"Zehahahaha... It's been a long time... Pops!"
A sudden, jarring voice sliced through the chaos. Every soul on the battlefield, Marine and pirate alike, instinctively turned toward the source. As if by unspoken agreement, the fighting ground to a halt; the war entered a surreal, temporary state of ceasefire.
"Teach..." Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying a weight of unspoken history.
The newcomer was Marshall D. Teach, codename: Blackbeard. He stood at the head of the Blackbeard Pirates, backed by the likes of Jesus Burgess and the rest of his crew of legendary criminals.
"Yo... Ace is here too. You've got a hell of a lot of luck, don't you!" Blackbeard raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "To think you actually escaped. The Marines really are as incompetent as they come."
The Marines fumed at the insult, but Blackbeard wasn't finished. "Marines, I formally announce that I am resigning from my title as a Warlord of the Sea."
His lips curled into a wide, dark grin. He threw his hands out, shouting, "From today on, we're enemies again! Zehahahaha!"
Sengoku's face was like thunder.
"Teach..." Ace moved to Whitebeard's side. He could sense his father's body was reaching its absolute limit, and a surge of anxiety gripped him. He didn't know what Drake's plan was, or if the "instant healing" he promised was even possible, but he trusted his brother. He had to protect Pops until Drake could act.
"Teach, what are you doing here!?" Ace demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
"Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard laughed wildly before settling his gaze on Ace. "Ace... where is that little brother of yours, Straw Hat?"
"He risked his life to break into the world's greatest prison for you. Surely he's the reason you're standing here now."
At the mention of Luffy, a sharp glint flashed in Ace's eyes. "My brother is safe and sound. Now tell me—why are you here!?"
WHOOSH! A streak of fire lunged toward Blackbeard.
"How rude!" Blackbeard seemed to have expected the move; he remained unphased as the flames failed to land.
Ace erupted in a flurry of fire, charging directly at Teach. But a figure blurred from behind Blackbeard, blocking Ace's path. The onlookers gasped as the newcomer revealed himself.
"Shiryu of the Rain!"
Below the platform, Sengoku's expression darkened further.
"Who are you!?" Ace growled. The man before him was powerful—a true threat.
"Hmph..." Shiryu smirked, a cigar clenched between his teeth. "You're attacking my Captain. I can't let that happen, can I?"
SHING!
Shiryu drew his blade with blinding speed. The steel hummed with a potent Haki, forcing Ace to skid back. He couldn't take a direct hit from a sword of that caliber. With Shiryu holding him at bay, Ace was unable to reach Whitebeard.
"Teach..." Whitebeard spoke, his voice gravelly. "You are the only one I refuse to call my son!"
He heaved his massive blade, Murakumogiri, preparing to cut the traitor down.
"Pops, you're old," Blackbeard replied, showing no fear despite facing the man he once called father. In his prime, Whitebeard was the undisputed ceiling of the pirate world, second only to Roger. No one could stand against him.
"Wihahahaha!" Burgess laughed manically. The Blackbeard Pirates didn't flinch. These were not men to be taken lightly.
VROOM! Whitebeard's eyes narrowed as vibration energy gathered in his palm. "Since you've come, I'll ensure you never leave!"
He threw a shockwave punch. Blackbeard didn't retreat; he lunged forward to meet it, extending his hand to catch Whitebeard's fist.
The world went quiet. Whitebeard's eyes widened. His ability... it wouldn't activate.
"Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard mocked him, relishing the look of confusion on the Emperor's face. "Look at you, Pops. Ace made that same face when he realized his power was gone. Take a look at this!"
Swirling black smoke erupted from Teach's hands, radiating an ominous, gravitational pull. The Yami Yami no Mi—the most "evil" of the Logia fruits—allowed the user to nullify the powers of others upon physical contact.
"This is the power of the fruit I took from Thatch! Zehahahaha!"
Whitebeard didn't let him finish. He swung his left fist, wreathed in tremors, but Blackbeard caught it with ease. Again, the vibration failed to trigger.
THUD! THUD! THUD! Whitebeard threw punch after punch, but every single one was neutralized.
"It's pathetic, Pops," Blackbeard sneered. "You're just too old."
Whitebeard's gaze sharpened. He spun Murakumogiri, his hands blurring as he unleashed a heavy downward slash.
SLISH! This time, Whitebeard used pure physical strength and Armament Haki. The blade tore through Blackbeard's shoulder, bypassing his fruit's defense.
"ARGH! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!!" Blackbeard's smirk vanished instantly as he collapsed to the ground, howling in agony.
Whitebeard spun his blade and slammed the butt into the ice. He reached down, seizing Blackbeard by the throat with a massive hand. Tremor energy condensed in his palm.
"P-Pops! Pops! I'm your son... you can't kill me..." Sensing his impending death, Blackbeard's bravado crumbled into cowardice.
Click-clack! Seeing their Captain pinned and helpless, the Blackbeard Pirates raised their weapons. "Let him go!"
Whitebeard stared down at the man beneath his hand, his expression unreadable. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.
KABOOM!!
Whitebeard didn't hold back. A massive shockwave erupted from his right hand. The ice beneath them shattered into a crater. Blackbeard's eyes rolled back as he coughed up a fountain of blood.
"FIRE!"
Seeing Whitebeard go for the kill, the Blackbeard Pirates unleashed everything. Guns roared, and cannons thundered.
Bang! Bang! Bang!Boom! Boom! Boom!
A rain of bullets and shells tore into Whitebeard's weary body. His strength finally began to fail, and his grip on Blackbeard's throat loosened.
"POPS!!!" Ace screamed, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He tried to break past Shiryu, but the swordsman blocked him at every turn. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!!"
Ace's scream echoed across the entire battlefield. Sabo, Drake, and Luffy all froze in horror.
They saw Whitebeard standing like a lone mountain, his body riddled with fresh wounds and soaked in blood.
"Ah..." Sabo and Luffy's pupils shrank. They were speechless.
Drake's heart was pounding. He had given Whitebeard the Senzu Bean, but he didn't know if the old man had used it, or if it would even be enough given the sheer volume of damage he had sustained.
Had Whitebeard already reached the point of no return?
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