Dust billowed into the air as debris rained down endlessly, accompanied by the constant crash of shattered earth and stone.
Gilman, transformed into his Titan Python form, coiled his massive body around Nickt, shielding him. Thanks to Nickt's timely intervention, only a small portion of the falling debris struck the Titan Python, while the majority was swept aside by the powerful swings of his tail.
Nickt could not sense Teach's exact position. Mountains of rubble blocked his view and disrupted his perception. Gilman, however, relied on the heightened instincts of his serpent form. Through vibrations and subtle air currents, he pinpointed Teach's location and relayed it immediately.
"Sonic Boom Punch!"
Nickt drove his fist forward.
The blow slammed directly into a mound of sand and earth in front of him. This punch, already proven time and again, erupted with terrifying destructive power. The hill disintegrated instantly, exploding outward as a violent sonic shockwave surged forward, carrying sand, soil, shattered trees, and broken rock straight toward Teach.
For a brief moment, the battlefield looked eerily familiar.
The destructive aftermath of Teach's own ability was now being turned back on him.
Teach did not panic.
He calmly extended one hand.
"Black Hole."
A dark gate opened in front of him, a swirling vortex that devoured everything in its path. Matter, energy, debris, even the violent sonic force itself was dragged off course, bent unnaturally, and swallowed by the rotating darkness.
The gravitational pull was overwhelming.
Then Teach's eyes shifted to the side, a spark of interest flashing within them.
"Die, pirate!"
Gilman appeared beside Teach in an instant.
The moment Nickt launched his attack, Gilman had already moved. He had entered his strongest hybrid form, human and beast fused together. His condition was excellent, but he knew it was temporary.
They had already made their decision.
This was a fight to the death.
Even if they could not win, they would not let Teach walk away unscathed. They would not betray the justice of the Navy. They wanted the entire world to see their resolve, their determination, and the meaning of Marine justice.
Gilman swung his fist at Teach with full force.
At that moment, Teach was restricted. One hand was occupied maintaining Black Hole, dealing with the debris and Nickt's sonic attack. If he released it carelessly, everything he had absorbed would crash back toward him.
Although the rest of his body was free to move, having one arm pinned still limited his options.
This was the opening.
It was exactly what the Marines had discussed back at headquarters. A coordinated method designed specifically to counter Teach's Devil Fruit.
Now, they were putting it into practice.
Teach saw through it instantly.
Gilman's punch targeted a blind spot on Teach's right side. With his right hand fixed, Teach could only rely on his legs and torso for defense.
But Teach sneered.
Did they really think he had no answer just because they attacked from that angle?
They were still underestimating him.
Teach's Observation Haki traced Gilman's trajectory with absolute clarity. He could cancel his ability at any moment and evade everything with his speed.
But he chose not to.
Gilman's punch was aimed perfectly at Teach's right waist, a textbook strike.
Teach twisted his body backward and countered with a punch of his own.
Their fists collided.
For an instant, they appeared evenly matched.
Gilman did not retreat. Instead, his confidence grew. In the current exchange, he held the advantage. With Teach partially restricted, it would be difficult for him to unleash overwhelming power.
Nickt continued firing sonic boom punches, suppressing Teach and creating opportunities for Gilman's offense.
Even under restraint, Teach's close-combat skill was terrifying. He traded blows with Gilman without falling behind.
The spectators could not help but marvel. Teach's battle awareness and physical mastery were absurd. Some even imagined themselves in his position and immediately understood how impossible it would have been for them.
Gilman continued attacking from sharp, awkward angles, searching desperately for a breakthrough.
Then he found it.
With a sudden shift, Gilman landed a solid kick against Teach's body.
The impact sent Teach flying.
Gilman felt a surge of excitement and instinctively tried to press the advantage. Nickt closed in at the same time.
Many people knew the weakness of Teach's Devil Fruit. Against strong physical combatants, the burden of double pain was no small thing.
But Teach had merely been knocked back.
He was not truly hurt.
In fact, he found their plan dull.
This opening existed only because he had allowed it.
Nickt threw another punch. Exploding air and layered soundwaves surged toward Teach. At the same time, Gilman appeared behind him, forming a pincer attack.
Teach stood there calmly.
