Kanata and Teach's group emerged from the underground levels of Hachinosu. Teach's companions headed off to the training grounds to test their newly acquired Devil Fruit abilities, while Kanata and Teach returned to the office. Teach plopped down onto the sofa, stretching his legs out as if he owned the place.
"But Sis," Teach began, "killing Whitebeard is one thing, but you got a plan to bring that bastard Bullet into the fold?"
"I'll beat him until he listens."
"…Not to tell you your business, Sis, but that guy ain't the type to listen just 'cause he got beat up."
"That man likely won't switch sides based on personal gain," Kanata acknowledged.
He was a man solely focused on stoically training to achieve "the strongest." Because Kanata supported his other needs, Bullet currently cooperated with her… but he wasn't the type to nod if asked to become a subordinate. He himself claimed he only stayed under Roger to learn the secret of his strength. Though it seemed he ultimately failed to understand the source of that strength.
"Since I am stronger, I just need to convince him that staying near me will allow him to learn that strength."
Kanata smiled as she sat in her office chair. Essentially, it was the same method used with Roger, the difference being whether Bullet came to this conclusion himself or if Kanata made him believe it. It was an incredibly arrogant line of thought, one that didn't entertain even a millimeter of possibility that she might lose to Bullet.
"You think you can win?" Teach asked.
"There are no factors suggesting defeat."
She had fought Bullet numerous times before and had emerged victorious every single time. Some time had passed since their last encounter, but just as Bullet had trained himself, Kanata had also grown stronger. More importantly, based on the Haki she sensed when they met earlier, she hadn't felt a power exceeding her own estimations.
"If he wants to defeat me, he'll need Roger and Garp in their prime, fighting together."
"…That ain't a funny joke."
Teach shrugged, looking unusually exasperated at Kanata, who spoke as cheerfully as ever.
"Well, whether it's Bullet or Newgate, defeating them isn't the concern. The real problem is unifying the Whitebeard Pirates afterward."
No matter how legitimately she defeated the leader, Newgate, the organization was one he had built. How many would willingly follow Kanata? Even if they refused, she could force them into battle against enemies, leaving them no choice but to fight, but she wanted to keep that as a last resort.
Careless actions could lead to outright defection. Even within the Twilight Pirates, members without proper training and education might flee if deployed carelessly. No matter how logically sound the argument, no matter the charisma of the leader, the human instinct for survival sometimes overrides reason. Especially right after the man they admired had died.
"Hope this doesn't turn into countin' yer chickens 'fore they hatch," Teach commented.
"Without prior consideration, swift action is impossible. The unexpected can always happen."
"Suppose so… Wouldn't it be best to just let Marco take over?"
"He has high capabilities as a Number Two, but putting Marco at the top likely wouldn't work well. The skills required for the top position and the Number Two are subtly different."
That was why organizations often faced problems when someone suited for the top spot remained as Number Two. Even if not the Number Two, having multiple individuals capable of leading could cause an organization to fragment and collapse. —Just as the Rocks Pirates once did.
"Is that how it is? Don't really get it… What's your thinking, Sis?"
"Ace has potential, but the problem is he's a bit too young to be entrusted with it."
With more experience and flexible thinking, perhaps, but pirate crews were generally organizations led by the charisma of the top figure. Twilight's structure was so unusual that it was easy to forget, but thinking in terms of age and accumulated experience was essentially military thinking. Kanata seemed aware of this, her expression turning slightly troubled.
In this sea, those who rose to prominence attracted others strongly, regardless of whether they were young or old. …If Kanata endorsed Ace, it could be misinterpreted as her manipulating him to take over the Whitebeard Pirates, so she couldn't interfere.
"However, besides Newgate, there doesn't seem to be anyone capable of holding an organization of that scale together… Apologies to Ace, but the only option is to pit them against the Beasts-Big Mom pirate alliance quickly and reduce their scale."
"…Sis, you're really backing Ace, huh? What, fell for a kid like that?"
"…A friend's child feels surprisingly dear, you know. It's different from one's own child. It's a new feeling for me too."
"You don't have kids, Sis. Wait, a friend's kid? Who's that?"
"Roger."
Clang!! Teach fell backward, sofa and all. He sat up, rubbing the bump forming on the back of his head, his face etched with surprise.
