[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"It's so spectacular!!! Is this the imperial capital?!"
In the bustling streets, Tatsumi stretched out his arms with excitement, breathing deeply as if to soak in the vibrant atmosphere. The air carried the distinct essence of the imperial capital.
Beside him, a black-bearded figure wore an expression of awe, muttering softly,
"I didn't expect to find such a magnificent city in a B-level world. This is truly an extraordinary experience!"
Blackbeard, clinging to Tatsumi's side, had followed him to the famed imperial capital he had spoken so much about.
Initially, Blackbeard had little interest in this so-called imperial capital.
After all, in the pirate world, he had razed countless nations to the ground. What could one small imperial capital possibly offer?
But now, he realized he had been gravely mistaken.
In the pirate world, aside from the Red Line, vast expanses of land were nonexistent.
This meant that most nations in the pirate world occupied meager territories, with royal capitals often no larger than a village.
For instance, the Drum Kingdom on Winter Island consisted mostly of scattered villages surrounding a solitary, distant palace.
Such minuscule nations were the norm in the pirate world.
But in this new world, a single nation spanned the entire globe.
Over the course of a millennium, the imperial capital of this dominant nation had grown into an unimaginably vast metropolis.
Having just set foot on this immense landmass, Blackbeard was momentarily stunned by the sheer scale of the imperial capital.
Yet soon, a crooked grin spread across his face.
"Just as I thought!"
"A true king is one who can conquer such a world!"
"This is a thrill that the pirate world could never offer!"
Laughter bubbled up in Blackbeard's chest, his excitement nearly uncontainable.
Upon arriving in the imperial capital, he found his elemental powers—granted by the Swamp-Swamp Fruit—fully restored.
However, Blackbeard decided not to part ways with Tatsumi just yet. Instead, he opted to accompany him to a recruitment center to join the empire's army.
Despite his powers, Blackbeard understood that they were not enough to guarantee absolute safety, especially given the relative weakness of his abilities.
By becoming a soldier of the empire, he would gain a position of authority, making his plans much easier to execute.
Tatsumi, fresh to the imperial capital and delighted to have made a new friend so quickly, was more than happy to accept Blackbeard's company.
Before long, the pair arrived at the imperial capital's recruitment center.
In recent years, corruption had spread like wildfire through the empire, leaving its people in misery and desperation. Many men, unable to survive otherwise, flocked to the imperial capital to join the army.
The scene at the recruitment center was chaotic—a veritable sea of people.
Fortunately, Tatsumi was brimming with patience, and Blackbeard seemed to have no particular agenda. Together, they waited their turn without complaint.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally stood before the recruiting officer.
"Hello, sir!" Tatsumi greeted warmly, his enthusiasm shining through.
However...
The officer, visibly fatigued, shoved a form toward them without even looking up.
"Fill this out first!"
"Huh?"
Tatsumi's enthusiasm faltered as his eyes dropped to the paper. There, in bold letters, he read:
[Recruit Registration Form]
"You want me to start as a recruit?!" Tatsumi exclaimed, his voice brimming with disbelief.
"Are you kidding me?!"
With a dramatic flourish, he unsheathed the sword strapped to his back and pointed it directly at the officer.
"Please! I don't have time for that nonsense!" Tatsumi declared proudly.
"Watch me demonstrate my skills, sir!"
"I guarantee you'll be impressed!"
"At the very least, let me start as a captain!"
The recruiting officer froze, stunned into silence by Tatsumi's audacious behavior.
But after hearing Tatsumi's bold declaration, the interviewer's face turned beet red with anger.
"Get out!!!" he roared.
"Do you think this is a place for little brats like you to play games?!?"
As he spoke, the interviewer stood abruptly, ready to throw Tatsumi—the troublemaker—out of the office for disrupting the order.
However, at that very moment...
A large, rough figure stepped forward, halting the interviewer in his tracks.
Blackbeard, who had been waiting patiently in line behind Tatsumi, realized the situation was spiraling out of control. Acting quickly, he moved to intervene, wearing a placating smile.
"Hey, hey, now... let's not get worked up, my lord!" Blackbeard said with a hearty chuckle.
"Don't be angry, please don't be angry!"
Without hesitation, Blackbeard pulled Tatsumi back and deftly slipped his hand to Tatsumi's money pouch. In one swift motion, he fished out the pouch and discreetly pressed it into the interviewer's hand.
