#51 The Hunt for the Devil Fruit

Carlo wasn't sure if Blackbeard knew the exact location of the Munch Munch Fruit. He couldn't give hints and had to rely on Blackbeard's intuition.

Seeing Blackbeard's determined look, Carlo had a feeling their next destination was the Drum Kingdom, near the beginning of the Grand Line. It made sense; this was about the time Blackbeard would have his four companions in the original timeline.

"We can't be certain yet, but my leads suggest it's in this area," Blackbeard said, pulling out a small map from inside his coat. "There are four or five islands here. We'll search them one by one. I need that fruit before our plan starts, to ensure its success!"

Carlo took the map and saw that Blackbeard had pointed to a region with few islands, mostly empty ocean. Drum Island was among them and was the largest.

"Alright, if you've decided, our next stop is this area," Carlo agreed, hiding his thoughts behind a calm exterior.

In the original story, Blackbeard knew the general area of the fruit but didn't go straight there. He explored the Grand Line, eventually sensing the fruit's presence on Drum Island. He avoided drawing attention from other pirates or the fruit's owner and enjoyed the adventure and exploration of the unknown.

This time, however, Carlo's boasting had pushed Blackbeard to act faster. Feeling the need to keep up with his strong first mate and new powerful recruits, Blackbeard couldn't afford to wait.

Unaware of Carlo's role in speeding things up, Blackbeard had decided to skip the usual exploration.

"Let's set sail for the beginning of the Grand Line!" Blackbeard announced. Everyone was ready, and the ship was stocked with supplies.

Burgess steered the ship towards the open sea, leaving the blood-soaked island behind.

After a night of partying, the crew knew each other well. The Blackbeard Pirates were now fully formed, with all key positions filled.

Burgess, the helmsman, navigated the ship. Carlo, as the Vice Caiptain, was the strategist. The crew also included the navigator Lafitte, the doctor Doc Q, and the sniper Van Augur.

Hancock and her followers were given no tasks, as everyone knew their reason for joining.

Once they left, Saraca Island fell silent, littered with bodies and damaged ships.

Hours later, pirate ships arrived, only to find the eerie, deserted island. Seeing the destruction and corpses, they quickly fled in terror.

Within two days, the "Saraca Island Massacre" became a widely spread rumor.

"Did you hear about Saraca Island? It's terrifying!"

"Was it sea monsters or some unknown demon that killed all those pirates?"

"People say the bodies were drained of blood, like something sucked them dry!"

"Nonsense! It's clearly a Navy plot to eliminate pirates."

The rumors and theories spread like wildfire, causing widespread panic. Conspiracy and ghost stories were everywhere.

The Blackbeard Pirates laughed at the absurd rumors. Even Carlo was amused by how the story had escalated.

The Navy couldn't ignore it. Initially indifferent, they were forced to investigate as the rumors targeted them.

Admiral Sengoku ordered the nearest Navy branch to investigate Saraca Island. Meanwhile, Morgan, the head of the World Economic Journal, sent reporters to uncover the truth.

Even the Whitebeard Pirates in the New World heard the news.

This saga had only just begun.