Jesus Burgess's massive frame collapsed with a thunderous impact, his headless corpse hitting the ground with finality.
The three remaining Blackbeard Pirates scattered instinctively, their eyes fixed on their fallen comrade's remains in stunned disbelief.
In the distance, Marshall D. Teach's agonized screams echoed across the battlefield as he writhed on the ground, his voice raw with pain and desperation.
"We're all going to die..."
Doc Q, slumped weakly against his horse Stronger's pale flank, spoke with his characteristic fatalistic calm. There was no terror in his voice, only the resigned acceptance of someone who had always lived on death's threshold.
Van Augur lowered his rifle Senriku, studying the God Slayer who stood so close yet seemed impossibly distant. His calculating sniper's mind rapidly assessed their hopeless tactical situation.
The reality of their predicament could be summarized in a single, devastating truth:
Blackbeard's meticulously crafted plan had failed spectacularly.
It wasn't that Teach had betrayed them or led them astray, it was simply that they had catastrophically underestimated the God Slayer's power.
The three pirates had sailed with Teach through countless victories across the Grand Line. This operation in Mock Town represented Admiral Blackbeard's first, and perhaps final, defeat. Before today, their crew had been unstoppable. Every treasure they coveted, every objective they pursued... success had followed without exception.
Teach might present himself as a simple-minded fool to the world, but his three original crewmates understood the terrifying intelligence that lurked beneath that carefully constructed facade.
Lafitte sheathed his staff sword with practiced elegance, twirling his cane as he adjusted his top hat with one pale hand. His unnaturally red lips curved into a strained smile as he declared with theatrical resignation:
"Awaiting judgment! Resistance is futile."
Oboro withdrew the blood-stained hand that had delivered Burgess's fatal blow, casually sliding it back into his coat pocket as he strolled toward where Teach had fallen. He completely ignored the three surviving members of the Blackbeard Pirates, dismissing them as irrelevant threats.
"Hey... do you believe in fate?"
As Oboro passed by Stronger, Doc Q, sprawled across his horse's back with apparent fearlessness, reached into his saddlebag and retrieved a basket of apples, offering it to the God Slayer with whispered words.
Oboro didn't even spare him a glance, continuing his unhurried approach toward the fallen Emperor-to-be.
...
After several tense moments, under the watchful gazes of Van Augur and the others, Oboro stood before his defeated opponent.
Teach lay sprawled in the dirt, his massive frame convulsing as blood seeped from numerous wounds. He looked both pathetic and absurd, a far cry from the fearsome pirate who would one day claim Whitebeard's throne.
"..."
Oboro's eyes narrowed as he studied his fallen adversary with cold analysis.
Despite enduring a direct assault from his 'death energy', power that ravaged internal organs and flesh from within, this man's injuries were surprisingly less severe than Doflamingo's had been!
The consequences of death exploding from within should have been catastrophic, yet Teach had somehow weathered the storm. Doflamingo's String-String Fruit allowed for meticulous internal repair through surgical stitching of damaged tissue. But what did Teach rely on?
Some mysterious bloodline advantage?
Oboro knew that Teach's heritage was far from ordinary, the "D" in his name carried weight that few in the world truly understood.
But even accounting for Teach's current strength, his ability to withstand such devastating internal damage was genuinely impressive.
Oboro observed him silently for several long moments, his scarred face unreadable beneath the shadow of his bowler hat.
Eventually, the excruciating pain that wracked Teach's body began to subside, and he collapsed onto his back, gasping for precious air.
He naturally sensed the Grim Reaper's presence looming over him, Oboro's terrifying aura was impossible to ignore.
"Zehahahaha... You didn't kill them all. Only one fell."
With tremendous effort, Teach forced his arms to support his weight as he sat up, glancing toward his three surviving crewmates. He wiped blood from his split lips with his sleeve and managed his signature laugh despite the circumstances.
"So?" Oboro replied with icy indifference.
"So... you still can't bring yourself to kill me. I can be useful to you! We can be valuable assets!"
Teach's words cut straight through to Oboro's unspoken thoughts with startling precision.
So perceptive...
