Chapter 242

"Dad! Ace is here with Teach."

Marco descended from the sky, his magnificent blue flame wings morphing smoothly into human arms as he landed.

"..."

Hearing those words, Whitebeard's once-cheerful expression instantly chilled. The warmth in his eyes was replaced with an icy glare.

He turned to Marco, his voice low and measured. "Ace didn't do anything... just brought him here?"

Marco nodded, his gaze steady. "Yes, they'll be arriving shortly."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Whitebeard's stern face softened with a slight smile of understanding. "It seems the war finally helped Ace grow up..."

The old Ace wouldn't have hesitated—he would've leapt into battle with Blackbeard the moment he saw him. But now, Ace had learned patience.

Whitebeard knew the reason behind Ace's restraint: the fire dragon-slaying magic couldn't be used on a moving vehicle. It was clear Ace intended to lure Blackbeard onto land, where his full power could be unleashed.

"They're coming!"

Izou's sharp voice interrupted Whitebeard's thoughts.

The commanders present turned their eyes to the horizon. A small boat, ablaze with flames, cut through the waves and shot straight onto the sandy shore.

"Dad, I'm here."

Under the force of inertia, Ace leaped from the boat, flipping in midair before landing gracefully on the beach.

"Hahahaha!!! Old man, it's been a while!"

Blackbeard followed casually, strolling onto the sand with a swagger in his step. His broken, yellowed teeth flashed in a grin as he took out a bottle of wine from his waistband, drinking it in a single, sloppy gulp.

"Gurarara...!! Did you miss me that much?"

Whitebeard took a bottle of wine handed to him by a nearby nurse and drank deeply, eyeing Teach with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Whitebeard had many questions about Teach's sudden arrival. By nature, Blackbeard wouldn't have dared to confront the Whitebeard Pirates before attaining absolute power. The fact that he was here meant he was confident.

But what gave him this strange confidence?

"Hahahaha!!! Of course, I missed you. I heard you were gravely injured during the Battle of Marineford, barely clinging to life, so I came to see you." Blackbeard's words dripped with mock concern, but his eyes betrayed his true intent. He scrutinized Whitebeard carefully.

Is he really as injured as they say?

The pieces fell into place for Whitebeard. This fool thinks I'm on the verge of death. That's why he dares to show his face here, in our territory.

"Teach!" Ace's voice rang out, cold and fierce, wrapped in a roaring ball of flames.

Boom!

The flames erupted into the sky as Ace unleashed his fire dragon-slaying magic now that they were safely on land.

"Ace, you've learned patience!" Blackbeard turned, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You waited until we were on land before you made your move."

Ace shrugged, his tone calm but intense. "People grow up. Last time, my recklessness nearly cost Dad his life. For his sake, I've learned restraint!"

"Well then, let's see how much you've really grown!" Blackbeard tossed aside the empty wine bottle with a clatter.

Clang!

He reached to his waist, drawing his signature weapon—a Tekko-Kagi, a clawed gauntlet reminiscent of a wolverine's deadly claw.

This was the weapon that had scarred Red-Hair Shanks.

"Flame Emperor!!——"

As Blackbeard approached, Ace wasted no time. His right hand ignited into a fierce blaze, punching forward with terrifying force.

The flames surged from Ace's arm, transforming into a fiery inferno that barreled towards Blackbeard like an unstoppable wave of fire.

Last time, Blackbeard dodged Ace's flames. But this time, he didn't flinch.

"Dark Snake!!——————"

Blackbeard called out, and a massive torrent of dark matter erupted from his body like a thick curtain swallowing the sky.

In an instant, the dark matter coalesced into a towering black python, its scarlet mouth gaping as it lunged toward Ace's flames.

Flames met shadow in a violent clash as the two powers devoured and burned each other in a chaotic frenzy.

Seeing the dark matter gain the upper hand, Ace abruptly dissipated his flames, allowing Blackbeard's dark energy to surge forward.

"Well done!!" Ace's lips curled into a determined smile. He channeled his magic power, ready to unleash his fire dragon-slaying abilities.

But before Ace could act, Blackbeard withdrew his arms, and the dark matter suddenly receded, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

"Um???" Ace frowned, momentarily confused. "What's going on?"

"Hahahaha!!! I'm not a fool. I know you can consume my dark matter and turn it into your strength. Why would I let you do that?" Blackbeard laughed, his tone dripping with cunning.

Despite his chaotic nature, Blackbeard was always meticulous in battle. He had fought Ace twice before and knew his enemy's powers well. Allowing Ace to absorb his darkness and grow stronger was the last thing he wanted.

"You're a Dark-Dark Fruit user, yet you won't use your powers. What gives you the confidence to walk into Whitebeard's territory and fall into this trap?" Ace asked calmly, his eyes sharp.

"Captain Ace, have you forgotten? Back when I was in the Second Division, I didn't have any Devil Fruit powers, but I could still fight," Blackbeard replied with a wicked smirk, wiping his Tekko-Kagi as he approached.

"You're going to use that against me?" Ace chuckled at the absurdity of it, flames reigniting around his arms.

"If you won't use your fruit's power, I'll make this quick."

Ace's arms extended forward like cannon barrels, unleashing jets of flame with the force of a high-pressure water cannon.

"Dark Shield!!——————"

Blackbeard raised a short blade in his right hand, summoning a dark shield with his left. The black matter formed an impenetrable barrier like a black hole, swallowing Ace's flames whole.

"Teach's power really does counter Logia fruits," Marco whispered, watching the exchange from the sidelines.

Izou, standing nearby, gritted his teeth. "No matter how powerful his fruit is, it's how he uses it that matters. Teach has mastered his abilities in a short time, and we can't underestimate his talent."

"Exactly. We need to end him today!" Jozu hissed.

"Flame Machine Gun!!"

Ace quickly switched tactics, transforming his attack from a concentrated beam to a flurry of fire bullets. Though less powerful individually, their density and coverage multiplied.

Ace darted around, continuously changing his position as flaming bullets filled the sky like a torrential downpour.

"As expected of my captain. What a clever move!!" Blackbeard grudgingly admitted, realizing Ace's strategy. The Dark Shield could only protect a limited area, and Ace's relentless barrage was bound to break through.

Bang bang bang!!!

Flame bullets struck Blackbeard, sizzling against his flesh. He winced as his body burned.

"Damn it!!"

Teeth clenched, Blackbeard's expression darkened. "I didn't want to reveal this so soon, but you've forced my hand."

Blackbeard's body surged with energy.

The power of his mythical Zoan Devil Fruit activated!

"Human-beast form!!"

With a roar, Blackbeard's body transformed, growing larger and more menacing. His frame thickened, and his head shifted—another head sprouted from his left shoulder, horns curling like a sheep's.

His original head grew a mane, evolving into a lion's. And from his back, a long tail sprouted, ending in a snake's head, hissing and flicking its crimson tongue.

Blackbeard now stood as a fearsome chimera with three heads.

"What the—!?" Ace gasped in shock. "Aren't you a Logia user? How do you have another Devil Fruit power!?"

Before Teach could respond, Marco muttered grimly, "He's not a normal man... Teach's heart is different from the rest of us."

"Zehahahaha!!!"

Blackbeard laughed maniacally, his monstrous form towering over the beach. "Dad, how do you like my new form?"

Whitebeard observed with a mixture of intrigue and disdain. "Three heads... three hearts... this fruit suits you perfectly, Teach."

"That's right!" Blackbeard grinned, giving Whitebeard a thumbs up. "This is the Mythical Zoan, Neko-Neko no Mi, Model: Chimera!!————————"

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