The Crossing of Paths

In the imposing fortress of Cross Guild, located on the island of Karai Bari, the true leaders of the organization gathered in a private meeting room.

Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman, reclined in his chair, his sharp eyes fixed on the newspaper he held in his hands.

Crocodile, the former Shichibukai, smoked a cigar with an intrigued expression on his face.

Buggy, the star clown and figurehead of the organization, paced nervously around the room, his arms flapping like windmill blades.

"Hashirama Senju!" Buggy shrieked, his voice trembling and high-pitched. "The legendary God of Shinobi! He's back from the grave! This is a disaster! A disaster, I say! He'll crush us all like ants!"

Mihawk raised an eyebrow, his gaze cold and piercing. "Calm down, Buggy. This is no time for panic."

Crocodile exhaled a cloud of smoke, his face hidden behind the haze. "A threat and an opportunity," he said in a deep voice. "If we can win his favor, we could use his power for our own ends."

Buggy stopped short, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of greed and terror. "Imagine the riches we could get with Hashirama on our side! We would be the kings of the world! But if we face him, we'll be history! History, I say!"

Mihawk looked at him with disdain. "Don't be an idiot, Buggy. Hashirama is not a man who is easily manipulated. And if we betray him, he will crush us like insects."

Crocodile nodded. "Mihawk is right. We must be cautious. But we must also seize this opportunity. Hashirama is a key player on the world's game board. And we, Cross Guild, must make sure we are on the winning side."

Buggy collapsed into a chair, his face pale and sweaty. "But it's Hashirama! The God of Shinobi! The man who defeated the strongest pirates of his time! We're doomed!"

Crocodile turned the pages of the newspaper, stopping at an article detailing the existence of the Seraphim, childlike copies of former Warlords. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It seems the World Government has some tricks up their sleeve," he muttered, his voice full of contempt. "Copies of ourselves... How pathetic."

Mihawk, who had also read the article, nodded. "A desperate attempt to maintain their power, no doubt. But it will be useless if Hashirama decides to confront them."

The revelation of Imu, the true ruler of the world, had shaken both men to the core. The idea that such a powerful being had been pulling the strings of the world from the shadows was disturbing.

"What do we know about this Imu?" Crocodile asked, his voice grave.

Mihawk shrugged. "Very little. But if he has ruled the world for centuries, he must be a formidable enemy."

Buggy, on the other hand, was too busy lamenting his fate to pay attention to the conversation. "Oh, no! This is the end! The end of Buggy the Star Clown! The world will remember me as the shortest emperor in history!"

Crocodile and Mihawk exchanged a look of exasperation.

-

Night fell over Pirate Island Hachinosu, cloaking the giant skull in a mantle of darkness. The once bustling port now lay in an eerie silence, broken only by the gentle lapping of waves against the hulls of docked pirate ships. The full moon, hidden behind a veil of clouds, cast a ghostly light on Blackbeard's fortress.

Inside the fortress, the meeting room of the high command was plunged into a gloom that seemed to vibrate with evil energy. The torches illuminating the room cast dancing shadows on the walls, distorting the faces of the assembled pirates and creating an oppressive atmosphere.

Blackbeard, sitting on his seat, seemed to melt into the darkness. His black beard, tangled and dirty, blended with the shadows, hiding his features and giving him a spectral appearance. His eyes, two dark pools of malice, gleamed with a disturbing intensity.

A deathly silence reigned in the room, broken only by the rustling of the newspaper pages that Blackbeard held in his hands. The news of Imu's existence and the return of Hashirama Senju had plunged the pirate captain into a state of deep reflection.

Suddenly, a guttural and chilling laugh broke the silence, shaking the entire island. "Zehahahaha!" Blackbeard roared, his voice echoing through the cavern like the cry of a demon. "So Imu is the true ruler of the world! And Hashirama has returned from the dead! How interesting!"

At the same time, a wave of darkness erupted from Blackbeard, enveloping the room and making the torches tremble. His throne creaked under his weight, while a dark mist swirled around him, a manifestation of his power, unconsciously released by his strong emotions.

The officers shuddered at their captain's sudden burst of energy.

"This is great news, Captain!" Burgess exclaimed, trying to dispel the tension with his usual enthusiasm. "Now that we know who the real enemy is, we can go after him and claim the world for ourselves!"

Shiryu of the Rain, the cold-eyed swordsman with a piercing gaze, unsheathed his katana, a flash of steel in the dim light. "Don't underestimate Hashirama, Burgess. If he's as powerful as they say, it will be a pleasure to cut him to pieces."

"Ha!" scoffed Avalo Pizarro. "There's no one who can stop our captain! We are the Blackbeard Pirates, the strongest in the world!"

Van Augur, the sharp-eyed sniper with an elegant demeanor, remained silent, but his fingers caressed the trigger of his rifle with lethal anticipation. Doc Q, the gaunt doctor, coughed weakly, a sickly gleam in his eyes as he contemplated the possibilities of chaos and destruction that lay before them.

"We must not underestimate anyone, my dear nakamas," Laffitte said, the navigator with an enigmatic smile and top hat. His voice, soft and melodious, contrasted with the evil that lurked in his eyes. "But neither should we be afraid. This is an opportunity to show our strength and claim our place at the top of the world."

Catarina Devon, the dangerous female pirate, with her jet-black hair and feline gaze, straightened in her chair, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Hashirama, eh? I'd love to meet this legendary warrior. Maybe I can add his head to my collection."

Blackbeard rose from his throne, the darkness around him slowly dissipating as he regained control of his emotions. "Don't worry about Hashirama," he said in a deep voice. "He has his own business to settle with the World Government. We have our own plans."

His dark eyes gleamed with insatiable ambition. "Amazon Lily will be our next target. Empress Boa Hancock and her Devil Fruit will be ours."

A shiver ran through the room, but Catarina Devon's eyes lit up with an even more intense glow. The idea of facing the powerful Pirate Empress and snatching her precious Devil Fruit filled her with wild excitement.

"The Pirate Empress!" she exclaimed with a cruel smile. "It will be a pleasure to end her reign and claim my greatest trophy!"

Blackbeard smiled, satisfied with his crew's reaction. He knew the path to power would be dangerous, but...

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"The SEA IS STIRRING! IT'S TIME FOR TRUE PIRATES TO SEIZE THE TIDE!!"

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