Blackbeard Teach greedily sized up Ace, grinning maliciously:
"Tsk tsk... I can't just let you all escape so easily.
Dark Water!"
A chilling dark force instantly surged and spread from his body, an invisible devouring power enveloping the entire area, forcibly cutting off everyone's escape route.
A new crisis had abruptly descended.
Seeing the pitch-black shadows closing in, Ace's arm supporting Luffy tightened abruptly, crimson flames reflecting off his furious, contorted face.
When he clearly saw that familiar figure before him, the pent-up rage and hatred in his heart instantly erupted.
Gnashing his teeth, his voice trembling with extreme anger:
"Teach, you dare show your face before me!"
Blackbeard Teach stood ahead, faint dark mist swirling around him, a sinister sneer hanging at the corner of his mouth as he spoke leisurely:
"Ace, don't be so angry.
Just as I could capture you with my own hands back then and hand you over to the Marines in exchange for the title of Seven Warlords of the Sea, today, I can capture you again.
Now that I am a Seven Warlords of the Sea recognized by the World Government, I naturally will never allow you pirates to escape safely from Marineford and ruin the Marines' grand plan."
He smiled easily, his tone calm, yet complex emotions churned deep within him.
There was the resentment of unfulfilled ambition, the frustration of shattered plans, and a trace of desperation driven to the brink by reality.
No one knew that Blackbeard had lurked within the Whitebeard Pirates for decades, never content to be an ordinary crew member. In his heart, he harbored an overwhelming ambition to overturn the world.
He had long known of the existence of the Dark-Dark Fruit through ancient texts, aware that this Devil Fruit could grant him the power to devour everything and help him achieve his lifelong dream.
So he endured and bided his time, cautious and patient, waiting day after day for the moment the Dark-Dark Fruit would appear. Even if everyone regarded him as mediocre, even if he was mocked for lacking ambition, he paid no mind.
His original plan was to reap the benefits amidst the chaos of war.
First, watch Whitebeard and the Marines fight to a stalemate, and when Whitebeard was exhausted and on the verge of death, seize his Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Of course, before that, he needed to go to Impel Down Level 6, rescue those legendary pirates whose existence had been erased by the World Government, recruit them for his own use, build a powerful force, and in one fell swoop, rise to the ranks of the Four Emperors, seizing control over the seas.
But reality had brutally shattered all his calculations.
Who could have imagined that those legendary pirates from Impel Down Level 6, on whom he had pinned such high hopes, would all be slaughtered by a woman of unknown origin.
His plan to gather powerful allies had completely fallen apart.
What was even more unbelievable to him was that Whitebeard, originally plagued by severe illness, had miraculously returned to his peak youthful state.
No one knew better than he did the strength of Whitebeard at his peak. In such a situation, even if the Three Marine Admirals joined forces, they could not capture Whitebeard if he was determined to escape.
Without the Level 6 strongmen as his foundation, without the possibility of seizing the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his dream of rising to become one of the Four Emperors on his own had become nothing but a fantasy.
Moreover, he was now at odds with the Whitebeard Pirates and had to face the pursuit of Whitebeard in his prime.
In such a desperate situation, his status as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea became his only lifeline, the sole foundation for his survival on the seas—something he absolutely could not abandon.
Since he couldn't become one of the Four Emperors overnight, he might as well take advantage of the chaos of today's Summit War to weaken the Whitebeard Pirates as much as possible, clearing some obstacles for the future while also demonstrating his loyalty to the Marines and solidifying his position as a Warlord.
It was with this calculation in mind that Blackbeard resolutely appeared at the critical moment when Ace and Luffy were about to break through, blocking their path.
Blackbeard's appearance was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly disrupting the battlefield's situation.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates, who were covering the retreat of Luffy and Ace, also sensed this familiar yet detestable presence and turned to look.
When they saw that it was Blackbeard, everyone's expressions instantly turned furious, their auras growing wild and violent.
Marco was the first to react. Blue flames erupted fiercely around him, and his usually gentle eyes were now filled with icy killing intent.
He furrowed his brows tightly, glaring intently at Blackbeard.
When Thatch was killed and Blackbeard defected, Marco, as the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' first division, had witnessed the tragic death of his brother and watched a former comrade become a traitor who betrayed his family.
All this time, he had carried this deep-seated hatred. Now, seeing Blackbeard again, the anger that had been simmering within him instantly ignited.
No words were needed—the killing intent in his eyes said it all.
Flower Sword Vista's expression was equally grim and terrifying.
He, Thatch, and Blackbeard had once been comrades in the Whitebeard Pirates, getting along harmoniously in their daily lives. He had never imagined that Blackbeard would kill his own brother over a Devil Fruit.
The thought of Thatch filled Vista's heart with endless rage. His grip on his sword tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white as he prepared to launch a fierce assault on Blackbeard at any moment.
Diamond Jozu was even more direct. Transforming into his diamond form, his face was filled with fury and ferocity.
He was honest and straightforward by nature, and what he valued most was the family of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Blackbeard's act of killing Thatch had undoubtedly crossed his bottom line.
He stared fixedly at Blackbeard, his teeth grinding audibly.
"Teach, you traitor!"
Jozu was the first to lose his composure. With a furious roar, he charged toward Blackbeard, his diamond-hard fist carrying immense force as he aimed a devastating blow at Blackbeard's face:
"Today, I will avenge Thatch!"
Seeing this, Marco and Vista no longer hesitated. They moved simultaneously, launching their attacks on Blackbeard.
Marco spread his wings, and the blue Phoenix Flames surged, transforming into a streak of blue light as he swooped down from the sky, aiming straight for Blackbeard's back.
Vista swung his twin swords, releasing sharp sword slashes that cut through the air, crisscrossing to seal off all of Blackbeard's escape routes.
The three of them coordinated seamlessly, their attacks fierce and relentless, determined to kill Blackbeard on the spot.
Seeing the three of them attack Blackbeard, Ace's heart tightened abruptly, and he urgently shouted:
"Be careful of Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit! It's a Devil Fruit that can devour everything!"
"As long as your bodies come into contact with him, you'll instantly lose your Devil Fruit abilities!"
Ace's warning caused Marco, Flower Sword, and Jozu to pause, instinctively slowing their attacks, their eyes flashing with shock and wariness.
Although they knew Blackbeard had stolen the Dark-Dark Fruit, they were unaware of its specific abilities.
Now, hearing Ace's warning, they realized the severity of the situation and quickly adjusted their moves, avoiding direct contact with Blackbeard and shifting to long-range attacks to contain him.
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