"Captain of the Dawn Pirates, Crocodile!" Blackbeard's expression darkened. He never expected to encounter such an active pirate crew here, and of all people, this was the same reckless loser who had challenged Whitebeard and failed.
Even more shocking was Crocodile's strength—it posed a serious threat. This was troublesome. If it were just ordinary Marines, it might be manageable.
But Crocodile… if a fight broke out now, it wouldn't be easily resolved. And if Marine Headquarters or Whitebeard noticed, Blackbeard would be surrounded. After all, he had destroyed Thatch's ship, and he had already outwitted Marine HQ this time; there would be no reason to let him go.
"Captain, I'll take them out for you," Basilisk grinned, targeting Enel.
"Fool, wait!" Blackbeard wanted to strike immediately, but he restrained himself. Losing control now could ruin his plan. Even his newly acquired subordinates could fall apart if things escalated.
"Who are these people? Such a strong aura," Rosen and the others thought as they faced the legendary pirates Avalo Pizarro and Jesus Burgess
Most here were erased from public knowledge by the World Government; some had been imprisoned for decades. Only rare figures like Rayleigh occasionally appeared and remained known.
"Don't make this messy. If a fight is necessary, killing one or two first is fine. I'm here to talk, Blackbeard Teach," Rosen said calmly.
His Observation Haki was at its peak, Armament Haki ready, and his ability to manipulate the nearby terrain was instant. He could reduce anything to sand in a moment.
"Talk to me? I don't recall ever negotiating with you. What is it you want?" Blackbeard wiped blood from his mouth, his gaze sharp and cunning.
He could understand enemies approaching, but Crocodile wasn't an enemy—unfamiliar, yes, but not hostile.
"For you, it's an easy task. The question is whether you're willing," Rosen said cautiously. Blackbeard was ruthless, cunning, resilient, and reckless—the ultimate pirate of this era.
Rosen had prepared every word and every target in advance, careful not to give Blackbeard any leverage.
"Coming to see me, huh? That's not a very friendly greeting. Tell me your business. Interested, and I might help. Not interested, and you die here—hahaha!" Blackbeard spread his arms, revealing his ferocity. If push came to shove, killing everyone before him was an option.
"Bring it up," Rosen instructed Law.
"ROOM, Meat Grinder!" Charles, stationed nearby, appeared instantly at Rosen's feet. He struggled, but Rosen kicked him unconscious.
"Can we hurry? The battlefield looks lively. Otherwise, I'll go see for myself. After all, Whitebeard's still waiting for us to strike," Jesus Burgess said, drinking heavily, speaking boldly to Rosen and Blackbeard.
He could afford such arrogance—even if not fully recovered, he could escape if needed.
"Want me to introduce you to those corpses?" Hathaway drew her blade, the killing intent pressing on Jesus Burgess.
"Nice blade!" Jesus Burgess was unfazed. The woman was dangerous, but the sword itself was exquisite.
"Use your Dark-Dark ability to transfer the power on this person to me. No tricks. Otherwise, we face Marine HQ's attack together. Of course, I trust your situation isn't so simple," Rosen said bluntly.
At times like this, revealing intent and gauging Blackbeard's reaction was key.
"You know about the Dark-Dark Fruit?!" Blackbeard was surprised. Someone else coveted it—bad news. Crocodile had clearly prepared.
Ah, this guy often bought ancient texts and weapons in the underworld. Could he have been interested in the Dark-Dark Fruit too, rare as it is?
"Stop stalling. I want an answer within a minute," Rosen demanded.
"Careful, but for me, it's easy. Are you sure? You're already a Logia. Transferring another Devil Fruit could kill you—suicide?" Blackbeard asked, confused. He knew Crocodile wouldn't risk that recklessly.
Clearly, they were waiting for him. Such a bizarre Devil Fruit user wouldn't just carry this by chance. Crocodile couldn't be an idiot, and claiming knowledge of the Dark-Dark Fruit implied he was also an extraordinary being—perhaps a similar type?
"No, impossible. My situation is unique. Then what's going on here?" Blackbeard pondered.
"Three-quarters done." Rosen's arm gleamed with Armament Haki.
"Hahaha… don't rush. I'll help, but if you die, that's on you. Of course, without you, these little ones before me are all mine," Blackbeard said, uncertain but willing to follow Crocodile's lead.
If Crocodile's method failed, He would die instantly—a risk he welcomed.
"Teach, your fruit has this use?" Shiryu was amazed. They had just followed Blackbeard from Impel Down and knew little of his plans. The fruit's transfer hadn't even been discussed yet.
"Just letting you witness it," Blackbeard said calmly, though uneasy. Being restrained by Crocodile was frustrating.
The real fight with Whitebeard and Marine HQ hadn't begun; leaving now would make him a target.
"Here, hand it over. I'll give you what you want," Blackbeard said, smiling, seemingly compliant.
"Take it." Rosen tossed Charles, and Blackbeard caught him effortlessly.
His eyes flickered. His instinct and the Dark-Dark Fruit's sensing told him this ability was rare.
He wanted it badly.
(End of Chapter)
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