Not to mention Naruto's chance encounter with an old acquaintance on the other side.
The scene turns back to a small boat speeding on the sea.
In fact, calling it a 'small boat' might even be an overstatement… a more accurate description would be a 'skateboard'.
Compared to Naruto's Gale Breaker, Ace's vessel was even smaller, more like a surfboard with a sail attached.
But its advantage was speed.
Extreme speed.
In the week Naruto spent at Water 7, Ace had already managed to close in on Blackbeard's trail using this boat.
The moment Blackbeard left a small town, Ace would arrive right after.
The distance between them was shrinking rapidly.
However, this was also the result of Blackbeard deliberately leaving traces behind.
While Ace was hunting Blackbeard, he didn't realize that Blackbeard was also luring him into a trap.
Because he had wasted a few days training with Naruto, when Ace learned about Blackbeard's whereabouts, he didn't take a detour to Alabasta when he received intel on Blackbeard's whereabouts.
Instead, he headed straight for Blackbeard's last known location… Panaro Island.
On Banaro Island.
Blackbeard and his crew had just finished pillaging an entire town. Due to someone's interference, Luffy didn't cross paths with Blackbeard, Teach, as he would have in the original work.
Thus, in Teach's mind at this moment, his only goal was to capture Ace.
Only the blood of the Pirate King's son could help him negotiate with the World Government and secure his position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
As he himself once said, 'People's dream never ends.'
You could call Teach a villain or a ruthless schemer who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, but you couldn't deny the patience he had shown in his climb to power.
Much like Zhao Gao in another parallel world, who climbed his way to the very top, Teach, in his own fate, truly replaced Whitebeard and became one of the new Four Emperors.
'Finally found you, Teach.'
Ace, standing atop a high point, had originally intended to shout those words. But remembering the personal teachings of a certain uncle, he quickly shut his mouth.
This town was just an ordinary settlement in the first half of the Grand Line. The strongest people here hadn't even heard of a power like Haki.
As a result, after effortlessly crushing the opposition, Blackbeard hadn't even bothered using Haki to scout the surroundings.
It can only be said that these guys had grown too accustomed to bullying 'small fries' lately, forgetting the rules of combat in the New World.
This gave Ace the perfect opportunity.
Drag Blackbeard back to his Pops and make him kneel in apology?
After Naruto's verbal beatdown, Ace had long abandoned that idea.
How can you expect this guy to truly repent when he can ruthlessly kill a Nakama he has known for decades just for a Devil Fruit?
If Teach wanted to apologize to Whitebeard and Thatch, he'd have to do it with his head in Ace's hands.
A stream of fire, guided by Ace's will, rapidly condensed into a blazing spear. Then, Ace coated it with his still-unrefined Haki.
Instantly, the edges of the flames took on a black outline, making them appear more 'solid'.
"Hm?"
At that moment, Van Augur, the sniper of the Blackbeard Pirates, seemed to sense something and turned his head… just in time to see the flames igniting on the cliffside.
But before he could warn his crewmates, Ace's attack had already arrived.
[Karma Unknown Fire]
This was a modified version of his original technique, developed after Naruto's training.
Its piercing power, destructive range, firing distance, and speed had all been enhanced.
By the time Blackbeard heard the sound, the black-tinged flame spear had already pierced straight through his heart.
A fatal blow!
"Captain!"
"Captain!"
The navigator, Lafitte, immediately spread his wings and flew toward Ace's position.
Meanwhile, Van Auger swiftly drew his rifle and took aim at Ace, firing three rapid shots.
Unfortunately, his bullets weren't made of Seastone, and attacks of this level couldn't pose a threat to a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.
But Ace wasn't careless enough to rely solely on his elemental intangibility.
Facing the incoming bullets, he activated his Observation Haki and deftly dodged them.
This kind of cautious attitude could often save his life at critical moments.
After all, no one knew if the next attack might carry a hidden killing move.
"You bastard!"
The enraged strongman, Jesus Burgess, lifted an entire house and hurled it toward Ace.
Meanwhile, their perpetually sickly doctor, Doc Q, weakly crouched on the ground, examining Blackbeard's injuries.
Facing the full assault of the Blackbeard Pirates, Ace had no intention of letting any of them escape.
From the information he had gathered while chasing Blackbeard-
These guys were nothing but ruthless scoundrels, leaving nothing but misery in their wake.
[Fire Gun]
Several more powerful fire bullets instantly pierced through Lafitte's wings, causing him to fall in pain.
Then, Ace transformed into flames, blasting through the house Burgess had thrown at him before reforming right in front of the giant man.
"Hah!"
He launched a kick straight at Burgess' head.
Confident in his overwhelming strength, Burgess didn't even flinch, and instead countered with a crushing elbow strike.
In terms of size, Ace was at a disadvantage.
But in reality, Ace's Haki-coated shin smashed directly into Burgess' elbow… followed by the sickening crack of shattering bone.
The next moment, Burgess collapsed to the ground, clutching his broken arm and howling in agony.
He was indeed strong, but that didn't mean his body was equally durable.
Without Haki, he stood no chance against Ace, who had undergone special training.
"Fire Fist!"
Flames instantly engulfed the remaining members… Ace wasn't holding back in the slightest.
"Black Hole!"
Just then, an impossible voice rang out, causing Ace to turn his head sharply.
It was Blackbeard, who had just been pierced through the heart and should have been 'dead'.
"Zehahahaha! That hurt, Commander Ace!"
Blackbeard stood back up, his face drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
His expression was twisted into a vicious grin as dark smoke billowed from his palm, instantly swallowing the raging flames.
"Impossible..."
Ace muttered in disbelief.
Because he could clearly see that the gaping hole in Blackbeard's chest was still there, and even his internal organs were visible.
There was no doubt that his attack had hit.
Doc Q's emergency treatment had stopped the bleeding, but the destroyed heart was undeniable.
At that moment, Ace recalled Marco once mentioning Teach's 'abnormal' body structure.
'Could it be that… he has more than one heart?'