Chapter 447: Red and Black
The center of Hachinosu was tearing apart, heaven and earth collapsing.
Blazing flames, dark swamps, and destructive shockwaves—the three wreaked havoc in the same space, tearing the air apart and scorching the sea breeze!
Before Luffy, Zoro, and Kuina could even conclude their respective battles, the most dazzling focal point of the entire battlefield had already converged on the two figures in the center—
—Ace vs. Teach.
Scorching flames and pitch-black mud flows split the entire Hachinosu port into a two-colored hell.
"Zehahaha—I didn't expect this, Ace!"
Teach grinned and laughed maniacally. His feet were sunk deep into a black quagmire, the entire ground swallowed by his Devil Fruit ability.
The black swamp churned, exuding corrosive properties and a terrifying suction force, warping even the air itself.
"Your fire—is still as restless as ever."
Ace stood on the rocky ground that had been incinerated crimson. Flames coiled around his entire body, yet his eyes were as cold as steel: "And you, Teach... falling from a human into a monster, even your breathing is disgusting."
"Zehahahaha—!!!"
Teach's laughter was wild and violent. His arms swelled, muscles bulging as Armament Haki coated his skin like black iron. The black mud flowed steadily in his palms—
"Swamp Burst: Abyssal Serpent!!!"
The ground exploded with a deafening boom, the black liquid transforming into dozens of tentacle-like mud waves sweeping forward!
Every single tentacle carried a terrifying suction, capable of devouring everything into a bottomless abyss!
Ace's figure flashed, soaring into the air like a flaming meteor. With a tap of his toes against the air, he instantly drew a blazing trajectory through the sky.
"Fire Fist: Barrage—!"
He threw consecutive punches, blasting out hundreds of blazing fist winds one after another, crashing into the sea of black mud like a falling meteor shower!
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!!!"
Flames and swamp crashed together madly, the sounds of explosions linking into a continuous, deafening roar!
Teach swung his arms to block part of the impact. The black mud surged, corroding the flames and reforming into a giant maw that snapped at Ace: "Zehahaha—watch me eat this fire of yours!!!"
"That depends on how much you can swallow!" Ace roared. The flames on his arms condensed, the temperature suddenly skyrocketing!
"Flame Emperor—!"
With a resounding boom, the flames converged into a hundred-meter-tall giant of fire. Descending from the sky, the giant fist smashed toward Teach's swamp domain with the oppressive might of the sun!
"RUMBLE—!!!"
The sea of fire swept out, the swamp churned, and the entire Hachinosu port collapsed and sank. Blazing flames and black mud intertwined into a chaotic, destructive vortex!
The two charged out from the center of the explosion simultaneously, their figures turning into two streaks of light as they clashed again!
Teach roared, Armament Haki coating his hands like layers of rock, his claws turning into giant hooks that tore through the air!
"Swamp Claw: Rend!!!"
Using physical martial arts to enhance his Devil Fruit, his speed skyrocketed, closing in on Ace's chest in a flash!
Flames surrounded Ace's fists, his Armament Haki transforming into molten steel amidst the blazing fire.
"Explosive Flame Collapse!!!"
Their fists and claws collided—
"BOOM!!!"
The shockwave burst, the sea breeze rolling backward! The flames turned into a ring-shaped explosive wave, evaporating the black mud into white mist.
Teach abruptly dropped his stance, using Taijutsu to deliver a backhanded elbow strike infused with Haki;
Ace blocked with his leg and countered instantly, his knee erupting with a blazing knee strike!
"Zehahaha—!"
Teach morphed his arm into a mud flow, forcibly absorbing the fiery impact, and took advantage of the momentum to rebound with a punch!
Their figures entangled, colliding like meteors. In an instant, they exchanged dozens of blows, every single strike shattering the sea waves and sending crushed rocks flying!
What filled the air was no longer the wind, but the scent of searing heat and corrosion.
The deafening roar of flames clashing with the mud flows made nearly the entire sea tremble.
Ace stood on the fractured rocky ground, his aura so scorchingly hot that it distorted the air. Every inch of his muscles was vibrating.
The ruby-inlaid ring on his right hand—finally lit up completely!
"Damn it... your mud is seriously annoying!"
