"Anyone who crosses me meets a bad end. And you—" Kaguya looked down coldly at Akainu beneath her feet, "—are no exception."
Akainu tried to struggle, but he was now a puppet. He had no means to resist; even his thoughts were beginning to fade.
"Ahahahaha—"
Blackbeard burst into laughter. "How amusing! A former Navy Admiral reduced to this—it's just too funny."
"Amusing?" Kaguya turned with a playful tone. "Of course it is. But things are about to get even more entertaining."
"Oh?" Blackbeard's hawk-like eyes fixed on her. "What do you mean?"
"I don't have any strange hobbies," Kaguya said as she stretched her fingers, "except collecting figurines. You may be ugly, but you'd make a fine addition. Am I wrong?"
"Hahahahaha—!" Blackbeard laughed maniacally, baring his jagged teeth. "Let's see if you have the skill to do it!"
As he spoke, his muscular arm swung forward, veins bulging. A shockwave formed around his clenched fist, and he punched fiercely!
Crack—!
The sound of shattering glass rang out. A shockwave burst forth like a tsunami, charging toward Kaguya!
"Those who stand against me meet one fate," Kaguya's eyes sharpened. "Death!" She raised her arm, fingers spread wide. A formless force exploded from her palm.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom—!
A deafening roar followed as the shockwave and repulsive force collided in midair!
Boom—!
The violent clash created a massive shockwave that swept out, shredding everything around it with unstoppable force!
Waves surged. Debris flew everywhere.
Surrounding pirate ships were torn apart like toys under the force!
Kaguya stepped out from the thick smoke and said, "Your fleet's not much, is it? You should say your final goodbyes to them because—" Her eyes sparkled with mockery. "—they're all going to die."
She raised her hand. Dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, thunder roared, and lightning danced like silver serpents in the heavens!
"No! This is bad!"
"Help! Please don't kill us!"
"I beg you—let us go!"
"I'll never come back again! Please!"
The pirates, seeing the ominous storm clouds, panicked. The eerie lightning and thunder made them tremble. A dreadful feeling overwhelmed them as they screamed and fled in terror across the sea.
"Pitiful ants," Kaguya said, towering over the fleeing pirates, her icy voice laced with scorn. "How ugly you look, groveling before death. What, aren't you going to save them?"
"Hahaha—!" Blackbeard laughed wildly. "This is their fate! In this world, the weak have no right to live. If they die now, it's because they were too weak!"
Kaguya smirked. "Let's see if you still say that later." She suddenly clenched her hand.
"Lightning Release: Kirin!"
In an instant, thunder rumbled and countless blinding bolts of lightning descended like a storm of silver snakes!
Boom boom boom—!
Lightning surged, splinters flew!
Bolts as thick as barrels struck the pirate ships below, tearing them to pieces in flashes of fire and smoke. Screams rang out as flames engulfed the sea!
Panicked pirates tried to flee, but before they could get far, bolts struck them from above. Screams echoed as they turned to blackened corpses.
Wreckage floated across the burning sea. Scorched bodies lay twisted, their terrified expressions frozen in death.
"Just ants," Kaguya said coldly.
Suddenly, a figure burst from the smoke, raising a dark energy-coated fist and striking down at Kaguya!
"Die! Hahahaha!"
"Dark Water!"
"Foolish!"
Kaguya's eyes flashed. She raised her arm and launched a pitch-black orb from her palm like a bullet!
"Truth-Seeking Orb!"
"It's useless! Hahaha!" Blackbeard's bloodshot eyes gleamed. "You're too careless!"
The black aura around his fist expanded like a black hole and absorbed the orb!
Kaguya's gaze narrowed.
At that moment, Blackbeard was already right in front of her!
"Kaguya, you fell for it!" he sneered. "Now go to hell!" He swung his left arm, a shockwave forming as he punched toward her chest!
"The one who fell—" Kaguya suddenly looked up with a knowing smile. "—is you."
"What?!"
Blackbeard's body tensed. A terrible premonition gripped him. Suddenly, the dark aura around his arm swelled like a balloon!
What was happening?!
His pupils shrank!
Kaguya approached, mocking. "I told you, eating too much causes indigestion. You never listen. Now look—you overdid it."
Sweat dotted Blackbeard's forehead. Then, with a burst of energy, he launched another punch toward Kaguya!
Bang—!
A muffled thud sounded. His eyes widened—in front of him, a fair, delicate hand had effortlessly stopped his punch!
"If you want to defeat me—come back in ten thousand years."
A cold glint flashed in Kaguya's eyes. She clenched her right hand and struck Blackbeard with lightning speed!
Boom—!
A deafening crash rang out as Blackbeard flew back. He slammed hard into his pirate ship with a loud bang, sending wooden debris flying and smashing a massive hole in the deck!
At the same time, the black aura around his right arm had already swollen into a sphere larger than himself—and it was still expanding. Sweat streamed down Blackbeard's face, now twisted in pain.
