Chapter 244

"Damn it! Don't be so full of yourself, Old man! Even if you've healed your injuries, you're no threat to me!!"

Blackbeard's shock quickly shifted into a feral grin, his face twisted with confidence.

With the power of the mythical Zoan Chimera coursing through him, Blackbeard's body had become incredibly resilient, his physical prowess terrifying. Even against Whitebeard in his prime, he now felt he had the strength and courage to stand toe-to-toe.

"Shockwave!!——————"

Whitebeard's left fist swung into the air, faint white light pulsing from it. The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit radiated outward, causing the very fabric of space to crack apart!

The atmosphere itself fractured with countless fissures, spreading like a spider web across the sky.

Even at a distance, the sight was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

For a brief moment, Blackbeard was frozen, stunned by the sheer destructive force of Whitebeard's attack. Panic flickered across his face.

But his fear was short-lived. His expression hardened, and he shouted coldly, "Dark Vortex!!——————"

Dark matter surged from his fist, pouring out like an enraged swarm of wasps. The buzzing black energy coiled into a vortex, spinning rapidly like the blades of a giant fan.

As Whitebeard's tremor energy collided with the dark vortex, it was immediately devoured—dissolving like ice cream in boiling water.

"Zehahahaha!!! In front of my Dark-Dark Fruit, all Devil Fruit powers are useless!!!" Blackbeard crowed with triumph, seeing the effectiveness of his counterattack. He extended his other hand, releasing a powerful suction force, aiming to drag Whitebeard closer.

The Dark-Dark Fruit's suction was a natural enemy to Devil Fruit users, its gravitational pull nearly irresistible.

Whitebeard's massive frame was yanked toward Blackbeard, his body momentarily out of control.

For most, such a sudden shift would incite panic. But Whitebeard was no ordinary man. As the strongest pirate in the world, his battlefield instincts were unparalleled.

"Teach! I've told you before... your biggest weakness is your arrogance!!!"

Even as he was drawn into Blackbeard's dark power, Whitebeard did not falter. Instead, he grinned, his grip tightening around the hilt of Murakumogiri. With a swift motion, he swung the massive blade directly into the vortex.

"What!?"

Blackbeard's eyes widened in shock.

There was no time to dodge. The blade sliced through the air, biting deep into Blackbeard's neck, right between his lion and sheep heads.

Blood sprayed from the wound!

Yet, the power of the Zoan Mythical Beast revealed its resilience.

Even though it had not yet fully awakened, Chimera's body boasted exceptional defensive and regenerative abilities. Had Blackbeard been in his normal state, Whitebeard's blow might have decapitated him entirely.

But now, with Chimera's toughness, the blade only cut halfway through, stopping short of a lethal blow.

"Ah!!------"

Despite the injury, Blackbeard screamed in terror and quickly leaped backward, retreating in a panic. His hand flew to his neck, touching the wound. To his relief, his head was still attached. "You've still got it, Old man!" he gasped.

"Gurarara!!! Teach, my injuries are fully healed now. Don't make the mistake of treating me like the frail old man you once knew."

Whitebeard smiled coldly as he advanced, his massive frame moving toward Blackbeard with purpose.

"Zehahaha!!! Old man, I was only being polite! Even if you're healed, so what? Haven't you noticed? Even at your full strength, you could barely cut me."

As he spoke, Blackbeard watched with satisfaction as the wound on his neck slowly knitted itself back together. Though not as fast as Marco's regenerative flames, the healing was visible.

At this rate, it wouldn't be long before Blackbeard's injuries were completely gone.

"Shock Fist!!——————"

Uninterested in Blackbeard's boasts, Whitebeard lunged forward and swung his fist, aiming to finish the fight.

"Dark Vortex!!——————"

Once again, Blackbeard countered with his dark energy, nullifying the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. As Whitebeard brought down his blade once more, Blackbeard intercepted it, blocking the strike with his Tekko-Kagi.

Bang!

A deafening crash echoed between sea and sky as their powers clashed, sending shockwaves through the air. The pitch-black ripples of darkness exploded upward, tearing through the heavens.

