Starting as the mastermind behind Naruto

Chapter 531 Marshall D. Teach Seeks a Backer (Third Update! Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

The Grand Line, Twin Capes.

The sound of the whale Laboon echoed across the sea.

The Straw Hat Pirates had just arrived here after passing through the rising ocean currents of Reverse Mountain. After Luffy and Laboon the whale made a promise to say goodbye, they left Twin Capes and officially entered the Grand Line.

Crocus sat atop the lighthouse at Twin Capes, gazing up at the Going Merry sailing further and further away. He rubbed his glasses and muttered, "Straw Hat Luffy, he's quite the energetic kid. I feel like he'll cause even more trouble on the high seas than that brat Shanks..."

Just as Crocus was reminiscing about the past, a warship rushed down the waves of Reverse Mountain and was about to collide head-on with the whale Laboon!

A figure suddenly flew out of the warship!

The figure suddenly kicked Laboon, sending the giant whale flying. This sight made Crocus frown...

This scene…

Does it look somewhat familiar?

Three years ago, it seems that someone kicked the whale Laboon. Although this behavior was quite bad, it made Laboon afraid of humans for a period of time and dare not surface and crash into the Red Line again.

On the warship.

Ain's gaze toward Uehara Naraku became increasingly subtle.

Uehara Naraku took the juice from Ain's hand and slowly said, "Let's go ask the keeper of the Twin Cape Lighthouse if he's seen the Straw Hat Pirates..."

Twin Capes, beneath the lighthouse.

Crocus sat in his chair, looking at Uehara Naraku who was walking towards him with a strange expression. Wasn't this the guy who kicked Laboon away three years ago?

Is it him again who kicked Raab?

Has this guy suddenly become a Marine?

Are these navy ships out of their minds? They can easily cross the Calm Belt to enter the Grand Line, so why do they have to go through the Reverse Mountain?

Uehara Naraku leisurely sipped his juice, looked at Crocus, and asked, "Grandpa, have you seen the Straw Hat Pirates ahead of us? Which route are they taking?"

"..."

Crocus shook his head in silence.

Uehara Naraku tilted his head, looked at Crocus, and continued, "I don't know... or maybe you just don't want to say?"

"..."

Crocus remained silent, shook his head, and pointed to his mouth, indicating that he was mute.

Uehara Naraku's expression was subtle.

This Crocus thinks he's funny? Oh well, anyway, Uehara Naraku was just looking for an excuse to arrest Crocus.

"Arrest him and lock him up in Impelton."

Uehara Naraku's words made Crocus want to curse.

Just as Crocus was about to say something, a group of marines held guns to his body and took him onto the warship.

"Lieutenant General Uehara..."

Ain looked puzzled.

The beautiful adjutant was somewhat confused as to why Uehara Naraku wanted to capture Crocus, such an innocent lighthouse keeper.

Uehara Naraku shook his head without offering any further explanation.

The lighthouse keeper at Twin Capes was no ordinary man; he was a key figure in Gol D. Roger's rise to the Pirate King, buying him enough time to become the Pirate King.

Uehara Naraku was merely trying to use Crocus, the Roger Pirates' ship's doctor, to see if he could attract Rayleigh to join the Marineford War in the future...

Just as Uehara Naraku was leaving with the guardian of Twin Capes, the Straw Hat Pirates were still unaware of Crocus's situation. These rookies who had just entered the Grand Line were only beginning to face the storms and trials of the Grand Line...

However, with Nami's help as their navigator, the Straw Hat Pirates managed to break through safely and enter a route that led to Whiskey Peak, as indicated by the magnetic pointer they obtained from Crocus.

Even though Baroque Works has vanished, the pirate hunters gathered on Whiskey Peak continue their business of robbing pirates…

Things have taken a subtle turn...

The backer behind the pirate hunters of Whiskey Peak is now Cobra, the king of Alabasta.

After all, only by cutting off the source of pirates from Whiskey Peak can Alabasta be prevented from being invaded by more pirates, because Alabasta no longer has Crocodile, the national hero, to help them clean up foreign pirates!

Unfortunately, the Straw Hat Pirates are a tough opponent...

The next morning, the Straw Hat Pirates took Princess Vivi away from Whiskey Peak, as they were heading to Alabasta to defeat King Cobra…

This situation has developed...

It was so bad that even Uehara Naraku couldn't help but scratch his head.

Especially after what happened to the Straw Hat Pirates on the ancient island, their second stop on their journey, King Cobra seemed like a major villain...

This ancient island was completely razed to the ground by Uehara Naraku.

Now the island has become a natural super arena, where any pirate hopes to fight. The island has also become known as the Duel Island, a place that lures pirates to kill each other.

The current rulers of the ancient island's dueling arena are the Giant Warrior Pirates, who have returned from Elbaf, and they are virtually invincible here.

Moreover, since this place is naturally suitable for giants to fight, the Giant Warrior Pirates don't have any other ideas and don't go out to plunder much. These giants just peacefully guard the ancient island's dueling arena and even help deal with some arrogant and bloodthirsty pirates...

