vncnus Chapter 28: A Three-Way Battle, Blackbeard's Great Crisis
Chapter 28: A Three-Way Battle, Blackbeard's Great Crisis
Newsbirds soar in the sky.
Information about "Blackbeard being the Master of the Holy Grail War," "possessing a Heroic Spirit with the ability to manipulate people's minds," and "having the Dark-Dark Fruit while seriously injured and on the run" has spread to every corner of the world.
Tottoland, a mirror world.
Katakuri's tall figure stood silently in the strange space constructed of mochi, his composed face reflected in the surrounding floating mirrors.
He had just finished his brief "peeping" into the future, his thick eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Mom would want that Heroic Spirit who 'manipulates people'..." Katakuri muttered to himself.
Charlotte Linlin showed an almost fanatical interest in the power of Heroic Spirits, especially the ability to influence the will of others.
Katakuri saw fragments of the future that were chaotic and bloody, but he caught the key—Blackbeard Teach was near the Sabaody Archipelago, in poor condition and alone.
"Brûlée," Katakuri said.
A ripple appeared in the mirror, revealing Brulee's face: "Katakuri, my brother?"
"Prepare the mirror passage. Target: near the Sabaody Archipelago." Katakuri's voice left no room for argument.
"Call on Cracker and 'Candy Maid'; this target is tough."
To complete his mother's mission and for the sake of his family's interests, he had to personally take action to ensure that the traitor from the Whitebeard Pirates was "invited" back to Whole Cake Island without any mishaps.
Ghost Island, Port
"Lord Jack! Governor Kaido's latest orders!"
A gifted man ran breathlessly to a huge mammoth-prowed warship.
Drought Jack emerged from the shadows of the deck, his massive frame groaning.
"What orders? I'm going to deal with that blind fool who dared to steal our goods!"
"The governor says... put the goods aside for now! A more interesting 'prey' has appeared!"
The giver handed over a piece of intelligence.
"Blackbeard Teach, the traitor of the Whitebeard family! He has no background whatsoever, and he summons nameless heroic spirits. The governor orders: capture him! Capture him alive! The location is near the Sabaody Archipelago!"
"Oh?" Jack's bloodshot elephant eyes swept over the intelligence report, a cruel yet excited smile spreading across his face.
"The Holy Grail War... I've heard so much about it. It sounds much more interesting than dealing with those weaklings! Men! Set sail! Destination—Sabauchai. Let Kaido see how I bring back the contestants and make a name for myself!"
The Gifter said tremblingly, "Lord Jack... Lord Ember has already set off!"
The giant ivory man roared at the sky, then slapped him away.
"Why didn't you say so sooner, you bastard! You made me fall behind!"
The Mammoth emitted a deep, resonant whistle as its massive hull slowly sailed away from the harbor, exuding an aura of unparalleled ferocity.
The former naval headquarters, Marineford.
Sakazuki, the Red Dog, sat in his office, the scorching lava like the fire in his heart, slowly dripping from his fists and scorching the deck beneath his feet, sending white smoke into the air.
He held two pieces of intelligence in his hands: one was Morgans' front-page headline about Blackbeard's defection and Master's identity, and the other was "information" from the Navy's secret channels, received earlier, about Teach's location and abilities.
"Betrayal of loyalty, murder of comrades..." Akainu's voice was like rolling lava, carrying a ruthless chill that could burn everything.
"Scum even more disgusting than ordinary pirates is precisely the target that 'Absolute Justice' must thoroughly purify! Allowing them to exist will only plunge the world into a deeper abyss of darkness!"
He whirled around, his gaze sweeping over the standing adjutant behind him: "Pass the word: prepare the ships and head towards Sabaody! Target—Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach! Capture him and imprison him in Impel Down, interrogate him to extract information about the Holy Grail War!"
Akainu turned sideways, took the hat, and put it on his head: "This time, I will go personally."
"Yes, General Sakazuki!" The adjutant stood at attention and saluted, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
The terrifying killing intent emanating from Admiral Akainu was even more scorching than the summer sun.
Half a day later, on an unnamed deserted island near the Sabaody Archipelago.
Blackbeard Teach leaned against a cold rock, grimacing as he tended to his charred wounds.
"Damn it, burns shouldn't be a big deal for me, they should have healed quickly..."
The count's phantom appeared and disappeared in the shadows at his feet.
"Brahmastra, the covering of the earth. Legend has it that it was a treasure given to Karna by Rama the Axe-Wielder, used to fight enemies by calling out the name of Brahma and letting the fire of the sun burn them away. But it is the nemesis of the fruit within you."
"It hurts like hell..." Teach gulped down a mouthful of cheap rum, trying to numb the pain.
"What are you talking about... Rama? Brahma? What kind of mythology is this? But since it can be summoned as a heroic spirit, it means it really existed. Does that mean some myths are true?"
The man with the black beard smashed the bottle on the ground.
"And your identity? I have absolutely no clue. What kind of experiences could have given you such a strong desire for revenge?"
Upon hearing this, the voice from the shadows remained silent for quite a while.
However, the more he did this, the more curious Blackbeard became. He laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.
"This war has quite a few secrets, huh? Hahahaha."
After laughing, he struggled to sit up from the rock.
"Alright, you're so boring. Don't you have anything else you want to do besides revenge?"
He walked to the shore and kicked the small boat he had stolen from the fisherman.
"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Once we cross the Sabaody Archipelago, we'll reach Paradise. Finally, we can escape these monsters from the New World."
Thinking about this, he couldn't help but hum softly.
"Once I recover there, recruit allies, and secretly accumulate strength, I might just be the one to have the last laugh in this Holy Grail War..."
"Hahaha! Just like you said, Earl. Wait and hope!"
"I'm increasingly realizing that we're really alike! Hahaha!"
Suddenly, the count's phantom image solidified for a moment, and his scarlet pupils contracted sharply!
"Contractor…! The 'Jackal's' sense of smell… is faster than expected! A… powerful malice… is approaching!"
Teach was stunned, then his expression changed drastically: "What? You're calling it powerful malice? Where did that come from?!"
Almost at the same time the count issued his warning, a sense of oppression locked onto the small, deserted island!
In the east, a fiery aura of magma, carrying an absolute will to destroy, shot into the sky!
A massive warship broke through the fog, and standing on its bow was Akainu, who at this moment appeared like a demon god to the black-bearded man!
"Blackbeard Teach! Your path of sin ends here! We'll settle our differences at Impel Down!"
Blackbeard's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Having spent many years in the New World, he knew Akainu's strength all too well, enough to rival even the elderly Whitebeard!
He kept howling, his tongue trembling in his wide-open mouth.
"Hai... Hai... Why is Admiral Akainu here?! Is he here to arrest a nobody like me who's defected?!"
Just as Blackbeard was still in shock and incomprehension, Akainu's magma fist roared in!
"A massive fireball!"
Seeing this, Blackbeard didn't have time to be shocked or afraid.
"Dark water!!!"
The boundless darkness enveloped the erupting lava and completely swallowed it, allowing Blackbeard to regain the confidence that Karna had shattered.
A smirk crept across his face: "Haha... I've managed to attract a naval admiral, looks like I'm a celebrity now."
The count whispered in the darkness, "Don't let your guard down; another presence is coming from afar!"
From the direction of the New World, Jhin flew at full speed and saw the magma fist that blotted out the sky.
"Looks like others have arrived...a fierce battle is inevitable!"