Blackbeard bared his teeth in a savage grin.
"Zehahahahaha… so we finally meet, Eustass Kid."
Kid watched his crewmates collapse around him, fury boiling over as he roared,
"You bastard—do you have any idea what you're doing?!"
As his shout echoed, scrap metal from the ground and nearby wreckage surged toward him, drawn in by his power. In seconds, the twisted steel fused together, forming a massive mechanical arm where his real one had been torn away.
"Oh? Not bad at all," Blackbeard said, genuinely surprised for a moment—though the interest quickly faded. He raised his palm and snarled,
"Dark Water…"
A terrifying suction erupted from Blackbeard's hand, dragging Kid forward. Kid's pupils shrank. He had no idea what kind of power this was. Instinctively, his newly formed metal arm clenched into a fist and swung at Blackbeard.
"Dark Binding."
The shadow beneath Blackbeard's feet suddenly writhed like a living creature. Black smoke coiled upward as the darkness shot out, wrapping around Kid's body in an instant.
Kid's heart sank.
It felt as though invisible seastone chains had locked around him. His Devil Fruit power vanished completely—and the mechanical arm, sustained only by magnetism, shattered on the spot, metal fragments clattering uselessly across the ground.
Kid stared at Blackbeard in horror, confusion and disbelief flooding his eyes.
"Kid…!" Killer shouted in shock, sprinting forward without hesitation.
But in the next instant, a sharp sense of danger struck him.
Pain exploded through his back.
Killer coughed violently, blood spraying from his mouth as his body froze mid-step, as if an unseen hand had nailed him in place. He looked down in disbelief—blood streamed from his chest, though there was nothing visible piercing him.
Slowly, a long blade emerged from thin air, revealing itself inch by inch.
Only then did Killer see it.
He turned his head slightly, eyes wide, and met the cold gaze of the man standing behind him—Shiryu of the Rain.
"Killer—!!" Kid screamed, his voice cracking.
Shiryu's lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Looks like that hurt, huh? 'Killer the Murder Machine'…"
Unable to move and stripped of his powers, Kid roared in helpless rage, "You bastard—what kind of power is this?!"
Blackbeard laughed triumphantly.
"Zehahahahaha! Pretty nice, right? This is the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit. It nullifies Devil Fruit abilities—just like touching seastone!"
Kid's blood ran cold.
"…What?"
Blackbeard reveled in the terror on Kid's face, his grin stretching wider by the second.
Of course, he hadn't told the whole truth.
Dark Binding wasn't the Dark-Dark Fruit alone—it was the fusion of darkness and shadow. By coating shadows with the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, Blackbeard could nullify abilities without direct contact.
Normally, his power required physical touch.
But now, shadows themselves counted as part of his body.
And his reach had become far more terrifying.
Shiryu spoke calmly, almost casually, "And my ability is the Clear-Clear Fruit. That's why you never sensed me."
With that, he yanked his blade free.
Blood erupted from Killer's body in a violent spray.
"Cough… cough—!"
Killer struggled desperately, trying to force himself upright. But before he could move, the ground beneath him suddenly writhed. Stone surged upward at Pica's command, wrapping around Killer's body and fusing with him completely. In an instant, a stone cage sealed him in place, leaving him utterly immobilized.
"Killer—!!"
Kid could only roar helplessly. Tears streamed down his face as he stared at Blackbeard, grief and fury twisting together in his eyes.
Blackbeard's mouth curled into a cruel grin.
"Zehahahahaha… don't glare at me like that, Eustass Kid."
"I'm actually a very kind man, you know." He spread his arms theatrically. "I hear you're someone who treasures loyalty, so my companions and I showed mercy. None of them are dead. They're all still alive."
Kid clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. Rage burned in his eyes—but he knew the truth. He was meat on the chopping block now. Blackbeard sparing them meant only one thing.
He wanted to use him.
With a hoarse, furious shout, Kid demanded,
"What do you want, Blackbeard…?!"
"Zehahaha, sharp enough," Blackbeard replied, clearly pleased. "The moment I heard you wiped out the Wolfba Pirates and then went poking at the Phoenix Pirates, I knew I had to come see you myself. If you do exactly what I say next, I'll guarantee the safety of you and your crew."
Shiryu stepped forward, his smile dripping with malice.
"And if you refuse, we'll execute you on the spot. Plenty of people would love to take your place."
Kid's fists trembled.
There was no escape. His life—and the lives of everyone he cared about—were already firmly in Blackbeard's hands. Looking at the monsters standing before him, Kid understood one thing clearly: if he wanted to live… if he wanted his crew to live… he had no choice.
Tears of humiliation slid down his face.
This was the most desperate, most unbearable moment since he'd set sail. Even when Benn Beckman shattered his arm, he had never felt this utterly crushed.
'The New World doesn't believe in tears.'
It was something Kid himself had once sneered at a pirate begging for mercy. And now, that truth was being carved into his own flesh.
