Blackbeard's massive palms were already wreathed in swirling black mist, his face twisted into a mask of arrogance and unrestrained conceit.
Doc Q, Burgess, Van Auger, and the others drew their weapons, glaring at Ashveil with predatory intent. None of them had the slightest thought of a fair fight.
The Blackbeard Pirates had never been ones for honor. Their creed was simple: kill as quickly as possible, using any means necessary, even if it meant discarding their dignity. It was this ruthless pragmatism that had allowed them to rise so quickly and expand their influence across the seas.
"Kid, it's not too late to regret it," Blackbeard sneered, his tone sly even in the face of confrontation. "You're the Whitebeard Pirates' Zero Division Captain. Join me, and I'll grant you a place under my banner. What do you say?"
Ashveil looked at him with nothing but contempt, as though Teach's words weren't even worth considering.
"A pitiful, ungrateful fool like you… You're not worthy of my allegiance," Ashveil replied coldly, his disdain cutting sharper than any blade.
In Ashveil's eyes, Blackbeard—someone who would abandon his dignity for the sake of victory—could never be called the strongest. The true strong stood unwavering before their enemies, advancing without hesitation. To retreat was to betray the very essence of strength.
Without another word, Ashveil released his Conqueror's Haki.
"Scum, don't get in my way. You're nothing but an annoyance," he said, his voice calm but laced with icy disdain.
The air itself trembled as though the world had sensed a terrifying will.
Centered on Ashveil, a tidal wave of raw pressure burst outward. The entire villa shuddered as if caught in a howling hurricane. Blackbeard's dining table, the walls, and every last object inside the building were blasted into the air before being torn apart.
The villa could not withstand such overwhelming force. With a deafening crash, the entire structure collapsed into rubble, fragments scattering like leaves in the storm.
The sudden onslaught left Blackbeard's crew stunned, their bravado vanishing in an instant.
This destructive might… Could it truly be real?
Before they could even comprehend it, the crushing weight of Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki bore down upon them.
Burgess, Lafitte, Van Auger, and the others felt their very souls tremble. Their hearts pounded as an indescribable dread clawed at them, stiffening their bodies while cold sweat streamed down their faces. Their lips quivered, their limbs shook, and the effort of merely staying conscious consumed every ounce of their will.
Ashveil smirked at their pitiful expressions.
"To save you the trouble of resisting, I'll simply increase the intensity," he said softly, a cruel curve tugging at his lips.
The pressure thickened, becoming heavier and more suffocating.
Doc Q's face paled further, his lips trembling as he forced out broken words. "This… this… Conqueror's Haki? Such… terrifying force!"
With a heavy thud, Doc Q collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Doc Q, get up! Get up, damn it!" Blackbeard bellowed in disbelief. "What kind of joke is this? Conqueror's Haki can't possibly knock out my commanders!"
Even Whitebeard himself, the strongest man in the world, couldn't guarantee that his Conqueror's Haki alone could incapacitate a fighter of Doc Q's rank. Yet before Blackbeard's eyes, his subordinate lay unmoving.
Van Auger staggered next, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. His usually calm expression broke as fear flickered in his eyes. "A mere young man… wields such overwhelming Conqueror's Haki?" His words faltered as his knees buckled and he crumpled to the ground.
Blackbeard's eyes widened, his disbelief only growing.
Doc Q fainting could be explained by his sickly constitution—but Van Auger? Calm, precise Van Auger, undone by Haki alone?
It was the first time Teach had ever seen Conqueror's Haki used with such devastating effect.
Ashveil tilted his head, a faint smile playing at his lips. "Not bad. The Blackbeard Pirates are stronger than I expected. It seems I won't need to hold back."
In Blackbeard's eyes, that smile was nothing short of terrifying.
Another surge of Haki erupted, the island itself trembling beneath the weight of Ashveil's will. Shockwaves rippled outward in waves, crashing against everything in their path.
Even Blackbeard, who prided himself on his iron will, found his hands shaking uncontrollably. Cold sweat drenched his brow.
Impossible… Me, trembling under another man's Haki?
Boom! Boom!
One by one, Blackbeard's subordinates crumpled. Burgess, with all his raw strength, was among the last to fall, his terrified expression frozen in place as he lost consciousness.
When the storm of Haki finally dissipated, silence fell over the battlefield.
Ashveil remained standing in the center, his expression calm, almost bored. He yawned as though nothing had happened, then fixed his cold gaze on the only one left standing.
"Now, the pests are gone. It's just you and me, Blackbeard Teach."
At the same time, the villagers of Robinna Island gathered in the forest a kilometer away, watching through binoculars.
Village Chief Rona's hands trembled as he observed the aftermath of Ashveil's power. Beside him stood Lily, the blonde woman who had once warned Ashveil about the explosive apples.
"Lily, I never believed anyone could oppose Blackbeard's pirates… but now… now I believe it," the chief whispered, his voice shaking with awe. "That man… he's truly powerful."
Handing the binoculars to Lily, he watched her reaction.
She raised them to her eyes, her lips parting in disbelief as she saw the fearsome Blackbeard Pirates lying defeated at Ashveil's feet.
Her voice quivered with excitement. "He… he really did it. One man, and he brought them all down!"