Blackbeard sat on his throne aboard the Saber of Xebec, a massive tankard of rum in one hand. A subordinate approached nervously, carrying a sealed box.
"Captain… this arrived for you. No sender. Just a note."
Teach snatched the box and ripped it open.
Kuzan's severed head stared back at him eyes frozen in shock, throat cleanly sliced, face still bearing the cold expression of the former Admiral.
A simple note was pinned to the forehead with a small dagger:
"I'm coming for you."
Blackbeard froze.
For the first time in years, the man known as the Darkness was almost speechless. His good eye widened, jaw slack. The tankard slipped from his fingers and crashed to the deck.
His crew gathered, murmuring in confusion.
"Who… who did this?" Teach finally growled, voice low and dangerous.
No one answered.
Silence.
Blackbeard's face twisted into pure rage. Shadows began leaking from his body like ink.
"Find out. NOW. Whoever did this… I want their head on my table by tomorrow. If you fail… I'll kill every last one of you and dump your bodies in the sea. Zehahahaha… no, this isn't funny anymore."
The crew scattered in terror.
The next morning, the news exploded across every corner of the world.
"KUZAN BEHEADED! BLACKBEARD'S BOUNTY INCREASED TO 4 BILLION BERRIES – DEAD OR ALIVE!"
"FLEET ADMIRAL SAKAZUKI FURIOUS – 'THE DARKNESS HAS GONE TOO FAR!'"
The Marines assumed Blackbeard was responsible. A falling out with his own Admiral, or perhaps Kuzan had outlived his usefulness. The bounty spike was a clear message: Blackbeard's existence was now considered a fatal threat to the world itself.
Sakazuki smashed his desk in Marineford, lava dripping from his fists.
"Find that bastard and erase him."
On Fujitora's ship, Vice Admiral Doll stepped into her quarters and locked the door.
She pulled out the special Den Den Mushi Toku had given her.
The snail connected.
Toku's voice came through smooth, teasing, invisible even over the line.
"Doll~ Did you miss me already?"
Doll leaned against the wall, a small smirk on her lips.
"I called to thank you. Kuzan betrayed the Marine code and joined that scumbag Blackbeard. You did the world a favor by removing him. You're becoming less of a pirate… and more of a hero in the shadows."
Toku chuckled, low and dirty.
"Hero, huh? I like the sound of that. Especially coming from my first girlfriend."
He paused, voice dropping into a filthy whisper.
"When are you next free, Doll? I can't stop thinking about you. The way your tight little cunt clenched around my invisible cock… how you tried so hard to stay quiet while I fucked you like a mad dog… I want to pin you down again soon. Fill you up until you're leaking for days."
Doll's cheeks flushed slightly, but her voice remained calm and composed.
"You're insatiable."
"Only for you," Toku replied, grinning invisibly. "So… when can I have you again?"
Doll exhaled slowly, a hint of reluctant amusement in her tone.
"Soon. But be careful. The world is watching Blackbeard now… and the whispers are growing stronger.
Toku laughed softly.
"Let them watch. They'll never see me coming."