Pirate of Darkness (si)

**"Who is that kid? Is he here to assassinate the old man?"** Marco laughed, then slapped himself on the head. "Idiot, who would assassinate someone while carrying such a big package?" Vista said with a grin, his long blue hair swaying. At this time, Vista was still very young.

"Look, he's coming," Bista smiled. Teach stopped in front of Whitebeard, and just standing there gave off an immense pressure.

"Boy, what do you want?" Whitebeard asked, looking down at Teach.

"Let me join your crew, Pops," Teach said with a laugh.

*Huh?*

The surroundings fell silent, as if everyone had been petrified. "He hasn't even agreed yet, and the kid's already calling him Pops!" someone muttered. "Why is this kid so shameless?"

Whitebeard stared into Teach's eyes. Teach didn't flinch, meeting his gaze head-on. After a moment, Whitebeard laughed. "Gurararara! Come aboard if you want."

Teach breathed a sigh of relief, followed by a surge of excitement. His heart pounded with anticipation. Before he grew stronger, the Whitebeard Pirates were undoubtedly the safest place for him to develop and thrive.

The crew members were friendly to their new companion, introducing themselves one by one. Soon, Teach became a part of the group.

While some crew members went ashore to collect supplies, the rest stayed on the ship, passing the time. "Hey, Teach! You're a swordsman too, right? Let's see what you've got," Vista said, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. He had noticed the two swords at Teach's waist and the larger one on his back. His swordsman's intuition told him they weren't ordinary blades.

Teach was about to agree when Vista interjected, "Don't bully the new guy, Vista. Teach, why don't you show us your strength?" He glanced at Marco, who was playing cards nearby. "Marco, as an intern, this matchup is up to you. Don't embarrass us."

Marco was taken aback. He hadn't asked for this, but he didn't refuse. As an intern, he was curious about Teach's strength. Anyone who dared to join the Whitebeard Pirates and earned Whitebeard's approval couldn't be ordinary.

Vista, in this era, was already known as the future "Vista of the flower swords." With his strength, he held a prominent position among the crew.

Marco stood up, stretching lazily. "This is such a hassle, but fine. Don't expect me to go easy on you," he said, stepping forward. The crew formed a circle around them, leaving a large space for the fight. Teach and Marco stood in the center.

Teach grinned and drew the two swords from his waist. "Don't underestimate me," he said. His breathing shifted, and the air around him grew hotter. With a burst of speed, Teach charged at Marco.

Teach's swordsmanship was built on a solid foundation. His footwork was precise, and his strikes came from subtle angles. Marco, though fast, was forced to dodge repeatedly. Teach's relentless assault left Marco with no chance to counterattack.

"Hey, Marco! Did you skip breakfast?" someone teased. "Losing to a newbie like this? You'll be stuck as an intern forever!"

The crew laughed. At this point, Marco was still young and hadn't yet reached his full potential. His true rise would come after he ate the Phoenix Fruit.

Some of the stronger crew members noticed something unusual. Teach's swordsmanship was suppressing Marco, and the heat radiating from his blades was draining Marco's stamina.

Marco's physical fitness was impressive, and his speed was exceptional. But the onlookers could see that if this continued, Marco would lose.

"This isn't good," Marco thought, tilting his head to avoid Teach's Purgatory blade. He glanced behind him—there wasn't much room to retreat. "I need to counterattack, or I'll be the laughingstock of the crew for weeks."

With a sudden burst of speed, Marco kicked out, striking the Thundertooth in Teach's hand. Teach held firm, but the force threw him off balance. Marco seized the opportunity, appearing on Teach's right side. "Not good," Teach thought.

Teach's body reacted instinctively. He twisted, slashing with Purgatory, but Marco was already in front of him. A powerful kick landed on Teach's chest, sending him flying backward.

Teach skidded across the deck but didn't fall. He stabbed his sword into the ground to steady himself. He didn't move further, realizing his lack of combat experience had left him vulnerable. Teach's swordsmanship was solid, but fighting humans was different from battling beasts. He needed more practice.

