"I said you have no right to call me Pops!" Whitebeard said coldly as he stared at Teach.
"Don't be so distant~" Blackbeard grinned. "I was your child after all."
"You killed your comrade and violated the ship's only iron rule! You have no right to be my child!" Whitebeard declared.
After speaking, Whitebeard paused briefly before raising his Naginata and pointing it at Blackbeard. "Today, you will pay with your life for Thatch's blood debt!"
"Cough..."
As his words faded, Whitebeard coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face growing paler.
"Zehahaha, you're really about to die after all." Blackbeard grinned widely.
This is how it should be! With such severe injuries, there's no way you could live much longer!
Pops, I'll use your life to achieve my goals! Blackbeard thought to himself.
After obtaining the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, he... would become the new generation of the Four Emperors!
Zehahahaha!
"Pops!!"
Seeing Whitebeard's condition continue to deteriorate, Marco immediately transformed into a bird and flew up, intending to support Whitebeard from the other side.
Noticing Marco's movement, Whitebeard immediately shouted: "Stop right there, Marco!"
"Pops?"
Marco froze, not understanding why Pops would stop him. Shouldn't they be working together to kill that bastard Teach right now!
"No one is allowed to interfere!" Whitebeard shouted. "That's an order!!"
"Pops..."
Seeing the resolute expression on Whitebeard's face, Marco showed a pained expression but obediently returned to human form and landed back on the ground.
"That damn Blackbeard, I..."
"Ace, have you forgotten what Pops just said?" Vista grabbed Ace's arm. "Don't make things difficult for Pops!"
Hearing Vista's words, Ace fell silent.
Then, he stopped struggling and refrained from doing anything unnecessary.
Seeing that his children had obediently stayed back, Whitebeard nodded.
"This is good... this is good..." Whitebeard murmured to himself.
His death didn't matter, but the children must survive and live on in the New World!
Then, he fixed his gaze on Blackbeard's face, unleashing his killing intent without reservation!
"BOOM!!"
"Let's settle this, Teach!" Whitebeard said coldly.
"Zehahahaha, that's truly terrifying killing intent." Blackbeard laughed heartily. "Then I'll personally send you off!
"Pops!"
As he spoke, thick black smoke began pouring from Blackbeard's body, appearing utterly evil.
Then, this darkness instantly erupted, staining the ground beneath Blackbeard's feet black while simultaneously... spreading toward Whitebeard!
"Dark Hole!" Blackbeard shouted.
"Hmm?"
Whitebeard instinctively furrowed his brow as he glanced at the darkness spreading beneath his feet.
Is this Teach's Devil Fruit ability?
"Hey, what the hell is that thing?" a Marine exclaimed in shock, staring at the darkness under Whitebeard's feet. "Why does it look so sinister?"
"What kind of ability is this?"
"No idea, we're seeing it for the first time too…"
"Stay back! Don't get dragged into it!"
"Right!"
Heeding their comrade's warning, the Marines quickly distanced themselves from the battlefield, afraid of being caught up in the clash between these two.
Meiser, who had been observing the darkness around Blackbeard, frowned and remarked, "This damn thing again."
"Hm?"
Hearing Meiser's words, Marco turned to him and asked, "You know what this is?"
With his hands in his pockets, Meiser nodded. "Yeah, I saw him use this ability back in Impel Down."
He then looked toward Whitebeard and said, "Uncle Whitebeard, this guy's Devil Fruit ability can nullify other Devil Fruit abilities."
"Nullify?"
Whitebeard was momentarily taken aback by Meiser's words, then his expression grew stern.
"Zehahahaha! That's right!" Blackbeard laughed loudly. "This Dark-Dark Fruit truly possesses the power to nullify other Devil Fruit abilities!"
"It's the most fearsome Devil Fruit ability in history!"
"Zehahahaha! Now experience this ultimate power for yourself!"
Watching Blackbeard's arrogant display, Whitebeard remained silent, calmly raising his fist.
