Chapter - 18
Luffy didn't see any of the battle between Zoro and Burgess, but he no doubt heard it. It nearly rivaled the battle between him and Blackbeard. The Yonko continued firing his darkness obtained by the Yami Yami no Mi fruit. This ability kept Luffy at at distance the only thing he could do was try and get close like he did with the first punch. To neutralize Luffy's close ranged combat, Blackbeard used his Gura Gura no Mi fruit; the power of quakes.
Each time Luffy was able to dodge the incoming projectiles and dash towards his aggressor just to be repelled by a powerful shockwave. The one time he managed to break through the wall Blackbeard created he was met with a swirling dark vortex. It was truly the power of the devil. Whatever he absorbed usually never was heard from again; people, ships, cities, you name it.
Blackbeard was the most unique opponent he's faced. Not only did he have an unpredictable offensive ability and an impenetrable defensive strategy. Blackbeard's greatest strength was also his greatest weakness. He saw the last time he hit Blackbeard when his darkness vortex was active. His Kong Gun had put the Yonko back on his heels. Whenever Blackbeard had his darkness out he was, as vulnerable if not more than a mere human when he took damage. However the darkness was proving to be unavoidable unless he had something like Law's ability.
Even if the straw hat captain wanted to, that wouldn't work twice on this Yonko. He was all too cunning and strategic; Blackbeard was an asshole not stupid. Not after all the chess like moves he made to get to this point in the Grand Line. Entering Impel Down, recruiting members from level 6 making themselves fight to death for membership in his crew. Joining the fray in Marineford, only to have a hand in the death of Ace and murdering Whitebeard, before stealing the Gura Gura no Mi from his corpse. He truly was the scum of the earth and at any cost he would make him pay for his sins.
Blackbeard also had another weakness; he wouldn't shut the hell up.
"READY TO DIE NOW STRAW HAT! It's pointless to continue this, if you surrender now I'll spare your life. All you have to do is kneel and proclaim me, Pirate King!" Blackbeard said smirking trying to get in his opponent's head.
Luffy had to keep him talking, what did Nami call it? A distraction.
"Why would I kneel if I'm winning this battle. My number one just beat your number one. I have no doubt my crew will come out on top. Your the one who should kneel to me!" Luffy was repositioning himself in order to get better angle to flank Blackbeard.
Blackbeard let out a loud wail of laughter causing him to bend on a knee. Luffy moves again positioning himself just inside Blackbeard's peripheral vision.
"You truly are a fool Monkey D. Luffy! But you're not stupid, I'll give you that much to make it this far." Luffy moved just outside the Yonko's peripheral finally bursting toward him at a great speed. "But now it's finished!" Blackbeard put both his hands behind his back to create a giant black vortex. He was planning on absorbing the Gear Fourth Luffy.
"Come to Papa." Blackbeard taunted readying his hands to ambush straw hat.
"Gomu Gomu no Double Cervin!! Luffy screamed reeling both his hands ready to strike.
Blackbeard showing his hands to reveal a massive dark aura. "YOUR POWER IS MINE STRAWHAT!"
In a flash Blackbeard was knocked off his feet flying up in the air from the impact. The double cervin was slammed into the ground just out of reach of the vortex, the impact so great sending Blackbeard high up in the air and rendering his Gura Gura no Mi power useless while in the airborne.
Luffy wasn't done. " Gomu Gomu Rhino Schneider!" The massive kick juggled Blackbeard even higher. "One more. Gum Gum Python!" Luffy yelled sending his stretching fist flying straight for Blackbeard's back connecting with a thunderous thud. Once he felt the impact, the straw hat captain immediately jerked down to send his fist crashing back down to the island bringing the Yonko along with it.
Luffy was a fool, but he'd be a damn fool if he the thought the duel was over; he didn't. It wasn't nearly enough to finish a caliber of an opponent like one Marshal D Teach.
As if on cue Blackbeard stood up dusting himself with a laugh. "This has been a nice warmup Straw hat, but this battle is about to come to end. Your time is almost up."
Luffy began to grow tired, his time in Gear 4 was done. Floating to the ground landing on all fours heaving out steam quickly reverting to his original form.
"Crap-" he coughed out more steam. "Thought I had a little more time. Now I need to buy more!"
Luffy notices Blackbeard began to activate his quake abilities raising his defensive shields up again. There would be no way to get to him until he transformed again.
This battle was entering the home stretch.
~~~
Robin and Franky had their hands full dealing with frontline of the zoan fruit users. Different variations of animal hybrids were seen. From prehistoric animals like dinosaurs all the way to large sized serpents.
The former demon child was given the task by the navigator to take on the zoan user due to her Hana Hana no Mi fruit. It was a special type of paramecia-type fruit user, allowing her to sprout limbs and make them transform shape and size at will. Robin was perfect for the job, she was currently holding the army at bay with her thousand arms.
"Mil Fleur: Giantesco Mani!" A majority of of the arms began to transform into Giant hands smashing the surrounding area throwing many of the Blackbeard underlings into the sea.
Franky was doing his best to assist Robin, firing as many missiles and projectiles as possible. Mid flight he could see the entirety of the battlefield. Not a single fruit user has broken through Robin's barrier, he knew it wouldn't hold much longer though.
Bear witnessing Robin's true strength was something truly to behold. Having mastered her powers just after the age of eight. Franky knew despite the advantage they had right now, the underlings would soon counterattack; he didn't want Robin on the receiving end of that.
The Heart Pirates were using the slight advantage the straw hats provided them and began advancing further into the fruit users' formation. The white polar bear Bepo at the forefront of it.
Franky could see some of Robin's hands disappear, alerting him to her power fading. He needed to do something fast.
"Yo Franky, you need some assistance." Sanji's voice broke the shipwright out of his thoughts.
The cyborg relieved to see the chef yelled back. "Yeah I could use you here Sanji. Take Robin's place will ya!" Without another word. Franky bursted back to aid the Heart Pirates. If there was one thing he count on about Sanji besides food, it was protecting the women of the crew.
Robin could feel her powers starting to fade. The fruit users were desperate to counter attack after the assault they launched causing a lot of casualties on Blackbeard's side. The only real downside to her powers was her vulnerability from her arms. The arms were able to duplicate themselves, but they were still very much apart of her as her own two arms.
The dark haired female glanced up to see an incoming flaming projectile. She was about to project a hand to stop when she noticed who it was.
"ROBIN CHAAANNN!! Your knight in shining armor is here! Sanji proclaimed landing dramatically next to her with pounding hearts in eyes along with a slight nosebleed.
A gracious smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you, I could really use your help here Sanji."
"Of course let me relieve you." Sanji snapped suddenly serious again. "If you need time to rest up for awhile you should head to the ship, Zoro is on his way as well." The chef said lighting a new cigarette.
Robin nodded after hearing this retracting all her arms to return to her original form.
"Thank you Sanji, I owe you one!" Robin winked before sprouting her wings, gliding off toward the Sunny.
The cook was busy hyperventilating with hearts in his eyes, dramatically on the ground. Robin just winked at him and said she "owed him one."
"I've been winked at by an angel.." Sanji spoke to himself sprouting blood out his nose as he watched Robin fly away.
Jumping back to his feet, remembering his friends were counting on him. He spoke to the first few underlings that approached him.
"I don't have time for you small fry, forget one leg, I could beat you guys dumb,deaf, and blind."
The cook ignited his leg causing a stir in the crowd of users starting to gather around.
"I will fry you all.." raising his right leg before continuing, "Diablo Jambe."