Kildeo's face remained dark as he leaned closer to Lindbergh and whispered,
"Lindbergh, that bastard Teach threatened our comrades first, so there is nothing wrong with using the same method. Do you really want the Revolutionary Army to fall into his hands? Or are you ready to abandon Axiu and the others?"
Hearing this, the hesitation in Lindbergh's eyes slowly disappeared. His expression hardened, his fists clenched tightly.
"Alright, I understand."
Kildeo let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Capture that woman. Based on what I observed, she should be Teach's wife. He cares deeply about her. Compared to the others, she is clearly the weakest. With your speed, taking her should be easy."
Lindbergh gave a slight nod and said nothing more.
Across from them, Marshall D. Teach assumed Lindbergh had given in. A wide grin spread across his face as he opened his arms.
"That is more like it. Come on, let us..."
In an instant, Lindbergh vanished, leaving only faint electric arcs flickering in the air.
Teach frowned and scanned the area but could not find him.
"Tch, quite a stubborn one. I refuse to believe I cannot tame you."
Before his words settled, a startled cry came from behind him. Teach's expression shifted as he turned sharply.
There, Lindbergh had already appeared behind Charlotte Chiffon. One arm was locked around her neck, while his claws pressed tightly against her skin.
Nearby, Jesus Burgess and Laffitte finally reacted.
Burgess roared and stepped forward, but Teach immediately barked,
"Stop!"
The command worked instantly. Burgess halted abruptly right in front of Chiffon, barely stopping himself.
The moment Burgess moved, Lindbergh's claws had already pierced deeper into Chiffon's neck. A thin stream of blood trickled down, and she let out a pained groan.
Teach's face darkened further as he stared at Lindbergh.
"So, you chose this method as well. It seems we are more alike than I thought."
Lindbergh snorted.
"Enough talk. Take your people and leave now. I swear on the name of the Revolutionary Army, once you are gone, I will release her unharmed."
Even as he spoke, Lindbergh felt a burning discomfort. Holding someone hostage, especially a woman, was not something he took pride in.
Teach, however, showed no disdain. If anything, there was a faint hint of approval in his gaze.
Yet he made no move to leave.
The silence stretched, and the pressure mounted. Lindbergh, already disgusted with his own actions, found the situation unbearable.
Finally, he snapped.
"Why are you still standing there? Do you want your wife to die?!"
His claws pressed deeper, drawing more blood.
Chiffon winced, but this time she endured the pain. Clenching her teeth, she shouted,
"Husband, do not worry about me. I refuse to become your burden!"
Lindbergh's eyes widened in shock.
Chiffon suddenly turned her head. The movement caused the claws to sink deeper, and blood flowed more heavily, staining Lindbergh's hand red.
Fortunately, the wound narrowly avoided anything fatal, but it still startled him.
He quickly shifted his arm to cover her mouth, coating it with Armament Haki to prevent her from biting.
After that, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and shouted near her ear,
"Have you lost your mind? Stay still. If you want to die, this is not the time."
Chiffon could only glare at him, muffled sounds escaping from beneath his hand.
Seeing the blood staining her neck, Teach's heart tightened. For a brief moment, a trace of concern flickered across his face, though it vanished almost immediately.
He lowered his head in silence.
When he looked up again, his usual grin had returned.
"Zehahaha! Do you see this? This is the woman of me, Blackbeard!"
Lindbergh frowned, confused by the reaction. In the distance, Kildeo's expression turned grim as he sensed something was wrong.
Under everyone's gaze, Teach slowly raised his arm. The shockwave surrounding his fist grew denser, emitting a low vibration.
Lindbergh's pupils shrank.
"What are you doing? Your wife is still in my hands!"
Teach's smile remained unchanged.
"On the path to achieving one's dreams, sacrifices are inevitable. Even if she is important to me, I can abandon her."
His voice turned colder.
"Go ahead and act. Trading her life for the lives of your comrades is not a bad deal."
The Revolutionary Army members erupted in anger, cursing him without restraint.
But Lindbergh said nothing. His lips trembled as he watched the shockwave gathering on Teach's fist.
Chiffon, despite her condition, showed no resentment. Instead, her gaze toward Teach was filled with pride.
Teach occasionally glanced at her, and for a fleeting instant, his expression softened.
His arm continued to move.
"Lindbergh, are you not going to act? Let us do this together. I will count to three."
Without giving him time to think, Teach began.
"One."
Lindbergh snapped back to his senses.
"Wait!"
"Two."
"Damn it, I..."
"Three."
Before the word was fully spoken, Lindbergh suddenly released Chiffon and shouted hoarsely,
"Stop. You win."
Relief spread across the Revolutionary Army. Only Kildeo remained tense, his face pale.
"It is over..."
The moment Lindbergh let go, Burgess and the others rushed forward and quickly carried Chiffon away.
Teach looked at Lindbergh, who stood frozen with his head lowered and face drained of color. The shockwave around his fist faded as he smiled.
"Lindbergh, do not try something like that again. That went a little too far."
===
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