One of the members of the Fourth Division spoke up.
"Reporting to Father… a while ago, Captain Thatch acquired a Devil Fruit known as the Dark-Dark Fruit."
"Now that he is dead… the Dark-Dark Fruit has disappeared as well!"
"Would he really harm his own family… just for the sake of a fruit?!"
Whitebeard was consumed by fury!
His voice boomed like heavy, rolling thunder across the sky.
Blackbeard had once been close friends with Thatch.
Yet, just for a Devil Fruit, he had struck him down without the slightest hesitation!
This was absolutely unforgivable!
Whitebeard issued his order immediately.
"From this moment onward, there shall be no peace between the Whitebeard Pirates and Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard!"
"He has committed the ultimate taboo of our crew — killing a comrade!"
"We shall avenge Thatch!"
Every member of the Whitebeard Pirates roared in rage.
"AVENGE THATCH!"
"AVENGE THATCH!"
"AVENGE THATCH!"
From that day on, Blackbeard became the mortal enemy of the entire Whitebeard Pirates.
Ace stood upon the deck, his eyes burning with flames of rage.
"Blackbeard…" he repeated bitterly in his heart.
Later that same day.
Whitebeard's physical condition had worsened significantly.
He now required constant medical care, with IV drips and long-term medication just to maintain his body's functions.
Ace came before Whitebeard.
He carried a large bundle beside him.
"Father… I have come to bid you farewell."
Ace spoke with a heavy heart.
Whitebeard opened his eyes slowly.
"Ace… is that you?"
Just by looking at Ace's expression, he already knew exactly what the young man intended to do.
He wanted to chase down Blackbeard and avenge Thatch!
Whitebeard looked at the fire burning in Ace's eyes.
Suddenly, he remembered exactly what El had said to him before.
"Ace is a good kid… but he is far too impulsive!"
Whitebeard closed his eyes and sighed deeply in his heart.
"El… how is it that you always foresee everything so clearly…"
What pained him the most…
Was the realization that even if he tried to stop Ace and forbid him from going… this outcome would still happen anyway.
This was simply Ace's nature. And perhaps, it would never change.
He spoke to Ace sternly. "Ace… if you truly respect me as your father… do not go."
His tone was absolute.
Ace froze for a moment.
Then, quietly, he replied: "…I understand, Father."
…
That very night.
Ace vanished without a trace.
…
Three days later.
On Banaro Island, located in the Grand Line.
Blackbeard had already gathered several new comrades to form his own pirate crew.
As he passed by a high platform in the town… He suddenly sensed a presence.
He looked up and saw a familiar figure sitting there, watching him.
Blackbeard grinned widely.
"Captain Ace!"
He knew this would happen.
Even if he hadn't gone looking for Fire Fist Ace… Ace would have come looking for him anyway.
A man like him was just too easy to read!
Ace replied coldly: "Silence, Blackbeard. Stop pretending. Don't call me 'Captain' anymore."
Although neither had made a move yet…
The atmosphere between them was already that of a duel to the death.
The hatred between them was irreconcilable!
Blackbeard spoke casually and arrogantly to Ace.
Meanwhile, his sniper — Van Augur — quietly raised his rifle and took aim at Ace!
Bang!
Bang! Bang!
Several shots rang out.
Ace's body was pierced through in several places, leaving holes that burned with fire… but they began to mend and close up almost instantly.
"Hehehe…" Van Augur laughed darkly. "You fool… you just don't know when to quit, do you?"
Ace fixed his gaze on him and immediately counterattacked.
"FIRE GUN!"
He shaped his hands like pistols, and from his fingertips, countless bullets of flame shot out continuously!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
True to the power of a Logia user, the destructive force was astonishing.
Fire blossomed everywhere on the ground, forcing Blackbeard's crew to scatter and dodge frantically.
"FLAME RING — FIRE PILLAR!!"
Ace pressed his hands against the ground to press his advantage… and a massive pillar of fire erupted straight up from the earth!
ROAR!
Blackbeard's subordinates were blasted away, falling over each other in utter chaos and embarrassment.
Blackbeard shouted furiously at his men. "You idiots! Who gave you permission to attack?!"
"You aren't his match yet!"
His subordinates apologized hurriedly. "We're sorry, Boss!"
Blackbeard himself was in a sorry state too.
His entire body was covered in burns.
He decided there was no more point in hiding or pretending. He was done holding back.
He stood up and looked straight at Ace.
"Ace! Your fruit gives you control over fire, right?!"
"Then let me show you mine!"
Slowly, a strange black substance began to flow and ripple across Blackbeard's body.
Blackbeard looked at Ace with wild arrogance.
"Behold… something extremely rare even among the Logia-type fruits… the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
"I now command the darkness that swallows the world itself!"
Blackbeard wore an evil grin.
From his body, darkness began to spread outward continuously.
On the ground, it moved like an inky shadow that nothing could wash away. It grew larger and larger, expanding endlessly.
It covered the entire town… Everything — houses, furniture, stones on the ground, trees… all were swallowed up.
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