"This young man is new to the imperial capital," Blackbeard said smoothly. "He's fresh from the countryside and isn't familiar with all the rules here. I hope you can forgive him."
Tatsumi's eyes widened in realization. "Hey! That money was saved by my village for me—"
Before he could finish, Blackbeard shot him a sharp look, silently commanding him to stay quiet. The unspoken warning worked, and Tatsumi begrudgingly clamped his mouth shut.
The interviewer, feeling the satisfying weight of the money pouch, immediately softened. A sly grin crept across his face.
"Ahahaha! It was just a little joke," he said, sitting back down. He eyed Blackbeard and Tatsumi carefully before adding, "You two seem to have some promise. In that case..."
The interviewer reached under the table, pulled out two forms, and handed them to Blackbeard.
"Here are application forms for special soldiers," he said.
"In three days, bring these forms to the special military base on the eastern outskirts of the imperial capital for assessment."
Then, narrowing his eyes, he added gravely, "But don't say I didn't warn you—the assessment for special soldiers is extremely dangerous. You could lose your lives!"
"Whether you decide to go or not is entirely up to you."
"Thank you, sir! Thank you!" Blackbeard said, bowing politely before tugging a still-stunned Tatsumi out of the building.
For someone who had spent twenty years undercover in the Whitebeard Pirates without raising suspicion, such a small ruse was child's play for Blackbeard.
Once they were outside the admissions office, Tatsumi immediately turned on Blackbeard, pouting indignantly.
"Uncle Teach! Why did you give that guy all my money?!" he whined. "If you'd just let me show my strength—"
"Tatsumi!" Blackbeard interrupted sternly, holding up the two application forms. His tone turned serious as he said,
"The world in a big city isn't as simple as life in your village."
"If you want to survive here in the imperial capital, you'll need to learn a thing or two!"
"And besides, your money wasn't wasted..." Blackbeard added with a sly grin, waving the forms. "Look at this—our victory! We're on track to becoming special soldiers! Doesn't that sound impressive that being a recruit?"
Tatsumi hesitated, staring at the forms. Though he was still frustrated, he finally let out a defeated sigh and lowered his head.
"So... this is what the imperial capital is like," he murmured, the initial excitement he'd felt upon arriving now replaced by unease.
Still, he quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, his goals were straightforward—earn money to send back to his hometown and, if possible, carve out a stable life in the bustling imperial capital.
But then, his stomach grumbled, and a new concern dawned on him.
"Uncle Teach, you gave all my money to that guy..." Tatsumi groaned. "So, uh, what are we going to eat tonight?"
He shot a pointed glance at Blackbeard, who was covered in bandages and clearly penniless himself.
It was a sobering realization: Blackbeard didn't have a single coin to his name. And now, neither did Tatsumi.
"Ah, well..."
Blackbeard froze at Tatsumi's question, his expression shifting into one of deep embarrassment.
In the end, because Tatsumi firmly rejected Blackbeard's suggestion of stealing or robbing, the two found themselves homeless in the imperial capital. With no other options, they wandered to a stream on the city's outskirts. There, they split up, using their individual skills to try and catch fish for dinner.
However...
Just as they were busy at the creek, a luxurious carriage suddenly rolled to a stop nearby.
From the ornate vehicle, a small, blonde-haired girl disembarked. Spotting someone rummaging through the creek, she paused, her gaze shifting toward a nearby tent set up along the bank. A subtle smile crossed her lips as she began walking toward Tatsumi.
"Hello there. What are you doing?"
Her voice was sweet, but there was an inexplicable glint in her eyes—a subtle, concealed desire.
Tatsumi, however, completely oblivious to the nuance, froze at the unexpected greeting.
"Huh?"
Startled, Tatsumi stood up abruptly, turning to face the young girl dressed in a regal outfit. He blinked, confused, before stammering,
"I... I'm catching fish."
"Catching fish?"
The girl smiled warmly.
"If you don't have anywhere to stay, why don't you come to my house?"
"What?! Really?!"
Tatsumi's face lit up in disbelief, his voice rising with excitement.
"Of course!"
Before Tatsumi could process the offer, the guards standing by the carriage stepped forward and nodded in agreement.
"Miss Aria is always looking out for people in need," one of them said.
"You should accept her kindness."
"This... This is so kind of you! Thank you so much!"