But that was fine. The Whitebeard Pirates were filled with strong fighters, perfect for honing his skills. A smile spread across Teach's face as he pulled his sword from the deck. He sheathed Thundertooth—Teach was better with a single sword than dual blades. He hadn't mastered the two-sword style yet.

The crew noticed the change. "So, you're better with one sword?" someone asked. Teach's stance shifted, and his movements became smoother.

There were many swordsmen on the ship, like Vista and Bista. Teach's one-sword style was clearly more refined.

"Alright, let's go again. I'll get serious this time. Don't die on me," Teach said. The air grew hotter as flames engulfed his blade, spreading to his arm. His sleeve burned away, but Teach showed no discomfort.

This display caught everyone's attention. Even the strongest crew members felt a twinge of respect. Flames were no joke, and Teach's ability to wield them so casually was impressive.

Marco sighed. "Why do I have to fight this monster?" he muttered, but he stepped forward anyway.

Teach's one-sword style was slower than his dual blades, but each strike was deadlier. Marco had to stay on his toes.

The two clashed for over ten minutes, neither gaining the upper hand. Finally, Whitebeard's voice boomed, "Gurararara! Such energetic youngsters. This round's a draw. Next time, fight properly."

Teach sheathed his sword, feeling both physically and mentally drained. But the crew's eyes had changed—they now recognized his strength.

The Whitebeard Pirates didn't linger long on the island. After gathering supplies, they set sail within two hours. Teach stood on the deck, leaning against the railing, gazing at the town where he'd lived for twelve years. The port was nearly empty, the townsfolk frightened away by the notorious crew.

Suddenly, Teach felt a familiar gaze. He turned and saw Monica and Modi in a corner of the town. "Goodbye, Teach! You must come back! I'll always wait for you!" Monica shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Teach's eyes met hers, filled with joy. He waved. "I'll definitely return! Uncle Modi, take care of Monica for me!"

"Brat, don't come back if you're not successful! How dare you make my daughter cry!" Modi shouted, shaking his fist.

"Hahahahaha!" The town grew smaller and smaller until it vanished from sight. Teach turned away.

As he did, his heart skipped a beat. Behind him, a large group of pirates stood silently, staring at him.

"What the hell? You scared me!" Teach yelled, clutching his chest.

Marco grinned. "Teach, what did we hear? 'Monica, I'll wait for you to come back?'"

The crew erupted in laughter. "Teach, you're only twelve, and you already have a girlfriend?" someone teased.

Teach crossed his arms, lifting his chin proudly. "So what? You single dogs can't relate."

The words hit like a thunderbolt. "Single... single dogs?" the crew muttered, their faces falling.

Teach smirked inwardly. Mocking them felt good.

He turned and walked away, leaving the crew in stunned silence. Practice was his priority. In the earlier fight, he hadn't used his full strength, relying only on basic swordsmanship and the Flame Flow breathing technique.

Teach returned to his room, a small space on the ship. Most pirates preferred sleeping on the deck, but Teach liked having a private space. He began his training, removing the heavy wristbands he'd commissioned from a blacksmith. Each band weighed half a ton, and he wore two on each arm and leg.

Teach's strength had grown significantly, but the wristbands still pushed him to his limits. He practiced his swordsmanship, the air around him growing hot and electric as he moved.

Teach didn't want to reveal his full strength. He planned to leave the crew eventually, recruiting his own powerful partners. He didn't want to spend over twenty years with the Whitebeard Pirates like in the original timeline. While the crew was strong, their environment was too comfortable, lacking the fierce competition of groups like the Beast Pirates or the relentless expansion of Big Mom's crew.

Teach's Observation Haki was always active, covering every corner of the room. This was his only "golden finger"—his heightened mental strength from the fusion of two souls had awakened his Haki early. Over the years, he'd trained it relentlessly, refining it to a microscopic level.

As night fell, a knock interrupted his training. "Teach, the banquet's starting. Come out soon!" Marco called.

Teach smiled. "I'll be right there."

He wiped himself down with a towel, changed into clean clothes, and stepped out. The deck was brightly lit, filled with the aroma of food and drink. A new journey had begun.