BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
On Cake Island, the largest and most open battlefield was without a doubt the one where Luffy, Roman, and Teach were clashing.
In this world, true powerhouses could punch hard enough to tear the sky apart, swing their swords to split the ocean, and possess bodies as tough as steel. When combined, they became forces of destruction capable of single-handedly taking on armies—true warriors who could fight thousands alone.
And because Haki was an extension of one's spirit, miracles like near-death power-ups and fighting beyond one's limits were very real.
Now, two towering figures—one dark, one light—were locked in a fierce battle at the center of the battlefield! Ordinary people couldn't even see what was happening; even bounty hunters with rewards in the tens of millions could only make out a massive energy storm, swirling like a giant Yin-Yang symbol.
And within that Yin-Yang clash—
"Monkey King Gun!"
"Quake Punch!"
In his Gear Fourth form, Luffy, clad in white armor, launched a Haki-infused punch crackling with dark lightning. On the other side, Blackbeard's massive fists gleamed with the white glow of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power.
As their attacks clashed, their relentless battle tore across the battlefield, shaking all of Cake Island. If this weren't the largest island in Whole Cake, it would have already been swallowed by the aftershocks of their fight.
"Zehahaha~~ This is just a power-up mode, right?"
"Let's see how much longer you can last!!"
After lurking under Whitebeard's command for decades, Blackbeard Teach had more than enough battle experience. The explosive power boost from Luffy's Gear Fourth made Teach quickly realize that this was a high-cost or side-effect-heavy burst technique. As long as he dragged things out—
No! Even in a direct fight, he wasn't afraid of anyone. Because: "We are the strongest!!"
"No, the Straw Hat Crew is the strongest!"
...Now wasn't the time to argue over something like that. After all, this battle was basically the final showdown to decide the Pirate King! Roman, in the form of a white dove circling above, sighed. The plan had hit a few bumps, but in the end, they managed to break free. However… that Dark-Dark Fruit was way too broken!
Throughout the fight, Roman tested every ability he had, but whether it was a Logia, Paramecia, special creations, or supernatural powers, the moment they touched the black mist of the Dark-Dark Fruit, they were instantly nullified! Even the supposedly invincible barrier ability couldn't resist its suppression…
It was basically a cheat code among Devil Fruits!
If Roman wasn't skilled in Armament Haki and able to form an invisible defense around himself, he probably would've already been stripped down from his armored form. Even so, the energy drain from maintaining it was—
"Roman… I'm reaching my limit."
Luffy's Gear Fourth burned through Haki even faster! Because they had always been fighting above their level, both Luffy and Roman had developed techniques that pushed them to the edge. Roman's big moves drained him after just one use, and Luffy's Gear Fourth deflated after a short time…
"Don't panic. The turning point is coming soon."
In past battles against tough bosses, Roman had to rest after using his strongest attacks, and Luffy relied on the crew to buy him time to recover. But this time—
"Captain! Teach, Captain!!"
After another fierce clash, one of Blackbeard's officers finally found an opening to shout.
"What is it?"
Teach, clearly annoyed, turned to face him. The officer immediately spoke in a rushed tone,
"It's the Marines! Elite Marine forces are attacking us from all directions! They're being led by Rear Admiral 'Pink Rabbit' and 'Brown Pig'! Our men can't hold out much longer!"
?! "The Marines? At a time like this—?!"
Teach snapped his head toward Luffy, who was busy catching his breath… No, no, there was no way that guy could come up with something this complicated. That meant—
"It was you, wasn't it? The White Knight!"
Teach's eyes locked onto Luffy's armor… or more specifically, the white dove perched on its shoulder.
"You actually teamed up with the Marines?!"
"Hey, don't make it sound so bad."
The dove tilted its head, looking unimpressed.
"We call it an alliance!"
…Luffy, you're way too straightforward. This kind of thing… ah, whatever. Since we already did it, there's no point in denying it.
"Ahem. Anyway, Teach, if you don't figure something out fast, your Blackbeard fleet is going to be wiped out. As for tactics—"
The white dove scoffed. "Oh, so it's fine when *you* 'use' the Marines, but we can't borrow their strength? Life doesn't work that way."
And now you're talking about 'colluding' with the Marines…? Weren't you a Warlord of the Sea before? Do you really have the right to complain?
If it weren't for you, would there even have been an Impel Down breakout or the Summit War?
…
"—Phew, zehahaha!!"
