"Yes... Are you sure you're better than the Red-Haired one?"
As if the injuries from earlier meant nothing, Teach no longer held back. The murderous gleam in his eyes replaced his usual boisterous grin, revealing a far more dangerous persona.
If the man in black didn't already know how cunning Teach was, this sudden change would have sent chills down anyone's spine.
He always wore a mask for others, but his heart remained a void. Only someone as sinister and calculating as Teach could so effortlessly shift his personality.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but my power is more than enough to kill you."
Even though Teach had hidden his strength well, the man in black remained calm and composed.
From the ambush to this moment, Teach had shown impressive endurance, remarkable physical skills, and mysterious weapons. But the man in black had only used the well-known Rokushiki techniques—yet revealed no flaws.
While the man in black closed in on his objective, Teach was growing desperate. Killing this threat quickly was now his priority.
Whether in strength or strategy, Teach had already fallen into a passive state without even realizing it.
A faint sense of dread crept into him—this battle wasn't going in his favor.
"Die!"
Teach roared, coating his steel claws in Armament Haki and lunged forward.
He swung diagonally, a vicious 180-degree arc, aiming to tear the man apart—the same move that once scarred the Red-Haired Shanks.
Clang!
Metal rang out as the claws were stopped mid-air—intercepted by the man in black's forearm, also hardened with Armament Haki.
Teach's bloodshot eyes widened. His attack had been blocked cleanly.
"Thief hahahaha! In that case, let's see whose Haki is stronger!"
Laughing maniacally, Teach switched to his other hand and slashed again, unleashing a flurry of claw strikes with terrifying speed.
The silver light of his blades flashed under the moonlight, cutting through the night air. The sound of metal clashing rang out as the man in black dodged and parried, tracking every movement with sharp eyes.
Suddenly, the man in black stomped down on one of the claws and propelled himself into the air.
"Rankyaku: Chaos!"
He kicked the air with his left foot—using Geppo to stay afloat—while his right leg whipped violently, firing countless arc-shaped air blades.
The crescent waves spread like moonlight, blanketing the battlefield in glowing slashes that closed in on Teach from all angles.
"Raaagh!!"
Teach bellowed and slashed wildly in every direction to dispel the incoming blades.
But the man in black didn't let up. His right leg swung again and again—up, down, left, and right—unleashing a relentless storm of light blades.
Teach's claws moved frantically, but his Haki began to falter. One by one, the air blades found their mark.
The steel claws cracked and shattered. Teach could no longer defend. Blue light danced across his chest—and blood sprayed from every direction.
"Aaaaaagh!!"
The sound of flesh tearing echoed through the night. Light blades rained down on Teach, cutting into him from all sides. His broad chest was soaked in blood.
As the attack ended, the man in black landed lightly in front of Teach, who lay sprawled on the deck, his bloodied chest exposing fragments of bone.
Teach rolled his eyes in pain, nearly unconscious.
But just as the man in black stepped closer, Teach's eyes snapped open. With a swift motion, he pulled out a flintlock pistol from his waist and fired.
"So naïve!"
Point-blank shots rang out—three, maybe four—striking the man in black directly and blasting holes through him.
Teach grinned in triumph, raising the gun for a headshot—but the man in black stepped down on both of Teach's wrists.
Crunch!
The bones cracked audibly as the man in black crushed Teach's wrists underfoot. The gun dropped from his hand.
"Teach… Your vitality really is monstrous. But unfortunately for you… I've learned how to use life itself better than you ever could."
Without lifting his feet, the man in black closed his eyes—and began to absorb life force.
A strange noise echoed from where their bodies touched. Teach's wounds on the man's chest began to heal.
Meanwhile, Teach's hands withered and shriveled, his flesh receding from his fingers to his forearms.
"Stop—! Who the hell are you!?"
Teach shouted, watching in horror as the life was drained from his arms.
The man in black finally stepped back, letting Teach collapse.
Even as he was freed, Teach was trembling. His arms were reduced to bone. He stared at them in disbelief, then at his opponent.
In all his years with the Whitebeard Pirates—since he was twelve—Teach had never seen such an ability. He had read through the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, fought countless battles, but this... this was something else.
Corrosion? Regeneration? No known Devil Fruit should allow both.
"hahahaha... So, you finally couldn't hold it in?"
The man in black laughed uncontrollably. He reached up and pulled away his mask.
Revealing a young and handsome face—one Teach knew too well.
"Iggy…"
"Of course it's you. I gave you chance after chance, and you still keep coming for me!"
Seeing Iggy's familiar face, Teach no longer feared death. But the anger burned in his eyes.
From the moment he joined the crew, Iggy had been relentless. Always watching, always pressing, always trying to uncover the truth.
What was this kid really after?
Iggy turned away from him, walked to the bow of the ship, and tossed the black mask into the sea.
"Teach, the truth is… You and I share the same goal. We're both after that Devil Fruit said to hold the most evil power—the Yami Yami no Mi."
---
Imagine if he get both Dark Fruit and Quake Fruit...
Support me on p@treon, I've uploaded up to 55 chapters.
But I've drafted up to 71 chapters which would be posted on my p@treon tomorrow.
Join for as low as $2
patreon.com/Zphyr_
All fanfic are under my collections.
(IMAGE)