Whitebeard roared, ready to chase after Teach, but the thought of Saatchi's wound made him turn back to check first. Thankfully, the blade hadn't struck a fatal point.
Without waiting for anyone else to react, he charged after Teach.
"Teach, he—"
Ace opened his mouth, then shut it again.
The truth was laid bare before them: Teach had really tried to kill Saatchi for the sake of a Devil Fruit. If Dad hadn't appeared, Teach might have already gotten away.
He and Teach had always been close. After all, Teach had once belonged to his division. He thought he'd known the man well. But now—
At that moment, in the chat group—
Ordinary Group Leader (Brandon White): No way, right? Even with both of them prepared, Teach still managed to take it this far?
Ordinary Group Leader: I could understand Dad being soft-hearted, but how was Saatchi this careless too?!
Ordinary Group Leader: Or maybe there was something wrong with Teach's wine? Something to dull his strength?
Ordinary Group Leader: But no, it didn't look like that. Don't tell me… he really didn't react in time?
Uchiha Dance King (Madara): That's what betrayal from someone you trust looks like. Even if Whitebeard warned him, Saatchi still couldn't truly believe it until the very last moment.
Uchiha Dance King: Perhaps it wasn't that his body failed to react—his heart simply didn't want to fight back.
Most Evil Spirit: In a sense, yes—it speaks of a bond incredibly deep. Too bad Teach never once saw them as brothers.
Boil Daigu into Soup: Don't tell me Teach is really going to escape?
Richest Man (Tony Stark): Looking at this, he just might. Honestly, better to end him sooner rather than later.
Golden Flash (Gilgamesh): Without solid evidence, acting rashly is never wise.
Richest Man: Oh, like you—until you had proof, you couldn't touch Danzo or Hiruzen either, right?
Richest Man: ShakingHead.jpg
Child of Nature (Skyler Quinn): He won't get away. Against absolute strength, running is pointless.
Child of Nature: And besides, Dad now isn't that old, weakened Whitebeard. He's at his peak. Just his anger alone shakes the seas, shatters the air. His Conqueror's Haki alone can freeze Blackbeard in place!
Child of Nature: Not to mention, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit is no weaker in the ocean than on land—it may even be stronger.
Come Be My Son (Whitebeard): Teach, there's no escape!
Whitebeard's Observation Haki locked onto Teach, tracking him as he sank through the sea.
"This is pointless, Teach!"
Boom!
A blinding white aura wrapped around Whitebeard's right hand as he smashed it mercilessly into the ocean.
Rumble!
Crack!
The space before him shattered like a spider's web. The massive force tore through the sea, sending it heaving wildly. The surface in front of Whitebeard collapsed downward, the waters unable to rush back in and fill the void.
"AAAHHHHH!"
Though most of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's destructive power poured into the ocean, some of it still struck Blackbeard.
A full-power blow from Whitebeard in his prime—even its aftershock was unbearable.
Teach's body screamed in agony. Blood poured from wounds all over him, driven out by the quake's shockwaves.
But even so, he forced himself deeper into the water, desperate to flee. After surviving that strike, he wanted to live more than ever—he would not let Whitebeard catch him!
"Hmph!"
Whitebeard snorted coldly at the sight. The quake's force surged again, this time slamming into Teach without restraint.
Crack!
Splurt!
Even Teach couldn't withstand it. He felt his bones shatter one by one. His body went limp, refusing to obey him. Blood gushed out, dyeing the sea around him crimson.
His consciousness faded. Darkness swallowed him whole.
"Marco. Bring him back."
Whitebeard took a long breath, his voice low but implacable. "You don't need me to tell you how he must be dealt with."
"I know, Pops." Marco's face was solemn.
"No one breaks the Whitebeard Pirates' code. Teach… must die!"
Ding! Detected: Group member [Come Be My Son] was the first to use the live-stream feature. Reward: 10,000 points.
As Whitebeard's live stream ended, the sudden mechanical voice echoed in everyone's ears.
Himouto: ???
Himouto: Wait, what?! There was a reward for being the first to stream?! Why didn't anyone say so earlier?!
She lived in an ordinary world with no powers, no mysterious artifacts to recycle. Her only way to earn points was through daily sign-ins. And now—streaming had given 10,000 points?!
That was 10,000 points! Enough for ten full lottery draws!
Ordinary Group Leader: ???
Ordinary Group Leader: I forgot! I thought only changing your own future could earn points. I never imagined the first to use the streaming feature would also get rewarded!
Ordinary Group Leader: Curse all those chat-group novels I read in my past life. Too many details jumbled together, and I went and forgot the most crucial one!
Child of Nature: …
Child of Nature: I honestly just didn't think of it.
Uchiha Dance King: Ten thousand points is nothing worth fussing over.
Uchiha Dance King: Whitebeard in his prime is worth far more.
This stream hadn't even shown Whitebeard's full strength. Yet his Conqueror's Haki alone could alter the weather and pin Blackbeard in terror. His mere fury could shake the seas. His mastery over the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was enough to warp the ocean itself.
All this was proof enough of Whitebeard's overwhelming might at his peak.
Interesting. Madara smirked. He was supremely confident in his own power, but even he wasn't certain he could defeat this Whitebeard.
But the only way to know was to fight.
Boil Daigu into Soup: … You sure know how to brag, Lord Madara.
Richest Man: Isn't that just the Uchiha clan's nature? Whether Madara or Sasuke, it's always the same.
Richest Man: I just wonder who'd win between Whitebeard at his peak and Madara at his.
Richest Man: Though "peak" might not even be the right word. After all, Madara did become the Sage of Six Paths for a while—though he got stripped of it in the end.
Richest Man: Honestly, without Six Paths-level power, the shinobi world can't compare to One Piece at all. Forget anything else—just look at stamina. Aokiji and Akainu fought for seven days and nights straight. In Naruto, aside from Hashirama and Madara, who could do that?
Just Like That, Meow: Do Tailed Beasts count, meow?
Richest Man: I'm talking about people! Humans! Do you understand, humans?!
Glory of the Northern God (Thor): What about aliens? Do they count as humans?
Richest Man: Of course aliens don't count as humans! They don't!
Ordinary Group Leader: Then what about children born from aliens and humans?
Richest Man: …I think I see where this is going.
Richest Man: Forget what I said earlier.
(End of Chapter)
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