"You killed Thatch. That's a disgrace to the entire Whitebeard Pirates! Even if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth, I'll end you myself! Let the world see what happens when someone betrays our family!"
Ace's voice was filled with fury, his body trembling with rage.
"Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard threw his head back in laughter, his eyes glinting with cruelty. "Perfect timing, Ace! The world already knows about your chase. You'll make a fine offering to the Marines. Trading you for a Warlord position sounds like a fair deal to me."
His expression darkened as swirling black energy gathered around his palm.
"Now… let me show you the true power of my Devil Fruit!"
He thrust his hand forward.
"Dark Vortex!"
A sudden suction burst forth, invisible yet overwhelming, pulling everything toward him.
Ace's expression didn't waver. Instead, he allowed the force to drag him closer, confident in his Logia ability. Normal attacks couldn't touch him anyway.
In an instant, Blackbeard seized Ace's right arm, his grip like iron.
"Zehahahaha! Something feels different, doesn't it?" he sneered.
Before Ace could react, Blackbeard drove his fist into Ace's stomach with brutal force.
Thud!
Ace was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth as he crashed into the ruins nearby.
"Ugh…" He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and staggered to his feet, frowning. "Gravity…? No, it's different. My powers aren't working?"
Blackbeard grinned wickedly.
"Zehahahaha! That's right! My darkness can absorb the abilities of any Devil Fruit user! Logia, Paramecia, Zoan — it doesn't matter. When I grab you, your powers vanish!"
He raised his hand again, the darkness swirling violently.
"It's like being caught by a living Seastone! You can't phase through me anymore, Ace!"
"Dark Vortex!"
The air distorted as another suction wave rushed forward.
Ace reacted quickly. Flames roared around him as he spread his arms wide, shouting,
"Sacred Fire — Shiranui!"
Twin spears of fire formed instantly, blazing like molten meteors as they streaked toward Blackbeard.
But before they could strike, Ace was pulled forward again.
Blackbeard's iron fist met his face with a sickening crunch, sending him crashing into the dirt once more.
The fire spears struck Blackbeard's chest, and he screamed in pain, rolling backward as the flames seared his flesh.
"Gah! It burns! Damn it, it hurts!"
But the pain only fueled his laughter. The darkness around him surged, engulfing the flaming spears. Within moments, the fire disappeared, devoured completely by the void.
"Zehahaha! Incredible!" Blackbeard roared, his grin wide and feral. "You're one of the few to ever make me feel pain like this, Ace!"
Ace stood slowly, panting, his fists clenched. Over the years… I've relied too much on my fruit's power. If this keeps up, I'll lose!
He crouched low, crossing his index fingers. A cross-shaped flame sparked to life, growing rapidly until it stretched nearly three meters long.
"Crossfire!"
Flames surged forward, clashing violently with the darkness pouring from Blackbeard's body.
The two forces collided, and the entire battlefield trembled. The ground cracked open, sending waves of dust and debris through the air as scorching heat met endless black void.
The crossfire blazed bright, but Blackbeard's dark energy replenished itself endlessly, feeding on destruction. Ace's flames began to flicker, weakening under the pressure.
"Humph!" Blackbeard grunted, thrusting out his massive hand. Darkness condensed in front of him, forming a giant black maw that swallowed Ace's flames whole.
"Zehahahaha! Is that all you've got, Ace?!" he jeered. "If this is the extent of your power, then this battle's already over! I'll trade you for fortune and fame!"
Ace dropped to one knee, drenched in sweat, his breath ragged.
"I'll never forgive you, Teach… never!"
"It's useless!" Blackbeard taunted, his grin widening. "Before the power of darkness, everything else is meaningless! Still…"
He smirked.
"Join me, Ace. If you become my partner, I'll forget all this ever happened."
Ace's eyes narrowed with defiance.
"If I bowed to power, I'd stop being a man. I'll never live with regret! Do you understand, you fool?"
"Tch. You talk too much." Blackbeard scoffed. "In this world, survival is the only victory. But if that's how you want it… fine! You'll die in the dark!"
Darkness erupted around him, expanding into a pillar that reached the heavens and blotted out the light.
Ace clenched his fists, his flames surging once more.
"I'll never surrender! I'll drag you back to face judgment before Pops himself!"
The flames around his body burst outward in a brilliant wave, covering the entire battlefield in a sea of fire. The ground melted beneath his feet, the air shimmering from the heat.
Standing tall within the inferno, Ace raised his arms to the sky. The flames gathered, coalescing into a colossal fireball that glowed like a miniature sun.
"Great Flame Commandment — Entei!"
The temperature spiked as the massive sphere of fire illuminated the night, painting the island in hues of red and gold.
Blackbeard laughed, his voice echoing from the darkness.
"Zehahaha! Let's see whose power reigns supreme!"
Ace's gaze hardened.
He hurled the blazing sun downward.
Two forces — one blazing red, the other deep black — collided, tearing through the sky. The island shuddered violently as a storm of destruction engulfed everything.
A blinding light filled the heavens. For a moment, the world seemed split in two — one half fire, the other shadow.
Then came silence.
When the light faded, the island was unrecognizable. A massive crater yawned where the battle had taken place, its depths seemingly endless.
_______
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