Seeing Crocodile dead, Teach immediately converted his stamina into the power of darkness.
A dense black mist emerged from his body.
This black mist, as if with a mind of its own, didn't spread too far. It enveloped Crocodile's corpse and Teach's body, forming a spherical shroud.
The color of the spherical shroud grew deeper and deeper, the mist seemingly liquefying, causing the shroud to slowly transform into a black sphere.
"This black mist... is it his ability?"
"Sister Robin, do you know what it is?"
Watching the black sphere before them, Carina and the other women discussed in low voices, their gazes all turning to Robin, the only one among them who had read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
Robin's brow furrowed slightly as she said softly, "If I'm not mistaken, that ability should be the most unique among Logia types: the Dark-Dark Fruit."
"The Dark-Dark Fruit? So he's another Logia user?"
"The most unique Logia? Why?"
Seeing the growing curiosity of Carina and the others, Robin explained, "Because this Devil Fruit is the only one among the Logia types that cannot become an element. If the user is injured, they will suffer double the pain."
"It can't turn into an element, and he takes double the pain? That's awful!" Nami's eyes widened.
Carina, however, stroked her chin and analyzed, "With such a severe drawback, it must have a corresponding advantage. This black sphere might be the source of the Dark-Dark Fruit's power."
"Mm, that's possible," Robin nodded in agreement.
Because she noticed the expressions on Laffitte and the others, and even Link's face was filled with anticipation.
It was clear now. The reason Link hadn't killed Crocodile, but had kept him in a cell for months, was to wait for this man named Marshall D. Teach.
For Link to act personally, it couldn't possibly be just to have someone desecrate Crocodile's corpse!
At this, the women focused more intently on the black sphere before them.
The black sphere did not last long. It quickly reverted from a liquid-like state back to mist, dissipating with a gust of wind.
When Teach emerged from the black mist, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically, each in their own way.
"Hiss..."
The members of the Blackbeard Pirates were ecstatic, while Carina and the other women's pupils constricted, all of them gasping in shock.
In that moment, their worldview was once again shattered, including that of the incredibly experienced Robin.
They saw that the fruit in Teach's hand had changed dramatically.
What was once an ordinary-looking fruit now closely resembled a cactus. Its skin was covered in distinctive black spiral patterns and had small thorns, just like a cactus.
Although Carina and the others had not seen a Devil Fruit before, it didn't stop them from knowing that the fruit in Teach's hand was the legendary Treasure of the Sea.
Robin, who had read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, recognized it at a glance as Crocodile's Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit.
Just like people need to eat when they're hungry and sleep when they're tired, there were certain truths in the world.
A person can only eat one Devil Fruit. Eating one makes you unable to swim. When a user dies, their Devil Fruit reappears randomly somewhere in the world... these were all common knowledge.
Even people in the East Blue knew that Devil Fruits were the "legendary Treasures of the Sea"!
Therefore, when Carina and the others witnessed Teach seizing Crocodile's Devil Fruit with their own eyes, they finally understood why Link had told them before, "It's for your own good that I don't tell you"!
This scene, which broke the rules of the world, was simply too unbelievable.
If word of this were to inadvertently get out, it would undoubtedly shake the entire world!
Link and Teach would become the targets of everyone!
"Zehahaha... I didn't disappoint! My guess was correct!"
Teach was equally excited, laughing heartily as he handed the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit to Link.
The black hole's gravity from the Dark-Dark Fruit could indeed take the minuscule probability of a fruit's rebirth and raise it to a 100% certainty.
He now had the capital to vie for the pinnacle of the seas!
"Thank you for your hard work."
Link took the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit and handed the other fruit to Teach, smiling. "I'll leave the other one to you as well."
After speaking, he controlled the small tree to spit out Blueno, and a wooden spike pierced the back of his head, ending his life.
"Ding! An enemy has been killed. Gained 0.68% experience!"