"No way... This scene is just like when Dad fought Red Hair..." one of the Whitebeard Pirates muttered in awe.

"Yeah... this reminds me of the time Dad fought Roger long ago..."

"The sky's splitting again...!"

"Is this what a real battle between monsters looks like?"

"It seems... if your blade doesn't shatter the sky, you can't call yourself strong," someone else added, looking up at the sky.

Above, the clouds twisted and churned violently. The once tranquil sky had been split open, revealing an otherworldly rift where chaotic energy and turbulent space-time rippled wildly.

It was terrifying.

"Teach... your strength has improved," Whitebeard sneered, acknowledging his opponent's growth.

Blackbeard grinned back. "Old man, I'm no slouch! With the power of the Chimera-zoan, my body's strength has multiplied a hundredfold! I can unleash the full extent of my physical skills now!"

"A hundredfold, you say?"

Whitebeard's lips curled in derision. "You're not even trying to make your lies sound believable, are you?"

Multiplying several times over was possible, but a hundredfold? Whitebeard scoffed. If you were truly that strong, I wouldn't have lasted a second against you.

"Zehahaha!!!" Blackbeard laughed off the insult. "Doesn't matter what you think. My strength is now on par with yours, Old man! I'll wear you down and watch you collapse from exhaustion!"

Even if he couldn't defeat Whitebeard in one blow, Blackbeard had no intention of letting up. To him, it was only a matter of time. Whitebeard's age and reliance on immense power would drain him.

Blackbeard wasted no time, launching a flurry of attacks with his broken blade while continuing to negate Whitebeard's powers with his dark abilities.

Despite Whitebeard's strength, Blackbeard's relentless assault, combined with the nullifying properties of his Dark-Dark Fruit, forced Whitebeard to fight on the defensive.

"Teach!" Whitebeard's voice rumbled, cold with fury. "Do you really think you can kill me?"

"Zehahaha!!! You, the strongest man alive, with the most destructive Paramecia Fruit... Now I have both a Logia and a Zoan. The only thing missing is a Paramecia! And your Tremor-Tremor Fruit is the perfect match!" Blackbeard howled with laughter.

What...? Whitebeard's eyes narrowed. "Are you delusional? Even if I die, the chances of you getting my Devil Fruit are slim!"

Everyone knew the truth. When a Devil Fruit user dies, their fruit is reborn somewhere in the ocean. While there was a small chance it might attach to nearby fruit, claiming it immediately was nearly impossible.

Blackbeard's laughter grew even louder. "Dad, you don't need to worry about that. My Dark-Dark Fruit guarantees a 100% success rate for stealing Devil Fruit abilities!"

Whitebeard's face momentarily shifted with surprise.

So, the Dark-Dark Fruit really has that power? No wonder Teach was willing to kill Thatch and betray us... It all made sense now. This fruit could drive anyone to madness.

After all, on this sea...

Having a Devil Fruit already put you at the top of the world. The power to steal those abilities would make anyone unstoppable.

"Old man, stop fighting!!! You love us sons, don't you? Help me!!!"

Blackbeard's attacks grew fiercer, his claws glowing with the energy of the Dark-Dark Fruit as he relentlessly hammered at Whitebeard.

The dark energy made it nearly impossible for Whitebeard to counter properly.

Fight and retreat—over and over again.

Blackbeard was suppressing Whitebeard entirely.

Whitebeard sighed slightly. "Teach... your fruit is strong, I'll admit. But... your luck's run out."

"My luck's run out?" Blackbeard laughed mockingly. "I've got the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Mythical Zoan Chimera! You think I'm unlucky?"

Whitebeard smiled. "Yes. You're incredibly lucky to have both those fruits. But before you came to me... I met Logan."

"Logan? What are you talking about?" Blackbeard frowned, unfamiliar with the name.

"Gurarara..."

Whitebeard had no intention of explaining further. "If you're so intent on killing me, I'll grant your wish. I'll die first."

With that, Whitebeard stopped his assault and spread his arms wide.

He left his chest completely exposed to Blackbeard's attack.

Blackbeard's claw sank into Whitebeard's chest, blood spilling onto the ground.

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