After staying in Ace's team, Iggy sailed as a pirate and began his life on the Grand Line.
Due to a promise made between father and son, he never officially joined the Whitebeard Pirates, but instead served as a combatant in the Second Division.
In his mission to uncover Teach's secrets, Iggy ended up spending two years in the Second Division.
During those two years, the division won countless battles—thanks to the bravery of both Iggy and Teach.
Under Ace's leadership, and with the support of Iggy and Teach, the new Second Division quickly made a name for itself in the pirate world. Teach, however, remained low-key.
Iggy persisted, trying countless methods to break through Teach's psychological defenses and uncover the truth he was after.
But the cunning Teach was as guarded as a fortress—always cheerful and acting like a trustworthy senior.
Over time, Iggy couldn't help but admire Teach's deep mind and steely will, even sighing that he might be destined for greatness.
At times, Teach even gave off the illusion that he truly cared for his crewmates and was loyal to Whitebeard for life.
But Iggy knew better. He knew that Teach carried out long-term plans for vengeance. And Iggy had to remain patient and dig deeper.
---
It was midnight. A calm, quiet night on the open sea.
The moonlight bathed the massive Second Division ship in silver, casting long shadows on the deck.
High above, on the observation platform, a burly figure stood watch.
It was Teach—his face calm and unreadable, like the sea itself.
Keeping vigil at night had become an unwritten rule for the Second Division, and it was one that Teach himself had requested.
His unnatural stamina and ability to go without sleep for days was no secret among the crew.
To Teach, quiet nights like this were ideal—for plotting, for thinking, for shaping the future.
Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden noise came from the mast, snapping him back to the present.
A figure flashed behind him—fast, too fast to react in time.
"Eh!"
A powerful chop landed on Teach's shoulder, cracking his collarbone with a sickening crunch. His body was hurled from the observation deck.
He slammed onto the deck below with a loud crash, leaving a crater in the wood. The pain was so intense that he couldn't lift his head for a while.
When the agony dulled slightly, Teach looked up with a grimace. A dark figure stood over him, face hidden beneath black clothing.
"That strike would've cut an ordinary man in two. Your body's tougher than I expected."
The voice was distorted and ethereal—clearly disguised, making it impossible to identify the speaker.
From the tone, the attacker had been sure the blow would incapacitate him. The fact that it hadn't clearly surprised them.
"You're not curious who I am?"
Seeing Teach holding back the pain and glaring silently, the figure spoke first.
At that, Teach's bloodied lips curled into a grin. His expression showed no fear despite his injuries.
"Even if I asked, you wouldn't tell me. Let's speak with strength instead."
His strong will and hidden strength left him confident in this moment.
"Well said. Let's talk with our fists."
The black-clad figure's eyes gleamed with excitement. No more words were needed.
With a flash, he rushed forward like a bolt of lightning.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Teach—his legs slicing through the air in a spinning kick.
Teach raised his arms to block just in time. The impact forced him back two steps.
"There's your opening!"
Teach caught the attacker's ankle with a backhand grip and threw a sharp hook punch toward his midsection.
But the man in black was faster.
Mid-air, he spun and launched another kick, colliding with Teach's punch. With a dull thud, both were forced apart.
The man flipped and landed neatly on the deck, putting distance between them again.
"Heh... Not only is your defense impressive, your hand-to-hand skills are far above average."
He crouched slightly, studying Teach from a distance—clearly sizing him up.
"Zehahaha! Too bad I don't like people poking into my power."
Teach wasn't fooled—he had a strong sense of the attacker's true motive. He had no intention of letting this person leave alive.
Without warning, he charged forward and threw a heavy swing punch with all his might.
Sensing danger, the man in black leapt up, landing gracefully on Teach's thick forearm.
Using his momentum, he vaulted above Teach's head, grabbed his collar, and performed a full 360-degree flip, hurling Teach straight down.
"Raaagh!"
With explosive force, he smashed Teach spine-first into the guardrail. The railing shattered into pieces with a loud crash.
Teach's upper body hit the deck, his lower half dangling off the bow. A fountain of blood sprayed from his mouth.
The devastating throw split open the skin on his back and cracked vertebrae. Stars danced before his eyes.
But the attacker knew it still wasn't enough to kill someone like Teach.
With precision, he raised a finger and pointed toward Teach's head.
"Flying Finger Gun!"
From a distance, his finger launched a compressed sonic projectile straight at Teach's forehead.
Sensing danger, Teach's eyes snapped open. He reached behind his back—clang—a metallic noise echoed across the deck.
Teach sprang to his feet and leapt back, putting space between them.
Now in both hands, he wielded a pair of special weapons—bladed claws, glinting coldly in the moonlight.
"Hmph. So these are the claws that gave 'Red-Haired' Shanks his scars."
The man in black narrowed his eyes, gaze locked on the glimmering claw weapons—the ones Teach had once used to injure a future Emperor.
---
If you gon say stuff like "Teach shouldn't be that stron.... Hold it, don't forget who gave shanks a scar.
Even without the Yami no mi, he wouldn't be weak.
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