A cook, vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates?

Judging from Teach's age, the timeframe is around the time of the God Valley Incident.

Could it be that Rocks had him with some unknown woman in the final moments of his life?

All of this is shrouded in mystery.

But Ryan didn't reveal it. He knew that saying Teach might be Rocks' son would only complicate matters further.

He was more interested in seeing what choices Newgate would make without his intervention.

This is both a test for Newgate and a test of this worldline that has been completely altered.

"You want to get on my ship and become my son?"

Newgate finally spoke, his voice low and unreadable.

"Yes!"

Teach nodded vigorously, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism.

"I've heard of you, Edward Newgate the Whitebeard, the strongest man on this sea! I've been an orphan since I was a child, and I've always dreamed of finding a real home, a home where I can realize my dream!"

His words were sincere and earnest, sounding like the simplest wish of an orphan longing for the warmth of a family.

But Ryan caught a fleeting, venomous glint of calculation deep within his seemingly sincere eyes.

This guy is a born actor.

Chapter 144 From today onwards, you are my son.

"What is your aspiration?"

"Newgate asked."

"My dream..."

Teach grinned, revealing an innocent yet infectious smile: "It's about finding a legendary treasure, a Devil Fruit that can grant any wish! And then, becoming a great pirate like you!"

These words made both Gatz and Oden develop a liking for him.

"Hahaha! That's ambitious!"

Gatz laughed loudly.

Newgate looked at Teach and remained silent for a long time.

He recalled his past, the same time he was without parents and longed for family.

He saw his own reflection in Teach, and also in Rocks.

It's a contradictory yet wonderful feeling.

Finally, Newgate slowly spoke: "If you want to board my ship, you can."

This decision made Marco frown instantly.

"but."

Newgate abruptly changed the subject, a scrutinizing glint in his hawk-like eyes: "I don't keep idlers on my ship, nor do I accept people of dubious origin. You need to prove your worth and your loyalty to me."

He pointed to the pirates at the alley entrance who had been knocked unconscious by Rein.

Are these people your enemies?

Teach paused for a moment, then immediately nodded: "Yes! They stole the Devil Fruit encyclopedia that I finally found!"

"very good."

Newgate's voice turned cold.

"Then you shall finish them off yourself."

This request surprised everyone.

Let a six-year-old child commit murder?

This is far too cruel for any normal person.

But Newgate knew that this was the law of the sea, and to survive here, one had to be prepared to sever all ties.

This was also his first test of Teach; he wanted to see just how much magnanimity this boy truly possessed.

Teach looked at the unconscious pirates on the ground, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but that hesitation was quickly replaced by determination.

He picked up the scimitar that the pirate had dropped from the ground; the sword was taller than him.

He dragged his sword as he walked step by step toward the pirates, his small figure casting a long shadow in the afterglow of the setting sun.

In the alley, only the harsh scraping sound of him dragging the blade remained.

Marco and Oden both turned their heads away, somewhat reluctantly.

Ryan watched expressionlessly, knowing that this scene was hardly a test for Teach.

puff.

There was a muffled sound.

Without hesitation, Teach plunged his knife into the heart of a pirate. Blood splattered all over his face, but he didn't even blink. Instead, he revealed an excited and cruel smile.

"Thief, hahaha... Is this... what it feels like to kill someone?"

He turned to look at Newgate, whose small, blood-stained face held a fanaticism that chilled everyone to the bone.

At that moment, the last trace of doubt in Newgate's heart completely disappeared.

He seemed to see again the lawless, human-life-is-no-object Rocks of yesteryear.

No, this child is more pure and more dangerous than Rocks was back then.

"Gu la la la la..."

Newgate suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh filled with complex emotions.

There was appreciation, wariness, and a hint of... helplessness as an elder.

He walked up to Teach and placed his huge hand on Teach's small, blood-stained head.

"From today onwards, you are my son."

Newgate's voice carried an undeniable authority.

"But Marshall D. Teach, you must remember that on this ship, family always comes first, and betrayal in any form will not be tolerated."

"Otherwise, I will personally sink you into the deepest trench of this ocean."

"Yes! Dad!"

Teach looked up and gave a naive smile, as if the image of the demon who had just killed his enemy was just a figment of everyone's imagination.

And so, the future Yonko Blackbeard boarded Whitebeard's ship in a way that no one expected, becoming the youngest and most unique member of this monster ship.

As Renn watched this scene, he sighed softly to himself.

He knew that he had personally handed Newgate the sharpest double-edged sword.

This sword might help them carve a bloody path to the throne in the future, but it could also deliver the most fatal blow from behind at the most crucial moment.

The future has become more unpredictable, and also more... interesting.

