The snowfield was blasted into countless enormous craters. Surrounding ice cliffs shattered consecutively. Even the distant castle collapsed under the impact of the shockwaves!
"Damn it!" Teach wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face twisting into a savage grin. "How wretched..."
Ace, wreathed in scorching flames, said coldly, "Surrender, Teach. You've lost."
Cavendish looked relaxed. "Hand over the Devil Fruit obediently. Maybe Captain will spare your life."
"Don't think you have me cornered! This fight isn't over!" Teach abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing with ferocious light.
He stomped hard, shattering the ground. Pitch-black Haki erupted like a tidal wave, actually forcing the three back momentarily.
However, at the very instant he prepared to counterattack...
Another attack of intertwined lightning and fire descended, completely engulfing him.
Although suppressed, Teach still resisted stubbornly.
The battleground of the four kept shifting, like a moving natural disaster. The originally towering snowy mountain was bisected mid-slope during the fierce battle.
Luffy and the others fled wretchedly, only catching their breath after reaching the foot of the mountain.
Looking up, they saw the sky flashing with lightning and ablaze with fire.
"This... this is the strength of the strong in the Grand Line?" Usopp's legs trembled as he muttered. "I think I've contracted a fatal illness that strikes if I go further. Should we just go back to the East Blue?"
Zoro's hand holding the sword shook slightly, but his eyes burned with fighting spirit. "Someday, I'll reach that level too..."
Luffy grinned widely. "Ace is still so strong. But one day, I'll definitely surpass him!"
At that moment, Teach, blasted away by the shockwaves, suddenly lunged towards Luffy.
Clearly, he had already deduced Luffy's relationship with Ace from their earlier conversation.
However, his hostage plan was cut short just as it began, intercepted by a barrier of flames.
"Just as expected. Captain warned us long ago that in a fight with an enemy, the most important thing is not to be threatened with hostages. I've been keeping an eye on this side," Ace said with a laugh, inwardly admiring Setsuna's foresight.
"Damn it! You forced me to do this!" Teach roared. "Burgess! Give me the chest!"
"Captain!" Burgess threw the chest over. Teach swiftly caught it.
"No! He's going to eat the Devil Fruit!" Ace feigned panic, shouting loudly. "Stop him!"
"Too late! Zehahahaha!" Teach sneered, shattering the chest with a single blow. The Devil Fruit inside also broke into pulp.
Without a second glance, he scooped up the pulp and shoved it into his mouth.
Despite the repulsive taste, he savored it.
"Twenty years of endurance, twenty years of dreams, finally realized at this moment..." Teach laughed uproariously, but his laughter suddenly froze. His body trembled uncontrollably.
"Wait... this fruit is... the Hiso Hiso no Mi?"
Nami blinked in confusion, whispering to Luffy, "Luffy, I've never eaten a Devil Fruit, so I don't understand you ability users well. Is the Hiso Hiso no Mi considered a very powerful ability? So many strong people are chasing after it?"
Hearing Nami's words, Teach felt his vision darken, a mouthful of blood spilling out.
"Why... why is it the Hiso Hiso no Mi?!" Teach roared hysterically, glaring at Ace and the other two who were doubled over with laughter. "You already knew, didn't you?!"
Ace wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, countering, "You thought your ambition could fool Captain?"
"Graaghhh! I'll kill you all!" Teach was practically driven insane with rage, lunging at the three like a frenzied beast.
However, even in his normal state, he was no match for the three of them. Now, with his heart enraged and mind clouded, he stood even less chance. He was quickly beaten until he spat blood repeatedly.
This series of heavy blows ironically restored Teach's calm. He thought to himself, 'Although the Paramecia slot is taken, I can still eat two more Devil Fruits. This isn't the worst-case scenario yet. I have to survive first to take revenge!'
Thinking this, he suddenly roared in 'fury'. "You've destroyed my hope! I'll drag a few of you down with me even if it kills me!"
He charged at Luffy again in a furious rage. Ace hurriedly fired a [Fire Fist]. The scorching flames blasted Teach hundreds of meters away.
But instead of stopping, he used the force to escape outward.
"Trying to run? Naive," Ace shook his head. He didn't believe any ship could carry Teach away from this island under their combined attacks.
However, when they pursued him to the coastline, they saw Teach leap into the air and, without the slightest hesitation, dive into the sea.
This unexpected move left the three momentarily stunned.
"Is he insane?" Cavendish stared dumbfounded at the ripples on the sea surface. "A Devil Fruit user jumping into the sea is suicide."
"Something's wrong. Given his personality, he shouldn't do something suicidal. Could he have a way to survive in the sea?" Ace frowned deeply. All three of them were Devil Fruit users and couldn't jump in either.
"Who cares what trick he's playing? Let's give him a baptism of lightning first," Enel snorted coldly, raising his golden staff high.
Violent lightning instantly enveloped the entire sea area. Schools of fish electrocuted floated belly-up, but there was no sign of Teach.
"Find the body if he's dead, find the man if he's alive," Ace decided immediately. "Let's 'borrow' some manpower from a nearby Marine base to search."
But he glanced at Luffy and the others who had caught up, then remembered Teach's remaining crew members were still scattered on the island.
"Forget it. You two go borrow people. I'll stay and deal with Teach's underlings," Ace said.
Enel and Cavendish naturally didn't worry about Ace. The strength of Teach's crew might be decent, but they were no match for Ace.
After Enel and the other two left, Luffy and the others rushed over.
"Ace, you've gotten so strong!" Luffy shouted excitedly.
"The cruelty of the Grand Line far exceeds your imagination. The weak cannot survive on this route," Ace said with a smile, extending an invitation. "Luffy, why don't you and your crew join our [Gourmet Navigation Group]?"
Before Luffy could speak, Sanji became excited. "Wait, you mean the legendary [Gourmet Navigation Group]? The holy land for cooks?"
Zoro frowned slightly. "Gourmet Navigation Group? Sounds... not very impressive."
"What do you know, you moss-head?" Sanji's eyes were full of admiration. "Their Captain, the man known as the [Gluttony King], is not only the world's strongest, but also the world's greatest chef. More importantly, the IGO he founded saved countless people from starvation!"
He could never forget the pain of hunger as a child. Naturally, he idolized Setsuna, who eliminated hunger.
"Haha, you're right," Ace laughed. "Although the title of 'world's strongest' isn't officially decided yet, in my eyes, Captain has long been the strongest!"
"The world's strongest man!" Both Luffy and Zoro were captivated.
Usopp's eyes gleamed. If he could join such a powerful organization, his illness would be cured on the spot.
"So, Luffy?" Ace invited again. "Captain is bound to become the King of this era."
"No way! I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!" Luffy declared decisively.
"Hahaha, I knew you'd say that," Ace chuckled. "But I still have to warn you, Luffy. The strong in the Grand Line are countless, but only a handful can contend for the title of King. And among those few, Captain is the youngest, and also the strongest!"