"Damn it...!"
Teach, half his body embedded in the wall, clenched his teeth. Blood seeped through the gaps in his teeth, and his internal organs ached as if they were being torn apart. He glared outward with a vicious gaze.
"Blackwater!!"
He raised his arm and shouted. Black mist surged in his palm, releasing a powerful gravitational pull that acted on Whitebeard.
"This is...!"
Whitebeard's expression changed. He felt an invisible force dragging him forward, and he sank into a half-squat, attempting to resist.
However.
The strength of this gravitational pull exceeded his expectations. After his feet skidded a few meters across the ground, he completely lost control and flew toward Teach!
"Zehahaha! It's useless, Pops! This is the most evil Logia in history. Under the gravity of darkness, not even light can escape!"
Teach grinned triumphantly, revealing his missing teeth.
With this power, he had nothing to fear even when facing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, known for its ultimate destructive power.
In Whitebeard's current state, once the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's ability was suppressed, Burgess, Shiryu, and the others behind him could swarm in and definitely kill him!
"Don't get carried away, Teach!!"
Whitebeard angrily clenched his fist, generating a sphere of white, semi-transparent tremor energy that enveloped his hand, and viciously smashed it down right in front of Teach!
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't tell me he's going to do it again!"
"We're doomed!"
Pizarro, Catarina, and the others cried out in panic, their faces showing sheer terror.
*Bang!!*
However, contrary to everyone's expectations, when Whitebeard's furious punch landed, it was firmly caught by Teach's palm!
The tremor power on his fist didn't erupt; instead, it gradually weakened and vanished into the surging black mist, as if it had been devoured.
Seeing this, everyone revealed expressions of disbelief.
"Zehahaha! Didn't expect that, did you, Pops? The power you're so proud of is completely useless in the face of the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
*Schwing!*
Teach couldn't help but let out a triumphant, sinister laugh. He raised his left hand, revealing steel claws on the back of his hand, and viciously thrust them into Whitebeard's abdomen!
*Squelch!*
Under Whitebeard's astonished gaze, the steel claws pierced his body without any resistance. Blood trickled out, dripping down the cold blades onto the ground.
"I see. Is this the reason you murdered your family? Just to obtain this power."
Whitebeard lowered his gaze to look down at Teach, his tone filled with sorrow, disappointment, and a trace of anger.
Just to gain power. Simply for this reason, he betrayed his family and murdered a comrade he had lived alongside on the same ship for decades.
"I can never forgive you, Teach. Thatch wouldn't be able to rest in peace even in the afterlife."
Whitebeard's voice was ice-cold, his killing intent growing ever more piercing.
Under Teach's terrified gaze, Whitebeard reached out his massive hand, grabbed him right by the face, and violently slammed him into the ground!
*Bang!!*
"Blergh—!"
Teach's head was brutally smashed into the ground. Unable to hold back the pain, he coughed up a massive mouthful of blood as a deep, circular crater exploded into the earth upon impact.
This strike didn't use any Devil Fruit abilities; it was purely physical strength, yet it rivaled a full-force punch from a giant.
"Damn old man! You're already in this state, so why are you still so strong?!"
Teach's face twisted darkly. Pinned firmly to the ground and unable to move, he hastily shouted behind him for help:
"What are you doing?! Hurry up and save me!"
"Hehehe, how pathetic, Teach."
Shiryu's lips curled into a cold smirk, looking as if he were mocking him. However, his hands didn't stop moving. He took a swift step forward and rapidly drew his sword with his right hand!
*Schwing!!*
A cold glint flashed by, and a Flying Slash rapidly hurtled toward Whitebeard!
At the same time, the others also pulled out their guns and cannons, pulling the triggers.
*Swish! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!*
Facing these attacks, Whitebeard didn't even spare them a glance. He allowed the slash and the artillery shells to bombard his body without loosening his grip.
His eyes were locked dead onto Teach. Keeping his large hand pressed against the man's head, he rapidly generated a sphere of tremor energy.
"Wait! Wait, Pops, don't do it!"
Seeing this, Teach screamed in terror, begging for mercy.
However, Whitebeard showed no mercy whatsoever. His eyes turned ruthless as he let out a furious roar and viciously pressed his hand down!
"Teach!!"
*Boom!!!*
The tremor power erupted fiercely! The ground violently shook and quaked, bursting with countless cracks that spread out densely like a spiderweb!
A powerful shockwave rippled outward, sending Teach's body flying before he crashed heavily onto the ground.
Whitebeard grabbed his massive naginata, Murakumogiri, and was about to pursue him, but the moment he took a step, his body suddenly froze!
"Cough! Cough, cough... Blergh!!"
A tearing pain flared up from the inside out. Whitebeard opened his mouth and spewed a large mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale and looking extremely pained.
"Did his illness act up?!"
"Wihahahaha! Let's get him together, everyone!"
"Then don't blame me for not holding back!"
"Whitebeard's head is mine!!"
Seeing Whitebeard's condition, Teach's subordinates all grew ecstatic. Laughing maniacally with twisted expressions, they charged forward with swords and guns drawn, wanting to seize the opportunity to claim his head.
"Pops!!"
Far in the background, Whitebeard's subordinates who saw this screamed in panic, but the vast distance rendered them powerless to help.
Just when everyone thought a tragedy was about to occur, with some even covering their eyes tightly, afraid to look, a sudden change took place!
"Ever-White!!"
Following the shout, the ground around Whitebeard's feet rapidly turned white. The earth softened, undulating like a white tide!
"What's going on?!"
"The ground is shaking!"
Burgess and the others' expressions changed drastically. The sudden shift interrupted their charge, forcing them to halt their steps and abruptly turn their heads toward the source of the shout!
They saw Donquixote Doflamingo, draped in his red feathered coat, crouching atop a collapsed platform with a teasing smirk on his lips.
With his palm pressed against the ground, more than half of the platform and the earth below it transformed into strands of string, swaying like white ocean waves!
Hundreds, even thousands of white strings rose from the ground on either side of Doflamingo, neatly arranged like the wings of a flamingo.
"Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo!"
"Hey! What's the meaning of this, you bastard?!"
"Are you trying to make an enemy out of us?!"
Burgess and the others shouted angrily. They never expected that Doffy, who had no grudges against them, would suddenly attack them at a time like this.
Facing their questioning, Doflamingo didn't respond at all. He spread his arms and swung them forward fiercely, shouting:
"Thousand Arrows Pierce the Heart・Flap Thread!!"
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Thousands of white strings, their tips imbued with Armament Haki, rapidly shot forward!
*Boom!!*
Under the panicked gazes of the Blackbeard Pirates, countless white strings surrounded them from all directions and crashed down, instantly engulfing them all!
Doflamingo's smile was cold and mocking. "Fuffuffuffu, the good show of Whitebeard battling Blackbeard has only just begun. I'd appreciate it if you all didn't get in the way."