Nojiko sighed, punching Luffy hard: "Idiot, what if it's someone we can't beat?"
Another bump appeared on Luffy's head, and he rolled on the ground: "It hurts so much! Why do you hit me as hard as Grandpa Garp?"
Robin comforted Nojiko: "Don't worry, so many pirates leave Sabaody Archipelago every year, there won't be any problems."
"Exactly, if anyone blocks our way, we'll just send them flying!" Luffy's voice rang out from the deck.
"Don't worry, and didn't that pointy-headed uncle from Thriller Bark say that we have Armament Haki? We'll definitely be fine in the first half of the New World."
Hearing Luffy's words, Nojiko sighed: "Have you forgotten Admiral Aokiji, who uses ice? He froze us in an instant."
Zoro said: "It shouldn't be that outrageous, Admirals are always busy, aren't they?"
Sanji was still somewhat unconvinced: "Exactly, let the Marines come! I'll show them why my bounty is lower than that stinky swordsman's."
Zoro yelled at Sanji: "What did you say, you cook?"
Seeing the two about to quarrel again, Nojiko punched each of them, leaving a bump on both their heads: "Stop arguing, you two really are something."
Robin looked at them and chuckled.
On another island, unlike the Straw Hat Pirate Crew's cheerful atmosphere, the renegade Blackbeard Pirates encountered Ace, who had been pursuing them.
Ace jumped down from his small boat, drawing his sword 'Ace' with his right hand. His Conqueror's Haki pressured Blackbeard's crew.
More than half of Blackbeard's crew were overwhelmed by the Haoshoku and fainted. Only Laffitte, Doc Q, Jesus Burgess, and Van Auger barely managed to remain standing.
Ace scoffed at Blackbeard: "What's wrong? After leaving pops's ship, you found these trashy fish as companions?"
Blackbeard wasn't angered by Ace's taunt; instead, he invited Ace: "How about joining me? I'll make you Vice-Captain."
Ace sneered, flames igniting on his blade 'Ace': "Betrayal is an unforgivable crime in the Whitebeard Pirates. I will not forgive you."
Blackbeard laughed, his expression devoid of any remorse, saying:
"Thatch's death was just an accident. If it weren't for that devil fruit, I would have wanted to keep playing pirates with pops."
His other hand was hidden behind his back, black energy gathering within it.
Ace angrily said: "Pops's Pirate Crew is not some game! If you had just asked Thatch, he would have given it to you. Is years of camaraderie not worth more than a devil fruit?"
Blackbeard shook his head: "You don't understand the power of this Devil Fruit, that's why you don't understand my actions. My plan cannot have any mishaps."
'Dark Water,' Blackbeard's fully charged move, was released while Ace was agitated, attempting to pull Ace towards him.
Ace's face changed drastically; he hadn't anticipated this attack.
Blackbeard looked at the flustered Ace and laughed heartily: "This is the price of being careless when facing an enemy, Ace. Let me make you a stepping stone for my plan."
Ace, pulled close by 'Dark Water,' calmed down: "As expected, you're as despicable as my sister Hera said."
Red Conqueror's Haki burst forth from Ace's 'Ace' at this moment: "If I don't get close to you, how can I cut you? 'Gods Punishment'!"
Red and black Haoshoku converged on 'Ace.' The Pirate King's personal sword seemed to sense a similar aura, allowing Ace's Haoshoku to merge more smoothly.
Blackbeard then realized he had been tricked by Ace. In a hurry, he tried to use 'Liberation,' releasing things previously swallowed by the Dark-Dark Fruit to push Ace away.
But Ace's 'Gods Punishment,' enhanced by his sword, was as fast as lightning. However, his use of Haoshoku allowed Van Auger, who hadn't fainted yet, to break free from the control.
Van Auger immediately flashed beside Blackbeard, attempting to rescue him, but when he directly faced Ace's Haoshoku, he found his devil fruit ability was suppressed and unusable.
After realizing he couldn't move, Van Auger immediately used his Armament Haki to resist. He pulled Blackbeard next to him, which saved Blackbeard's life.
As Ace's 'Gods Punishment' cut through, one of Blackbeard's arms flew into the air and exploded.
Blackbeard quickly used the Dark-Dark Fruit to move towards his wound, darkness blocking the wound and preventing blood from flowing out.
After using Gods Punishment, Ace felt a bit tired, but he didn't show it, his sword 'Ace' still pointed at Blackbeard.
The double pain made Blackbeard groan uncontrollably, writhing on the ground.
Ace looked at Blackbeard's exploded arm and said: "Next time, it'll be your head that explodes."
Blackbeard stopped groaning, his cold eyes fixed on Ace: "You actually dared to cut off my arm."
Ace transformed into a ball of flame, incinerating the trash that rushed out of 'Liberation,' and said: "Even if you get a legendary devil fruit, trash is still trash."
Blackbeard laughed, the Dark Water created by the Dark-Dark Fruit flowing around him, suppressing Ace's flames.
"You ignorant brat, what I shoulder is far more than your ridiculous game of make-believe. Let me show you the gap in our resolve."
Ace, having learned from Hera earlier that the Dark-Dark Fruit counters all devil fruit abilities, stopped using his Mera Mera no Mi. Black Armament Haki spread from his wrist onto 'Ace.'
He stomped his foot, using a movement technique similar to'Soru' from the Six Powers, and in the next second, he slashed at Blackbeard.
Blackbeard blocked with his Armament Haki-reinforced arm, while black light appeared on his other hand. 'Dark Water' condensed in his hand, and a powerful suction broke Ace's balance.
'Dark Hole.' A black shadow appeared on the ground, pulling at Ace, trying to drag him beneath the surface.
Ace quickly reinforced his feet with Armament Haki, shattering the darkness and escaping.
Ace felt Blackbeard was troublesome. Releasing his Mera Mera no Mi from a distance would be blocked by Blackbeard, and close up, he would be interfered with by the Dark-Dark Fruit. Moreover, in these two exchanges, Ace found that Blackbeard's physical combat skills were not bad.
The situation fell into a stalemate for a time.
In a place Ace hadn't noticed, Blackbeard's other four officers blocked his retreat.
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