Chapter 38: The Salted Fish Who Lost His Dream

While Lucas clashed with Blackbeard, heated discussions erupted in the Chat Group for The Dead.

Whitebeard: "You've inherited my physical skills, swordsmanship, and the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. My fighting style suits you best. I suggest you seek out my sword—One of the 12 Supreme Grade Blade."

Pirate King Roger: "Come on! That thing isn't made for a normal person. Only someone built like you could wield it properly—Murakumogiri."

Golden Lion Shiki: "If you want a famous blade, Lets go to Impel Down. My twin swords Oto and Kogarashi should still be with my body. Maybe you can claim them."

Lucas: "Forget it! I don't need a famous blade right now. With top-tier Armament Haki, even an ordinary blade can rival a legendary one."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hahahaha! Lucas, you're starting to sound a lot like Whitebeard! What's next? Are you planning to replace him and play family with the Whitebeard Pirates?"

Pirate King Roger: "That might be tough—Lucas is way too young to make Marco and the others call him Dad."

Whitebeard: "You two…..!"

Lucas: "Enough nonsense. I was just messing with Blackbeard. Focus up—I'm about to finish him off!"

The Chat Group for The Dead watched in awe as Lucas unleashed his full power, driving his blade into Blackbeard's chest twice in rapid succession.

Golden Lion Shiki: "Incredible! Lucas, use your Observation Haki—listen closely! Blackbeard has three hearts!"

Pirate King Roger: "I get it now. Every time a heart is destroyed, he loses a Devil Fruit ability. That explains how he became a dual-fruit user. It also makes sense why his pirate flag has three skulls facing different directions."

Whitebeard: "Does that mean Blackbeard might have a third Devil Fruit?"

Lucas: "Probably not."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Why not?"

Lucas: "If he had another ability, he wouldn't be this desperate right now."

At that moment, Blackbeard lay sprawled on the ground, his once-mighty ambition reduced to nothing. His lifeless eyes stared at the sky as if grasping for a dream that had slipped through his fingers.

"Teach lost!"

The Whitebeard Pirates erupted in cheers, their morale skyrocketing.

"Retreat!"

The Blackbeard Pirates crumbled under the weight of their leader's defeat. With their fighting spirit shattered, they scattered in all directions.

The more pragmatic among them, like the infamous Avalo Pizarro, wasted no time turning their backs and fleeing. There was no loyalty—only self-preservation.

Lucas smirked. "Teach, your so-called allies have abandoned you."

Blackbeard remained silent for a long moment before bursting into hysterical laughter. "Zehahaha! Fortune and wealth belong to fate! Life and death are decided by the heavens! I lost—so take everything from me!"

His voice grew hoarse, but then, with a faint smile, he muttered, "My dream ends here... but people's dreams will never die."

Shhkk!

Lucas didn't hesitate.

Without a change in expression, he delivered the final blow, snuffing out the life of the man who had once brought chaos to the seas.

Inside the chat group, the spirit were momentarily silent, absorbing Blackbeard's final words.

Pirate King Roger: "What a shame. If it weren't for the fact that Blackbeard's actions disgusted me—and that he killed Ace—I might've actually liked him."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Agreed! Based solely on his last words, he had a spirit worth acknowledging."

Whitebeard: "Much as I loathed him, I can't deny it—he was a force. To rise by stepping over my corpse, he had to be someone formidable."

Lucas: "Whitebeard, how do you feel watching Blackbeard die? He was once your son."

Whitebeard: "I have no such son."

Lucas chuckled. "Understood. Now, the Blackbeard Pirates are in full retreat, and your sons are gathering. Any advice on how I should handle them?"

Whitebeard hesitated. "...Handle it yourself. But one thing—train them for me. Without my protection, they need to grow up."

Outside World

The moment Blackbeard's life was extinguished, the remaining members of his crew wasted no time escaping. They had no intention of fighting to the death for a lost cause.

The Whitebeard Pirates, watching their longtime enemy fall, didn't stop them. Their focus was elsewhere.

Marco and the others gathered around Blackbeard's lifeless body, gazing down at the man who had once been their brother.

He had trained alongside them for decades.

He had laughed with them.

And yet, he had betrayed them.

First, he had killed Thatch—his own close friend—to steal the Dark-Dark Fruit.

Then, he had indirectly caused Ace's death.

And finally, he had been the catalyst behind Whitebeard's demise.

They had prepared themselves to die in battle against him, believing that their strength would never be enough to defeat him.

Yet the newcomer named Lucas had emerged from nowhere, effortlessly taking down the very man they had feared they could never surpass.

But as they turned their gaze to Lucas, their thoughts shifted.

It wasn't just his strength that astounded them.

It was his abilities.

The raw power of Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

The raging flames of Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit.

The precise swordsmanship and battle techniques reminiscent of Whitebeard himself.

Marco hesitated before speaking. "Lucas… what are you? And why did you choose to help us?"

==============================================

Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other chapter.

==============================================