The Straw Hat Pirates wreaked havoc on the ancient island.

Monkey D. Luffy fought desperately to defeat a giant who was chasing them, and, heavily wounded, escaped the ancient island with the Straw Hat Pirates...

When Uehara Naraku arrived, he reported to Marineford that he had helped raise Straw Hat Luffy's bounty to 130 million Berries.

This matter…

It wasn't very authentic.

Since he was carrying a seriously injured body, he naturally needed a ship's doctor.

Fortunately, Princess Vivi showed them the way and led them to the Kingdom of Drum, a great medical nation.

Along the way, the Straw Hat Pirates learned from Princess Vivi that Cobra was a king who loved his people and put aside their disputes.

The Kingdom of Drums.

Since the common people of Drum Kingdom were forced to crowdfund one million Berries to kill the previous tyrannical King Wapol, their lives have gradually become more prosperous in recent years.

When the newly appointed King Dalton saw the Straw Hat Pirates' flag, he did not intend to attack them. Instead, he earnestly led them to find Dr. Kureha.

As they headed to Dr. Kureha's house, Nami looked at Dalton with a hint of suspicion in her eyes: "These guys...could they be up to something?"

Don't worry!

Dalton's smile was very cheerful: "Mr. Luffy is Mr. Ace's younger brother, right? We just want to repay the kindness of Luffy's brother, Portgas D. Ace."

Last week, our country was invaded by Marshall D. Teach of the Blackbeard Pirates. Fortunately, Ace and Sasuke helped us drive him away. I also have a letter that Ace left for Luffy.

This is truly a matter of fate.

Last week, Marshall D. Teach led his newly formed Blackbeard Pirates to Drum Kingdom. Before they could even stay for a day, Sasuke Uchiha and Ace caught up with them, forcing Marshall D. Teach to flee in haste.

At this moment, Teach had no desire to run into Uchiha Sasuke. Even if he was incredibly brave, he wouldn't gamble with something that meant certain death!

However, Marshall D. Teach did not come away empty-handed!

On the island of the Drum Kingdom, Teach was able to confirm his physical identity and develop an ambition to obtain the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power!

On the Blackbeard Pirates' raft.

This newly formed pirate crew is small in number, and they don't even have their own large ship yet, relying on this raft for the time being.

Marshall D. Teach's face no longer held its previous confidence, but rather a hint of worry: "If this continues, I feel like we'll be caught up by that Uchiha Sasuke guy sooner or later. I'm not very confident about fighting Sasuke right now..."

"Then let's try shifting the blame!"

Black Zetsu's sinister voice appeared in Teach's ear.

Marshall D. Teach really has no self-awareness. If it weren't for Black Zetsu constantly threatening and hindering Sasuke Uchiha from the shadows...

Teach was already cut in half by Sasuke!

Black Zetsu's body emerged from Teach's arm, and he continued in a sinister voice, "The strongest forces in the first half of the Grand Line are the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Marines. Let them help take care of Sasuke and Ace..."

"Hehehe, this is getting complicated!"

Marshall D. Teach couldn't help but burst into laughter: "There are hardly any people in the first half of the Grand Line who can defeat Sasuke... That Sasuke guy is a monster capable of overthrowing a Yonko!"

"This is terrible..."

The Blackbeard Pirates' ship's doctor said weakly, "I didn't expect that just after joining your pirate crew, we'd be facing the pursuit of Red-Eyed Sasuke and Fire Fist Ace. I think we should just divide up the supplies on the ship and disband right here..."

"Poison Q, there are some things you can't just say..."

Another new member of the Blackbeard Pirates smiled and said softly, "Ha, doesn't this just prove that our captain is no ordinary person?"

Not everyone deserves to be looked up to by those monsters of the New World, especially since our captain is being hunted down by a former super rookie pirate…”

"Lafitte, you're really fearless..."

Blackbeard, the ship's medic and toxicologist Q, reached into his basket and took an apple, trembling as he handed it to Lafitte, who had spoken: "Why don't you try it and see if you can survive after eating this apple? If you survive, we can continue on; if you die, we'll have one less person to share the supplies..."

"Hahaha... Alright."

Blackbeard stopped the fight among his crew, his face still bearing a confident smile: "What we need to do now is find a way to get in touch with the Navy, and ideally, take out one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea so I can take over that position..."

"Speaking of which, I have received some information."

Black Zetsu's body moved slowly, and his hoarse voice reached everyone's ears: "A White Zetsu lurking in Marineford has sent over intelligence that the most powerful person in the Navy right now is a guy named Kabuto Yakushi..."

"Hahaha, I remember it very clearly!"

Marshall D. Teach, with his black beard, nodded hastily, his smile almost impossible to suppress: "We absolutely must find a way to get in touch with Kabuto Yakushi... because the last time we were in the worst situation with Sasuke was because Kabuto set us up!"

Third update!

(End of this chapter)