"Pfft!"
As soon as Blackbeard and the others disappeared from sight, Taro could no longer hold it back. He spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his face turning deathly pale.
Having spat out the blood he had been forcibly suppressing, Taro felt much better. Only then did he recall the information he had just heard.
Why did Aokiji suddenly appear here?
Taro pondered for a while but still couldn't make sense of it. However, he decided to leave immediately; being discovered by Aokiji would inevitably lead to a lot of trouble.
After a brief moment of breath regulation to steady his turbulent Internal Energy, Taro took to the air and flew toward the open sea.
Meanwhile, the harbor docks were in a state of chaos. Aokiji's sudden appearance on the sea had thrown this town full of violent and sinful thugs into disarray, with countless pirates fleeing for their lives.
To prevent Aokiji from noticing him, Taro deliberately took a long detour, flying far to the north before circling back to head east.
However, due to his injuries, he did not fly up into the cloud layer.
Aokiji was leisurely riding his bicycle toward the docks. He had left Marineford after receiving a report from CP9 that news regarding ancient weapons had surfaced in Water 7; his arrival at Jaya Island was just a whim and not part of the plan.
Suddenly, his gaze narrowed as he looked at the distant sky. A black speck was rapidly flying toward the open sea. Although he couldn't see it clearly, he was certain it wasn't a bird, but a person.
Aokiji raised an eyebrow, withdrew his gaze, and continued riding his bicycle toward the island.
"Hey, I'm asking you something."
Aokiji grabbed a pirate who was fleeing in panic. Bitingly cold frost began to spread rapidly from Aokiji's hand onto the pirate's arm,
"What just happened on this island?"
The pirate's entire arm was frozen into translucent ice. Terrified and pale, he stammered,
"It... it was a young man. He killed a crew member of the Blackbeard Pirates..."
"Don't, don't kill me!"
The pirate told Aokiji everything he knew in broken sentences, finally pleading loudly for mercy out of a strong will to survive.
Aokiji nodded, "I see."
He then ignored the pirate and walked toward the town, half of which had already been destroyed.
The area where Taro and Blackbeard had fought was a mess. Rows of houses had vanished, then been scoured by a hurricane, and even a layer of the earth had been torn up.
At the edge of the battlefield, Aokiji found Van Augur's corpse. He stared at the headless male body's wound for a while, his eyes flashing, before finally riding his bicycle slowly away from Jaya Island... Taro landed on the warship's deck, and Mike rushed over immediately.
Seeing Taro's pale face and sweat-drenched forehead, Mike was startled and moved forward to support him.
Taro waved his hand. "I'm fine. I just need to rest for a bit."
"Cough, cough,"
Taro coughed violently twice before instructing,
"Return to the G-2 Fortress first. If there's nothing urgent, handle it yourself. Try not to disturb me."
Mike quickly saluted. "Yes, sir!"
Taro lay on the bed, taking several deep breaths as his automatically circulating Internal Energy repaired the Meridians throughout his body.
Trying to change Ace's fate seemed incredibly difficult; given Ace's personality, it was almost a dead end.
Taro felt very worried, wondering if today's battle with Blackbeard would disrupt the Blackbeard Pirates' itinerary.
Of course, this battle wasn't entirely without gain.
Taro had at least confirmed that Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit ability could not counter the sword techniques driven by his Minor Formless Skill, which left open the possibility of defeating Blackbeard.
Moreover, due to Blackbeard's unique body and ability, his tolerance for pain and damage was far weaker than that of an ordinary person—this was also a key point.
Taro believed that sooner or later, he would be able to crush this ambitious fellow using skills other than those of a Devil Fruit user!
...Deep in the dense forest of Jaya Island.
Blackbeard was still wailing "Ouch, ouch," while Doc Q was bandaging his wounds.
"Fortunately, the wound isn't deep; it will heal quickly." Although Doc Q looked very old and his voice sounded aged, his actual age was only in his twenties.
"That brat... once my plan for world domination is on track, he'll be the first one I kill! Ouch, it hurts like hell!"
Blackbeard punched the ground in resentment and cursed.
"Captain, what do we do now? Van Augur actually..." Burgess's tone was somewhat dejected, and his signature "Wehahahaha" laughter was nowhere to be heard.
Blackbeard glared at him with dissatisfaction and said sullenly,
"Are you scared? If you want to stand at the top of the world without the resolve to risk your life, you'll definitely lose!"
"One day, I'll make the whole world see that in the face of darkness, everything is pale and powerless!"
"I have a perfect plan for domination. Sooner or later, we will reach that position. Just follow me and bet your lives, waiting for that day!"
The three of them, including Burgess, had been somewhat despondent over Van Augur's sudden death, but hearing Blackbeard's words, they rallied and shouted,
"Captain, we believe in you! That day will surely come. We bet our lives on it!"
"Zehahahaha, good!" Blackbeard laughed loudly, took the wine bottle from his waist, and took a swig.
"A meeting between Marineford and the Seven Warlords of the Sea will be held at Mary Geoise."
"Lafitte, you go to Mary Geoise..."
"This is the first step of our domination, zehahahaha."
...Alabasta Kingdom, Alabasta.
"Igaram, you said the person you saved is named Taro?" Princess Vivi grabbed the arm of the Royal Guard Captain, Igaram.
"Ah, this... yes, Your Highness!" Igaram looked at Vivi with wide eyes; he had finally let it slip.
Vivi looked at Igaram's reaction. "Did Father already know?"
Without waiting for Igaram's answer, she pulled him toward the main hall.
"Father, I want to know, what kind of deal did you actually make with Taro?" Princess Vivi entered the palace hall,
"I just heard from Igaram that Taro is still alive."
Cobra glanced at Igaram and waved his hand. The attendants in the hall filed out, leaving only the two Guardian Gods of the Kingdom present.
"Ah, my dear daughter," Cobra began slowly once the hall was cleared. "Actually, there's no—"
"Father, are you really going to keep it from me?" Vivi heard Cobra trying to hide it and wouldn't believe him, interrupting and looking him straight in the eye.
"Sigh, alright. You are the heir to the kingdom after all. Once you are married, I will pass the throne to you..." Cobra sighed.
"Father!"
Vivi raised her voice slightly to express her dissatisfaction.
Cobra laughed heartily and said in a light tone, "Actually, it's nothing. Taro wants Elmar!"
"What!" Vivi was shocked. "Father, how can the kingdom's land be..."
Cobra waved his hand. "No, it's not what you think, Vivi!"
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