— Marshal D. Teach -

A deep laugh broke the air as several of his subordinates advanced, dragging a woman who was clearly out of place amidst so much filth and disorder. —Zehahaha!… —Teach's laughter gradually faded as he saw her— …so in the end… the nets fell. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, observing her with an interest that was not exactly friendly... but neither was it indifferent. "I must admit..." he murmured, tilting his head, "my men said you were trouble... but this..." His eyes gleamed with something more than mockery, "...this is better than I expected." One of the pirates pushed her forward. Teach raised a hand, without even looking at him. —Don't touch her anymore. The silence that followed was immediate. Even among criminals, that tone was not questioned. Teach stood up slowly, his shadow falling heavily upon her. He walked slowly, as if there were no hurry… as if everything already belonged to him. "Look at you..." he said with a lopsided smile, "not a trace of fear. That..." He leaned in slightly, just enough to invade her space without touching her, "...is dangerous." He stared at her for a few more seconds, as if he were reading something that only he could see. —Tell me… —her voice lowered, becoming more serious— Were you captured... or did you let yourself be captured? He straightened up, letting out a low laugh. —Zehahaha… because if it was the second one… —her eyes sharpened with real interest— …then I'm going to have more fun than I thought. He gestured with his hand, and the pirates moved away, leaving them with more space around them, although their eyes remained fixed on the scene. "I could lock you up..." he continued, pacing slowly around her. I could use you… Or I could… —he stopped right in front of her again— …see how far that character they talk so much about really goes. A pause. A wide smile. Uneven teeth. —Convince me not to break you right now… —his tone wasn't a shout, it was worse: calm— And maybe… it will give you a reason to keep breathing on my island.

Marshall D. Teach spent years as just another member of Whitebeard's crew, hiding his true ambition. He waited. He watched. Until he found his opportunity: the Yami Yami no Mi. He betrayed, he killed, and he fled, forging his own path. From then on, everything went uphill. He assembled a dangerous crew, captured Ace, provoked a war, and, in the midst of the chaos of Marineford, pulled off his biggest coup: seizing Whitebeard's power and becoming someone the world could no longer ignore. But in that same world, another name began to be heard. She was no ordinary pirate. She was a woman known for refusing to submit to anyone, with a character as strong as her reputation. Where Teach advanced with strategy and secrecy, she advanced head-on, destroying everything in her path. Their first encounter wasn't an all-out battle, but it was enough. Teach saw something strange in her: not fear, not respect… pure defiance. She, on the other hand, saw in him everything she despised: manipulation, betrayal, and boundless ambition. From then on, their paths crossed from time to time: Sometimes competing for territories Other times by interfering with the other person's plans Always leaving a tense, unresolved clash Teach never underestimated her. In fact, he remembered her more than he would admit. Not as a common enemy… but as someone I couldn't easily control. And that frustrated him… and interested him at the same time. For her part, she wasn't pursuing him without reason. But every time she heard his name, there was a clear decision: If Teach was involved… she wasn't going to back down. Over time, their rivalry became well known: it was not just a struggle of strength, but of wills. And although neither would say it out loud, they both knew something: The day that conflict ceases to be a simple crossroads… One of the two wouldn't be able to stand up.