Chapter 185: The Darkest Hour of the Whitebeard Pirates!
"BOOM—!!!"
Flames rolled, scorched earth trembled.
During the brief standoff between Ace and Thatch, sparks flew in the air, and the atmospheric pressure soared wildly. The tension was like a bowstring about to snap!
Suddenly, Fossa and Haruta, who had been on guard, moved explosively, their attacks approaching with a roar!
"Flame Slash: Spiral Blade!!!"
Fossa roared, his square-hilted katana instantly igniting with crimson flames. The fire spun rapidly along the blade, sweeping in with scorching heat!
"Flash Blade: Triple Thrust!!!"
Haruta shot out like lightning, his yellow-hilted saber drawing three crescent sword glints in succession. His speed was so fast only twisted afterimages remained, the sonic boom of tearing air ringing out abruptly!
"Get out of my way!!!"
Ace glared furiously. His left arm shot up, flames erupting like a fountain to meet Fossa's scorching fire head-on; at the same time, he leaned back violently, barely dodging Haruta's fatal chain thrusts!
But in the instant he flipped in the air—
"HISSS—!!!"
A thin, deep bloody gash bloomed suddenly on his left shoulder, blood spraying!
"Guh—!"
Ace's expression froze. His shoulder wound hadn't healed, and now, struck by Haruta in that gap, severe pain assaulted him, causing a momentary loss of balance!
In the instant this opening was revealed—
"SWISH!!!"
His coat flapped in the fierce wind. A black wooden box flew out from his chest in the chaos, tracing a strange arc!
"That is—!"
Thatch's gaze contracted, pupils dilating violently!
The black wooden box, like a die of fate, tumbled through the air and finally landed with a thud on the scorched earth by his feet!
Thatch bent down swiftly without hesitation, scooping up the box and holding it tight to his chest. At the same time, he pulled up Teach, who was still panting on the ground, and retreated rapidly!
"Retreat, fast!" he roared in a low, sharp voice. "This thing might be important Marine supplies. Let's take it back to Pops first!"
Teach, being supported as they ran, had a stiff expression and rapid breathing. He seemed to have fallen into a momentary daze.
He looked down at the black box in Thatch's arms—
His fingers began to tremble involuntarily. Staring at Thatch's chest, where the key to completely changing his destiny now lay, a trace of undisguised greed flashed in his eyes.
"Thatch!!!" Ace roared, flames exploding from his feet as he transformed into a fire meteor rushing over!
"Give the box back to me!!!"
But just then—
"BOOM!!!"
Three figures descended from the sky, crashing down with terrifying air pressure!
"Kingdew!! Atmos!! Speed Jiru!!?"
Kingdew's iron gauntlets boomed as he roared, bringing both fists down like hammers!
Atmos held his giant swords horizontally, covered in Haki, slashing two storm cuts in succession, forming a cross-blockade of wind blades!
Speed Jiru attacked with shield and lance simultaneously. The lance thrust like a snake, the shield pressed like a city wall, sealing Ace's path from the front!
"Fire Fist brat! You've gone too far!!!"
Simultaneously, Fossa and Haruta charged again from behind, fire blades and afterimages brimming with killing intent. The siege of five commanders pressed down like an iron bucket, waves of air pushing forward layer by layer!
Ace gritted his teeth in apparent rage, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes—
"The box... has successfully fallen in front of Teach."
"Next, let's see what 'choice' he makes..."
BOOM!!!
Ace punched the ground violently. High-temperature flames soared abruptly, the exploding heat wave expanding like a blazing sun, obscuring all vision around him!
But the net of encirclement was already cast; there was no escape!
Thatch supported Teach's retreat while quickly tucking the black box into his coat. "Don't think too much, just retreat! Pops can judge this thing later!"
But he didn't notice that the eyes of the person he was protecting had changed.
Teach remained silent.
He stared fixedly at Thatch's chest, his gaze locked dead on that black wooden box.
Greed surged into his heart like a tidal wave.
"As long as I get it..."
"As long as..."
His right hand moved slowly, silently toward the sharp dagger at his waist—
The blade was unsheathed, killing intent quietly emerging.
Just as the battle between Roy and Whitebeard intensified, and Ace was besieged by five commanders, falling into a perilous situation!
A scream that tore the soul abruptly pierced the smoke-filled battlefield!
"—TEACH!! YOU!!!"
The voice was filled with disbelief, the shock of betrayal, and pain that cut to the bone!
The Whitebeard Pirates froze, turning one after another to look in the direction of that sudden, familiar voice—
There, at the edge of the somewhat desolate island, under the sunlight, a scene that chilled the heart to its core came into view!
Thatch stumbled back, a blood-stained dagger plunged into his back. Crimson blood flowed down the blade, soaking his clothes.
He swayed, eyes wide, as if still unable to believe what was happening.
And standing behind him—was Blackbeard · Marshall D. Teach, panting heavily, eyes burning with greed and madness!
