As Luffy spoke, he stretched his rubber fist backward. The limb elongated significantly in an instant, and both the fist and forearm were enveloped in a layer of roaring flames, radiating a dangerous heat.
"Gum-Gum... Fire Fist!"
The burning fist struck Blackbeard, the blazing fire illuminating his dark face. This time, Blackbeard did not attempt to dodge. He coated his right hand in black mist and met Luffy's fire fist head-on. With a loud bang, Blackbeard grabbed Luffy's fist, and the black mist formed a vortex, instantly swallowing the flames. Luffy suddenly felt his ability dampen, as if it had been sealed away.
"I see, you used that same trick on Uncle Whitebeard!"
Luffy recalled the scene from the Summit War where Whitebeard's Devil Fruit ability was suppressed. He was shocked, never expecting the Dark-Dark Fruit to be so perverse that it could render someone temporarily powerless. Blackbeard laughed loudly, clamped down on Luffy's fist, and pulled him in. With his other hand wrapped in Armament Haki, he struck Luffy in the face, causing blood to spray from the captain's mouth and nose. Luffy let out a shout of pain, but his crewmates only glanced toward him before returning to their own battles.
They had absolute faith in Luffy's strength and felt no worry. Even while Luffy was being pummeled, they believed he would survive and eventually secure a counter-kill with his legendary vitality. How could a man who had fought against the likes of Kaido, Big Mom, and Kizaru fall easily to Blackbeard, an Emperor who had attained his status through unconventional means?
"Thief hahaha! Straw Hat boy, I have caught you, and now you can only wait to die! I will beat you to death slowly, making you feel entirely helpless and hopeless!" Blackbeard gloated, landing two more heavy punches. The blood on Luffy's face flowed more freely.
"Die!" Blackbeard surged with strength, aiming a lethal punch directly at Luffy's heart.
However, Luffy's free hand suddenly shot up, successfully catching Blackbeard's fist. At the same time, Luffy kicked upward, slamming his foot into Blackbeard's stomach. Blackbeard let out a strangled scream, his mouth flying open as he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face twisted in shock and fear.
"How is this... cough... how is it possible! You have clearly lost your fruit abilities!"
Blackbeard could not believe it; he felt as if he were trapped in a dream. Luffy delivered another kick to his abdomen, prompting more agonized screams and a fresh spray of blood from the pirate. By then, Blackbeard had released his grip, and Luffy had regained the use of his Devil Fruit. However, Luffy did not let go of Blackbeard's arm; instead, he squeezed tighter, nearly crushing the bones in the man's hand.
"Impossible! When I catch you, you should not only lose your abilities but also your strength, just like touching Seastone! How can you still have the power to resist?!"
"Why wouldn't I?" Luffy replied, as if it were obvious. "If your move is meant to work like Seastone, then you are destined to be disappointed. I have been wearing Seastone bracelets ever since I trained under Teacher Carl, and I have long since grown used to fighting without the aid of my powers. I have practiced fighting while restrained, and I can use not only my physical strength but my Haki as well!"
As he finished speaking, Luffy launched another kick, sending Blackbeard flying backward. The pirate tumbled through the air for hundreds of meters and was on the verge of falling into the sea, but he managed to use his Zoan fruit ability to stabilize his flight. Still, he could not help but vomit blood again—a reaction far more violent than before. The dull, agonizing pain in his internal organs made it clear: Luffy had utilized his Haki to bypass his defenses and ravage his insides directly.
Blackbeard glared at Carl. If Carl had not force-fed him such a useless fruit, he would surely be stronger now. Even if he could not find a Mythical Zoan like Kaido's, an Ancient Zoan would have sufficed. It was too late for regrets; though his current Zoan fruit had bolstered his physical resilience, he remained far behind the power of Ancient or Mythical species.
"Damn Carl! Damn Straw Hat Luffy! The entire Straw Hat crew is hateful and doomed!"
Seeing their leader sent flying while coughing up blood, the morale of the Blackbeard and Big Mom pirates plummeted. The ten combatants watched Luffy in the sky with growing horror. It was Carl who had struck Big Mom, and now Luffy was dominating Blackbeard. The Straw Hat crew and their leaders were proving to be terrifying. While the combined forces of the two Emperors had more men, the outcome of a war always depended on the results of the high-end battles.
This was the reason for the Straw Hats' unwavering confidence. While they were few in number, as long as Carl and Luffy defeated their respective Emperors, the remaining crew members would ensure total victory. Katakuri, Perospero, Cracker, and Smoothie were deeply worried about their mother, while Shiryu, Burgess, and Lafitte could only frown. Blackbeard's performance was undeniably disappointing. He was a user of three Devil Fruits, and even if his current Zoan fruit was subpar, the other two were exceptionally powerful. Yet, he seemed unable to defeat the Straw Hat boy.
Carl also frowned, though his concern was different. It was not that Luffy was performing poorly; it was that Blackbeard was simply too difficult to kill. Carl actually feared Blackbeard more than others did. The reason Blackbeard seemed weak was that he had not had enough time to develop his fruits or refine his Haki—his Conqueror's Haki was likely recently awakened. In contrast, Luffy had honed his abilities for a decade, had trained with Kaido, and his strength had undergone a massive sublimation. It was normal for Blackbeard to struggle.
However, Blackbeard's immunity to death was his greatest evil. If given time, he would continue to grow, and once his three fruits were fully mastered, even Carl might find him impossible to face personally. Furthermore, Blackbeard's ambition made him a constant threat.
Carl shouted, "Luffy, do not give Blackbeard time to breathe! This guy is ambitious, and keeping him alive will only cause endless trouble! Just kill him!"
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