Next Day
Banaro Island , Paradise , Grand Line
The sunlight down on the smoldering ruins of Banaro Island. The thick air with the smell of smoke and spilled rum was punctuated by the boisterous laughter of the Blackbeard Pirates. Jesus Burgess with his massive bare chest guzzled a barrel of rum, while Van Augur sat atop a charred rooftop polishing his rifle his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. While Doc Q coughed weakly, offering an explosive apple to random person on this island, who wisely refused his apple.
This person get away from Blackbeard Pirates he think nothing good will happen if he stay here for any longer.
Marshall D. Teach Aka Blackbeard. A wide gap-toothed grin was plastered across his face as he tore into a cherry pie with one hand and held a freshly delivered newspaper in the other hand.
"Zehahahahaha! Look at this boys" Blackbeard's his voice echoing through the ravaged town square. He slapped the paper down on a crate pointing a thick greasy finger at the front page. "Straw Hat Luffy A bounty of 300 million Beri The fool actually declared war on the World Government and burned their flag at Enies Lobby Zehahahahahahahahahah!"
Lafitte the elegant navigator tapped his cane on the ground. "Enies Lobby... This is not far from Water 7. And this island is just a little far from there. It seems our luck is very good today Captain."
Blackbeard's grin widened, a predatory light glinting in his eyes. "Zehahaha! You are damn right. This is our chance with Crocodile's Warlord spot is still empty. Imagine the looks on the Gorosei's faces when we goes into Marineford and drop a 300 million Beri pirate right at their feet They will have to no choice but to give me the position of the warlord."
"So we are going after him?" Burgess roared, slamming his barrel down. "WIIIIIIHA! I will enjoy crushing that little rookie pirate with my own hadns."
"Prepare the ship" Teach commanded, rising to his feet. "Our dream is one step closer. We are sailing for Water 7"
A chorus of cheers erupted from his crew. The plan was set. Their destiny was in motion.
But destiny had other plans today.
But at that moment A sudden intense wave of heat washed over the island which silences their celebration.
The very air seemed to shimmer. A lone figure stood at the edge of the town blocking the path to their ship. He wore a familiar orange hat with two blue smiley and frowny face beads and his bare back was emblazoned with the proud mark of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Portgas D. Ace," Van Augur announced calmly from his perch, his scope already trained on the newcomer. "Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Blackbeard's grin did not falter but at that moment it grew more genuine. "Commander Ace, My old friend. Zehahahaha I knew you will find me. What perfect timing. Join my crew Ace Together, we will shake the very foundations of this world"
Ace did not move. "I have no interest in joining a traitor. You broke the one unbreakable rule of our crew Teach. You murdered a brother. You killed Thatch." His voice was cold and laced with a fury that could melt steel.
Blackbeard waved his hand and said "Thatch was weak. He stood between me and my destiny. It was nothing personal."
"Don't you dare to speak his name" Ace flames beginning to lick up his arms. "I am going to teach you some manners and then I am dragging your corpse back to Pops."
Teach let out another hearty laugh. "Always so hot headed, Ace, Fine, if you will not join me, then get out of my way. We are on our way to capture a certain rookie pirate to make a name for ourselves. A boy named Straw Hat Luffy."
The temperature on the island instantly dropped replaced by a suffocating murderous pressure emanating from Ace. The flames around him exploded into a roaring inferno. His eyes once merely angry now burned with an absolute and personal hatred.
"Straw Hat... Luffy..." Ace's voice was a venomous whisper. "He is my little brother."
He took a step forward "That just gave me a second reason to turn you to ashes, Teach."
At that moment Jesus Burgess took a fighting stance, grinning. "Let me take him Captain! I....."
"Stop all of you"
Blackbeard's voice had lost all of its happy and joyful tone. It was flat serious and heavy with command.
"You guys stay away from him," he ordered but his gaze fixed solely on the ACE. "You are not a match for him."
Burgess's jaw dropped. Van Augur lowered his rifle a rare flicker of surprise on his stoic face. They had seen their captain's strength. For him to admit so openly, that they stood no chance against this man... a cold dread washed over them. This was not just a random powerful pirate this was a monster.
"But Captai-"
Blackbeard roared, a darkness beginning to swirl around his hand. "Get as far away as you can. This is between me and him"
Without another word the Blackbeard Pirates turned and fled, their earlier bravado completely evaporated. They scattered into the town putting as much distance as possible between themselves.
Soon, only the two men remained, facing each other across the desolate square.
"Brave of you to face me alone Teach" Ace said, his body now fully wreathed in flame. "Or you are just foolish."
"Zehahahahahahahahaha" Blackbeard's laugh was now more sinister. He let the darkness crawl up his arm swirling like black smoke. "You still don't get it do you, Ace? You still wonder why."
He leaned forward, his expression a mask of conspiratorial glee. "Do you know why I killed Thatch? Why I, the man who had been on Whitebeard's ship for decades would throw it all away in one moment?"
Ace remained silent, his fiery glare unwavering.
"Because he found it," Teach whispered his voice dripping with obsession. "He found the one Devil Fruit in all the world that I have been searching for my entire life. I read about it in an Devil Fruit encyclopedia years ago and I knew... I knew it was destined to be mine."
The darkness around him began to expand, pulling in loose pebbles and dust from the ground, consuming the light itself.
"The Yami Yami no Mi (The Dark-Dark Fruit!)," Blackbeard declared, his eyes wild with ambition. "It is the most vicious most evil power of all Logia types. It grants me the power of darkness itself. An infinite gravity that can pull everything in and crush it to nothing"
He held up his hand a swirling vortex of blackness resting in his palm.
"But that is not its true terror of this fruit Ace," he continued, his grin splitting his face. "Its true power... is that it can nullify the abilities of any other Devil Fruit user. Your flames, Crocodile's sand, even Pops's tremors... if I can touch you, you will become a normal powerless man."
"With this fruit," he boomed, his voice resonating with an unholy power, "I will reach the top. I will take everything and this world will be MINE ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
"ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His laughter echoed through the entire island.