Chapter 186: Whitebeard's Grief!
Just as Marco's "Phoenix Brand" carrying world-incinerating rage was about to end Teach—
"SWISH!!!"
A figure flashed instantly!
Roy's figure appeared like a phantom. His palm clamped down, instantly grabbing Teach by his charred neck and flinging him violently!
"Get lost!"
Teach was thrown like a broken sack, smashing heavily onto the scorched earth of the beach, rolling right next to that black wooden box.
Flames exploded outward, but Roy suppressed the aftershock with a wave of his hand and a spatial tremor!
Marco's eyes bulged with rage, blue flames churning. He turned and roared, "MARINE!! What do you think you're doing?!!"
His tone held no restraint; his anger bordered on murderous intent!
"That scum deserves to die!! Don't stop me!!!"
But Roy ignored him.
He stood quietly in the afterglow of the flames, black hair fluttering slightly. His gaze was cold as the night, locked deathly onto Teach before him.
As if everything was under his control.
On the other side, Teach lay on the sand, charred black and gasping for air, face pressed against the ground, looking utterly wretched.
But seeing the box in front of him, a final spark of hope ignited in his eyes!
"It's still here! It's still here!!"
He clawed madly at the sand with both arms, blood mixing with scorched earth into mud. Dragging his battered body, he crawled inch by inch toward the box!
"As long as I eat it..."
"As long as I eat that fruit..."
"I still have a chance!! I can reverse my destiny!!!"
The image of the note left by his father flashed in his mind—
"The last 'destiny' left for you lies within that fruit."
Finally, he trembled as he lunged at the box, flipping it open with all his might.
Click!
The moment the lid sprang open, his pupils shrank abruptly, and his breath froze instantly!
"No... that's not right... this isn't..."
Lying quietly in the box was a dark green fruit with rough skin and a turtle-shell pattern.
—It was the Zoan-Type: Turtle-Turtle Fruit!
"What... what the hell IS THIS?!!"
"Where is my fruit?!!"
"Where is my giant Dark-Dark Fruit?!!"
Teach felt as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue. In an instant, he fell from the peak of hope into the abyss of despair, going almost insane!
He snapped his head around, eyes bloodshot, screaming hysterically at Roy, "Where did you hide my fruit?!! Give it back to me!!!"
"That is my life!! My future!!! MY THRONE!!!!"
But the response he got was a faint, disdainful, cold sneer.
Roy slowly raised his right hand, gripping the void with his palm. Space trembled slightly.
Immediately, a pale purple fruit that seemed to swallow light appeared in his palm. The spiral patterns on its surface looked like dark currents flowing in an abyss.
That—
Dark-Dark Fruit!
Roy raised his arm gently. His voice was calm, yet sounded like the declaration of a reaper. "Are you looking for this?"
Teach shook all over as if struck by lightning. He slumped to the ground, pupils contracting rapidly, lips trembling. "No... impossible... you knew all along...!!"
"From the very beginning... you calculated all of this..."
He trembled all over, teeth chattering. The confidence and cunning of before were gone from his eyes, leaving only terror, despair, and utter brokenness!
—He finally understood.
In this game with betrayal as the wager, he was merely a piece set on the board.
And the mastermind watching coldly from the sidelines had calculated everything from start to finish—even his "struggle" was part of the script.
Just as Teach slumped on the sand, his gaze completely collapsing, the sound of heavy, urgent footsteps thundered from the distance!
—Whitebeard and the other commanders had arrived!
"Make way—!!!"
Atmos, face covered in blood and dirt, ran frantically while holding the cold body of Thatch tightly in his arms, tears streaming down his face mixed with dust.
He rushed to Marco, his voice trembling and cracking. "Brother Marco!! Save Thatch, quick!! He... he hasn't stopped breathing yet... right?!!"
Marco froze, stiffening in place.
He knelt slowly, trembling hands reaching out to touch the wound on Thatch's chest.
It was a deep, bottomless blood hole. The dagger had pierced straight into the heart, and faint traces of Armament Haki still lingered around the wound.
As the ship's doctor, Marco knew at a glance: This was a fatal blow. There was no life left.
"Teach... you didn't leave him even a sliver of a chance?!!"
His throat was dry, teeth grinding loudly. His fingertips pressed tremblingly against the side of Thatch's neck, but he couldn't feel even the faintest pulse.
In the end, he shook his head slowly. Tears fell silently, wetting the scorched black earth.
"Thatch... is already..."
He couldn't bring himself to say "gone."
His voice choked, unable to continue.
"NO—!!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!"
"Brother Thatch!! Wake up—!!!"
"TEACH!! I'LL KILL YOU!! I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!!!"
The emotions of the Whitebeard Pirates collapsed instantly!
Wailing, roaring, screaming!
Jozu roared, smashing a slab of rock with a punch, his entire arm turning into diamond, veins bulging!
Vista drew his dual swords, tips dripping blood, eyes cold as frost!
Blenheim knelt holding his head, pounding his own chest madly, as if trying to beat the regret into his bones!
That was their brother who had fought alongside them for over twenty years—
Dead at the hands of the "family member" they trusted and tolerated the most!
In the flames, the wind sobbed, as if heaven and earth were mourning the end of this brotherhood.
Whitebeard walked heavily but firmly to Thatch's body. His massive figure knelt slowly like a mountain.
His hands were rough and calloused, yet incredibly gentle as they touched Thatch's cheek.
"Thatch..."
Whitebeard's voice was hoarse and broken, low like snapping old wood. "I... harmed you..."
He closed his eyes, shoulders trembling slightly.
"If I had realized Teach's ambition sooner..."
"If I hadn't shielded him, indulged him time and again..."
"You... wouldn't have died by his hand..."
He lowered his head slowly, forehead gently touching Thatch's forehead. In that moment, the "Strongest Man" who once conquered the New World seemed to age ten years in an instant.
On the other side, Teach sat on the sand, trembling all over. Watching the increasingly furious Whitebeard crew gather, he finally realized—
He had nowhere left to run!
"...No... NO!! I can't die yet!!"
"I still have my father's bloodline! I have a backup plan!! I still have a future!!!"
He jerked his head up, roaring at Roy like grabbing the last piece of driftwood. "ROY!! Give me the fruit!!!"
"I can help you deal with Whitebeard! We can join forces!! Rule the seas together!!!"
"Aren't you a Marine? Don't you want to purge the cancer of the old era?!!"
Like a madman, spitting foam and with a hideous face, he reached out to Roy.
But Roy just looked at him coldly, his eyes rippleless.
"Cooperate?"
The corner of his mouth lifted in a scoff. He slowly tucked the Dark-Dark Fruit into his coat, his tone sounding like a death sentence:
"You think you're worthy?"
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