(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 Chapters edited /INeedRest)
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It took half an hour before Sasuke finally cut off the connection with Colt.
His expression was grim, even a little dark, clearly indicating he wasn't in a good mood.
Just now, he had finally gotten a basic understanding of Colt's follow-up plan—and he played a crucial role in it.
And then there was that damn Dark Fruit.
No matter how he looked at it, Sasuke never imagined that within the seemingly warm and familial Whitebeard Pirates, there would be soone like Blackbeard.
And Ace... Ace was the butterfly that would set off a shocking tsunami.
"Hey, Sasuke! You've been in the toilet for so long—sothing wrong with your stomach?"
"Yeah, if you've got a problem, go see Marco ASAP! Don't let shyness delay your health!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Diamond Jozu led the charge in teasing Sasuke, who had been gone for so long.
Ace joined in with a grin, and soon the entire crew was laughing.
Today, the Mobydick was hosting another banquet, and the reason was surprisingly wholeso.
Ace had received news that Luffy had set sail again, and in his excitent, he hunted down two Sea Kings to serve as the main course for the feast.
He was eagerly looking forward to reuniting with his brother in the New World.
"Idiots! I just thought the sll of alcohol here was too strong to breathe! If you're still talking nonsense, co spar with tomorrow!"
Seeing Ace, who was completely unaware of the danger he was in, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
He wanted nothing more than to beat so sense into him.
Then his gaze shifted to Blackbeard Teach, who was smiling harmlessly and seed as easy-going as ever.
A flicker of killing intent rose in Sasuke's heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
When Sasuke showed signs of losing his temper, everyone, including Ace, instinctively shrank back.
Sparring with this guy ant getting beaten to a pulp.
Today's Sasuke far surpassed Vista in swordsmanship, and even Marco couldn't withstand his physical attacks.
If he fully unleashed his power, his Susanoo could wipe out the entire crew of captains with a few casual sword strikes.
Whitebeard watched his sons' banter with a smile, not bothering to intervene.
Over the past two years, his face had aged noticeably.
His iconic mustache had lost so of its luster, and several more IV tubes now adorned his body.
These were all signs that the strongest man in the world was growing old.
The banquet ended amidst laughter and joy, with everyone—except Sasuke—in high spirits.
****
Half a Month Later.
In the New World, the Straw Hat Crew had already landed in Dressrosa.
True to their nature, they had disrupted the Donquixote Family's dealings with other underworld forces, inevitably making enemies with Doflamingo.
Another Supernova, Trafalgar Law, had also sensed the opportunity and ford an alliance with Luffy, instantly turning Dressrosa into the most bustling place in the New World.
****
On an Unnad Island.
Thatch, the captain of the Fourth Division of the Whitebeard pirates and the crew's chef, was searching for fresh ingredients to prepare for the day's dinner.
The ship's supplies were still plentiful, but Thatch had a habit of seeking out local ingredients and seasonings whenever they docked, constantly experinting with new recipes.
While his creations were sotis delicious, they often veered into the realm of "dark cooking," earning him a mix of love and dread from the crew.
Suddenly, Thatch noticed a peculiar fruit among a cluster of ordinary ones.
'A Devil Fruit.'
His experience allowed him to recognize it almost instantly, though he couldn't tell exactly what ability it granted.
Fortunately, there was a Devil Fruit encyclopedia on the ship, so he could look it up later.
Elated by his discovery, Thatch quickly returned to the ship, shouting excitedly, "Everyone, look what I found!"
Marco glanced at the sack behind him and smirked lazily.
"Another one of your weird seasonings? If dinner's bad tonight, I'm throwing you overboard."
"What would that do? I'm not an Anchor like you," Thatch shot back, giving Marco a pointed look.
As a chef, Thatch often ventured out to sea for ingredients.
Eating a Devil Fruit would turn him into an anchor, which was why he had brought the fruit back to the ship instead of consuming it on the spot.
"Hahaha"
When they heard him, everyone laughed.
Once he had everyone's attention, Thatch stopped teasing and held up the Devil Fruit triumphantly.
Teach's pupils narrowed sharply.
"Huh? A Devil Fruit? You found it today?" The crew's interest was piqued, and Diamond Jozu stepped forward, asking curiously, "What kind is it?"
Thatch grinned proudly.
"Just got lucky today. It's an unexpected find, but I'm not sure what kind of Devil Fruit it is."
"Hope it's not so ordinary Zoan."
"Zoan's not bad either. It'd boost strength and defense."
"What if it's, like, a Cockroach Fruit or a Dung Beetle Fruit?"
"Ugh, that's disgusting. Do those even exist?"
"Who knows?"
The crew chattered away, but no one could identify the fruit.
Based on its pattern, they ruled out the possibility of it being a Zoan.
"I know!" Ace suddenly exclaid, raising his hand excitedly. "It's the ra-ra Fruit! I've seen it before!"
Everyone froze, and then burst into laughter.
"Idiot Ace! You've already eaten the ra-ra Fruit! There can't be a second one in the world!"
"Oh, right..." Ace scratched his head sheepishly, realizing his mistake.
Finally, Izou, brought over the Devil Fruit encyclopedia.
"This isn't it... This isn't it either... Wait! Found it!"
"This is the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
After a long search, the Devil Fruit Thatch had brought back was finally identified.
"The Dark-Dark Fruit? I feel like I've heard of it before..."
Ace suddenly turned to Sasuke, who was leaning against the ship's railing, looking as cool as ever.
"Sasuke, isn't this the Devil Fruit you've been looking for?!"
The crew suddenly rembered that when Sasuke had joined the Whitebeard Pirates, he'd ntioned needing to find the Dark-Dark Fruit.
But five years had passed.
At first, everyone had actively searched for it, but as ti went on and no news surfaced—and even Sasuke stopped ntioning it—the fruit had faded from mory.
Now, the fruit had finally been found. Did this an...
Sasuke was leaving the crew?
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