On a beach with rolling waves.
Boulders stood like a forest, occasionally receiving the baptism of the waves.
"Heh heh heh..."
Blackbeard laughed loudly, filled with excitement and joy.
He had already begun to feel the immense change in his body.
"Finger Pistol!"
Staring at Blackbeard in front of him, Ichiji's crossed-leg posture remained unchanged. His fingers flashed like lightning, lightly flicking a few times.
"Hmm, hmm..."
One after another, surges of Haki broke through the air, directly striking the defenseless Blackbeard.
"What's that?"
"How is this possible?"
"No way? Lava?"
The terrifying lava, shocking to behold, splattered, making Van Augur and the others gasp in fright.
Possessing the power of three Devil Fruits, and with no conflict between the "devils" within him causing him to explode, he had just eaten that Logia-type Devil Fruit, and it was actually the Lava-Lava Fruit.
"Isn't that Admiral Akainu's ability?" Laffitte was surprised and uncertain.
He had never seen Sakazuki, but he had heard of the three great Admirals' respective Logia-type abilities.
Akainu's Lava-Lava Fruit, Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit, Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit—all were top-tier Logia types.
"Could it be?"
Van Augur and the others clearly knew that Germa had a way to seize Devil Fruit abilities. Blackbeard hadn't intentionally hidden it from them.
The Blackbeard Pirates had always been known for defeating powerful opponents. If they refused to submit, their corpses would all be sent to Ichiji.
But for him to obtain Akainu's ability, didn't that mean...
"Because Admiral Akainu of the Marine was killed by him, it wasn't some Golden Lion or Revolutionary Army, but Germa..."
Blackbeard Teach grinned grimly and said directly to Laffitte and Burgess, "Shiki was merely pushed out by Lord Vinsmoke, a dead man to eliminate suspicion from Germa!"
"What!?"
Laffitte and the others, upon hearing this, were all dumbfounded in shock, utterly incredulous.
They had already tried their best to overestimate Germa's power, and even secretly speculated whether Germa had some unknown private dealings with that legendary pirate Shiki. But they still underestimated this mysterious force.
Even a Marine Admiral, leading a fleet of nearly ten thousand, could only harbor resentment.
It was actually Germa who did it!
If this got out, the entire sea would probably tremble.
"Shiki's ability was obtained by Germa long ago. Pushing out that once famous, still somewhat influential dead man can solve many unnecessary troubles..." Ichiji, sitting on a weathered rock smoothed by waves and wind, looked directly at Van Augur and Burgess, and calmly said: "You just need to know this one point. No need to spread it."
He didn't mind giving these guys a shock, and also giving them some sweetness.
Being able to access more secrets undoubtedly meant that Germa was gradually trusting them, and they would naturally gradually feel a sense of belonging to this colossal entity.
"Wahahahaha, so that's how it is. Now I have even more confidence..." Raising his arms high, Burgess laughed excitedly.
The stronger Germa became, the brighter their future would be!
"Indeed!"
"This is also fate's arrangement..."
Laffitte and Van Augur, in their shock, all broke into smiles.
Although he didn't fully understand yet what kind of trump cards Germa had, being able to kill a Marine Admiral and having already seized Shiki's ability was already astonishing enough.
"Then, Captain, can you explain why you can possess three Devil Fruits?" Laffitte's eyes glowed with heat as he looked at Teach returning, asking incredulously.
The rest of them were also curious, expectant, and eager.
If there was a way to possess multiple Devil Fruits, who wouldn't want it?
"My body structure is special, considered an 'anomaly,' so I can accommodate three Devil Fruits. But I estimate that's the limit. Don't wish for more..." Blackbeard's entire body turned red, constantly emitting thick smoke, making the surrounding temperature rapidly rise. The atmosphere subtly twisted: "In this world, besides me, only the user of the Op-Op Fruit once sacrificed their own lifespan, combined with Germa's most outstanding techniques, to create a modified subordinate with such a special physique..."
The moment his words fell, under the shocked gazes of Van Augur and the others, he directly punched towards the sea.
"Pound..."
A gigantic fist of lava slammed into the sea.
A large amount of seawater was directly vaporized, steam rising profusely, endless evaporation.
"What a pity then!"
Burgess laughed somewhat disappointedly.
The ability of the Op-Op Fruit, requiring the expenditure of lifespan and modification with Germa's most outstanding techniques—these people clearly had no hope.
"So, Lord Vinsmoke also has this kind of physique?"
Laffitte and Doc Q were both startled.
This young ruler of Germa, his strength probably far exceeded their imagination.
Although he was unbelievably young, it was quite possible that the Golden Lion from back then died at the hands of this Lord, and his Flutter-Flutter Fruit ability was seized.
"This is Akainu's ability, and information on his techniques. You can combine it with your own advantages in various aspects to develop your Lava-Lava Fruit ability..."
Ignoring the shocked Laffitte and the others, Ichiji directly pulled out a few sheets of paper and handed them to Blackbeard Teach. At the same time, he sternly warned: "Remember, at this stage, it's best not to use the Lava-Lava Fruit's ability in front of others. Either you leave no living person or trace behind, otherwise you will be targeted by the Marines, the World Government, and even the Four Emperors."
"After all, they are definitely interested in a body capable of holding multiple Devil Fruits!"
Before separating from Shiki and the others, Ichiji had already recorded Akainu's abilities and advantages, as well as the possibilities for various development directions, on those few pages of paper.
"Rest assured on this point, Your Lordship..."
Blackbeard took the few pages of paper, his face solemn as he nodded: "I still have self-awareness. To truly contend with those monsters, I still need more time and effort!"
At least for now, he still lacked the ability to fully protect himself. It was necessary to keep a low profile.
"Then, I'll be leaving first..."
Looking at the sky, Ichiji casually clapped his hands, stood up, and said with a faint smile: "If we contact for too long, it'll be bad if the World Government discovers us. As a Seven Warlord of the Sea, you are, in any case, a key target of their attention!"
Blackbeard successfully attempted his third Devil Fruit, and at the same time, it meant that in the future, he could also possess three Devil Fruits. His mood was naturally very good.
"I wish you good luck!"
Under the shocked gazes of Van Augur and the others, Ichiji's entire body was wreathed in strange black smoke. From his back, black demon wings directly emerged, and he soared into the sky at an astonishing speed...
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