"That's huge news! Roger had a kid…!? Shouldn't the Navy have hunted him down!?"
"I don't know the details, but Garp apparently hid him. So it must have worked out somehow."
"That guy's supposed to be the Navy's 'Hero'…"
Teach recalled Garp's face with an exasperated look, then nodded in understanding. "Yeah, that guy would totally do something like that."
A man who had done so many outrageous things, openly proclaimed his dislike for the Celestial Dragons, yet had too many followers for the government to touch. Garp and Roger were rivals; perhaps they developed a different kind of bond amidst their battles. Roger had that kind of talent for charming people.
Anyway.
"I see… No wonder you're so invested, Sis."
Kanata owed Roger a debt. Teach only knew Roger had saved her in the past, but the Roger Pirates had docked at Hachinosu many times. He was a cheerful, boisterous man. As Teach stroked his chin, reminiscing, Kanata received a call from somewhere and stood up.
"Where you goin'?"
"Interrogation. Coming?"
"Got nothin' better to do, might as well. Zehahaha!"
Without knowing their destination, Teach followed behind Kanata. While walking, Kanata was contacting someone else via her baby Den Den Mushi.
"Iris, your next job. Details later. Just be ready to move out anytime."
'Yeees. Honestly, you work people too hard.'
"This one might be a bit tough. I'll give you discretion to take a few people with you. Use them well."
'…You're going that far? Sounds like quite the difficult job… Haa, sounds troublesome…'
Iris, receiving the call from Kanata, sighed at the hint of a troublesome job. Her attitude was far from serious, but Kanata didn't particularly comment as long as the work was done properly, even if the attitude or personality was somewhat poor. Perhaps she recognized that the strong are often arrogant. Confidence in one's own strength directly related to the strength of one's Haki. It wasn't entirely negative.
With Teach in tow, Kanata headed towards a research building slightly removed from the port. Hachinosu housed many pirates and their families, but the island itself wasn't particularly large. Only things they desperately wanted to hide were kept here, which was why spies were constantly trying to infiltrate. In one corner of this area, Caesar Clown was bound and seated. His face was swollen, bruises visible here and there. His wrists were bound by Seastone cuffs, and an explosive collar, like those used on slaves, was fitted around his neck. A guard stood behind him to ensure he didn't try anything funny, giving Kanata a small nod.
"This is the first time we meet face-to-face. Caesar Clown."
"Ugh… You're the Witch…! A-Are you going to kill me…!?"
"That depends on your attitude."
"P-Please! Don't kill me! I don't wanna die yet!!"
Caesar was the user of the Gasu Gasu no Mi, a Gas-Logia. Logia abilities were extremely rare and often useful, but the Gasu Gasu no Mi was particularly valuable not for combat, but for resources. The ability to freely create various types of gases at will could be extremely precious and important on Hachinosu, where resources couldn't be mined. For that point alone, killing Caesar and taking his ability had merit.
However, Caesar himself, the ability user, was also a talented individual. While paling in comparison to Vegapunk, his lack of ethics surpassed even Vegapunk's, making him useful for creating various weapons under Kanata's direction. Familiarity with chemicals and the like was also necessary to utilize the gas ability. Finding a more suitable person would be difficult. Overall, Kanata judged that utilizing Caesar's intellect and ability offered greater benefits than killing him.
"—Then, take a look at this."
Kanata handed several sheets of paper to Caesar. Though his hands were hindered by the Seastone cuffs, he could still read the papers. Caesar desperately scanned the documents, breaking into a cold sweat as he understood their contents.
"H-Hey! Who thought of this!?"
"You haven't been permitted to ask questions. Answer mine."
"F-Fine…"
"First, can you build this?"
"I think… I can. But I won't know for sure without running some experiments."
"Second, the shell is already complete. What's needed is fuel for propulsion. Can you make it?"
"…Depending on the distance, yes."
"Hmm… Very well. That was the only bottleneck. With your cooperation, completion should be faster."
Caesar was a self-proclaimed genius scientist. Even if the possibility of him lying out of fear couldn't be denied, the merits of keeping him were sufficient. If he failed, she would simply insert electrodes into his brain, supplement his bodily functions with machinery, and reduce him to a lump of flesh capable only of using his ability. Threatening him with this, Caesar turned pale and nodded repeatedly. Teach, who had been listening behind them, seemed unsure of the situation and spoke up once the transaction with Caesar was finished.