"I told you, your ability is useless against me!" Blackbeard roared.
As he spoke, he charged toward Whitebeard.
At that moment, Whitebeard swung his fist down.
"Dark Water!" Blackbeard shouted.
To his surprise, however, Whitebeard didn't use his Devil Fruit ability. Instead, he struck Blackbeard's head with a fist imbued with Haki!
BAM!!
The blow sent blood gushing from Blackbeard's nose!
"Agh!!"
"It hurts so much!"
Clutching his face in agony, Blackbeard rolled on the ground.
"Hah… Hah…"
"Arrogance is your weakness, Teach!" Whitebeard declared.
As he spoke, he raised his fist again, this time channeling the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit into it.
Then, he struck down at Blackbeard!
"Die!"
"Dark Water!"
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Blackbeard swiftly reached out and grabbed Whitebeard's fist, forcibly absorbing the other's ability.
"Zehahahaha! You were too slow, Pops!" Blackbeard sneered.
If Whitebeard had truly unleashed the full force of his tremors, Blackbeard wouldn't have been able to absorb the shockwaves completely.
But fortunately, he had been just a step faster!
Zehahahaha!
"He can really nullify Devil Fruit abilities?!" Doflamingo frowned as he watched Blackbeard. "What a terrifying power."
If that's the case, this guy is the natural enemy of all Devil Fruit Ability Users!
His level of threat… is absolutely no less than that of the Blood-Eyed Ninja with his Water Release Technique!
A thought then crossed Doflamingo's mind.
If this guy gets killed... wouldn't the Devil Fruit be reborn somewhere on the sea?!
If he could obtain this Devil Fruit, he could create a powerful subordinate!
Thinking this, Doflamingo's eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
"A power that can nullify Devil Fruit abilities," Buggy stared at Blackbeard, thinking, "Isn't this my natural counter?"
It seems I need to stay away from this guy, or I might suffer losses!
At that moment, Whitebeard threw his weapon into the air and wrapped the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit around his fist.
"Die!"
Watching Whitebeard's massive fist approaching, Blackbeard laughed loudly, "Didn't I tell you? It's useless!"
"Dark Water!"
"Bzzz—"
The terrifying power activated again, completely absorbing Whitebeard's shockwaves!
"Zehahahaha, see? This is the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit!" Blackbeard roared with laughter, "Pops, you're finished!"
Hearing Blackbeard's words, Whitebeard didn't waste any breath. He calmly raised his hand again, appearing as if he was about to launch another ability attack against Blackbeard.
"Still not giving up?" Blackbeard said, "Then let's continue trying!"
"Dark—"
Before he could finish speaking, he discovered that the naginata had returned to Whitebeard's hand.
Seeing this, Blackbeard's pupils instantly contracted.
"Wait, Pops, I—"
"Die!!"
Whitebeard, having infused his naginata with Haki, slashed directly at Blackbeard's body.
"Thud!"
"Damn it, it hurts so much!!"
The wounded Blackbeard screamed while rolling on the ground, his expression distorted with pain.
'Damn it, if I hadn't protected my body with Armament Haki in time, this slash might have killed me!' Blackbeard thought desperately.
Damn it, how can someone on the verge of death still unleash such terrifying power?!
Damn it!
Damn it all!
At that moment, Whitebeard suddenly charged forward and stomped on Blackbeard's left hand.
Simultaneously... he pinned Blackbeard's right hand down with his naginata!
"Damn it, what are you trying to do?!"
"Kill you!"
"Hmph!"
As he spoke, the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit appeared once again in Whitebeard's hand.
Seeing this, Blackbeard instantly froze in terror.
"Pops, are you really planning to kill me?"
"Pops, you—"
"Boom!!"
Without giving Blackbeard a chance to continue his nonsense, Whitebeard mercilessly unleashed his Devil Fruit power, striking Blackbeard directly in the head.
"Boom!!"
The terrifying blow shattered the ground beneath them!
"Boom!!"