He walked over to Teach and handed him a clean handkerchief.

"Wash your face, new guy."

Ryan's tone was calm and even.

"Welcome to the Whitebeard Pirates. From today onwards, you're in charge of dealing with the leftovers in the kitchen."

Teach took the handkerchief, looked at the unusually quiet young chef from beginning to end, and grinned.

"Hahaha, okay, head chef!"

Their eyes met in mid-air, as if invisible lightning was flashing between them.

……

The stench of blood in the alley was stretched out by the afterglow of the setting sun, mingling with the smoky aroma of roast suckling pig, creating a strange yet distinctly New World-style smell.

Teach carefully wiped the blood off his face with the handkerchief Ryan handed him, his movements meticulous, as if he were polishing a precious work of art.

The fleeting fierceness and fervor that had just crossed his small eyes had vanished without a trace, replaced by a perfectly balanced innocence and naivety that belonged to a child.

Gatz's brain was still in a daze. He looked at the still-warm corpses on the ground, and then at the little kid in front of him who was less than half the height of his anchor. He felt that his worldview had been shocked like never before.

He had lived for so many years, seen ruthless villains who killed without blinking an eye, and madmen who treated human life like dirt, but he had never seen a six-year-old child who could still laugh so innocently after personally killing several adults.

"Dad, is this...is this really okay?"

Marco walked over to Newgate and lowered his voice.

His eyes, which always seemed somewhat sleepy, were now filled with solemnity and unease.

He could clearly sense that there was something about this boy named Teach that he couldn't quite put his finger on, like a bottomless vortex that seemed calm on the surface but could actually devour any light that came near.

Newgate didn't answer; he just stared intently at Teach, his expression incredibly complex on his usually dignified face.

He saw so many people reflected in this child: his own longing for family, Rocks's all-consuming ambition, and a kind of... darkness hidden in the deepest recesses that he had never seen before.

This child is a rough gem, but could also be a meteorite encased in deadly poison.

"Gu la la la la..."

Newgate finally laughed, a laugh filled with helplessness and a hint of responsibility as an elder.

“Since he called me ‘Dad,’ from today onwards, he is my son. As long as he is on this ship, he is my family, no matter what he was like in the past or what he wants to do in the future.”

He paused, his voice becoming deep and powerful, as if establishing an inviolable law: "But Teach, you must remember, on this ship, family always comes first, and any form of betrayal is unforgivable."

"Yes! Dad!"

Teach nodded vigorously, revealing a bright smile that showed off a few missing front teeth.

Chapter 145 The Encirclement by an Old Rival

Renn watched all this calmly, knowing that from this moment on, the gears of fate began to turn dramatically in an even more unpredictable direction.

He didn't say much, but walked over to Teach and ruffled his messy black curly hair.

"Come on, new guy, you need to learn the ship's rules first."

Ryan's tone was calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"First rule: no food left over during meals, or Gatz will cry. Second rule: don't touch Dorum's toolbox, or he'll fight you to the death. Third rule, and the most important one..."

Ryan's gaze swept over Teach's seemingly innocent eyes, and a slight smile curved his lips: "Don't touch anything you shouldn't in my kitchen."

"Hahaha, okay, head chef!"

Teach grinned, a laugh filled with childlike submissiveness.

……

The resupply to Sunset Island was completed quickly, and that evening, a small welcome banquet was held on the deck of the New Moby Dick.

It was called a welcome banquet, but it was more like an excuse for these monsters to eat and drink to their hearts' content.

Using the roast suckling pig that Gatz had carried back, and fresh spices he had found at the market, Renn created a volcanic rock roasted pork chop with an aroma that could be smelled for miles around.

The golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy pork made everyone's mouths water and they praised it highly.

Teach's performance was perfect; he didn't cower in a corner like the other children, nor did he try too hard to show off.

He simply sat quietly in a small corner, holding a plate bigger than his face, taking small bites of the roast meat that Ryan had given him, his face beaming with a heartfelt happiness that he had never tasted before.

He would look at Gatz with admiration as he arm wrestled with Newgate, express perfectly timed exclamations when Oden recounted interesting stories about Wano Country, and show a worried expression when Dorum complained about the damage to the ship.

Teach was like a sponge, absorbing the atmosphere of the ship at an astonishing speed and perfectly blending into it.

His well-behaved and sensible appearance quickly put Gatz and Oden, these simple-minded guys, at ease, and they even began to think that this new little brother was quite cute.

"Hahaha! Teach! Eat more! You need to be full to have the strength to be a pirate!"

Gatz picked Teach up like a chick and stuffed another large piece of roast meat into his plate.

Titch was flattered and thanked him repeatedly, which made Gatz laugh out loud, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.