"Sis, what're you tryin' to build?"
"A weapon."
"A weapon?"
In this vast sea, those who could use Haki or Devil Fruits were extremely rare. The vast majority of people would die if shot by a gun, or become unable to fight if fatally wounded by a sword. Conversely, this meant weapons could neutralize the vast majority of people. However, simply firing cannons and guns sporadically wouldn't suffice. Assuming hostility with the Navy meant preparing to fight a considerable number of marines. Overcoming a numerical disadvantage always required powerful weaponry.
"A weapon to annihilate and neutralize the enemy from a distance—a ballistic missile."
***
Having departed Midgard, Luffy and the Straw Hat crew continued their voyage towards Pucci, the Town of Gourmet Food. The weather was clear, the wind gentle. Luffy fished, dreaming of the next island, renowned as the "Town of Gourmet Food," while Usopp worried.
"The part of the ship that burned on Skypiea… I repaired it, but it seems to be leaking slightly… Maybe we really should get it looked at where there are shipwrights?"
"Well, Luffy seems to have his head full of food already. Don't think a little detour would change much," Zoro replied, lifting dumbbells.
"Yeah, that's the problem," Usopp sighed, looking at Luffy.
The fish weren't biting at all, so Luffy must have been bored.
"Wonder what kinda delicious food they have on the next island…" Luffy drooled.
Telling him now that they needed to change course would clearly result in a crestfallen expression, making Usopp hesitant.
"Well, it should hold for a little while longer."
"Maybe there'll be a shipwright on the next island," Usopp hoped.
The two spoke optimistically, then heard Nami's voice giving orders from the deck.
"Looks like the weather's changing, so we'll alter course slightly. Hard to starboard!"
"Aye aye!"
Following the order, Usopp turned the helm, attempting to steer the ship away from the impending storm. Luffy stopped fishing and started helping with the sails, moving as Nami instructed… but the weather on the Grand Line changed rapidly, difficult even for skilled navigators to predict. The clouds gathered faster than Nami anticipated, and the rising wind began to churn the waves.
"The clouds are moving faster than expected! The wind's strong, furl the sails! They'll tear!!"
"Leave it to me!"
Following Nami's order to furl the sails, Zoro pulled hard on the rope—and the main mast creaked ominously, tilting.
"Huh!?"
"Hey, Zoro!?"
"N-No! I just pulled like usual…!!"
"Anyway, we have to furl the sails quickly! If this keeps up, we'll be blown—Kyaa!!"
A head-on gust of wind billowed the sail dramatically, violently rocking the ship and starting to tear the canvas. Zoro frantically pulled the rope, managing to haul the sail up, but the tilted mast combined with the wind caused the ship to sway heavily, forcing everyone to cling to the hull. Managing to avoid anyone falling overboard, debris struck the side of the ship, punching a hole.
"Hole in the side of the ship! Usopp, plug it!!"
"Leave it to me! Chopper, help!!"
"O-Okay!!"
Grabbing wood, nails, and a hammer, Usopp and Chopper descended below deck. Pedro and Zepo moved to cover the missing pair, scrambling across the deck as Nami scanned the sea, trying to find a way through the storm.
"There's a good current at ten o'clock! Hard to starboard!!"
"Hard to starboard!!"
The moment Zepo forcefully turned the helm—Crack! The reinforced base of the rudder snapped clean off.
"Huh!!?"
"You gotta be kidding!?"
Zepo collapsed, holding the broken rudder piece. With the rudder snapped, the sail torn, and the hull barely patched against the flooding, the Going Merry could only wait for the storm to pass. The tilted main mast threw off the balance, causing the ship to rock precariously as it was swept away by the storm.
And then.
By the time they emerged from the storm, the ship was in tatters.
"…What do we do now?" Usopp murmured.
The sail was torn, the rudder broken, the main mast tilted, and the hull was only barely sealed against the water. Neither Zepo nor Usopp were professional shipwrights; fixing this would be difficult, or at least take considerable time. At a loss, Robin offered a suggestion.
"…Under these circumstances, we have no choice. Let's request maritime rescue."
To Robin's proposal, everyone nodded in agreement.