach reveals his power, a swirling darkness bursting from his hand. "Kuro Uzu!"
Ace, inexorably drawn towards Teach's hand, tries to resist. "You wouldn't...?" he murmurs, incredulous. A violent blow to the stomach sends him crashing into a ruined house.
Injured, blood dripping from his mouth, Ace struggles to get up. Teach, laughing, boasts of his superiority. "Gojo used his haki to evade me, but you, Ace, don't have that level! Zehahaha!"
The battle that follows ravages Banaro. Ace, gravely wounded, bleeds profusely, but his spirit remains unwavering. Facing Teach, who unleashes a colossal darkness, Ace focuses his power into a blazing sun.
"Zehahaha! The sun or the darkness, who will prevail?" taunts Teach.
"I will make Whitebeard... the king," murmurs Ace, a determined smile on his face.
Their confrontation, a titanic clash between light and shadow, marks the beginning of a series of events that will shake the world. The first domino has fallen, and somewhere, Gojo is orchestrating an even greater chaos.