Chapter 94: Broken Wrist
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"Not going to pick it up?" Ace asked, staring coldly at Teach. "Isn't that the power you've spent decades chasing?"
Teach stared at the Yami Yami no Mi—the Dark-Dark Fruit—just a few feet away. Of course he wanted to grab it. But with Portgas D. Ace standing there, flames dancing around him, Teach had a gut feeling:
If he made a single move toward it—his head would be blown off instantly.
"'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace," Teach growled. "Why are you here?!"
Ace smirked. "If I said I was just passing by, would you believe me?"
Teach scowled.
"Fine. Just take it as me showing up to deal with you on purpose."
That answer made Teach's face sink. He knew he wasn't a match for Ace—not without the Dark Fruit's power. He cursed himself for not devouring the fruit earlier, when he had the chance. Why had he hesitated? Why had he wasted time gloating in front of Thatch?
Reason screamed for him to run—but greed kept him rooted to the spot.
He glanced again at the fruit lying beside him. Then his expression twisted with desperation. Now or never.
He'd already exposed his betrayal. Even if he escaped today, the Whitebeard Pirates would hunt him to the ends of the sea.
If he succeeded here, he could reach the pinnacle of power.
A gamble. All or nothing.
In one explosive motion, Blackbeard lunged toward the Dark-Dark Fruit.
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"Fire Blade!"
Ace's arm swung.
A blade of flame shot forward in a flash of red-orange light—slashing clean through Teach's wrist just as his fingers reached the fruit.
"AAAAAAGGHHH!"
Teach tumbled away, clutching his bleeding stump.
"You bastard!" he screamed. "My hand! My hand!"
Ace kicked aside the severed palm still clutching toward the fruit and picked it up himself.
"What a pity," Ace said coldly. "I was aiming for your head."
He looked at the fruit. "Guess I'll hold onto this, then."
"You… you're already a Logia user!" Teach hissed, seething. "Even if you have that fruit, you can't use its power!"
Then he straightened, eyes blazing with ambition.
"Fire Fist—give it to me. Let's join forces. Think about it! Whitebeard is old, sick… his era is ending."
"I have a full plan," Teach said, trying to sound persuasive. "Give me the Dark Fruit, and we'll rise together. The world—all of it—will be ours."
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Ace remained quiet for a beat. Then he sighed and tossed the fruit in his hand up and down casually.
"I'm not interested in taking over the world," he said simply.
"Rather than helping your ambition... I'd rather kill you right here."
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"Tch... Then I've truly failed today. Thief-hahahaha!" Teach suddenly cackled. "Poison Q! It's your turn!"
From behind, a hoarse voice muttered—
"Skyborne Poison: Grey Miasma!"
A thick gray fog suddenly billowed across the island, swallowing everything in its path.
"AAAAHH!"
"What is this? Even Armament Haki can't block it!"
"RUN! THIS STUFF MELTS YOUR BODY!"
Those who touched the mist began to scream as flesh rotted and armor corroded, immune to even Haki. Panic spread through the crowd.
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Ace's expression darkened. "Flame Wall!"
With a sweep of his arms, fire erupted from his body, forming a barrier of searing flame that blocked the miasma's advance.
"Flowing Fire: Flame Surge!"
With a surge of will, Ace pulled in the flames and blasted them outward in a tidal wave of heat. The fiery shockwave burned away all the gray mist, vaporizing the toxic fog.
But when the air cleared—Teach was gone.
Even his severed hand had disappeared.
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"Tch... He escaped," Ace muttered, fists clenched. "I didn't think Poison Q would be here too."
He had come with the intention to kill Teach and end the threat before it began. But now, because of one misstep... he'd slipped away.
Ace looked down at the Dark-Dark Fruit still safe in his grasp and exhaled slowly.
"At least he didn't get it…"
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He walked over to the motionless body of Thatch, kneeling beside the dying commander of the Fourth Division.
"Thatch," he said softly. "Anything… you want me to tell Pops?"
Thatch's lips trembled. Blood bubbled in his throat.
"…Sorry… I've shamed… Dad…"
And with that, Thatch fell silent forever.
Ace lowered his head.
So even with all his intervention, Thatch still died by Blackbeard's hand, just like the original timeline.
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"CAPTAIN THATCH!"
The remaining members of the Fourth Division arrived moments later and collapsed around his fallen body, crying out in grief.
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"Thank you, Fire Fist," said one of the Decalvan Brothers, stepping forward. "You saved all of us."
"I just happened to be here," Ace replied quietly.
Then he looked up. "So… what will you do now? Will you come with me?"
The brothers shook their heads.
"We made a promise. Thatch invited us to join the Whitebeard Pirates. Even if he's gone... we will honor that promise."
Ace gave a small smile. "Then I won't stop you. Loyalty is worth more than power."
He looked once more at the lifeless form of Thatch and then at the fruit in his hand.
"It seems… it's time I met Whitebeard myself."
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"We'll go with you," the brothers said. "We saw everything. We'll testify for you."
"Yes! We'll make sure Pops knows the truth!"
"That traitor Teach will pay for this!"
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PS: So… who do you think will eat the Dark-Dark Fruit? 👀
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