Blackbeard's grin stretched wide, savage and mocking. "Zehahahahaha, nice to meet you, Eustass Kid."
Kid's eyes darted across the battlefield, watching his crewmates fall one by one. Fury boiled within him. "You bastard! Do you even know what you're doing?"
As he spoke, the surrounding metal and debris twisted and swirled under his magnetic powers, forming a massive mechanical arm where his severed left arm had been.
"Oh, quite a decent ability," Blackbeard said, feigning mild surprise, though he didn't take it seriously. He raised his palm toward Kid. "Dark Water…"
A sudden, violent suction pulled Kid forward. Confused, he tried to strike back, his mechanical arm clenching into a fist. "Dark Binding!"
Beneath Blackbeard's feet, shadows writhed like serpents, black smoke twisting violently before enveloping Kid. In an instant, Kid felt as if bound by Sea Stone chains. His Devil Fruit powers became completely useless, and the newly formed mechanical arm collapsed into scattered fragments.
Kid stared at Blackbeard in disbelief, horror written across his face. "What… what is this?!"
"Kid…" Killer reacted instinctively, rushing forward to defend him.
The next instant, a sharp pain tore through Killer's back. Blood spewed from his mouth as his legs froze mid-step, his body paralyzed by an invisible force. Looking down, he saw a long, transparent blade materializing within him. Turning slightly, he recognized Shiliew of the Rain behind him, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Killer…" Kid's roar was filled with desperation.
Shiliew's cruel smile widened. "Looks like that hurt a lot, didn't it? Killer the Slaughter Warrior."
Kid's rage surged, but his powers remained suppressed. "Bastard… what kind of ability is this?!"
Blackbeard laughed, the sound echoing ominously. "Zehahahahaha! This is the power of my Dark-Dark Fruit. It nullifies Devil Fruit abilities on contact, just like Sea Stone."
Kid's horror deepened as he looked at him.
Yet, Blackbeard had lied. The truth was darker: the ability Kid experienced was not purely from the Dark-Dark Fruit, but a deadly combination of the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. By covering shadows with Dark-Dark Fruit power, Blackbeard could extend the nullification range, touching the enemy without direct contact.
Shiliew spoke proudly. "And my Transparent-Transparent Fruit allows me to remain unseen until I strike."
With a sudden movement, Shiliew drove his long blade into Killer, drawing another spray of blood.
"Cough, cough…" Killer tried to rise, but the ground writhed beneath him. Pica, controlling stone, encased him in a cage that fused with his body, leaving him completely immobilized.
"Killer…" Kid's roar turned to a guttural scream. Helpless, tears streaked his face as he faced the full might of the Blackbeard Pirates.
Blackbeard's grin was wicked, savoring the sight. "Zehahahahaha, don't look at me like that, Eustass Kid. I am a generous man. I know loyalty is important to you, so your crewmates are still alive. For now."
Kid's jaw tightened. The realization hit him: Blackbeard held the lives of his friends in his hands. If he wanted to survive and save them, he had no choice but to comply. Tears of frustration and humiliation filled his eyes—this was the harshest day he had faced since leaving the Grand Line.
He swallowed his pride, forcing his voice into a roar. "What do you want from me?"
Blackbeard's smile widened, sinister and calculating. "Simple: capture Whitey Bay, the Ice Witch, and deliver her to the Marines."
It was a grim echo of Marineford. Blackbeard intended to weaken the Phoenix Pirates using the Marines' hands. He knew the crew valued their companions above all else, and he would exploit that loyalty.
During the previous Marineford War, the Whitebeard Pirates had lost heavily even while rescuing Fire Fist Ace. Marco had since stabilized the crew, but Blackbeard knew that if the Marines were involved again, the Phoenix Pirates could be crippled.
He had studied their rules, inherited from Whitebeard's era. As long as they still protected their comrades, Blackbeard's scheme would work flawlessly. The plan was a ticking trap, and the New World would not forgive hesitation or mercy.