Teach didn't yet know the exact relationship between Luffy and Ace, but hearing Luffy call out Ace's name told him they were at least acquaintances, and likely very close ones.
At this thought, Teach couldn't help but grin widely. "Zehahaha! Thanks for that, Straw Hat Luffy!"
Teach pointed a finger and shouted to the airborne Lafitte, "Lafitte! Change targets! Grab the Straw Hat kid!"
Battle-hardened veterans like Ace and Sabo immediately realized what Teach was planning. Under normal circumstances, they should ignore it and keep running. Once the enemy sees the primary target escaping, a hostage becomes useless, and they would likely drop the kid to resume the chase. That way, the hostage would be safe.
But this was Luffy, the brother Ace and Sabo cherished most. Not only was that tactic inherently risky, but even if there were only a one-in-ten-thousand chance of failure, they would never let Luffy fall into the hands of someone as dangerous as Teach.
Both men turned simultaneously and charged back. Sabo ran alongside Ace and told him, "Ace! Stay back! You're their primary target! I'll save Luffy!"
"Idiot! Luffy is my brother too! How could I just watch him die? Don't forget, it's not just Teach, those Golden Hair guys are there too!" Ace retorted.
Is Luffy an old friend of Fire Fist Ace? Ivalis thought to himself. He glanced at the straw hat on Luffy's head and then at Lafitte flying toward him. Fine... Shanks, for the sake of the successor you chose, I'll protect him this once.
Since Luffy had been running toward the battlefield from the start, he ended up positioned between the two sides, though closer to Teach's group.
Furthermore, Lafitte was an Ability User capable of flight. He reached Luffy a step faster than Ace or Sabo. His eyes flashed with hypnosis, sending an invisible mental assault into Luffy's mind, making his body feel heavier and heavier.
"A-Ah... I feel... so... sleepy..."
Luffy's eyelids grew heavy. Before he finally collapsed, Lafitte caught him under one arm and chuckled, "Please have a nice sleep, Straw Hat-san."
"Let go of Luffy!!" Seeing Lafitte succeed, Ace roared. He raised his hand, pointing his index finger like a pistol. "Fire Gun!!"
Bullets of fire streaked through the air. Lafitte didn't flinch. When the bullets were less than ten meters away, Teach rose from the shadows on the ground. His palm, wreathed in Dark Water, blocked the fire, completely absorbing the energy.
"Zehahaha! It seems Straw Hat is very important to you two, Ace, Sabo," Teach laughed.
Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Brook, who had followed Luffy, were at a loss for words. They never expected that as soon as Luffy appeared, both warring factions would immediately shift their entire focus onto him.
The "Weakling Trio" were a bit slower, but Brook reacted quickly, drawing his blade and rushing toward Lafitte. "Please release our Captain!"
Lafitte glanced sideways, quite surprised by Brook's appearance. "A skeleton? Is that a race I haven't seen? Or a Devil Fruit power?"
Just as Brook's cane-sword was half a meter from Lafitte, the latter drew his own cane-sword. The blades collided, forcing Brook back several steps.
"What?" Brook was startled. Lafitte spun his slender blade with a smile. "What a coincidence. Our weapons are the same style."
"I told you to let him go!" This time, it was Sabo who struck.
He leaped into the air, his fingers arched into a Dragon Claw coated in Armament Haki. To avoid hitting Luffy, he chose a precise, single-target strike.
BANG!
Suddenly, a bullet struck Sabo's hand. Although it didn't pierce his flesh, the impact knocked him off balance in mid-air, leaving a massive opening.
From a distance, Van Augur said flatly, "The opening was too large. And since he isn't a Logia, he's an easy target."
Sabo hit the ground. Just as he prepared to move again, a white blur descended from the sky. A foot stomped onto his back, while a rapier grazed his neck.
It was Cavendish!
"Hmph. Though it doesn't quite fit my noble style, I have no choice," Cavendish said, pressing the blade a fraction closer to Sabo's throat. "Don't move. Move an inch, and you're dead."
"Straw Hat crew, if you don't want to die, don't act on your own." Benn Beckman pointed his rifle at Nami and the others. His cold expression terrified the trio, leaving them frozen and speechless.
Meanwhile, Ivalis had somehow moved in front of Harley. Standing with his back to him, he held his sword in a reverse grip, the tip pointed at Harley's chest. "I've already memorized your presence. I won't fall for the same trick twice."
The entire situation had been completely reversed because of Luffy's intrusion!
A few kilometers away from the clearing, Alucard stood in front of Rayleigh, smiling thinly. "Retired veteran, what are you planning to do now?"
Rayleigh looked at Alucard, a hint of wariness in his eyes, though he maintained a relaxed facade. "Oh my, I suddenly had an itch to do some gambling. Could you perhaps not interfere with an old man's hobby?"
Alucard gave a cold laugh and turned his back on Rayleigh. "I no longer have any desire to fight you, old man."
While Alucard's lack of fighting spirit was a relief, Rayleigh's smile vanished instantly at Alucard's next words.
"Borsalino, you monkey... how long are you going to keep watching?"
Having been called out, a beam of light descended from the sky. Borsalino appeared from the flash, hands in his pockets, looking utterly dejected. "The famous 'Dark King' Rayleigh? How tiring... I originally came to this island hoping for a relaxing time..."
"Alucard-kun, since when did you start mingling with the Marines?" Rayleigh frowned.
Alucard didn't answer and walked away. Meanwhile, Borsalino manifested the Ama no Murakumo sword in his palm. "Please don't insult us Marines. I might be a bit lazy, but I wouldn't go as far as colluding with pirates, would I?"