His expression did not change.
Then he moved.
His eyes flashed with deep purple light. His body flickered, and in Gilman's shocked gaze, Teach vanished from the punch's path.
In the next instant, Teach's left hand clamped around Gilman's neck like an iron shackle.
Before Gilman could react, Teach drove his right fist into Gilman's abdomen.
Crushing Haki and terrifying force poured into Gilman's body.
His eyes widened as his internal organs churned violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth and splattered onto the ground.
At the same time, Nickt's sonic boom attack closed in.
Still gripping Gilman, Teach shifted position and deliberately placed Gilman between himself and the incoming strike.
"Dark Bind."
Dark chains surged out along Teach's arm, wrapping tightly around Gilman's body and locking him in place.
Then came the next command.
"Black Hole."
A Dark Gate opened directly in front of Gilman. The rotating vortex unleashed a terrifying gravitational pull, threatening to drag him inside at any moment.
The sensation was horrifying.
Yet Gilman did not immediately fall in.
The gravity of the dark chains partially countered the pull of the Dark Gate. The vortex was stronger, but the chains were under Teach's control.
Gilman felt the familiar power behind him and his expression changed completely.
He knew what was coming.
There was no way to resist.
On the other side, Nickt was helpless. Once his attack was released, it could not be recalled.
Teach's move was ruthless.
He could have absorbed the attack directly, but instead, he chose to turn it against his opponent's comrade.
Many understood the nature of Black Hole. It could absorb anything, matter, energy, even attacks. When an area-wide sonic boom was compressed by overwhelming gravity, its range shrank, but its destructive power skyrocketed.
And the one who would bear it was Gilman.
The Dark Gate was small, barely five meters tall.
Under normal circumstances, Nickt's sonic boom could level a hill. Concentrated into such a narrow space, its power became terrifying beyond measure.
Teach watched with curiosity, almost like a spectator.
Gilman, bound by dark chains, stood helplessly before the vortex, forced to take the full impact.
Because everything happened so quickly, many viewers missed the key moment. Morgans replayed the scene repeatedly, excitedly narrating Teach's counterattack as he paused to wet his throat.
Anyone who still believed the Marines could turn the tide was already proven wrong.
True powerhouses had reached the same conclusion.
Teach's victory was inevitable.
Marine Headquarters itself had to acknowledge it. Teach could defeat Nickt and Gilman using physical combat alone.
As Teach had said, he was only playing.
If he wanted, this would have ended long ago.
What truly unsettled the world was that technique. A terrifying, large-scale ability with unimaginable destructive potential, something that demanded immediate investigation.
The condensed sonic boom slammed into Gilman's body like a spiraling drill.
"Ahhh!"
Gilman screamed in agony.
Explosions of sound detonated inside his head, ears, and internal organs. The impact struck his back, forcing his body to arch violently.
He convulsed uncontrollably, blood pouring from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
The concentrated vibrations were devastating. Compared to dispersed force, this attack was many times more lethal to the human body.
Blood vessels ruptured throughout Gilman's body. His skin flushed red as countless tiny vessels burst beneath the surface.
His eyes lost all light.
This power did not kill him, but it left him grievously injured.
It also demonstrated the terrifying effectiveness of Teach's ability. An attack capable of leveling terrain was reduced to silence within a small dark vortex.
When it ended, Teach flung Gilman away with the dark chains and retracted his power.
Gilman steadied himself and landed beside Nickt. His Devil Fruit and remaining vitality immediately began repairing the damage.
"Do not get carried away by a small advantage," Teach said, tilting his head slightly as disdain flickered in his eyes. "The gap between us is not something you can cross so easily. At least not in this life."
"Do not underestimate the Marines," Gilman replied, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
Nickt clenched his fists, furious. Having his own attack used against his comrade filled him with helpless rage.
"I am only stating facts," Teach said casually, spreading his arms. "With such an absolute difference in strength, what do you rely on? I keep giving you chances because I want to see what you have left."
"So go on. Use the rest of your lives to entertain me."
"Cherish these final moments."
"Bastard!" Nickt roared, teeth clenched.
Teach smiled.
What resistance did they have left?
As he said, their only remaining value was to serve as proof of his power.