"W-What's happening…" he gasped, gripping his right arm and speaking through clenched teeth.
Kaguya's icy eyes fixed on him coldly. "Did you think the Dark-Dark Fruit was that easy to control? Fool."
Blackbeard glared at her with bloodshot eyes. "Damn it... must you go this far? Why?!"
"Why?" Kaguya's voice was like frost. "Because you possess something you should never have had. That is your greatest sin."
Blackbeard flinched. "You mean the Devil Fruit?"
"Exactly," Kaguya replied, walking toward him. "Anyone who possesses a Devil Fruit is my enemy. That includes you."
"What do you want with all these Devil Fruits?" Blackbeard asked in a low voice.
"Simple," Kaguya said. "They were all mine to begin with. I'm merely reclaiming what belongs to me. Anyone who stands in my way—dies. It's that simple."
"Originally yours...?" Blackbeard's pupils shrank. "You don't mean—"
Kaguya's collection of Devil Fruits was no secret, but no one truly understood why she needed so many. After all, a person could only consume one, maybe two in rare cases like Blackbeard. Any more and they'd explode.
Yet she had collected so many—clearly for some special purpose.
Her identity was mysterious. People knew she had once been a Navy Admiral and an inspector for the World Government, but few knew she was also a Celestial Dragon from Mary Geoise—perhaps even from the most secretive and powerful lineage, said to be closely tied to the Devil Fruits.
If these Devil Fruits once belonged to her clan, her actions suddenly made more sense.
But Blackbeard had already misunderstood.
"You were on my list of people who must die," Kaguya said, "but I'm willing to make an exception. Hand over Shirahoshi, and I'll spare your life."
"Shirahoshi?" Blackbeard blinked. "Who's Shirahoshi?"
Kaguya's brow twitched. "You're still playing dumb at this point?"
She raised her hand and curled her fingers inward—
"Aaaaagh—it hurts! It hurts so much—!"
Blackbeard's right arm suddenly swelled again, like a balloon on the verge of bursting. He writhed on the deck in agony, drenched in sweat and his face twisted in pain.
"Hmph—!"
Kaguya lowered her hand. "Don't try to fool me. You know exactly what I'm capable of."
"Damn you!" Blackbeard growled through clenched teeth. "I've never even seen this—"
Before he could finish, Kaguya shot forward and kicked him in the stomach with a powerful bang. He flew like a cannonball, slamming into the cabin wall with a boom!
His eyes bulged, his throat convulsed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Looks like you won't talk unless I show you what real pain feels like," Kaguya said coldly as she approached. Raising her arm, a black rod materialized in her palm—and in a flash, she stabbed it straight into Blackbeard's arm!
Blood spurted everywhere!
"Aaaaaagh—!"
Shrill screams echoed through the air as Blackbeard writhed on the ground in agony. Though he possessed the ability to absorb damage, it came with a major drawback—the pain was doubled. In other words, the suffering he endured far exceeded that of an ordinary person.
Kaguya dragged over a chair, sat down, crossed her legs, and said calmly, "Now, I think it's time we had a proper conversation. Don't you agree, Blackbeard?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Blackbeard panted, sweat pouring from his brow. "I've never seen anyone like that."
"Oh? Still pretending?" Kaguya raised an eyebrow and flicked her hand. A black rod shot out like a streak of cold light and stabbed into Blackbeard's thigh with lightning speed!
Blood sprayed and splattered!
"Aaaaaagh—!"
Blackbeard screamed in agony. The black rods were no ordinary weapons—they were crafted through Kaguya's Yin-Yang Release. Not only were they extremely durable, but they could also seal off a person's powers. Even Devil Fruits couldn't overcome the effects, acting much like seastone.
Watching Blackbeard twist and squirm, Kaguya said coldly, "You'd best be cooperative. I don't have unlimited patience."
"Damn you—!" Blackbeard snarled, his eyes brimming with hatred.
Just then, four figures suddenly rushed in from all directions, attacking Kaguya at lightning speed!
They were none other than the Blackbeard Pirates' Shiryu of the Rain, Jesus Burgess, Avalo Pizarro, and Doc Q!
Taking advantage of the chaos, Blackbeard gritted his teeth and grabbed the black rod impaling his arm. With a painful growl, he yanked it free—then ripped the rod from his thigh!
Blood gushed from both wounds!
Blackbeard lifted his head, jaw clenched and eyes burning with fury. He clenched his fist, a massive shockwave forming around it—several times larger than normal. With gritted teeth, he roared, "Die, you bastard!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he bent his arm and threw a punch, a tsunami-like wave of black energy erupting from his fist and crashing toward Kaguya!
"Attacking without understanding your opponent's strength—how utterly foolish. And this—" Kaguya's icy eyes narrowed as she raised her arm. "—is the consequence of recklessness!"
With a wave of her hand, several cold flashes shot from her palm, streaking forward like lightning toward the oncoming attackers!
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Clematis!"
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