Why did this fool dare to get in close?
Magellan could not understand it, but in the next instant, he sensed that something was wrong.
His opponent was far too lively!
"The stupid one is you! Zehahahahaha! Haven't you felt it yet? Your devil power is disappearing!"
Teach kept Dark Water activated as he grinned savagely and traded blows with him. The dark smoke rising from his body nearly enveloped his enemy completely.
Once touched by his Dark Water at close range, no matter what kind of Devil Fruit user they were, their devil power would be drawn away.
The black smoke rising from his body was darkness itself, capable of devouring fruit-based attacks within a small range.
On top of that, combined with his rather impressive Armament Haki, the three factors together allowed him to forcibly withstand Magellan's crimson venom.
"How is that possible!? Your Devil Fruit power…"
Magellan's eyes widened belatedly, but it was already too late to counterattack.
Rumbling explosions erupted one after another. In that narrow space, two hulking men were locked in a desperate close-quarters struggle.
What could be seen with the naked eye was that Magellan, whose Devil Fruit power had been sealed away, gradually fell into a disadvantage. After all, he had already been badly drained.
It was not only his injuries and stamina, but also his Devil Fruit power.
In truth, the amount of crimson venom he could unleash now was far, far less than at the beginning.
Otherwise, Teach would never have been able to get close to him.
But reality was reality. In the end, Magellan was grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air by Teach.
"Van Augur!"
Teach suppressed the struggling Magellan with all his might and roared his crewmate's name.
If he still could not win after revealing all his trump cards, then he really would be dead!
Bang!
What answered him was the sound of a gunshot. A bullet wrapped in Armament Haki pierced through Magellan's struggling body.
The original crimson venom had been almost completely sealed off by the black smoke, leaving it unable to corrode the bullet at all.
"Ah!"
Magellan shuddered as if struck by lightning, then spat out a mouthful of blood that sprayed across Teach's face.
"Your power is pretty interesting. Maybe I can give it to one of my companions!"
Teach, utterly unconcerned, laughed with a ferocious expression. He gradually increased the strength in his hand and forcibly choked Magellan unconscious.
Thud—!
A moment later, Teach panted as he tossed the unconscious Magellan aside. Then he turned his head and laughed loudly, spreading his arms toward the great pirates who were looking at him in surprise.
"Well? That was beyond your expectations, wasn't it?
"If you'd fought him the way you originally planned, you'd have had to stay tangled up with this guy for a long time.
"But today is different from any other day. If we waste too much time and the upheaval outside comes to an end, we'll have to face a lineup of three Admirals!"
Teach maintained his arrogant posture, doing everything he could to display his strength.
"But I'm different. I can draw away his devil power. Without that venom, he's only a little stronger than all of you."
"Murunfuffu, drawing away devil power? What an interesting way to put it. So, was that you earlier?"
Catarina asked while laughing.
Blackbeard froze for a moment, somewhat confused.
"What earlier?"
"It wasn't him. His confusion is real, and there's nothing related to it in his memories either."
Patrick Redfield, who had appeared not to make a move during the battle but had actually been using his superhuman Observation Haki to detect openings while coordinating everyone's alternating attacks, suddenly said this.
Then he stared at Blackbeard with playful interest.
"Incidentally, this man defected from Whitebeard's crew. Now he wants to recruit us."
As he said that, he seemed to continue reading Blackbeard's memories.
"His Devil Fruit power is also quite interesting… Mm?
"This is a little unbelievable. It seems he can seal Devil Fruit powers through contact, and even transfer the power of Devil Fruits.
"He can even transfer it to others? How strange. Is there really such a Devil Fruit on the sea?"
As soon as Patrick Redfield said this, everyone present could not help but look over in astonishment.
Transfer Devil Fruit powers?
They had never heard of such a thing.
"Zehahahaha! As expected of Red the Aloof. Rumor says you can peer into people's memories and emotions. Looks like it's true!"
After having his secrets exposed, Teach did not fly into a rage. Instead, he smiled brilliantly and spread his arms toward these great pirates.
"That's right. Just like he said, I'm a Logia user of the Yami Yami no Mi, the Dark-Dark Fruit. This fruit's power is just that terrifying.
"I defected from the Whitebeard Pirates because of it, but don't worry about anything.
"Whitebeard is about to die. You've noticed it too, haven't you?
"Impel Down has been in chaos for this long, yet Marine Headquarters still hasn't sent reinforcements. No Admiral has arrived to suppress it either.
"That's because Marineford is in the middle of a great naval war right now!
"Marine Headquarters is going to execute Whitebeard's son, Ace. That guy is Roger's bloodline.
"To do that, they're willing to pay any price and wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates along with him.
"That place is already the center of the world stage. In a little while, I'm going there to make my entrance and begin my performance.
"How about it? Do you want to join under my command?
"No matter what power you have your eyes on, I can help you obtain it. If this power awakens, I might even be able to help you exchange your Devil Fruit ability!
"As long as you become my subordinates and fight alongside me, if you decide during that time that I'm not worthy of being captain, then feel free to take the position from me."
Teach's completely undisguised attitude said everything.