Kid wiped his face, forcing the tears to stop. He lifted his head and roared,
"What do you want me to do?!"
Blackbeard's grin widened.
"Simple. Capture Whitey Bay—the Ice Witch—and hand her over to the Marines."
That was his plan.
Blackbeard intended to recreate Marineford.
Didn't the Phoenix Pirates treasure their companions above all else? Then he would simply use the Marines to tear them apart.
Last time, the Whitebeard Pirates had saved Fire Fist Ace—but at the cost of Whitebeard's life and more than half their forces. Even though Marco had stabilized the remnants and rebuilt them into the Phoenix Pirates, the scars of Marineford never faded.
If another Marineford happened…
The Phoenix Pirates would shatter completely.
Blackbeard wanted to bleed them dry—using the Marines' hands.
He had already done his homework. The Phoenix Pirates had inherited Whitebeard's rules in full.
As long as they still valued their comrades…
This was an open conspiracy they could never escape.
"What…?"
Kid stared at Blackbeard in disbelief, his voice barely steady.
Blackbeard's lips slowly twisted into a cruel smile.
"What's wrong? Afraid?" he mocked. "Or do you think you can't pull it off? If you fail… then every one of your companions dies."
He had chosen Whitey Bay for a reason. She was among the earliest members of the Whitebeard Pirates, and her bond with Marco and the other division captains ran deep. She was the perfect bait.
"You're trying to start another Marineford War, aren't you?" Kid snapped, his eyes widening in realization.
He wasn't stupid. Months ago, Blackbeard had captured Fire Fist Ace and handed him over to the Marines, igniting the world-shaking battle at Marineford. Now, he was trying to recreate that catastrophe—using him.
But none of that mattered.
Right now, Kid cared about only one thing.
Suppressing the rage in his chest, he locked eyes with Blackbeard.
"If I capture the Ice Witch… will you release my crew?"
"That's right," Blackbeard answered without hesitation, his grin widening. "Bring Whitey Bay to the Marines, and I guarantee your crew's freedom."
Kid's face drained of color.
He had no way out.
After a long silence, he forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"…Fine. I agree."
"Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard burst into laughter. "How delightful!"
The shadows binding Kid instantly dissipated, and his Devil Fruit power rushed back into his body.
Kid didn't relax for a second.
"When do you release my crew?" he demanded.
"Zehahaha, easy now. I'm a man of my word," Blackbeard replied, his voice suddenly turning cold. "The moment Whitey Bay is handed over to the Marines, your crew walks free."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting.
"Besides, you don't have a choice. If you want them alive, you'll do exactly as I say."
At that moment, Killer struggled upright and shouted hoarsely,
"Kid, don't listen to him! He's lying! This is Blackbeard—we're talking about a man who murdered comrades he sailed with for over twenty years! He'll never keep his word! Run—run, even if only one of you survives!"
Shiryu smirked and glanced sideways at Blackbeard.
"Your reputation isn't exactly stellar, Teach."
"Zehahahaha! That is a bit awkward," Blackbeard admitted with a laugh. Then his gaze hardened as he spread his arms wide.
"But tell me—do you have any options left?"
"All of you are already in my hands. Will you obey… or gamble your lives on the slim chance you can defeat me?"
"Bastard…"
Kid's fury boiled over—but he didn't move.
The brief exchange had made one thing painfully clear: he was no match for Blackbeard. Not now. Not while his crew remained hostages.
Grinding his teeth, Kid growled, "You'd better keep your word. If you don't… I will kill you."
Blackbeard grinned, satisfied.
"Zehahaha, relax. I don't hold any grudge against you. Finish the job, and your crew are free."
Shiryu cut in impatiently,
"Enough talk. If you want them alive, get moving. Our patience isn't infinite."
"I'll give you one month," he continued coldly. "The moment we hear that Whitey Bay has been handed over to the Marines, we release your crew."
"One month…?" Kid frowned. He didn't even know Whitey Bay's current whereabouts. Was that really enough time?
Shiryu sneered.
"You took down the Wolfba Pirates, didn't you? Whitey Bay shouldn't be that hard. Fail… and you'll be collecting corpses."
Kid's nails dug into his palms.
"And if I can't find her? She won't just sit still and wait."
Blackbeard laughed again, pretending to be generous.
"Zehahaha! Fine, I'll loosen the terms a little. It doesn't have to be Whitey Bay. Any former subordinate captain of Whitebeard will do."
He raised a finger.
"But if it's not her… you'll need at least three captains."
Kid closed his eyes for a moment, then looked back at Killer and the others.
"Wait for me," he said firmly. "I will save you. I swear it."
With one last venomous glare at Blackbeard, Kid snorted and turned away.
He knew this was a trap.
But knowing didn't matter.
His crew was in Blackbeard's hands—and that made resistance meaningless.
As Kid's figure disappeared into the distance, Blackbeard's grin slowly widened.
Shiryu scoffed quietly,
"What a foolish man."
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