"Mostima, arrange for them to meet first."
Teach spoke with an easy smile as he tapped two photographs on the table. The images showed Issho and the man known as "Gentleman."
Mostima's eyes sharpened slightly as he understood at once. "Those two? Teach, are you planning to… provoke something?"
One was a wandering powerhouse from the civilian world, a man guided by a strong sense of justice. The other was a blood-soaked blade of CP0, ruthless and unrestrained. According to their intelligence, Issho fundamentally despised the methods "Gentleman" employed.
If the two were forced into repeated clashes in the final stage, conflict would not merely be inevitable, it would escalate.
In the decisive round, "Gentleman" would not hold back. His goal was clear. The Seven-Star Sword. Even if he could rely on CP0, a man like him preferred to seize victory with his own hands. Depending on others would only invite contempt from within his own ranks.
At the same time, "Gentleman" was not ignorant of his standing. Within the World Government and CP0, dissatisfaction toward him had already begun to spread. His cruelty, his disregard for discipline, and the constant need for the government to clean up after him had worn down their patience.
To the World Government, strength alone was never enough. An uncontrollable weapon had limited value. If necessary, they could always cultivate another powerhouse through Devil Fruits and resources.
He was not at the level of someone like Kong, a figure so important that an entire position had been shaped to retain him. "Gentleman" had not reached that height.
Everything about this match carried hidden implications.
The rewards offered by the Nightfall Pirates were simply too tempting. Supreme Grade blades, the cursed Seven-Star Sword, rare ores, and legendary forging materials. These were prizes no true swordsman could ignore.
Aside from Mihawk, who already wielded the Supreme Grade black blade Yoru, nearly every contender had set their sights on the Supreme Grade sword "Kikoku"
As for "Gentleman," his obsession was singular.
The Seven-Star Sword.
If he obtained it, his strength would surge dramatically. A blade that devoured blood and amplified killing intent suited him perfectly. It would transform him into something even more dangerous.
That was precisely why others could not allow it.
Issho was among those who would stand in his way without hesitation. Even if it meant taking injuries, even if it cost him future matches, he would do everything possible to disrupt "Gentleman's" condition and deny him the blade.
After all, only the top three could claim the greatest rewards. If "Gentleman" faltered even once, his chances would collapse.
That was where Teach's design came into play.
By guiding their encounters, he could turn friction into hostility, and hostility into something far more lasting.
Issho, the future Marine Admiral.
If a seed of conflict was planted between him and CP0 now, it might one day bloom into resistance against the World Government itself. Even if it did not completely alter Issho's path, it would leave a mark.
The future was never fixed, but shaping probabilities was enough.
"I understand," Mostima said calmly, already considering the adjustments required.
Manipulating match order within the tournament was simple. Every swordsman would face multiple opponents anyway. A slight rearrangement was all it took.
"Are you thinking of recruiting him?" Mostima added.
Teach shook his head.
"Unlikely. A man like him won't join us easily. Still, fate has its own way of surprising people."
Issho's character made him incompatible with piracy, at least on the surface. The Nightfall Pirates ruled through strength and order, not ideals. Advancement required power, not righteousness.
Even so, possibilities were never closed.
The final round would consist of fifty-five battles in total. Compared to conventional tournaments, the format was far more demanding. Advancement was not decided by a single victory, but through continuous combat and accumulated wins.
It was cumbersome, yet brilliant.
Because it held the world's attention.
The longer it lasted, the deeper the Battle Pyramid's influence would spread.
Even now, more pirates and adventurers continued to arrive in the Night Sea. The cost of constructing the Battle Pyramid had been immense, and Teach had no intention of letting that investment go to waste.
Every visitor spent money.
Food, lodging, entertainment, gambling.
The Whitebeard Pirates alone, numbering in the hundreds, generated an astonishing daily expenditure. Multiply that across every crew and faction present, and the income became staggering.
Earning over one hundred million Berries a day was not an exaggeration.
And that was only the beginning.
After indulging themselves, many found their pockets empty. With no funds left, the only option was to fight.
The lower arenas of the Battle Pyramid became wildly popular during the breaks between tournament rounds. What had originally been planned as a post-tournament feature was now fully operational ahead of schedule.
Fighting turned into currency.
Victory meant survival.
Defeat meant being cast out.
Even members of Yonko crews joined in for entertainment, pushing the spectacle to new heights. Some arenas ran nonstop, their lights never dimming.
Within the Battle Pyramid, a different world existed.
A world where strength alone determined one's worth.
At the same time, the ultimate prize had changed.
The Ancient Zoan pig-gator Fruit had been taken during the earlier chaos involving the Beast Pirates. For a time, the throne of rewards remained vacant.
Now, it had a new king.
A Logia Devil Fruit.
The Yuki Yuki no Mi.
Its appearance ignited a fresh wave of frenzy. Compared to an Ancient Zoan, a Logia was rarer, more versatile, and more coveted. Offering such a treasure as a prize showcased the Nightfall Pirates' overwhelming wealth and confidence.
Everyone fought harder.
Everyone wanted it.
This fruit had been provided by Donquixote Doflamingo. Instead of keeping it, he had handed it over to strengthen ties with Teach.
The Donquixote Family was growing, but the gap between them and the Nightfall Pirates was widening. After witnessing the scale of Teach's power firsthand, even Doflamingo felt a trace of unease.
He needed this alliance.
Money, protection, influence.
The Nightfall Pirates provided all three.
Without them, his expansion in the New World would slow significantly. His strength was not yet enough to stand independently among the top predators.
At twenty-two, he was already a monster by most standards.
But in the New World, monsters were common.
"Joker, I thought you'd deliver the fruit yourself," Teach said, smiling as he sat across from Doflamingo in the hall on the seventeenth floor.
Doflamingo leaned back, crossing his legs as he took a sip of Monkey Wine, his expression relaxed but observant.
"Fufufu, I figured you'd be busy. I waited for a good moment."
Teach watched him quietly. "So, what do you want?"
There was no tension between them, only calculation. Their cooperation had always been mutually beneficial, but Doflamingo rarely made moves without purpose.
"I want to open an auction house on Parage Island."
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed faintly.
The flow of people, the constant arrival of pirates and powerhouses, the wealth circulating through the Battle Pyramid. It was the perfect environment.
An untouched market.
A golden opportunity.
There were no major auction houses on the island. Whoever moved first would dominate the field.
Of course, without Teach's approval, it was impossible.
Parage Island belonged entirely to the Nightfall Pirates.
"No problem," Teach replied without hesitation.
External capital would only strengthen the territory. Growth required expansion, and expansion required partners.
Doflamingo was not the only one with such ambitions. Underworld figures had already begun probing for opportunities.
Stussy had even hinted at establishing a pleasure district, though she had yet to act.
"However," Teach continued, his tone steady, "thirty percent of the profits go to us. That's non-negotiable."
It was not excessive.
But it was far from trivial.
Doflamingo smiled.
"Fufufu, that's within expectations. We have a deal."
The foundation of a new enterprise had just been laid, quietly, beneath the roar of the ongoing tournament.