[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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Most of the guards had accompanied Aria into the heart of the imperial capital for her shopping spree, leaving only a few stationed around the mansion's perimeter, with none patrolling inside.
This made it easy for Blackbeard, in his elemental state, to roam the entire mansion as if it were completely deserted.
Even when he occasionally encountered a maid or housekeeper, he simply concealed himself in a corner or a container, his elemental form ensuring he went unnoticed.
Before long, Blackbeard had scoured the entire mansion from top to bottom, storing every valuable item he could find in his swamp space.
At that moment, Blackbeard felt a surge of gratitude for having acquired the powers of the Swamp-Swamp Fruit.
The limitless storage capacity of the swamp space was proving to be the perfect tool for his exploits!
The only disappointment was...
When he used the Interactor system to assess the worth of the looted items, he discovered that aside from a few organs from dangerous species, nothing was valuable enough to trade.
It seemed that mundane items from this world weren't recognized by the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
But that didn't matter.
The wealth and resources he had acquired were more than sufficient to allow Blackbeard to live like a king in the imperial capital.
His vision for the future was clear: build a grand house, hire a retinue of servants, and indulge in all the luxuries life could offer.
After all, enjoyment was one of his life's philosophies.
Having completed his search, Blackbeard quietly returned to his room.
He knew this family cared more about their macabre "toys" than material wealth, so it wasn't surprising that no one noticed anything missing, even when Tatsumi eventually returned from his outing.
Content with his success, Blackbeard maintained his act, portraying himself as a humble and unassuming countryman. He joined the family for dinner, laughing and chatting as though nothing had happened.
According to his plan, he intended to wait until midnight, then reveal the family's true nature to Tatsumi before leaving the mansion without a trace.
But...
Just as Blackbeard was preparing to act, an unexpected turn of events caught him off guard.
---
Night descended.
Through the grand floor-to-ceiling windows, silvery moonlight streamed in, casting a ghostly glow across the opulent halls.
The lady of the house, looking content and relaxed as if she had just concluded a pleasant activity, carried her diary as she strolled leisurely toward her bedroom.
And then—
'Slash!'
The sharp, unmistakable stench of blood flooded the air.
The woman froze, her expression blank as she looked down. Her lower body was suddenly... gone.
As her upper half collapsed to the ground, she still couldn't comprehend what had happened, even in her final moments.
---
At the same time...
An unequal massacre began to unfold in the noble villa on the outskirts of the imperial capital.
---
"Something's wrong!"
In the dead of night, Tatsumi's survival instincts kicked in as his nose caught a faint but familiar scent. His eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright in bed.
Years of living in the wilderness had honed his senses, and every fiber of his being screamed danger.
Turning his head, he noticed Uncle Teach standing by the window, fully dressed, his gaze fixed intently on the scene outside.
"Uncle Teach! What's going on!?" Tatsumi whispered urgently.
"Shhh!!!"
Blackbeard raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Then, without a word, he pointed to the window.
Puzzled, Tatsumi got out of bed and joined Blackbeard at the window.
What he saw outside froze him in place.
Hanging high in the night sky was a blood-red moon, casting its eerie glow over the mansion grounds.
From all around, the air was filled with screams—agonized, piercing cries that seemed to blend into the night, painting a horrifying portrait of hell.
Under the crimson glow of the blood moon, several eerie figures stood delicately balanced on fine silk threads. From a distance, it appeared as though they were floating in midair.
"What... what is happening!? Who are they!?"
Tatsumi gripped his sword tightly, his voice tense with unease.
Blackbeard, standing beside him, gazed intently at the scene, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. He murmured,
"If my memory serves me right, they're the ones with bounties plastered all over the gates of the imperial capital..."
"They're the assassins of the [Night Raid]."
"Night Raid!?"
Tatsumi froze, recalling what the guards accompanying Aria had explained earlier that day.
Night Raid—a notorious group of assassins specializing in taking down corrupt officials and aristocrats within the empire.
A terrorist organization!
Wait... assassins!?
Does that mean Aria's family is in danger!?
Memories of his recent days with the family flashed through his mind, igniting a fierce determination within Tatsumi.
"No! I must protect Aria's family!"
Without hesitation, Tatsumi picked up his sword and bolted toward the door.
But before he could take another step, a rough, powerful hand clamped down on his shoulder.
"Not so fast, Brother Tatsumi. Now isn't the time for you to act."
Blackbeard's deep voice rumbled as he restrained Tatsumi with a firm grip, a crooked smile spreading across his face.
"Let me go, Uncle Teach!" Tatsumi struggled, his voice desperate.
"Aria and her family have been so kind to us! I can't stand by while they're in danger!"
Blackbeard raised an eyebrow, then let out a booming, guttural laugh.
"Zehahahaha... Kind to us? Is that what you think?"
Still gripping Tatsumi firmly, he smirked and added,
"Take a good look at this, and then tell me they're kind!"
