Chapter 184 – The Betrayed Blackbeard
"This… this is a lie!!"
"Even the clouds—no, even the very sky has shattered!"
"Heh-heh-heh… is this really the power Whitebeard had in his prime? He's a monster through and through!"
The sight of the heavens splitting under Whitebeard's single punch left both Marines and pirates alike in awe and terror.
"Is this the strength Whitebeard wielded at his peak? It's incredible," Kizaru said slowly, gazing up at the fractured sky.
"…" Akainu remained expressionless, but inwardly he wondered—if he unleashed Meteor Volcano, could Whitebeard in this state so easily repel it?
"…" Aokiji stood silent, unreadable.
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"Teeeeach!!!"
After shattering the falling fragments of island with a single blow, Whitebeard fixed his piercing gaze upon Blackbeard. With a terrifying grip, he clenched the air itself, as though grabbing hold of the invisible fabric of the world. Space warped and cracked under his hands before he tore downward with brute force.
BOOM!!
The world seemed to tilt violently. The sea split apart with jagged fissures, and the Blackbeard Pirates—who had been hurled skyward—were dragged back down by Whitebeard's quake.
Tap… tap… tap…
Heavy footsteps thundered as Whitebeard, weapon in hand, charged forward with terrifying speed.
The might of Whitebeard—twenty years younger—was a nightmare beyond imagination. Those who had never faced him could never understand the true weight of such overwhelming power.
The Blackbeard Pirates braced themselves, but even monsters like Shiryu of the Rain and the Level Six escapees trembled in front of this Whitebeard. None of them had the resolve to stand and meet him head-on.
It was almost comical—Whitebeard threw a single punch, and the gathered criminals scattered like children before a storm.
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In truth, if they had joined forces wholeheartedly, they might have stood a chance. Shiryu, Avalo Pizarro, and the other Level Six monsters were each titans of the sea in their own right.
But loyalty to Blackbeard? That was another matter entirely. He had freed them from Impel Down only hours ago. They weren't bound by faith or friendship—just by convenience. None of them were willing to throw away their lives for Teach.
And so, before Whitebeard in his prime, their fragile alliance shattered instantly. The cracks of mistrust widened until the whole crew teetered on collapse.
Only Poison Q, Laffitte, Van Augur, and Jesus Burgess—the original members who had followed Teach for years—remained steadfast at his side.
But the newcomers? They began to waver.
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"Oi, Shiryu, Catarina!" growled Avalo Pizarro, the Corrupt King. He cast a sidelong glance at them. "Are you really planning to throw your lives away fighting a monster like this? That's Whitebeard—in his prime!"
Shiryu, who had his blade Thunderstorm drawn, froze. He turned toward Pizarro, his cold eyes narrowing.
"Oh? And what do you propose?"
"The plan Teach promised us is already a failure," Pizarro said flatly, his gaze locked on Whitebeard thrashing Blackbeard. "We were promised power—Whitebeard's power. But look at him now. There's no way Teach can take that ability. Hell, it's uncertain if he can even survive."
"…You have a point," Catarina Devon, the Crescent Moon Hunter, muttered, nodding.
"So what then? Do we scatter?" asked Basco Shot, the Heavy Drinker, swaying with a hiccup.
"Exactly," Pizarro said bluntly. "We joined Teach because he swore he could steal Whitebeard's ability and lead us to greater power. That's impossible now. Why should we risk our lives for him?"
"Whitebeard's target is Teach alone. If we leave him, he'll be crushed—none of us need to die for it," Catarina agreed.
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"Then it's settled," Shiryu said after a long silence. Slowly, he slid Thunderstorm back into its sheath. His eyes flicked coldly toward Teach, who was being pounded into the ground. "From here on… we walk our own paths. If Teach survives Whitebeard, maybe we'll consider joining him again. If not… so be it."
"Good. Then it's decided," Pizarro said with a wolfish grin.
"I'm in," Catarina Devon added.
"I've got no objections—hiccup," Basco Shot laughed lazily. Then he pointed drunkenly toward the colossal figure behind Marineford's fortress. "But what about that big guy—Sanjuan Wolf?"
"I've no interest," Shiryu said coldly, shaking his head. "If you want him, deal with it yourself."
"Same here," Catarina said, already turning to leave.
"Oi, Basco," Pizarro leaned in with a sly grin. "I have a little plan in mind. Want to hear it?"
Basco blinked. "You got booze?"
"Plenty," Pizarro smirked.
"Then I'm in," Basco grinned, and the two walked off toward Sanjuan Wolf, whispering conspiratorially.
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On the Marine side, one of the Vice Admirals clenched his fists. "Marshal Sengoku! Are we really going to just let those criminals escape?!"
"Leave them," Sengoku replied grimly. His eyes stayed fixed on the titanic clash unfolding. "Those men are not weak. To capture them now would require splitting our forces—and we cannot afford that. The priority is this war. Once victory is secured, we will hunt them down."
He raised his voice, steel in his tone:
"Remember—our goal is to win this war. Everything else comes after!"
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