That familiar smile was long gone, replaced by a twisted viciousness after being swallowed by desire!
His right hand still held the stabbing posture, while his left hand tightly clutched the snatched black wooden box, as if holding the entire world.
"This... this isn't real..."
Thatch murmured, looking down at the wound on his chest, as if confirming whether this was a nightmare.
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, but he still managed a bitter smile. "Teach... you... actually..."
"Is that fruit... really more important than our twenty years of brotherhood?"
Thatch's voice was weak, but in the silent air, it rang out exceptionally clearly.
He reached out a trembling hand, as if wanting to grasp something, even just the corner of Teach's clothes.
"If you wanted it... I could have given it to you... you didn't need to... do this..."
Before he could finish, his body finally gave out. He collapsed slowly, smashing heavily onto the scorched earth.
His eyes were fixed on the retreating back—the brother he had fought alongside countless times for twenty years, now transformed into the cruelest traitor.
—He died with his eyes open.
"TEACH————!!!!"
The next moment, a thunderous roar exploded from the center of the battlefield!
A shockwave as violent as a tsunami swept across the entire island, making even the sky tremble!
Whitebeard's figure stood like a mountain, his face filled with uncontrollable pain and rage.
His eyes were red with fury, chest heaving violently, heavy panting sounding like an old beast's roar.
His voice trembled, throat hoarse as if cut by a blade.
"YOU BASTARDAAAAHHH!!!!"
Whitebeard slammed his massive bisento into the ground!
"BOOM—!!!"
The power of the Quake-Quake Fruit was released instantly. The crust cracked, and the entire island seemed to wail!
Rocks flew, seawater poured backward, air twisted, and the earth churned like a raging sea!
"Thatch... was killed... by Teach?!"
"Teach... stole the fruit?!"
The Whitebeard Pirates were stunned. Shock and rage intertwined; everyone's face was written with disbelief and anger. The entire battlefield fell into chaos instantly!
"TEACH!! You actually betrayed Pops!!!"
"You actually... attacked Thatch?!"
Fossa, Haruta, and the others stared with eyes splitting, trembling all over!
Roy took the opportunity to teleport Ace to a safe zone and staunch his wounds. Ace, too, looked shocked. "He really attacked his brother..."
Teach, however, seemed deaf to all sounds, fleeing madly while hugging the black box!
His face was covered in an indistinguishable mix of sweat, blood, and tears of excitement.
"Almost there... I'm almost successful!!"
"Just leave this island... just run out!!!"
"I, Teach... can make this sea remember my name!!!"
Ahead, a lonely small boat floated in the wind and waves, as if summoned by destiny.
"My chance! My era is coming!! ZEHAHAHAHAHA—!!!"
"Damn legs, run faster!!! AAAHHH—!!!"
He roared, sprinting like a madman toward the ferry of fate, legs flying!
But just then—
The sky suddenly darkened!
A scorching storm roared from the horizon. Flames spread like phoenix wings, blotting out the sun!
A roar of rage screamed down from the heavens!
"PHOENIX BRAND!!!"
BOOM—!!!
Golden flames gathered, descending from the sky like a burning comet, carrying the fierce momentum to incinerate everything, smashing ruthlessly onto the coast!
"What?!"
Teach looked up in horror, seeing only blinding firelight and a heat wave pressing down like a wall. He only had time to open his mouth and roar: "NO—!!!"
The next instant—
BOOM—!!!
Flames exploded, waves rolled back. The entire beach kicked up a monstrous heat wave in the impact. Blazing fire fell like a crashing sun, scorching the earth!
The black wooden box flew from Teach's arms, cutting through the residual smoke, tumbling several times on the sand before finally stopping amidst the glowing embers... burning quietly, like a silent judgment.
Teach was blasted away by the Phoenix fire, smashing through a reef, vomiting blood, wretched beyond belief!
He lay at the edge of the beach, charred black, pupils trembling from severe pain and shock, yet still staring deathly at that box.
At this moment, in the howling hot wind, a figure with blue flame wings descended upon the fire!
Marco the Phoenix. Blue flames unextinguished, wings spread like raging fire, eyes cold as frost, looking down at the man who had fought by his side and called "Pops" with him for 20 years.
"Teach..."
His voice was low, as if a thousand pounds pressed on his chest. The suppressed rage and grief burst the dam in this moment!
"For a mere fruit, you killed Thatch with your own hands!"
"You betrayed Pops' trust, betrayed the hearts of all of us!!!"
He spread his wings violently, blue flames rolling up to the sky, firelight reflecting red against the firmament!
"You are not worthy to stand under this flag!!!"
"From the moment you stabbed that knife—"
Marco gritted his teeth, eyes red, his tone cutting like a blade of fire:
"You were no longer 'part of the Whitebeard Pirates'... You are just a filthy scum who would betray even his own shadow!!!"
With that, flames gathered again!
Blue fire swept like a raging tide, crashing down on Teach with a roar!
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