If in another timeline, someone strong like Marco picked up the Dark-Dark Fruit, would Blackbeard still dare to kill for the treasure?
Of course not.
He would continue to play dumb like he is now, using tears and acting to deceive and obtain the fruit, totally not daring to tear down the charade.
Because Marco is strong enough, strong enough that Blackbeard wouldn't dare to gamble on whether he could win the fight before alerting others, or even whether he could defeat Marco before eating the fruit.
But Saki... was too weak.
Weak to the point where, in Blackbeard's eyes, there was no difference from an ant, so he didn't even bother to act, choosing the simplest method.
— directly kill and steal, then make a getaway.
...
At this moment.
Teach's pretense was almost done, he wiped his tears with his sleeve, and with trembling hands, brought the purple fruit to his mouth.
Finally... finally, it was in his hands!
Dark-Dark Fruit!
The fruit that can swallow everything like a black hole, the fruit that can strip others of their abilities, the fruit that can fulfill his ambitious empire!
I've waited over twenty years, over twenty years, and finally waited for this moment!
Crunch!
With one bite.
Instantly, his expression froze, his face turned a little green.
Just as expected...
Marco seemed to have anticipated this, resting his chin on his hand, smiling as he watched this scene.
But unexpectedly, Teach's chewing slowed just for a moment, then he continued to eat in big bites, with a face full of enjoyment.
"Eh?"
Namur was surprised, "Why does Teach look so happy eating? Isn't it said that Devil Fruits taste terrible?"
"Yeah, weird."
Marco scratched his head in confusion, "When I ate the fruit, it was like eating rotten stinking meat that had been left for days, it wouldn't be an understatement to say it tasted like crap, it was disgusting enough for sure."
"Is that so?"
Teach grinned with his missing-toothed mouth, laughing heartily, "Zehahaha, is that really the case? I didn't notice it!"
He suddenly rubbed his hands together, then continued eating, faster and faster.
Within a few bites, he gobbled the entire Devil Fruit, not even sparing the stem and leaves, licking the residue from the corners of his mouth with his tongue, fearing any bit might be missed.
Delicious!
Delicious, delicious!!!
Is there anything more tasty than this in the world?
Teach rubbed his feet again.
It's coming, that wonderful sensation, as if everything in the world was becoming clearer and slower in his eyes...
"Hey, Teach."
Marco's urging voice rang out, "Hurry up and try the ability, let us see what fruit it is after all!"
"Okay, Captain!"
Teach grinned, spread his arms, and a faint hint of menace flashed in his eyes, "Then let everyone see it, Zehahaha!"
Although he had obtained the ability he dreamed of.
To defeat these guys head on at the same time would still be difficult, and he didn't plan to take such a risk.
However, if he was now asked to demonstrate voluntarily, that was another matter, maybe there was a chance...
Suddenly the ability was activated!
Buzz buzz!
Behind Teach, a pair of huge transparent wings unfolded rapidly, vibrating at a speed hard to capture with the naked eye, emitting an annoying buzzing sound.
Everyone was taken aback.
"Bee, bee?"
Marco murmured confusedly, "Not quite, it seems like..."
Before he could finish.
Teach's body began to shrink drastically, tiny hairs sprouting all over his body surface, his back emitting a bluish-green oily sheen.
His head ballooned into a spherical shape, red compound eyes proliferating densely, occupying most of his face, and his mouth turning into a split pair of mandibles...
In just two or three seconds.
Teach completely transformed into an animal form, becoming a giant metallic green fly about the size of a football.
"Zehaha...?!?!"
Teach's laughter abruptly halted.
First, he rigidly touched his mandibles, then incredulously raised his furry forelimbs, waving them in front of his eyes.
Then looked at the reflection on the ground.
He finally realized what he had become.
...
In the spacious banquet hall, a moment of silence prevailed.
Shano, the White Team members, Neptune, and even the guards at the Dragon Palace entrance, all had the same expression, staring in shock at the ridiculous and ugly big fly.
Then...
Not sure who couldn't hold it in, a stifled laugh escaped, and immediately everyone else lost their composure too, erupting into a burst of uproarious laughter.
"Puhahaha!!!"
Namur pounded the table hard, laughing so hard he couldn't open his eyes, "A fly! Turns out it's a fly! What's going on, Teach, the fruit resonating with you is the Fly-Fly Fruit! Is there really such a fruit in this world!"
"Teach, you idiot!"
Marco was already laughing so hard he was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach and tumbling back and forth.
"I told you, it's better to ask Pops before eating, you were so impatient!"
Even the Dragon Palace guards whispered to each other while laughing:
"So disgusting, such a big fly..."
"Say, after turning into a fly, would he like to eat poop?"
"Shh! Be polite, don't talk about Whitebeard's subordinate like that... Puhahahahahaha!!"
...
At the top end of the banquet table.
Shano too was laughing uncontrollably, not caring about his image at all.
There was no helping it, with this scene, this image, those who didn't laugh out loud could basically be diagnosed with depression.
Chubby and big, a fly-beard about the size of Chopper, whichever way you look, it's hilarious.