Blackbeard's eyes locked onto Ezra D. Vale.
"Admiral… I accept your condition."
The moment he finished speaking, Blackbeard vanished and reappeared in front of Sanjuan Wolf.
His right hand clamped down like iron pincers around the giant's body, darkness erupting violently from his palm.
In an instant, Sanjuan Wolf was completely swallowed.
"Captain!! What are you doing?!"
Not far away, Doc Q and the others' faces changed dramatically.
None of them had expected Blackbeard to be this ruthless.
In the distance, Ezra's eyes flickered with interest.
"This guy is more intriguing than I thought."
Meanwhile, Blackbeard continued devouring his own crew one by one.
"Dark Vortex!"
After recovering some of his strength, a massive sphere of darkness spread outward, covering everything around him.
When the darkness withdrew, the entire harbor was empty.
Every last pirate had been "dealt with."
Blackbeard panted heavily as he looked toward Ezra.
"Ad… Admiral… do I qualify now?"
Ezra stared at him with clear amusement.
"Do you really think you can fool me?"
Blackbeard's body trembled.
Cold sweat slid down from his forehead.
"Zehahaha… Admiral, what are you talking about? I don't understand at all."
Ezra chuckled softly.
"The absorption ability of the Dark Fruit can't store living things for long. But if someone has a strong enough body, they can survive for about a day inside it. Isn't that right?"
Blackbeard froze in shock.
"How do you know something like that…?!"
Before he could finish, he hurriedly covered his mouth.
Too late.
He had already exposed himself.
Ezra's smile deepened.
"And you were saying you weren't lying?"
As he spoke, Ezra raised his right hand.
Blackbeard's face instantly turned pale.
Before he could react, a surge of spiritual pressure poured directly into his body.
Agony exploded through him.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"
It felt as though countless ants were devouring his heart, unbearable pain tearing through every nerve.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
So this is the end…
The thought flashed by.
Then Blackbeard lost consciousness.
Beside them, Kuzan asked in confusion.
"Admiral, you're not going to kill him?"
Ezra shook his head.
"What's the fun in killing him? Doesn't he want to become one of the Four Emperors? Then let him try."
"Why?"
Kuzan still could not understand.
Ezra waved his hand casually.
"The Navy just eliminated Whitebeard. The balance of the New World is already broken. Even if pirates fear me for now, chaos is inevitable."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Instead of killing him, letting him compete for territory as an Emperor buys the Navy time to recover. It also restores balance to the New World."
Kuzan suddenly understood.
Ezra was already thinking from the perspective of a future Fleet Admiral.
After all, the Fleet Admiral could not personally hunt pirates forever.
"I understand, Admiral."
Ezra nodded slightly.
"He won't wake up for a while. Go help treat the wounded. We'll set sail soon."
Kuzan hesitated.
"We're not waiting for him to wake up?"
"No need. Let him believe I spared him."
Kuzan nodded and left.
There was one thing Ezra had not mentioned.
The spiritual pressure he injected into Blackbeard's body.
This time, he had deliberately concealed its effects, making it impossible for Blackbeard to notice.
It did not alter Blackbeard's physique.
In Ezra's eyes, it was simply a bomb.
Soon, everything was cleaned up.
Ezra boarded the warship.
Before leaving, he glanced once more at the unconscious Blackbeard below.
"Blackbeard… I hope you bring me some surprises."
With that, he ordered the fleet to depart, leaving Water Seven behind.
Time passed slowly.
Blackbeard's fingers twitched.
His eyes suddenly snapped open.
"I… I'm not dead?!"
He hurriedly checked his entire body.
Aside from the earlier burn from the explosion, there was not a single additional injury.
"Zehahahahaha!!! He couldn't kill me!!!"
A grin finally spread across his face.
Even that Admiral could not kill me.
I'm destined for greatness!
After celebrating for a while, he gradually calmed down and looked around.
"This is still Water Seven?!"
He became even more convinced that the Admiral had assumed he was dead.
After all, the man had not even bothered with his body.
But the priority now was releasing his crew.
"You guys better still be alive…"
Blackbeard muttered, waving his hand.
Endless darkness poured out.
One by one, figures tumbled onto the ground.
Thud. Thud.
"Ow… Captain… are we safe already?"
"Ugh… that darkness was seriously uncomfortable…"
Hearing their voices, Blackbeard finally relaxed.
No one had died.
"Zehahahahaha! If I wasn't so clever, you'd all be dead by now!"
He puffed up proudly.
"Relax. That Admiral is gone!"
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
"Captain… next time maybe we shouldn't provoke him…"
"Yeah… that guy is a monster."
"Way too strong."
Blackbeard nodded slightly.
He had already made up his mind.
Until he obtained the Tremor Fruit, if he ever encountered Ezra again, he would run as far as possible.
But for now…
Since he was still in Water Seven, he would continue with the plan and build his ship.
After Doc Q finished bandaging everyone, Blackbeard waved his hand grandly.
"Come on, boys! We still have to build our pirate ship! Zehahahahaha!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Meanwhile, aboard the super battleship Pluto, Ezra was watching Kuzan train.
"Faster."
"Hit harder."
"Why are you so slow?"
Kuzan showed no complaints at all, carefully adjusting his movements according to Ezra's instructions.
After training ended, Kuzan collapsed onto the deck, gasping for breath.
"Admiral… if I fought Sakazuki… who would win?"
Ezra raised an eyebrow.
"That depends. Are you fighting seriously or not?"
Kuzan scratched his head.
"What difference does that make?"
"Of course it matters. If you don't go all out, Sakazuki wins and you walk away unharmed."
"And if I do go all out?"
"Sakazuki still wins. You just end up half dead."
Kuzan stared at him.
"…Wow. Thanks. That's very encouraging."