"Is this… Conqueror's Haki!?"
Watching Teach's aura surge higher and higher, watching him grow stronger in an instant, Luffy's eyes showed a rare flicker of thought.
Red had once told him that both he and Zoro possessed the qualifications to awaken Conqueror's Haki.
Before, he had absolutely no grasp of what that meant — but after taking the brunt of Blackbeard's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki…
He felt as if he finally understood what it truly was!!!
"This is great!"
"To meet one powerful opponent after another in the Grand Line…"
"This is really great!!!"
Luffy grinned. Even when facing Blackbeard, whose aura was several times stronger than his own — perhaps even more — he still held onto himself, and attacked without a shred of hesitation!
"Gear Second!"
A burst of scorching steam erupted from Luffy's skin, which turned bright red as if fresh blood flowed across its surface.
Under the sky shrouded in darkness, Luffy raised his thumb and bit down again.
"Gear Third! Bone Balloon!"
Whoooosh—!
A massive arm once again filled Blackbeard's vision.
"Zehahaha! The same move won't work on me!!!"
"You won't know till you try!"
Luffy kicked off the air and dove. His fist darkened with Armament Haki — and brilliant lightning flashed across its surface!
Because he stood on Laboon's curved body and not solid ground, Luffy couldn't rely on falling momentum. Instead, he used Shave within Gear Second, moving like teleportation and appearing just meters before Blackbeard.
"Gum-Gum—Giant Thunder Stamp!!!"
The giant thunder-infused fist erupted with terrifying force, sweeping toward Blackbeard.
At the same moment, Zoro and Sanji — who were already close — moved instantly as well.
Though their current level wasn't enough to truly threaten Blackbeard, if it was just supporting Luffy, they could still make an impact.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique—Dragon Realm: Flame Dragon Descends!"
BOOOOM!!!
A torrent of dragon-attribute energy burst forth. A massive flaming dragon manifested around Zoro, beating wings of condensed fire and soaring into the sky.
The blazing flames pierced through the veil of darkness, letting light descend upon the world once more.
In the next instant, the blackened blade — infused with Armament Haki — unleashed several roaring flame-clad slashes that acted like guiding beacons, directing the phantom flame dragon straight toward Blackbeard.
Ever since gaining power from the Pokémon world, Zoro had evolved from a close-combat swordsman into a long-range artillery unit.
Sanji on the other side refused to fall behind.
Compared to Zoro, his ranged capabilities weren't enough to unleash his full strength — but his leg power alone let him exceed even Shave in speed, and he could maintain that velocity far longer.
FWIP—!
Engulfed in flames, Sanji flashed behind Blackbeard. Both legs were instantly wrapped in the searing flames of Sizzly Slide, a move with a guaranteed burn effect.
In fact, both Luffy and Zoro had also incorporated Tri Attack's negative-status effect chance into their strikes.
It simply wasn't easy to trigger against someone as massively powerful as Blackbeard.
Three attacks — from the front, left, and back — converged simultaneously.
Above them, Red quietly watched, but did not join in.
His strength couldn't reach this level of battle yet.
Rather than waste energy on weak attacks, it was better to wait for the perfect moment — perhaps he could land a Surf to suppress Blackbeard and create an opening for Luffy and the others.
Far in the distance, Usopp also understood this clearly. Standing near Laboon's tail fin, sling in hand, Green Vine Grapple mounted and ready, he waited to support at any moment.
"Not bad, not bad…"
"But you're still far too green!!!"
Facing the combined assault of the Straw Hats' three main fighters, Blackbeard didn't show the slightest panic. His Haki surged, his arms spread wide—
And a vortex of black mist condensed around him like a whirlpool, rapidly forming a massive shield of darkness that expanded outward like a barrier.
BOOOOM!!!
Luffy's trio struck once again — and just like before, the darkness devoured their power and momentum at terrifying speed.
But this time…
Luffy wasn't done!
Still in Gear Second, he grinned as his other arm — already prepared — shot forward.
Armament Haki coated it rapidly. Solid. Heavy. Unyielding.
"Gum-Gum—Play Rough!!!"
"Hm!?"
Seeing Luffy's arm fling wildly, Blackbeard frowned.
Then his eyes widened — because that arm suddenly snapped into chaotic motion, trembling like an elastic string being plucked, creating a dozen unpredictable afterimages.
The moment he tried to track it—
The fist suddenly whipped around with no warning at all and blasted toward his face at blinding speed!
So fast that not only did his Observation Haki fail to predict it—
It never sensed the attack's rhythm or trajectory to begin with!
As if that arm no longer obeyed the limits of a human body.
This was the new property granted by Fairy-type power…
Unruly. Mischievous. Unpredictable.
This was Fairy.
This was the Fairy typing belonging to Luffy!
BOOOM!!!
The fist smashed into Teach's hideous face, distorting it grotesquely.
One bloody tooth shot into the air like a bullet, disappearing into the distant sea.
His head rattled violently — and the dark barrier around him scattered and vanished.
Without the shield, Zoro's slashes, Sanji's flaming kick, and Luffy's giant thunder-fist all came crashing down on him!
Even though the darkness had absorbed most of the power, the amplified pain effect of the Dark-Dark Fruit still sent agony tearing through Blackbeard!
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Lightning. Flames. Impact. Blades.
All kinds of attacks rained onto Teach, bursting with light and driving away the darkness so the world shone once more.
Moments later, the trio leapt back, gasping as they steadied their breathing.
Teach staggered… then collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"D-Did… we win?"
From afar, Usopp lowered his slingshot, disbelief spreading across his face.
But in the sky, Red frowned and shook his head.
"Win?"
"We're still far from that."
"That attack only cracked his defense… nothing more."
And indeed—
The moment Red finished speaking, Teach — who had been lying motionless — suddenly groaned in pain.
"So painful! Damn it, that hurts!!!"
Supporting himself with one hand, he slowly stood.
On his shoulder — where Sanji's kick had struck — a flame still burned, the lingering burn effect searing into his flesh.
Oddly enough, it gave him a sort of strange, brutal coolness.
"Damn brats… it really hurts!"
"And this flame—does it not go out on its own!?"
Teach stared at the blazing spot on his shoulder and grinned maniacally.
He pressed one hand over the flame — and dark mist oozed from his palm.
"Dark Vortex!!!"
Under the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, the Pokémon-derived flame was sucked away bit by bit, until it completely vanished.
"What a troublesome enemy."
Sanji frowned, pulling a silver lighter from his pocket. He lit a cigarette and exhaled.
"Wasn't that obvious from the start?"
Zoro, tying his bandana around his head, grinned provocatively.
"What's wrong? You scared?"
"Scared!?" Flames erupted in Sanji's pupils. "I'm only scared YOU'LL drag us down!!!"
The moment he spoke, fire engulfed him again. He became a blazing knight, charging at Teach like a scorching bolt of lightning.
"Hmph."
At the same time, Luffy and Zoro launched into action once more, unleashing their next round of fierce attacks.
…
…
Meanwhile, on the Going Merry's deck—
Nami and the others all wore anxious expressions.
"No… at this rate, Luffy and the others might not be able to defeat him…"
"We have to find a way to support them!!!"
(End of Chapter)