"Damn it. Then we fight to the death. Don't underestimate justice!"
Gilman took a deep breath and turned to Nickt. Their eyes met, and without a word, they understood each other completely.
The power they gained by burning their lifespan and vitality could not be wasted here.
They both knew the truth. The gap between them and Marshall D. Teach was enormous. In just a single year, Teach had gone from an early Admiral-level threat to a true monster.
A monstrous physique. Top-tier Armament Haki. Top-tier Observation Haki. And the terrifying Dark-Dark Fruit.
Against an opponent like that, their chances of victory were almost nonexistent.
But that did not mean they would retreat.
"We have to rely on physical combat," Gilman said grimly. "It's the only way."
Everyone understood this weakness of the Dark-Dark Fruit. The user suffered double pain, and their Devil Fruit nullification meant that physical techniques were the only reliable counter.
The problem was that they had already tried this.
Teach's body was absurdly strong, and his physical techniques were terrifying. Even with the drawback of double pain, they still could not suppress him.
In the entire world, only a handful of people could surpass Teach in close combat. His techniques had already reached the highest level. Just his claw-based Eight Maidens was enough to make seasoned fighters shudder.
It was a dead end.
Yet it was also the only road left.
Neither of them had ever considered escape.
They clenched their fists. Steam rose from their bodies as their muscles tensed and swelled. They needed more power, power beyond their limits, power strong enough to challenge the monster before them.
Teach raised an eyebrow, interest flashing in his eyes.
So that's how they planned to do it.
Burning their lives in exchange for strength.
He was very familiar with this method. Earlier, these two Vice Admirals had already used it to heal their injuries. Life Return obeyed conservation. Converting lifespan into power followed the same principle.
Increase muscle density, gain strength, but lose something else. Speed, stamina, or longevity.
It was a common application of Life Return. Normally, it carried no cost. But once lifespan itself was consumed, there was no going back.
Teach's thoughts drifted briefly to five years ago.
To the Marine Vice Admiral who had died by his hand.
To the moment when Teach himself had nearly died.
That life-burning final strike had pushed him to the brink and forced his awakening. Armament Haki. Conqueror's Haki. The path of the sword.
That moment had changed everything.
Now, Gilman and Nickt were walking the same path.
This truly was their last life.
If they died here, then they would die trying to kill Teach, or at least make him pay a price.
Under Teach's Observation Haki, their auras surged wildly. Their bodies visibly expanded as muscle mass grew at an alarming rate. Strength increased, speed increased, and their explosive power climbed even higher.
"How interesting," Teach said with a grin.
Their overall enhancement was impressive. Enough to threaten him, though only barely.
At this level, improving strength was painfully difficult. For the weak, burning life caused explosive growth. For the strong, the boost was smaller, but more balanced.
Still, the two of them were now completely different from before.
Their aura erupted outward like a transformation. The ground beneath their feet trembled, cracks spreading like spiderwebs as if an earthquake had struck.
For the first time, Teach felt pressure.
Not enough to endanger him, but enough to excite him.
"Pirate, you're not leaving here alive!" Gilman roared.
The power flooding his body gave him confidence. Even he knew it was an illusion, but he believed he could hurt Teach.
Nickt felt the same.
This was power bought with their lives.
At the same time, the last strands of black hair on their heads turned gray. Their vitality was burning away rapidly. They knew this state would not last long.
So they did not hesitate.
They launched themselves forward like cannonballs. The ground exploded beneath their feet, forming deep craters from the force of their push-off.
They could not fully control this power yet, but it was proof of how strong they had become.
Even so, Teach remained calm.
There was still a gap.
And with his top-tier Observation Haki, he feared no frontal assault.
Gilman arrived first, moving faster than before. He threw a heavy punch straight at Teach.
Teach sidestepped effortlessly and countered.
The punch slammed into Gilman's chest.
Gilman did not dodge. He endured it and grabbed Teach's arm with his scaled hand, locking it in place. With his other hand, he swung toward Teach's head.
Teach tilted his head aside and avoided it.
Gilman was buying time.
"Explosive Sound Punch!"
Nickt appeared beside Teach, power compressed into his fist as it aimed directly at Teach's head.
They had chosen an injury-for-injury strategy. It was crude, but effective. They no longer cared about their own lives.
Teach's arm was restrained. His shoulder was seized.
He could not dodge this punch.
But he did not need to.
"You still don't understand the difference between us," Teach sneered.
His free arm shot out and clamped around Gilman's neck.
"Now tell me," Teach laughed, "who's restraining who?"
Gilman's expression changed instantly.
Nickt froze.
He recognized this situation too well. If he continued his attack, Teach would simply use Gilman as a shield.
Nickt stopped, but it was already too late.
Teach swung Gilman violently and hurled him straight into Nickt. The two Vice Admirals crashed together and were flung aside.
They recovered quickly and charged again, attacking from both sides.
They knew this was the only way.
For a moment, Teach was pushed back.
Their coordination improved. Their control over power increased. They no longer gave him the opening to defeat one first.
Still, Teach was smiling.
Pain meant nothing to him.
Only Nickt could truly injure him. Gilman's attacks could not break through his invisible Haki armor. Only Nickt's ability could bypass defenses.
Teach's hands transformed into claws. Eight Maidens erupted in a flurry of tearing strikes, leaving deep wounds across their bodies.
The injuries healed quickly.
Gilman's ancient Zoan regeneration activated instantly. Nickt burned even more life to stop the bleeding.
He did not need full recovery. He only needed to keep fighting.
Once Eight Maidens was unleashed, the balance shifted again.
Even two-on-one, they were being pushed back.
They fought desperately, exchanging injuries, convinced that only mutual destruction could bring Teach down.
Compared to this, the Titan Python form from before was far easier to deal with. Its full-body Armament Haki looked imposing, but it was flawed. The human form was stronger.
Time passed.
Teach could feel it.
Beneath their violent vitality, a deathly aura clung to them. The kind that lingered around the dying and the elderly.
They were already at the end.
This was nothing more than a final blaze.
Teach no longer wished to drag it out.
He leapt backward, opening distance, and rose into the air.
As Gilman and Nickt charged again, Teach raised his hand. Dark power gathered in his palm, connected to the void within him.
A black sphere emerged.
It floated calmly beside his shoulder.
The spectators held their breath.
What was that?
"Six Powers Ultimate Skill: Six King Gun!"
"Explosive Sound Punch!"
The two attacked simultaneously.
Even Teach would not take such attacks head-on.
But he did not move.
The black sphere expanded instantly, transforming into a massive black shield that completely enveloped him.
The impact shook the land.
The ground collapsed inward. Shockwaves roared outward, bending trees and sending animals fleeing in terror.
The two Vice Admirals poured everything into their strikes. Veins bulged, steam poured from their bodies, and their arms trembled violently.
And yet—
The black sphere did not budge.
No cracks. No dents. Not even a ripple.
It floated there like an indestructible shell, protecting Teach completely.
Disbelief spread across the battlefield.
After burning their lives, after reaching near-Admiral strength, their full-power attacks had accomplished nothing.
Nickt roared and struck again.
"Explosive Sound Punch!"
The result was the same.
The black sphere remained untouched.