BOOM!!!
A tyrannical aura suddenly surged from Zoro's body, like a massive dragon with scarlet eyes coiling above him.
Immediately afterward, a thunderous current roared forth, racing into the dragon's form from behind and dyeing it gold—its entire body erupting with crackling lightning.
"Three Sword Style · Dragon Blade · Thunder!!!"
Zoro's body halted for a split second.
At that instant, the lightning-wreathed dragon spun upward, and with three blazing slashes, it hurtled straight toward Blackbeard's crew.
Not far away, Sanji was already engulfed in raging flames, a cigarette glowing red between his teeth. Every step he took across the sea kicked up a sweeping white mist.
"Time for you bastards to pay for your sins!!! You rude sons of—!!!"
With a furious roar, he leapt high into the air. His eyes locked onto the raft-vessel ahead as he bellowed:
"Diable Jambe · Half-Done Exploding Kick!!!"
The anger that exploded from him after seeing Vivi injured transformed entirely into flames—now unleashed in a single, devastating strike.
A massive fireball descended from the sky, crashing toward Blackbeard's group.
"Oi oi~! Power like this already surpasses the pirates of Paradise, doesn't it!?"
Watching Zoro and Sanji's attacks, Blackbeard's eyes widened with deepening shock.
Just as he prepared to raise his hand and use his Devil Fruit ability to absorb the incoming attacks—
Luffy's voice once again echoed from the sky:
"Hey! Ugly bastard! Your opponent is me!!!"
"Gum-Gum—Frost Giant Seal!!!"
Somehow, Luffy—carried into the air by Red—had already gathered a colossal strength. He roared, drawing Blackbeard's full attention.
Behind Luffy, a massive fist-shaped shadow descended from above like a falling iceberg.
Lightning, fire, frost—
Three different elemental attacks converged from three directions, all aimed at the Blackbeard Pirates.
The sheer force of it made even Blackbeard—who had seen countless horrors in the New World—stare in disbelief.
The intel was completely wrong.
The Straw Hats' strength was far beyond the levels recorded in the Marines' bounty system!!!
"These guys… even in the New World, they could become a major power!!!"
Blackbeard bellowed, baring his teeth in something between excitement and fury.
Facing the combined assault of the Straw Hats' top three fighters, a massive surge of pitch-black smoke erupted from his body, unfurling like a great shroud to envelop all three incoming attacks.
And the moment those blazing slashes, raging flames, and falling ice met the black fog—
The world seemed to pause.
The overwhelming attacks were swallowed instantly, as though falling into a cosmic black hole, their force and energy rapidly devoured.
"Zehahahahaha… what an incredible Devil Fruit ability!!!"
This was also Blackbeard's first time using his new power in such a massive battle—his manic laughter roared out.
He reveled in his decisiveness.He reveled in the betrayal of his former comrade, Thatch.
After all—without that moment—he would never have obtained such overwhelming power.
However—
Just as the attacks were about to be completely absorbed, Blackbeard suddenly noticed something.
Zoro and Sanji had stopped.Both were now standing firmly on Laboon's tail fin.
And in the sky, Luffy extended his other arm upward—where Red caught him easily.
Red swung his arm and tossed Luffy back toward the Going Merry like a child on a swing.
Then he grinned:
"Blackbeard—time for a proper seawater bath!!!"
Red swept his arm.
At that moment—waves that had quietly gathered around the raft surged upward, forming towering walls of water that encircled Blackbeard's vessel.
"What!? When!?"
Blackbeard shouted in dread.
He stared at the waves rising like giant walls around him, shock flooding his face.
His Observation Haki hadn't sensed even a hint of Red preparing this trap.
And he never imagined a Devil Fruit could directly manipulate seawater!
"No, no, no…!" he shouted again."Devil Fruits can only influence seawater indirectly! No one could directly control the ocean unless—"
His knowledge from the Yonko crew fueled his conviction.
Blackbeard snapped his head upward at Red, who was floating high above.
"—Unless it's NOT a Devil Fruit ability!!!"
"Ah, you figured it out~!"
Red chuckled lightly, though his gaze remained locked onto the Blackbeard Pirates.
He still wasn't sure whether Doc Q had eaten the Sick-Sick Fruit yet, and although altitude kept him safe from its effects…
Staying cautious was better.
After executing Surf, Red immediately put distance between himself and the enemy.
He also spotted Van Augur aiming at him with a rifle—but Red only waved dismissively.
Blackbeard and Doc Q were threats worth fearing…
But Van Augur? A sniper alone wasn't going to shake the heavens.
Before Van Augur could fire, countless torrents of seawater crashed downward like a waterfall.
The raft, tied only by ropes, shattered instantly—splintering apart.
Blackbeard's whole crew was swept into the ocean.
Yet Red showed no sign of relaxing.
From the anime alone, it was clear—
Marshall D. Teach carried the same overwhelming "fate" as Luffy and Buggy.
This world had literal Luck-Luck Fruits…So dismissing destiny was foolish.
Instead of letting them wash away and reappear later at some unknown moment—
It was better to end them here, one by one, removing the threat at its root.
Under Red's control, wave after wave surged, forming a violent whirlpool on the sea's surface—like a massive washing machine, dragging the Blackbeard Pirates deeper inside.
Then Red shouted:
"Usopp!!!"
"Hurry! I can't maintain this for long!"
"Got it!"
Usopp, already positioned on Laboon's tail fin, snapped into action.
He adjusted his goggles to block seawater spray and raised the Green Vine Grapple Device on his arm.
On the Merry, Chopper relayed remote commands to Laboon through a Den Den Mushi, keeping the whale steady for Usopp's platform.
"Found him!"
"Special Move · Thorned Vine!!!"
With a sharp shout, a vine covered in razor thorns shot out from the device, piercing with perfect accuracy into Van Augur's submerged form inside the whirlpool.
Usopp yanked hard—
And Van Augur was forcibly ripped out of the spinning vortex.
THUD!!
He landed on Laboon's tail, coughing up seawater in disgusting splashes.
The once-calm sniper was now a soaked mess—his monocle shattered, his cloak tangled around him like wet rope.
But even so, he still clutched his beloved rifle, Senriku, tightly in his arms.
At least, Usopp noted, he's a real sniper.
But he never should have taken that shot at Vivi.
"Bleh—!"
Van Augur vomited another mouthful of seawater. As he regained clarity, his eyes widened.
Because the moment he looked up—
He saw a pair of black shoes wreathed in flames.
His gaze rose slowly—
To a furious, fire-engulfed cook with curly brows glaring down at him.
"You bastard…"
"You're the one who injured Miss Vivi, aren't you!?"
BOOM!!!
Sanji didn't wait for an answer.
His fiery kick slammed into Van Augur's cheek, launching him across Laboon's tail and into its far edge.
Usopp, who had originally wanted custody of the sniper, sheepishly lowered his arm.
His eyes moved downward—to the rifle lying on the ground.
FWIP—
A sticky vine lashed out, grabbed Senriku, and returned it neatly to Usopp's hand.
"Ohhh… what is this thing made of!?"
"It shoots bullets insanely far!! Once we get back to the lab, I have to study this~!"
(End of Chapter)