"The most mysterious of the Seven Warlords, Sabo."
Teach had recovered and narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. "Why are you helping Ace?"
Sabo grinned. "Having a brother who's a constant troublemaker always keeps you worried."
"What? Brothers?!" Teach was stunned.
Whoosh! The four members of the Blackbeard Pirates landed beside Teach.
Van Augur said coldly, "We'll handle Warlord Sabo. Fire Fist Ace is still yours. No objections, Captain?"
"Zehaha... You really are reliable companions," Teach laughed, his blood-stained face looking particularly ghoulish.
Lafitte, who had encountered Sabo at the Warlords' meeting, expressed his confusion. "You don't look alike. Sworn brothers, then? Sabo-san, our Captain's actions are sanctioned by both the Government and the Navy. Doing this... you might lose your seat as a Warlord."
Sabo stood with one hand on his hip, the other pressing down his hat. "My brotherhood with Ace and Luffy is my greatest treasure. I'm here because I've already resolved to give up my title."
"Sabo..." Ace watched his brother, moved. Whatever reason Sabo had for becoming a Warlord, he hadn't changed, and that was enough.
Sabo drew the metal pipe from his back with one hand and formed a dragon claw with the other. "Let's go, Ace!"
"Yeah! Let's do this together, like old times! Sabo!"
Sabo's interference soured Teach's mood significantly, but the fight had to continue. Regardless of the outcome, he would report this to the Government. Sabo had ruined his grand plans; he wouldn't let them off easy.
The five Blackbeard Pirates clashed with the "AB Brothers" on Banaro Island for another day and night. Though the brothers were slightly overwhelmed, they managed to escape successfully under the cover of Sabo's prepared maneuvers.
"What now, Captain?" Van Augur asked, staring at the departing ship marked with Sabo's initials, "SB." "We can't catch them."
"Oh my, oh my," Lafitte chuckled from atop a rock. "Doesn't this mean we'll be relentlessly hunted by the Immortals now?"
"Don't worry," Teach said, battered but confident. "Ace values the pride of the Whitebeard Pirates above all else. He won't let me go just because of one failure."
Teach waved his hand, heading toward their raft. "Men, we're heading to Sabaody Archipelago to intercept them!"
"The Golden Hair Pirates led by Ivalis also claimed to be waiting for news at Sabaody. How should we handle them?" Lafitte asked, being the sharpest mind of the group.
"That? I have a plan."
…
Immortal Pirates HQ, New World, New Amazon Lily.
In a dark basement of the Kuja Palace, Alucard received a report from Ivalis: Blackbeard's attempt to capture Ace had failed due to Sabo's intervention. Teach now planned to join forces with the Golden Hair Pirates to ambush Ace at Sabaody.
Ivalis was calling to seek Alucard's command.
"If that's the case, why not do it?" Alucard's rhetorical question made his stance clear. Ivalis replied with a "Understood" and hung up.
"Master?" Hancock, serving at Alucard's side, asked warily. "Who was that little brat Aranea brought back?"
Hancock had seen Robin leaving Alucard's private castle earlier and had been harboring a grudge ever since, nearly coming to blows with her. Alucard remained silent, not wishing to entertain the topic.
Thinking of Robin, Alucard paused, then rare for him, actively dialed a number on the Den Den Mushi.
Now that he had Pluton, how would the Government react? Would they lash out in desperation? Until Dr. Vegapunk's "Sky Pillage Plan" began, Alucard simply had to wait and see how the Government responded to the theft of Pluton.
Meanwhile, after the Warlord meeting, Lafitte and Weevil had both received specialized Den Den Mushi from Sengoku, devices that allowed direct contact but were also bugged by the Navy. After the failure to capture Ace, the Blackbeard Pirates used the device to report Sabo's interference to Sengoku, clearly intending to make life difficult for the young Warlord.
Sengoku, in his shock, reported the news to the Government.
With Pluton stolen and now a Warlord rebelling, one crisis followed another. The Five Elders were on the verge of a breakdown.