After a long breath, Teach, who had been fuming with rage just moments ago, suddenly returned to his usual… composure? Or maybe bloodthirsty confidence?
"You're right. Pirates are supposed to be 'free.' The method doesn't matter, as long as you win!"
"You! Tell the outer fleet to hold off the Marines. Reinforcements are on the way!"
After sending off the officer, a cruel and greedy fire burned in Teach's chest.
As he took a deep breath, his chest swelled, and then—his heated, darkened breath burst out like a black dragon spitting cursed flames. The air around him twisted and rippled, and his killing intent and Haki surged.
"Luffy, he's about to go all out!"
"Oh!"
As Luffy and Roman braced themselves, Teach slowly lifted his head. He looked at them—Luffy, standing tall without a hint of fear, and Roman, ready for battle—and a twisted grin spread across his face.
How nice. The grandson of a Marine hero… Power, mentors, a powerful Devil Fruit, loyal friends—everything came so easily to him.
Unlike him and his siblings, who had been turned into monsters…
"Let me show you—"
Teach's massive body lunged forward. The shockwave sphere in his hand blasted out with unstoppable force, tearing through the air, shaking the heavens, and making the earth tremble!
"The cruelty of this world!!"
Boom!!
As Blackbeard Teach unleashed his full power, aiming for a quick victory, Luffy and Roman instantly felt overwhelming pressure. This also made the battles around them even more intense:
"Franky Multi-Laser Cannon!"
Golden laser beams crisscrossed through the air, exploding with deafening blasts into massive hemispheres. Each shot wiped out chunks of Blackbeard's elite crew. Even those pirates with Haki worth over a hundred million berries would be half-dead if they took a direct hit from Franky's cannons.
For a battlefield packed with people, few fighters were better suited than a modified human like Franky. The true horror of war machines was on full display. After all, he didn't have to worry about "Haki consumption"—as long as his General Franky was loaded with enough cola for energy, he could fire away without restraint.
"Damn it! That 'Pacifista' is way too strong! Who's gonna take him down?!"
Just standing around getting blasted wasn't an option. "Corrupt King" Avalo Pizarro brushed off the debris on his shoulders and charged at Franky!
As Franky turned and fired another laser, Pizarro's massive body flipped nimbly in midair, dodging the attack with ease. His fists, clad in armored gauntlets and covered with Armament Haki, came crashing down on General Franky!
Meanwhile, "Crescent Moon Hunter" Catarina Devon had her sights set on Robin. The two of them weaved through the battlefield at high speed, almost like they were dancing—except this was a deadly dance.
"This is bad, Luffy and Roman—?!"
"Shield!"
With a simple wave of Nami's hand, one of the floating sheets of paper shot forward, instantly unfolding into a massive tower shield! The emblem on it depicted two crossed forearms with interlocked index and middle fingers—Roman's "Barrier Shield."
A split second later, an incredibly fast and scorching bullet slammed into the shield with immense force!
Its speed and accuracy were almost inhuman, and it was even coated in Armament Haki. But since it wasn't imbued with Conqueror's Haki, it—
Clang!
With a crisp metallic sound, the bullet was deflected, spinning off to the side. A few seconds later, hundreds of meters away from the battlefield, a partially collapsed building suddenly swelled outward before erupting in a violent explosion! Superheated shards of stone, nearly turned to lava from the impact, sprayed in all directions. A ten-meter-wide hole had been blown into the building, as if a giant beast had taken a bite out of it—something that even made Nami raise an eyebrow.
A single shot packed the power of a cannon.
Among the Blackbeard Pirates—
"The bullet got blocked. That's just fate~~"
Nami could fly, and by simply floating into the sky, she left most of the Blackbeard Pirates helplessly staring. Even master swordsmen who could unleash flying slashes didn't have the energy to waste on a nimble airborne target. So, the crew's sharpshooter, "Silent Step" Van Augur, made his move.
Of course—
"Special Attack: Green Star Skull Boom Grass!"
…?
Boom!!
A fast-flying plant seed landed right where Van Augur stood and exploded, sending up a giant skull-shaped smoke cloud!
But Usopp, the one who fired it, suddenly turned pale and dodged to the side—at the same time, a streak of blood appeared on his arm.
"How foolish… A sniper using such a flashy attack?"
Van Augur calmly emerged from the billowing skull-shaped smoke, raising his beloved rifle, "Kiss of Death," and aimed straight at Usopp.
"Fine. I'll just take care of you first."
(End of Chapter)
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