With a flick of his hand, a swirling vortex of swamp appeared in midair. From it, a bloodied body of a young girl tumbled to the ground.
Tatsumi froze, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief.
Blackbeard watched him with an appraising gaze, a sinister glint in his eye. He had always seen potential in Tatsumi—his raw strength, simplicity, and boundless potential. More importantly, he was easy to manipulate.
Blackbeard had already decided: Tatsumi would be a valuable ally in his quest to dominate the world!
And for that, he had taken the liberty of clearing out all the incriminating evidence from Aria's secret chambers earlier that day. It was the perfect setup to convince Tatsumi to leave this wretched household behind.
Gesturing at the lifeless body, Blackbeard said in a measured tone,
"I found this poor girl in the warehouse behind the mansion."
"From what I've pieced together..."
"This so-called 'kind and noble family' has been luring homeless travelers into their home, imprisoning them, and subjecting them to horrific, perverted torture before killing them."
"This... this can't be true!"
Tatsumi's gaze was fixed on the lifeless body. His grip on his sword slackened, his eyes glazed over as if caught in a nightmare.
He staggered forward a step, his voice trembling.
"This... it can't be..."
Blackbeard's voice broke through his haze, sharp and unyielding.
"Nothing is impossible, Brother Tatsumi!"
Unbeknownst to Blackbeard, the body he had so casually presented was one of Tatsumi's long-lost childhood friends—one of the companions who had gone missing alongside him.
Assuming Tatsumi's shock was merely disbelief at the atrocities, Blackbeard pressed on, his tone dripping with mock sorrow.
"It seems the imperial capital isn't as grand as it appears from the outside..."
"Otherwise, monsters wearing human skin like this family wouldn't be able to thrive."
Blackbeard even feigned a pained expression, his voice thick with fabricated sympathy.
But make no mistake—he wasn't genuinely moved.
His display was entirely calculated to sway Tatsumi. Blackbeard had long since become numb to such horrors, having seen far worse atrocities in his world.
The nobles of the pirate world, the Celestial Dragons, committed far more heinous acts in broad daylight without any attempt to hide their cruelty.
Compared to them, this family's attempts to conceal their crimes in a warehouse seemed almost quaint.
In Blackbeard's eyes, the true lesson was clear:
"Weakness is the root of all tragedy."
Only by relentlessly pursuing strength and power could one hope to survive in this cannibalistic world.
Glancing at Tatsumi's distraught face, Blackbeard decided to impart his twisted wisdom to the young man.
After all, he planned for Tatsumi to become part of his crew—a comrade who would help him carve out a world that belonged to Blackbeard alone!
"Listen, Tatsumi," he said with a heavy tone, placing a firm hand on the young man's shoulder.
"In this world, kindness won't get you far. If you want to survive, you'll need strength. And I can teach you how to get it."
Tatsumi's expression wavered, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.
For now, the seeds of doubt had been planted.
But...
What Blackbeard hadn't anticipated was that Tatsumi wasn't even listening to him. Instead, the young man suddenly dropped to his knees before the corpse. Tears filled his eyes and spilled over uncontrollably.
"Sa... Sayo..."
"Sayo?"
"H-How is this possible!? How could this happen!?"
Tatsumi was utterly distraught. His mind went blank as he stared at the lifeless body of his childhood sweetheart.
"Huh? Is she someone you know?"
Blackbeard blinked in surprise at the revelation. Watching Tatsumi's hollow, distracted expression, he couldn't help but feel as though he'd stumbled upon an unexpected opportunity.
Wait...
A sly grin spread across Blackbeard's face.
Perhaps this wasn't just an unfortunate coincidence—it might actually be an unexpected stroke of luck!
His mind raced as he crouched beside Tatsumi, speaking in a tone laced with mock sympathy.
"I'm sorry, Tatsumi."
"I didn't know she was your friend."
"I can understand how you're feeling right now."
"But now isn't the time to be consumed by sadness!"
"If you truly want to bring your friend back, then you must pull yourself together!"
"Uncle Teach... what did you just say!?"
Tatsumi's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock.
"Resurrect her!? Is that even possible!?"
"Of course it's possible!"
Blackbeard nodded emphatically, his confidence bolstering Tatsumi's fragile hope. With a wave of his hand, a swirling swamp vortex appeared and swallowed Sayo's body, removing it from Tatsumi's sight.
"As you can see, I possess abilities far beyond those of ordinary people."
"And this power of mine can accomplish great things."
"As long as you're willing to pay the ultimate price, anything is possible—even resurrection!"
Tatsumi was stunned, his gaze shifting between the swamp and Blackbeard. He was still reeling, trying to process everything.
"Uncle Teach, you..."
His voice trembled, and his expression was one of incomprehension.
But Blackbeard's words had already ignited a spark of hope.
"Are you serious!? You can really bring Sayo back to life!?"
