The scorching sun hung high, its intense rays beating down on the streets of Jaya Island, filling the air with a hint of anxiety and unease.
Mock Town, usually bustling with noise, was now enveloped in an eerie silence.
Pirates who had been carousing moments ago were now fleeing in terror, as if a great storm was about to descend.
The Blackbeard Pirates stood at one end of the street, four figures shoulder to shoulder, like an insurmountable wall.
Blackbeard — Marshall D. Teach — stood at the forefront of the group, his physique burly, his Aura arrogant and domineering.
His lips curved into a grin, his eyes revealing undisguised greed and excitement.
He narrowed his eyes, his deep, dark pupils fixed on the Straw Hat Pirates, as if their heads were already his for the taking.
"You brats... you're heading to Sky Island, aren't you?"
His voice was low and hoarse, like a predator's soft whisper when it locks onto its prey, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.
"Zehahahaha!! I'll give you a reward for pleasing me!"
Blackbeard suddenly spread his arms, laughing wildly, his tone full of mockery.
"If you can escape from my grasp, then tomorrow at noon, directly south of Jaya Island, there will be a Knock-Up Stream that leads straight to Sky Island."
"But..."
Blackbeard's smile abruptly vanished, his eyes turning as fierce as a wild beast's, glaring at Luffy and the others with Killing Intent—
"You won't live to see tomorrow!!"
"I'll capture you alive and use you as a stepping stone to become a Shichibukai!!!"
The three members standing behind Blackbeard also exuded the Aura of strong individuals.
Jesus Burgess, the Blackbeard Pirates' helmsman, was a giant nearly four meters tall.
His muscles bulged like forged steel, making him look like a towering mountain just by standing there.
His upper body was bare, his chest wrapped in mottled combat bandages, revealing the countless battles he had endured.
He clenched his fists, knuckles cracking, a ferocious Battle Intent on his face as he grinned and laughed—
"Zehahahaha! Speak of the devil! We were just worrying about not finding pirates with high bounties, and now your Straw Hat Pirates' bounties have soared so high!"
"Today, we'll send you to the World Government's prison!!"
Van Auger, the Blackbeard Pirates' sniper, stood to Blackbeard's left.
His lean, tall frame was cloaked in a long trench coat, his face bearing a calm indifference.
He wore a wide-brimmed hat, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, deep and cold.
His right hand slowly lifted, the ultra-long sniper rifle already resting on his shoulder, its dark muzzle locked onto the Straw Hat Pirates.
His lips curved slightly into a disdainful smile as he slowly said:
"Fate is sealed; your downfall is already set."
Facing the arrogant provocation of the Blackbeard Pirates, not a single member of the Straw Hat Pirates retreated; everyone's gaze turned intensely sharp.
Luffy stood at the forefront of the group, his straw hat tilted slightly, a grin of excitement on his face.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly, his entire body radiating an irrepressible Battle Intent!
"Hehehe! You want to capture me alive? Blackbeard, you're really confident!"
"But it's a pity, I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!"
"You guys, don't stand in my way!!"
Lin Ning stood to Luffy's right, his figure as straight as a spear, holding a halberd, his gaze cold and calm.
He slowly raised the halberd, its sharp blade glinting with a chilling light, exuding a captivating Haki.
He spoke slowly, his tone indifferent, yet imbued with suffocating authority—
"Blackbeard, you want to become a Shichibukai... But before that, you need to consider carefully if you are worthy."
"It's best to think clearly before you act, whether your life can be spared."
Zoro stood to the left, his three swords slowly drawn, his eyes cold and sharp, his Killing Intent as fierce as a blade.
"Ambitionists of the New World? This is getting more and more interesting..."
"If you want to fight, then come at us with all you've got!"
Sanji slowly lit a cigarette, stepped forward, his entire body radiating a wild Aura.
"What a bother, I originally wanted to enjoy a leisurely meal, but now it seems I have to take care of you guys first before I can continue to enjoy life."
"So, who wants to die first?"
Two powerful Auras clashed in the air, filling the center of the street with a suffocating sense of oppression.
The two pirate crews stood face to face, the arrogance and wildness of the Blackbeard Pirates in stark contrast to the firm fearlessness of the Straw Hat Pirates.
But beneath the frontline confrontation, the four individuals standing in the rear felt complex emotions churning within them.
Nami, Usopp, Robin, and Chopper stood silently behind Luffy and the other three, knowing—
This was a battle they could not interfere with!
Facing the terrifying Aura of the Blackbeard Pirates, they felt the immense gap between themselves and true powerhouses.
Usopp, in particular, stared intently at Van Auger among the Blackbeard Pirates.
That lean and tall sniper, those hawk-like sharp eyes, seemed capable of seeing through everything, easily controlling the entire situation on the battlefield.
Usopp's hand trembled involuntarily, cold sweat trickling from his temples; he had already realized a fact—
"I... I can't even take one shot from him..."
He was the Straw Hat Pirates' sniper, and the other party was also a sniper. If a battle began, the other party's target would definitely be him, Usopp!
But he didn't even have the courage to step forward; he had already clearly felt the gap between himself and a true powerhouse, like an insurmountable chasm.
This feeling of powerlessness made his heart ache as if it were being cut by a knife.
He clenched his teeth tightly, a furious rage igniting within him, and he roared at himself:
"Usopp! Are you really that cowardly?! You're a brave warrior of the sea!!"
"If you don't even have the courage to step forward today, then what right do you have to remain on this ship?!"
"I want to become stronger!!"
Usopp's eyes gradually hardened, and he vowed: From this day forward, he would never allow himself to be so powerless again!
And Nami, Robin, and Chopper, though they said nothing, were also filled with unwillingness.
They also yearned to become stronger; they didn't want to always hide in the back, watching their comrades fight to the death at the front.
Just then, Luffy, standing at the very front, seemed to remember something and slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold.
His voice was low and full of oppressive power:
"...You said your name was Blackbeard?"
Blackbeard was slightly startled, then grinned broadly, revealing a few missing teeth.
"Zehahahaha! That's right, brat, I am Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach!!"
Luffy's eyes grew colder, his fists slowly clenching, producing a "crack crack" of popping knuckles.
"So... you're the guy Ace mentioned, the one who killed his comrade..."
As soon as his words fell, Blackbeard's expression subtly changed, and his smile vanished for a moment!
A brutal glint flashed in his eyes, his lips twitched, and his tone instantly became several shades darker:
"You know Ace?"
The entire air seemed to thicken for a moment!
Blackbeard's eyes suddenly widened, filled with a dangerous glint, and a terrifying sense of oppression instantly permeated the entire street!
Burgess's smile also slightly receded, and Van Auger's gaze grew deeper.
Luffy's eyes became even colder; he had confirmed that the man before him was the target Ace was chasing—Blackbeard!
"Lin Ning, Zoro, Sanji."
Luffy spoke slowly, his voice low and firm.
"Let's see what these pirates of the New World are really made of."
"Crush them!!!"