He growled softly, the flames inside his body expanding like an exploding solar core.
In a split second, the temperature climbed to a platinum white—the air ignited, the sea breeze evaporated instantly, and the rock layers beneath his feet turned into magma.
"—Netsu Netsu no Mi (Hot-Hot Fruit): Liberation!"
"BOOM!!!"
In that moment, the flames across Ace's entire body underwent a complete qualitative change.
Resonating the burning flames of the Mera Mera no Mi with the energy of the Netsu Netsu no Mi, it formed a platinum-level flame state—
The flames were no longer merely burning; they were a pure release of energy. Light and heat intertwined, exactly like the sun descending to the mortal realm.
Ace's fists became transparently crimson, his Haki condensing into a crystalline state. Even his shadow was swallowed by the light.
His gaze was ice-cold. Stomping his foot, the flames erupted—
"Flame Emperor: Scorching Sun Burst!!!"
The flames erupted like an exploding star!
His entire being transformed into a streak of incandescent light, trailing a dazzling tail flame. His speed was so fast that even time seemed to stagnate for half a beat!
Opposite him, Teach felt the oppressive pressure of that searing heat. His face instantly turned solemn as the black mud surged violently!
"You damn brat—"
He roared lowly, extending both palms. The swamp power in his hands rushed forth like a torrential flood, while simultaneously, a second aura within his body fully awakened.
"Pumping!!!"
"BOOM—!!!"
The swamp and his rubber body began to resonate! Muscles stretched, skin bulged!
A dark purple glow flowed through his veins, his entire body turning into a pitch-black, liquid rubber state.
Every breath carried a distorted echo.
That was—the fusion form of the Swamp-Swamp Fruit and the Gum-Gum Fruit!
"Zehahaha—Ace! My body can repel even flames!!!"
Teach roared, throwing a devastating punch!
"Gum-Swamp: Spiral Collapse!!!"
With that punch, the swamp spiraled and churned. The black mud spun into a vortex in the air, merging with the extending fist wind of rubber.
It formed a black tornado capable of devouring all energy, sucking in even light itself!
Ace reacted extremely fast in mid-air. With a shake of his arm, the flames morphed into a flowing spiral shape. The platinum flames resonated with Haki, creating a high-temperature airflow that distorted space!
"BOOM!!!"
Their fists collided head-on in mid-air—
The air collapsed instantly. The ground in the center of Hachinosu was crushed into a giant crater, and seawater poured in!
Blazing flames scattered into countless rays of light, while the mud flow churned, devouring energy.
The two forces tore at, intertwined with, and devoured each other, forming a devastating orb of energy!
"Zehahahaha—!!!"
Teach laughed maniacally at the sky. Surprisingly, his body didn't immediately vaporize in the extreme heat. Instead, it twisted and rebounded like rubber, "repelling" part of the flames back!
Ace's gaze sharpened as the flames rebounded up his arm.
"He can actually... repel fire?!"
Blood trickled from the corner of Teach's mouth, but he continued to laugh maniacally: "Zehahaha—this is the power of fusion! I can 'swallow' everything—and 'repel' it right back!!!"
His right arm shot out like a liquid giant snake, coated in Armament Haki. The black mud spiraled, transforming into a spinning giant hammer!
"Gum-Swamp: Black Hammer—!!!"
Ace roared in response, the flames surging against the current!
"Flame Emperor: Incandescent Sky Fall—!!!"
"——BOOM!!!"
The two forces collided once again. The center of Hachinosu collapsed completely. Flames and black mud erupted like pillars supporting the heavens.
The scorching heat and freezing gloom intertwined in the sky into a destructive double helix, illuminating the entire night sky of the New World.
In the distance, Luffy, Zoro, and Kuina all stopped in their tracks, looking toward the soaring firelight that resembled the gates of hell.
In that moment, the battle between Ace and Teach had long since transcended a simple contest of victory and defeat—
This was the ultimate collision between flames and the abyss, light and darkness, freedom and greed!
...
High above, the storm tore at the clouds. A blurry silhouette slowly materialized in the air—
He looked down at the battlefield ripped apart by black and red, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly to reveal a profound, meaningful smile.
"Teach..."
"Will you actually be able to—awaken?"
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you