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Blackbeard spoke with utmost confidence.
"Pops! I used to revere you, too! But how much strength do you really have left now?"
"Why don't you hand that power over to me!"
Most people didn't grasp the meaning of Teach's final sentence. Whitebeard, however, didn't bother to contemplate it and charged straight at Blackbeard. Terrifying shockwaves condensed around his left fist, making the air hum.
"It's useless! Absolutely useless!"
Blackbeard's right hand surged with a mass of darkness, which, to the horror of all onlookers, he thrust out directly to meet Whitebeard's fist!
In that instant, everyone thought Blackbeard had gone insane. That was the attack of the World's Strongest Man!
The Quake-Quake Fruit (Gura Gura no Mi) was even hailed as the strongest Devil Fruit! Even Sengoku wouldn't dare take Whitebeard's attack head-on. How did Blackbeard dare?
Yet, Blackbeard roared with absolute confidence, "Dark Water (Yami Mizu)!"
A mass of darkness spewed forth, completely enveloping the shockwave on Whitebeard's fist. To everyone's astonishment, the power capable of destroying the world gradually shrunk within the darkness, eventually dissolving into nothingness!
"Zehahaha! Surprised, aren't you! That is the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit! It can nullify the powers of all Devil Fruits and absorb them!"
Blackbeard looked smugly at Whitebeard's astonished expression, clearly relishing the moment. Simultaneously, he coated his left fist with Dark Water and smashed it into Whitebeard's chest!
"Cough!"
Whitebeard staggered back a step. Blackbeard was incredibly malicious; that punch landed precisely on the wound in his chest!
"TEACH!"
Whitebeard's eyes were wide with rage. Both of his fists now condensed shockwaves as he aggressively assaulted Teach.
"Zehahaha! It's no use, Pops! Your display of powerlessness is deeply disappointing!"
Blackbeard laughed maniacally, intoxicated by his petty victory. His hands continuously intercepted Whitebeard's shockwaves with Dark Water. Without exception, all the quakes were devoured by the darkness.
Sengoku was content to watch the pirates destroy each other and thus did not intervene. After all, the current Blackbeard Pirates had gathered a legendary group of notorious sea criminals, and engaging them carried too much risk.
They were not a primary strategic objective; the priority was securing Whitebeard's death. The escapees could be hunted down slowly later.
But now, seeing Blackbeard's performance, Sengoku's expression, which had been one of detached observation, turned grave.
"That truly is a terrifying ability!"
Sengoku's thoughts ran deeper than others. If it could nullify and absorb Whitebeard's quakes, then his own Mythical Zoan: Giant Buddha form and the Logia Fruits of the Three Admirals likely wouldn't escape its effect either!
Blackbeard had indeed obtained a powerful Devil Fruit that could nullify all Fruit Users!
"No! A Devil Fruit this potent must have a weakness! Whitebeard, with your strength, you should be able to find this fruit's flaw, shouldn't you?" Sengoku thought to himself, his gaze locked tightly onto the battle.
Blackbeard, that ambitious villain, was bound to become a great enemy of the Marines in the future. If possible, it would be best to end his life here. Of course, if the two could somehow take each other out, that would be even better.
Blackbeard, seeing that he could so easily block the legendary Quake-Quake Fruit, couldn't stop roaring with laughter, feeling that victory was already in his grasp!
However, he failed to notice Whitebeard's right hand catching the tossed-up Murakumogiri. In the instant Blackbeard was caught up in his arrogance, Whitebeard swung the blade and cleaved it across Blackbeard's chest!
"AH! That hurts! Hurts so bad..."
Blackbeard instantly writhed on the ground in agony.
Sengoku's eyes immediately lit up. He thought to himself, "He can't use elemental transformation (Logia)! And his tolerance for pain seems far lower than a normal person! That means a pure Haki master is his perfect counter!"
"So that's it! That's the weakness of the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
It was a testament to Sengoku's title as "The Strategist" that he instantly identified Blackbeard's fatal flaw.
"Teach, arrogance, and recklessness are your greatest flaws!"
Whitebeard, fueled by pure rage, smashed a punch into Blackbeard.
Blackbeard's soul flew out of his body in fear, and he hastily cried out, "Pops! Spare me! I'm your..."
BOOM!
Whitebeard paid no mind to his pleas, his punch slamming Blackbeard directly into the ground. Whitebeard, his stamina almost completely depleted, staggered back two steps, breathing heavily.
Unexpectedly, Blackbeard struggled a couple of times and crawled out of the crater!
"Zehahaha! I thought I was dead for sure! Pops, it looks like you've reached your limit, too!"
Blackbeard's forehead was bleeding, and he looked battered, but he was still active.
A faint look of sorrow crossed Whitebeard's eyes.
"Teach! The one who inherits Roger's dream will never be you!"
"Zehahaha! Who cares about that!"
Blackbeard truly didn't care. As long as he could realize his ambition, he would do anything!
Whitebeard murmured, "Man's dreams are unending! Sengoku, do you, Marines truly believe that killing Roger could stop people's pursuit? Stop dreaming!"
"What you fear the most will surely come one day! That day is inevitable!"
Whitebeard planted his Bisento on the ground, stood tall, and roared toward the sky, "ONE PIECE! IT IS REAL!"
"That damned Whitebeard!"
Sengoku was horrified. With a single misstep, he had been played by Whitebeard again!
The existence of the ONE PIECE had always been Roger's personal claim; no one knew for certain if it was real. But with Whitebeard's confirmation, Sengoku could already imagine the storm that would erupt across the seas!
He was unaware that Whitebeard's roar had already been transmitted across the entire world via Buggy's live broadcast Den Den Mushi.
The Great Pirate Era, which had begun with Roger, had finally reached its peak in Whitebeard's time!
Sengoku, about to rail against Whitebeard, closed his mouth.
Because, at that moment, the life force emanating from Whitebeard's body had completely vanished.
A soft breeze blew.
It lifted Whitebeard's coat.
Edward Newgate, at the age of seventy-two.
He fought over a hundred battles in his lifetime.
His front was covered in countless scars.
His back was flawless.
He died standing, having fought three Admiral/Emperor-level powerhouses at Marineford, refusing to retreat.
He passed away like a king, standing firm on his own two feet.
Blackbeard stared at the corpse, momentarily too afraid to approach.
Another legend of the sea was gone.
Auguro silently watched Whitebeard's body. Though he disliked pirates, he couldn't deny Whitebeard's unique charisma. Few people could interact with him and not be touched by his presence.
"Zeh, zehahaha! He's finally dead!"
Blackbeard stared at the spot for a long time, and once he was absolutely certain Whitebeard was dead, he let out a laugh of complete satisfaction. He then beckoned, and the group behind him immediately produced a large black cloth and covered Whitebeard with it.
"What is that man trying to do?" A feeling of dread and unease began to creep into Sengoku's heart.
Auguro, however, was staring intently at the scene, his eyes gleaming.
Finally, the most crucial moment has arrived!