On the other end of the transponder snail, Vegapunk fell silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, his tone was serious. "Then if you're offering me protection, what do you want from me in return? Let me make this clear first: if you want me to build weapons of war for you, forget it! I would rather die than help you create such things."
From those words, Marco knew he had already convinced him. After all, Vegapunk was researching Poneglyphs—something the World Government had strictly forbidden.
"You don't need to do anything drastic," Marco said evenly. "Just stay neutral. I'm only offering you protection. You can keep your weapons, like the Seraphim and the Pacifista. I just need your help with some logistical work. After I overthrow the World Government and establish a new one, it won't be too late for you to serve under me then."
Vegapunk was taken aback. He had assumed Marco wanted him to mass-produce weapons for the Phoenix Pirates. But from Marco's tone, it sounded like he really was free to choose neutrality.
Since when did pirates become so reasonable?
"We'll discuss the specifics when we meet!" With that, Marco hung up the transponder snail without hesitation.
"Hello? Hello?" Vegapunk stared at the now-silent snail, anxiety creeping across his face. His research had been progressing perfectly fine, and yet, out of nowhere, he'd been dragged into this mess—and forced into making a choice.
He couldn't tell whether Marco's words were true or false. But his research into the poneglyphs was real, and that was something the World Government absolutely could not be allowed to discover.
"Doctor, what should we do?" Stussy asked, her tone filled with concern.
Vegapunk's thoughts were in complete disarray as he grumbled bitterly, "I'm just a scientist. I just want to quietly do my research. Why do these unlucky things keep happening to me?!"
Stussy gave a helpless sigh and tried to comfort him. "There's nothing we can do, Doctor. Who told you to become the world's greatest scientist? The technological power you have deployed on Egghead Island alone is no less than that of a Yonko crew—no, even stronger than a Yonko crew. Of course the Three Emperors Alliance wants to win you over."
Vegapunk fell silent at that. Stussy's expression turned serious as she continued, "Still, we should be prepared. With Egghead Island's technology, we can definitely cooperate with the Phoenix Pirates."
Vegapunk looked a little taken aback. "Stussy, are you suggesting that I leave the world government?"
Stussy smiled softly. "If you're really researching poneglyphs, Doctor, then you don't have a choice. The World Government will never let you go—no matter if you're the world's greatest scientist."
Vegapunk lapsed into silence once more, then finally made up his mind. "Alright. We'll meet with Marco first, and then decide."
"Besides that, there's also York," Stussy added. "We still don't know if the information is true or not, but you should be careful, Doctor."
Vegapunk nodded.
—
In the Grand Line, in Ghost Town—
The Blackbeard Pirates were gathered in a tight circle, eyes fixed on a black sphere at the center, wrapped in roiling black mist.
They watched it with bated breath as the dark haze slowly began to thin.
After more than ten seconds, the mist dispersed completely, revealing two figures where the sphere had been: Blackbeard was standing, while Patrick Redfield lay collapsed on the ground.
Every member of the Blackbeard Pirates turned to Teach, tension written all over their faces.
"Teach, did it succeed?" Shiryu asked.
Blackbeard's mouth split into a feral grin. "Zehahahahaha…"
As that crazed laughter rang out, his body began to morph, shifting rapidly into the Human-Beast form of a vampire. His aura spiked in an instant.
With the power of the Vampire Fruit coursing through him, Blackbeard could feel his strength swelling.
The Shadow-Shadow Fruit formed a cloak-like darkness billowing behind him, and the Dark-Dark Fruit clung to that shadow, constantly seeping black mist.
A pair of bat wings burst from his back, making him look like a monarch of the night.
"Zehahahahaha! I got it—I got everything!" he roared, laughing madly.
"The Dark-Dark Fruit, the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, the Vampire Fruit…
With the power of these three Devil Fruits, I'm now the strongest in the world!"
Shiryu bared his teeth in a grin. "Looks like our half-year of hiding is finally coming to an end."