So calculating...
Blackbeard's future success as one of the Four Emperors wasn't built on luck alone.
"You're mistaken..." Oboro stepped closer to Teach, his voice carrying deadly intent. "I simply thought that forcing your crew to witness your horrific death before sending them to join you in hell... I prefer that kind of systematic torture, especially for worthless scum like you, someone I can't help but despise the moment I lay eyes on you."
Beneath his bowler hat, Oboro's scarred face became a mask of terrifying malice in Teach's eyes.
The God Slayer's red eyes glowed with eerie, predatory light.
He meant every word.
Teach shuddered involuntarily, instinctively trying to retreat, but Oboro's iron grip had already seized his tangled black hair.
"Actually... I just had a better idea. That Fire Fist Ace is hunting you down, isn't he? Handing you over to the Whitebeard Pirates might prove far more... entertaining..."
As their eyes met, Teach caught sight of the God Slayer's sinister grin spreading across his features.
The moment those words left Oboro's mouth, a chill ran from the soles of Teach's feet straight to the crown of his head.
Being executed here... or being delivered back to face Whitebeard's wrath, either fate was utterly unacceptable!
"My Lord... Lord of Hell, I, Marshall D. Teach, will serve as your loyal dog for life, forever submitting to you and your Hell Pirates... Not just me, but these three crewmates as well. We are all your faithful servants. Command us at will..."
"Whatever mission you assign us... we will execute with absolute dedication."
Teach's voice cracked with genuine panic as the words tumbled out.
This time, his terror was completely authentic.
Through his broken, gap-toothed mouth, he spoke with desperate sincerity that carried undeniable power.
"I believe I'm worthy enough to be your subordinate... I'll prove myself superior to your current crew. Just give me the opportunity... I'll demonstrate my value to you."
After delivering this plea, Teach noticed that Oboro's grip had loosened slightly, a sign that his words might have found their mark.
As if convinced by the appeal, Oboro released his hold.
Teach immediately dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead to the blood-soaked earth in complete submission before Oboro.
Flexible and adaptable to the extreme... dignity, status, pride, none of it mattered when survival was at stake.
Teach would sacrifice anything to achieve his ultimate ambitions, to fulfill his carefully orchestrated plans and realize his darkest dreams.
This was what fundamentally separated him from Monkey D. Luffy... yet what they shared was an absolutely unwavering dedication to their respective 'dreams.'
"Did you grovel at Whitebeard's feet like this when you first begged to join his crew?" Oboro asked with mocking curiosity.
"Uh... Pops... no, Whitebeard is aging and weakening... though he was once the strongest man on the seas, that era is fading, just like the Golden Lion you destroyed. Now is your time..."
Teach raised his head, his expression perfectly balanced between flattery and genuine conviction as he spoke from the depths of his calculating heart.
He truly meant every word.
"It's not only my era, it's your era as well... The Dark-Dark Fruit was indeed the primary catalyst for your departure from the Whitebeard Pirates, but it wasn't the sole reason. You recognized the shifting 'tide' across the seas and realized that a new age was beginning to dawn..."
"Hehe."
Oboro uttered a few words before crouching down, his soul-piercing eyes meeting Teach's deceptively simple gaze. "Your words are complete bullshit to me... There's zero credibility behind them. But I do admire your remarkable adaptability... You will indeed bring chaos to these seas and create substantial problems for the World Government."
"I know exactly what you're thinking..."
Oboro patted Teach's head with condescending familiarity. "I'll wait for you in the New World... When you're ready, you're welcome to seek your revenge."
"But until you're absolutely certain of defeating me, remember what you just pledged... From this moment forward, you and your three remaining crewmates... are my dogs."
Oboro rose to his feet and flicked his hand dismissively. Two system cards transformed into invisible streams of light, darting into Blackbeard's massive frame.
"I'm generous to those who belong to me, even if they're merely my pets."
Before Teach's consciousness faded from the cards' overwhelming enhancement effects, he heard the God Slayer's final message echoing in his mind.
His heart was shaken to its very core.
"After you become a Shichibukai... remember to wag your tail properly and show me how well you can perform."