"Trust me!" Blackbeard replied without hesitation.
"Though the process may be difficult, death doesn't have to be the end!"
Of course, Blackbeard's assurances weren't entirely altruistic. Thanks to his access to the interactor system—a mysterious mechanism that allowed him to exchange points for extraordinary capabilities—resurrecting someone wasn't beyond his reach.
The only drawback was the hefty cost in points.
But as Blackbeard watched Tatsumi's anguished and desperate expression, he knew he'd found the leverage he needed.
This was the key to securing Tatsumi's loyalty!
Satisfied with his progress, Blackbeard glanced out the window. His greedy eyes locked onto the weapons carried by the Night Raid members outside.
According to the interactor system's prompts, those specialized weapons—Teigu—were highly valuable trading items capable of yielding vast amounts of points.
This was precisely why Blackbeard hadn't left the scene after discovering the body.
Even though he and Tatsumi might not be strong enough to defeat the Night Raid members outright, there was always a chance to turn the tide.
If they didn't try, how would they ever know, right?
---
Ten minutes later.
The sound of shattering glass pierced the air as a petite figure with pink twin tails burst through the window.
She landed gracefully, wielding a massive firearm that resembled a machine gun.
Without hesitation, she unleashed a barrage of energy rounds, obliterating the surrounding guards within seconds.
"Huh~"
The girl blew the smoke away from her weapon, her expression one of smug satisfaction.
"What a disappointment. The enemy was this weak?"
"My romantic turret, Pumpkin, didn't even get to show its true power!"
The weapon in her hands—a Teigu named 'Romantic Turret: Pumpkin'—was a fearsome firearm of immense potential.
Teigu.
Centuries ago, the founding emperor of the empire had created forty-eight unique weapons, each imbued with extraordinary powers, to maintain his reign.
Every Teigu possessed mysterious abilities, but they could only be wielded by individuals whose life energy resonated with the weapon. These chosen few became known as Teigu users.
The pink-haired girl, Mine, was one such user. Her Teigu, Pumpkin, allowed her to concentrate her mental strength into devastating energy bullets.
What's more, the more dangerous the user's situation, the stronger the bullets become. It was a weapon that thrived on the razor's edge of peril.
After swiftly eliminating the guards, Mine didn't linger.
She knew they had to move quickly to avoid detection by the imperial army. There was no time to waste—every moment was crucial for eradicating the corruption within the mansion.
Holding the 'Romantic Turret' tightly in her hands, Mine sprinted deeper into the annex.
What she didn't realize was that, at a fork in the corridor she had just passed, something sinister lurked in the shadows.
A pool of yellow swamp emerged silently from the corner and crept toward her. From the swirling depths, Blackbeard's upper body slowly emerged, half-hidden within the swamp.
His sharp gaze swept the area, releasing a faint pulse of his observation haki to ensure no other Night Raid members were nearby. Satisfied, the corners of his mouth twisted into a grotesque grin.
Without wasting a moment, he reached into the swamp and yanked out a confused and disoriented Tatsumi, who had been hiding within its depths.
With a swift and forceful motion, Blackbeard hurled Tatsumi in Mine's direction.
"Go, Tatsumi!"
"Grab her weapon!"
"Huh? Someone's still alive!?"
Mine froze at the sound of the sudden voice behind her. Whipping around, she barely caught a glimpse of a figure plummeting toward her from above.
Before she could react, Tatsumi collided with her, tackling her to the ground.
"Ah!!! You pervert!!!"
The pink-haired girl shrieked in outrage, feeling the weight of his body pressing against hers and his warm breath brushing her neck.
"Huh!? No! I'm not a pervert!!!"
Tatsumi, utterly flustered, looked down at the small figure pinned beneath him. Her accusing eyes and furious expression made him panic even more.
Before the awkward scene could escalate further, Blackbeard's booming voice interrupted:
"What are you waiting for, Tatsumi!?"
"If you keep hesitating, her reinforcements will arrive!!!"
"Do you still want to resurrect Sayo, or not!?"
Hearing Blackbeard's words, Tatsumi's conflicted gaze shifted to Mine.
"Aah... this..."
Pain flashed in his eyes as he hesitated, but with a heavy heart, he reached out and yanked the 'Romantic Turret' from her grasp.
"I'm sorry!"
Clutching the Teigu tightly, Tatsumi scrambled to his feet and ran back toward Blackbeard. Without missing a beat, he tossed the weapon to his mentor.
"Here you go, Uncle Teach!"
"It's done!"
Blackbeard caught the Teigu with ease, laughing triumphantly. With a dramatic flourish, he summoned a massive swirling swamp above them.
The 'Romantic Turret' was sucked into the churning vortex, disappearing into the murky depths of sand and swamp.
"Perfect! It's secure!"
"Alright, time to scram! Let's go!"
Without wasting another second, Blackbeard prepared to make his escape, his laughter echoing ominously through the corridors.