He had set his sights precisely on these incomparably powerful great pirates from Infinite Hell!
Even after his drool-worthy Devil Fruit power was passively exposed, he did not hesitate to directly admit it.
The sudden turn of events left the great pirates somewhat at a loss.
But very soon, someone gave their answer through action.
Douglas Bullet walked coldly toward the exit passage. Then Patrick Redfield shook his head.
"I'm already this old. I just want to go out and live my own life."
Those were two clear refusals.
Jinbe stood to the side without making a sound, because he knew what Blackbeard had covered up with that simple phrase, "defected."
If not for the fact that he still wanted to go save Ace, he would have already fought Blackbeard right here.
And because of his relationship with the Whitebeard Pirates, there was no way he would leave with Blackbeard.
Besides, what had happened just now did not count as a favor. He had also taken action.
Catarina and the others, however, seemed somewhat tempted.
"That sounds pretty good, Murun~~?"
Pizarro's face emerged from the ceiling as he let out a strange cackling laugh.
"We've been locked up for so long that we don't even know what the situation outside is like.
"Your plan sounds rather attractive. If we can give the Marines a taste of our strength before leaving, then at least it won't count as slinking away with our tails between our legs.
"But since you've gone to such lengths to get there, you must have your own scheme, right?"
"Zehahahaha! I want Whitebeard's Devil Fruit power! The Devil Fruit power of the world's strongest man, the Gura-Gura no Mi with the greatest destructive power!"
"Murunfuffu, interesting. You already have a Devil Fruit power, don't you?
"Even if Patrick says you can transfer devil power, it should still be impossible to possess two Devil Fruit abilities at the same time."
Catarina immediately voiced her confusion.
"I'm different. Right—"
Teach's malicious gaze fell on Jinbe.
"—Jinbe, you should have heard the rumor too. The rumor that I never sleep.
"That's true. I am one person, but I'm also not 'one person.' Two Devil Fruits are no problem at all for me!"
"Teach!"
Jinbe's gaze darkened.
"You want to make a move against Pops? Killing your own crewmate wasn't enough, and now you even want to kill your foster father?"
"Zehahahaha! That's just what an ambitious man is like, Jinbe."
Teach laughed loudly and spread his arms. As black smoke surged around him, he released clear hostility toward Jinbe.
"You're close with Ace, aren't you?
"If you go there, you'll definitely help the Whitebeard Pirates. Since you're bound to become my enemy anyway…
"Why don't I settle you right here? After all, this place is land!"
"Glug—!"
Vasco Shot let out a drunken belch, then suddenly grinned.
"This guy wants to use us."
"That much is obvious, Murun~."
Pizarro laughed strangely as he shifted his gaze onto Jinbe.
"But it does sound pretty good. This guy used to be a Warlord of the Sea too."
"Compared to that, shouldn't we confirm it first?"
Abruptly, Shiryu cut in.
"In the end, this is all just what he and Patrick are saying.
"Something that unbelievable has to be verified, doesn't it?"
"Oh? How do you plan to do that?"
Teach asked curiously.
"Kill him. Transfer it to him."
Shiryu lifted Hannyabal, whom he had previously used as a shield and who was now on the verge of death. As for the target to be killed, it was naturally Magellan, who had been choked unconscious.
"Zehahahaha! Interesting idea. Fine!"
Teach agreed without the slightest hesitation.
"If that's what it takes to convince all of you, then what's wrong with showing it once?
"But if we do this, then we'll be one crew. At that time…"
He did not finish his sentence, but Sanjuan Wolf blocked the exit, while Catarina transformed into a second giant and looked mockingly at the prey now surrounded in their midst.
'Damn it…'
Jinbe's heart sank. He knew that the current situation was extremely unfavorable for him.
And at that moment, Shiryu raised Raiu and walked toward Magellan, preparing to send his former superior to the grave with one slash.
At the same time, Blackbeard also made his preparations and approached with him.
Hannyabal seemed to realize something and began to struggle. A low murmur followed.
"I will never… let you succeed…"
"Don't waste your strength. Your justice can't change how this ends. Maybe you can try praying to God?"
Shiryu mocked the weakling struggling in his hand.
If not for Magellan's favoritism, with this guy's strength, he would never have become Vice Warden.
Clearly, Hannyabal also realized that at this moment.
There was no room to turn things around. There was no possibility of reversing the situation.
His feeble strength could not stop these vicious, heinous pirates from stepping out of Impel Down.
He did not know whether he could let the people on the sea continue living in peace.
Every pirate in Infinite Hell was a villain who had once committed bloody, monstrous crimes. Their hands were stained with blood and human lives.
But… what was he supposed to do?
Pray?
Pray to whom?
Was there a god of justice?
There was no answer. Hannyabal's consciousness gradually blurred. His wounds were too severe.
The wound on his chest had nearly drained him dry.
At a time like this, what else could he do?
Nothing.
If there was still anything left, it was that he did not want to see Magellan die.
And the only thing he could do, perhaps, really was—pray.
No matter to whom, no matter whether there would be a response, he had to open his mouth and speak.
"Someone… help us…"
(End of Chapter)