Vasco Shot threw his head back and roared, "Captain, let's head back to the New World already!
With your strength now, that Beast Kaido and Phoenix Marco are nothing but dog shit in front of you!"
The former members of the Donquixote family were just as excited.
They had followed Doflamingo for thirty years, and in the end he'd only made it to Shichibukai.
But after less than half a year under Blackbeard, they were witnessing a miracle.
A man wielding three Devil Fruits, and on top of that, Conqueror's Haki.
With just two fruits, he'd already defeated a monster from the previous era—Patrick Redfield.
Now that he had gained the power of the Vampire Fruit as well, they could clearly imagine Blackbeard crushing the Four Emperors and unifying the New World.
"…It is indeed time to go back."
Blackbeard nodded, then added, a hint of caution in his voice, "If it was just Marco, I could've taken him with only two Devil Fruits.
But the Phoenix Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and the Big Mom Pirates have formed an alliance. We can't be careless."
Shiryu dismissed it with a snort. "That Three Emperors Alliance is only tied together by profit.
As long as we wipe out the Phoenix Pirates, we can take their place and ally with the Beasts and Big Mom Pirates instead."
Blackbeard quickly came to a decision. "We'll head back and gather all the gold first!
With that gold, we'll build a naval fleet—then we return to the New World."
His real aim was to adapt to his new powers as fast as possible.
He had obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit less than a year ago, the Shadow-Shadow Fruit less than half a year ago, and the Vampire Fruit less than half an hour ago.
Even if a final decisive battle with the Phoenix Pirates awaited, he had to get used to all three powers first.
"This sunlight…"
Just then, a shaft of light fell across Blackbeard. Heat and glare pricked at his skin.
The sun wasn't even that strong; it should have felt mild. But in his Vampire form, its touch was merciless.
Shiryu watched Teach instinctively recoil from the light and asked, "Looks like this Devil Fruit really hates sunlight, Teach."
"Yeah."
Teach smiled calmly at the beam of light, then slowly stretched out his palm into it.
A sharp burning sensation stabbed into his skin the instant it was exposed.
He grinned. "Under the sunlight, it's like being burned by fire. It stings a bit."
"It seems this Vampire Fruit isn't like ordinary Devil Fruits.
Regular Devil Fruits only fear seawater and Seastone, but I didn't expect the Vampire Fruit to fear sunlight too.
That's a huge weakness."
Blackbeard grinned, teeth flashing beneath his beard. "It's a good thing it's daytime right now.
If it were night, it might not have been so easy for us to defeat Redfield!"
Thinking of Redfield's terrifying strength, Shiryu's expression grew solemn.
In a one-on-one fight, he knew he was absolutely no match for Redfield—but they had still managed to bring him down in the end.
He asked, "So, how do you feel about this vampire fruit?
Besides vampirism, does it have any other abilities?
It's a Mythical Zoan type, so it should have some special abilities."
Blackbeard's grin widened. "I can feel that because it's daytime, the power of the Vampire Fruit is being heavily suppressed.
I'd say the true power of this Devil Fruit can only be fully released at night."
"Hn, vampires are creatures that move at night," Shiryu replied, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
Then he pointed at Redfield's body lying on the ground and said, "This guy's corpse is excellent material for a zombie.
If we can find a powerful shadow for him, he'd become a considerable fighting force."
"Zehahahahaha, indeed!"
But then Shiryu said something that caught Blackbeard off guard. "Use my shadow, Teach."
Blackbeard froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Hey, hey, hey, that's not funny, partner.
I wouldn't lay a hand on my comrades."
"I'm just lending it to him temporarily.
After all, Redfield is a strong man from the old era; an ordinary swordsman's shadow wouldn't be able to sustain his level of swordsmanship.
Once you find a stronger swordsman's shadow, you can give mine back."
A rare look of trust surfaced in Shiryu's eyes as he added, "I believe you wouldn't betray me, Teach."
"Zehahahahaha, what are you talking about!
You're my partner!"
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