Tatsumi felt his heart swell with gratitude. Encountering someone so compassionate in the vast imperial capital felt like a miracle. Overwhelmed, he turned toward the creek and shouted:
"Hey!!! Uncle Teach!!! We don't have to catch fish anymore!!!"
"A kind lady offered to let us stay at her house!!!"
"What?! Something that good?!"
Blackbeard, who had been crouching beneath a nearby bridge in his attempt to catch fish unnoticed, stepped out of the shadows.
As soon as he saw the noble girl inviting Tatsumi, his lips twisted into a wide grin.
"Is that right? Such kindness from a beautiful young lady?"
He let out a hearty laugh. "Zehahaha... You are truly generous!"
"..."
"..."
The girl and her guards fell silent.
Aria, gritting her teeth internally, swore to herself...
If she'd known Tatsumi was traveling with Blackbeard, she never would have made the offer.
To her, that grotesque figure didn't belong anywhere near the elegance of her home—or her cherished "collection."
In truth...
Aria was far from the kind-hearted noblewoman she appeared to be.
Beneath her sweet, innocent demeanor lay a deeply sinister and depraved nature.
She had a gruesome habit of prowling at night, luring homeless travelers to her mansion under the guise of charity. Once she had gained their trust, she would drug them, imprison them in her private dungeon, subject them to unspeakable torture, and ultimately lead them to their deaths.
It was clear that Tatsumi was her next intended victim.
However, now that the invitation had been extended, Aria had no intention of backing out.
And so, Tatsumi and Blackbeard, having packed up and expressed their gratitude, traveled to Aria's home by carriage.
That night, they were treated to what appeared to be a perfect dinner.
Arya family had mastered the art of pretense, presenting themselves as benevolent nobles.
Yet Blackbeard's sharp instincts picked up on details others might have missed. As soon as he entered the mansion, the strong scent of blood hit his nose. And then there were the subtle but predatory looks in the eyes of Aria and her family members.
For most people, such signs would go unnoticed, but not for Blackbeard.
Ever cautious, he refused to eat any of the food served. Instead, he used his Devil Fruit powers to discreetly store the food in his swamp space. It wasn't until much later, once he confirmed that Tatsumi was unaffected by the meal, that he retrieved it to replenish his energy after the long day.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning arrived quickly.
Aria wasted no time in calling Tatsumi out for a shopping trip.
After breakfast, Blackbeard, ever the tactician, put on a sheepish smile and politely greeted Aria's parents. Then, claiming he didn't want to impose, he retired to his bedroom and shut the door.
To anyone watching, it seemed like a display of self-consciousness from a humble "country bumpkin."
However...
As soon as Blackbeard was alone, he walked straight to the window, opened it wide, and checked the surroundings below. Seeing no guards, a sly grin spread across his face.
"Let's see what secrets lie beneath this mask of kindness," he murmured.
With those words, he leapt from the window.
Upon landing, his body dissolved into a pool of mud, merging silently with the ground.
In his elemental form, Blackbeard slithered in the direction of the bloodstained aura he had detected the previous night.
It didn't take long for him to reach a large, heavily fortified iron door.
The door, however, posed no challenge to Blackbeard's elemental powers.
Within seconds, he slipped through and found himself inside a hidden chamber.
Sunlight streamed through a small skylight, illuminating the grim spectacle before him.
"Hey, hey, hey~"
"Now this... this is something!"
Even Blackbeard, with all his ruthlessness, was momentarily taken aback. His expression flickered with surprise as he muttered to himself.
Though he had suspected Aria's family of dark deeds, the sight before him exceeded even his imagination. The room was filled with the corpses of hundreds of victims, their lifeless forms bearing the scars of brutal torture.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Looks like this new world has more twisted surprises than I anticipated," he said, clicking his tongue in mock admiration.
Blackbeard was no stranger to death—he killed to further his ambitions and eliminate threats to his plans. But the carnage before him spoke of senseless cruelty, far removed from any practical purpose.
Still, true to his nature, Blackbeard had no interest in playing the hero or exacting justice on Aria and her family. That wasn't who he was.
But...
Wouldn't it be a waste to leave the mansion's wealth and weapons untouched?
"Zehahahaha..."
"It seems I've found my first treasure trove in this world!"
With a sinister laugh echoing through the chamber, Blackbeard's figure dissolved back into the shadows, vanishing from the secret room.