Witnessing this, the pirates of the Whitebeard Pirates cheered enthusiastically.
"He took Pops' attack head-on! This guy is definitely dead!"
"That's right!"
"Damn Teach, go to hell!"
"Hahahaha!"
Listening to his comrades' laughter, Marco frowned and activated his Observation Haki to assess the situation.
His expression then darkened. "No... this guy isn't dead."
"What? Not dead?!"
Upon hearing Marco's words, the pirates froze momentarily before exclaiming in disbelief, "He survived a direct attack from Pops?"
"How is that possible!"
"No..."
Staring at the faint silhouette emerging from the dust, Meiser remarked, "That guy really isn't dead."
It seemed this Teach fellow possessed considerable Haki strength—otherwise, survival would have been impossible.
At this realization, Meiser furrowed his brow.
Just then, a gust of wind swept across the fissure, clearing the dust and revealing the scene on the other side.
"Dammit, he's actually alive..."
"Pops, launch another attack! Finish him off!"
"Hey Pops, hurry up and strike!"
"Pops?"
The pirates grew bewildered seeing Whitebeard standing motionless.
Why wasn't their Pops taking action?
"Why isn't Pops moving?"
"He's not choosing to stop," Marco said with a grim expression. "His body has reached its limit."
Pops' organs had weakened considerably with age, compounded by the severe injuries he'd sustained...
This might truly be the end for Pops.
The thought filled Marco's heart with grief.
"What?!"
The pirates paled upon hearing Marco's words.
Did this mean their Pops was going to die?
"Dammit..."
"Pops!!"
"Finally dying, are you?"
Blackbeard breathed a sigh of relief seeing Whitebeard standing still with closed eyes.
But before Blackbeard could act, he noticed Whitebeard moving again.
"Still not dead?!"
Terror flooded Blackbeard's eyes as Whitebeard advanced toward him step by step.
"You monster!" Blackbeard screamed in panic.
How could anyone still move after sustaining such injuries? Was this creature even human?
"Pops!"
The Whitebeard Pirates grew exhilarated seeing their captain radiating terrifying aura.
"Pops!!"
"Kill this bastard!"
"Yeah!!"
"Shut up, you damn fools!" Blackbeard roared.
"Hmm?"
Noticing the distinctive Tremor-Tremor Fruit energy gathering around Whitebeard's fist, Blackbeard's fear peaked.
"Damn you! Why won't you just die?!" Blackbeard shrieked in terror.
He drew his pistol and fired at Whitebeard.
"Bang—"
"Urk...?"
The bullet struck Whitebeard's internal organs, draining his strength instantly and dispersing the energy around his fist.
"Pops!!"
"Finally dying now?!" Blackbeard yelled. "Men, finish him off!"
"Yeah!!"
Following Blackbeard's order, Buggy and others charged forward, launching relentless attacks against Whitebeard.
"Bam!"
"Bam!"
"Bam!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
Numerous blows rocked Whitebeard's body, making him stagger repeatedly—yet he refused to fall.
"Truly an admirable man," Shiryu observed coldly. "But you must die today."
As soon as the words fell, he stabbed Whitebeard in the abdomen with his blade, inflicting another penetrating wound!
But Whitebeard paid no mind to this man's attack, or rather... he could no longer feel the physical pain.
Roger...
At this moment, Whitebeard recalled the words exchanged during his final parting with Roger long ago.
D...
"Hey, I'm out of bullets," Blackbeard said. "Get me another gun!"
"That won't be necessary."
Shiryu stated, "Whitebeard has already lost consciousness."
"Now, just a single push with your finger would make him fall."
"Is that so."
Hearing this, Blackbeard breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In that case, then I..."
"Teach..."
"Huh?!"
Hearing Whitebeard's voice, Blackbeard's face instantly twisted in terror. "He's still alive?!"
After enduring so many of their attacks, how could he possibly still be breathing?!
Was this man even human?!
At that moment, Blackbeard's eyes were filled with sheer dread of Whitebeard!!