Another notification sounded, but the experience was far less than Crocodile's.
However, it was second only to Daz Bonez from the second stage.
Despite being a stage lower, he provided experience second only to Daz Bonez, which spoke to Blueno's strength.
After all, he had mastered the Six Powers, had a Doriki of 820, was a Paramecia Devil Fruit user, and was the first victim of Gear Second. He had some substance.
Watching Teach begin the extraction ritual again, Link summoned the virtual panel that only he could see.
[Host: Link]
[Inherited Template: Senju Hashirama]
[Unlock Progress: 30% (+)]
[Experience: 7.15%]
Adding to his previous reserves, after killing Crocodile and Blueno, Link's experience reserve had surged by 7.15%.
He was less than 3% away from unlocking the Senju Hashirama template to 40%.
The decision not to kill Lucci and the others was indeed the right one.
Among the agents undercover in Water 7, only Lucci possessed the strength of a Vice Admiral. His experience might be high, but it was far from being maximized.
As for Kaku and the others, their experience would probably be similar to Blueno's, perhaps even lower.
After all, they didn't have the bonus of a Devil Fruit.
In the original story two years later, Lucci and Kaku both mastered two types of Haki and Fruit Awakening, putting them at the level of top commanders and regular commanders in a Yonko crew.
At this current stage, their experience value would probably only be 1% to 2% less than Crocodile's, maybe even less.
By the time Link dismissed the virtual panel, Teach had once again completed the fruit extraction.
"...The Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit!"
Looking at the Devil Fruit in his hand, Teach, who had read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia countless times, recognized it at a glance.
He also knew what kind of ability this Devil Fruit possessed.
Therefore, Teach's pupils constricted slightly, his heart growing heavy.
If he weren't wary of Link's strength, didn't feel he was a match for him, and was unaware of his hidden plans, Teach really would have taken this Devil Fruit and made a run for it.
Link's intelligence network was even more terrifying than the all-pervasive CP organization.
Now, with the Door-Door Fruit that allowed travel through alternate dimensions, wouldn't he be like a tiger with wings?
At that point, Link could be following him from within an alternate dimension, and he would be completely unaware!
As Teach struggled internally, he suddenly noticed Link watching him with a knowing smile. He instantly snapped out of it and hurriedly put on a simple-minded grin, "Zehahaha... I didn't disappoint. Here's the Devil Fruit you wanted."
After speaking, Teach handed the Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit to Link.
Compared to his grand plan, this small risk was not worth mentioning.
Besides, his body was special; he didn't need to sleep at all.
If Link were to secretly follow him, as long as he dared to show his face, the Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit would be his.
A mere Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit was not worth tearing his relationship with Link apart.
Link accepted the Door-Door Fruit with satisfaction and smiled, "Your attitude pleases me. As a courtesy, I'll give you a little welcoming gift as well."
After speaking, Link waved to Carina and the others in the distance, "Nami, Carina, come here."
"Coming."
Nami and Carina immediately trotted over.
Link whispered a few words in Nami's ear. Nami nodded immediately and then ran back to the ship.
Link then handed the two Devil Fruits to Carina, turned to face the sea, and clapped his hands together.
A large number of branches immediately burst from the ground around Link, converging towards the sea and rapidly forming a medium-sized two-masted ship.
Just as the ship took shape, Nami returned, carrying a large bag on her back, two rolls of canvas under one arm, and holding a Den Den Mushi in her other hand.
Link threw the large bag and the canvas to Laffitte, then handed the Den Den Mushi to Teach, saying, "This ship is a gift to you. There are 500 million Berries in the bag. It's my investment. Don't ride on that dangerous raft anymore."
"Zehahaha... Then I'll accept it without courtesy. Thank you."
Teach accepted readily, understanding that Link was issuing an order for them to leave.
Thus, he waved to Laffitte and the others and said, "Let's go, men!"
Quickly, they installed the sails and steered the ship away from Thriller Bark.
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