Red and Black
In the center of Hachinosu, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked.
Flames, swamps, and Shockwaves —the three ravaged the same world, Sky Splitter and scorching the sea breeze!
Just before Luffy, Zoro, and Kuina finished their battles, the most dazzling focus of the entire Battlefield had already converged on the two at the center—
--Ace vs. Teach.
The blazing flames and the inky black mud divided the entire Hachinosu Harbor into two colors of hell.
"Hahaha--I didn't expect that, Ace!"
Teach grinned wildly, his feet sinking deep into the black mud, the entire ground being swallowed up by his power.
The black Swamp churned, exuding a corrosive and suction-like aura, distorting even the air itself.
Your temper is still as fiery as ever.
Ace stood on the crimson-red rock, flames engulfing his body, but his eyes were as cold as steel. "And you, Teach... you've fallen from human to monster, even your breath is disgusting."
"Hehehe--!"
Teach's laughter was ferocious; his arms swelled, muscles bulged, and Armament Haki covered his skin like black iron, with black mud flowing in his palms—
"Swamp Explosion: Abyss Serpent!!"
The ground exploded with a deafening roar, and black liquid transformed into dozens of tentacle-like waves of mud that swept in!
Each tentacle possessed a terrifying suction force, capable of swallowing everything into an abyss!
Ace Flash the air, transforming into a fiery meteor. With a stomp of his toes, he instantly drew a blazing trail in the sky.
"Fire Fist - Combo!"
He unleashed a barrage of punches, hundreds of fiery fist gusts shooting out in succession, crashing into the sea of black mud like a meteor shower!
"Boom! Boom! Boom--!"
Flames and Swamp collided violently, explosions echoing in one continuous line!
Teach his arm to block part of the Impact, the black mud churning and corroding the flames, reforming into a giant maw that lunged at Ace: "Zehahaha-watch me devour this ball of fire!!"
"That depends on how much you can swallow!" Ace roared, flames gathering on his arm, and the temperature suddenly soared!
"Flame Emperor Yan--!"
Suddenly, the flames coalesced into a hundred-meter-tall fire giant, which descended from the sky, its giant fist carrying the pressure of the sun as it smashed into Teach's Swamp territory!
"Boom--!"
A sea of fire swept across the island, mud churned, and the entire Harbor Hachinosu collapsed and sank, with flames and black mud intertwining into a chaotic vortex!
The two burst out of the explosion simultaneously, their figures transforming into two streaks of light that collided once more!
Teach roared, his Armament Haki covering his hands like layers of rock, his claws transforming into giant hooks that Sky Splitter!
"Swamp Claw - Crack!!"
He enhanced his Devil Fruit powers with Martial Arts, causing his speed to surge, and in an instant, he was close to Ace's chest!
Flames swirled around Ace's fist, his Armament Haki transforming into molten steel within the flames.
"Explosive Flame Crash!!"
The two men's fists and claws clashed.
"Boom!!"
The Shockwave exploded, and the sea breeze reversed! Flames transformed into ring-shaped bursts, and the black mud was evaporated into white mist.
Teach suddenly ducked and delivered a Martial Arts radiating with Haki.
Ace blocked with his leg, then instantly countered with a fiery kick to his knee!
"Hehehe--!"
Teach deformed his arm into a muddy mass, forcefully absorbing the Impact of the flames, and then used the momentum to deflect the attack with a punch!
The two figures intertwined, colliding like meteors, exchanging dozens of blows in an instant, each strike shattering waves and sending rocks flying!
The air was filled not with wind, but with the smell of high temperature and corrosion.
The roar of the collision between flames and mudflows almost made the entire sea tremble.
Ace stood on the crumbling rock, his aura so intense it was almost distorted, and every muscle in his body was trembling.
The ruby-encrusted ring on her Right Hand finally shone brightly!
"Damn it... your mud is so annoying!"
He roared, the flames within him expanding like the core of a sun exploding.
In an instant, the temperature soared to platinum—the air ignited, the sea breeze evaporated directly, and the rock beneath our feet turned into molten lava.
"--Heat -Heat-Heat Fruit - Liberation!"
"Boom!!"
At that moment, the flames covering Ace's entire body completely changed.
The flames of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the energy of the Heat-Heat Fruit resonated together, creating a Platinum-level flame form.
The flames are no longer just burning, but a pure release of energy, a blend of light and heat, like the sun falling to earth.
Ace's fist was bright red and transparent, his Haki condensed into crystals, and even his shadow was swallowed by light.
His eyes were cold, and with a stomp of his foot, flames erupted—
"Flame Emperor - Blazing Sun Burst!!"
Flames erupted like exploding stars!
He transformed into a streak of blazing light, trailing a dazzling tail of flame, moving so fast that even time seemed to freeze!
Across from him, Teach felt the oppressive heat, his face instantly turning serious, and the black mud surged violently!
"You little rascal—"
He roared in a low voice, stretched out both palms, and the power of the Swamp in his palms surged like a torrent. At the same time, the second energy within his body was fully Awakening.
"Pumping!!"
"Boom--!"
The Swamp and the rubber body began to resonate, muscles stretching, skin swelling!
A dark purple light flowed along his blood vessels, and his entire body transformed into a jet-black liquid rubber substance.
Each breath carried a distorted echo.
That's the fusion form of the Swamp-Swamp Fruit and the Gum- Gum-Gum Fruit!
"Hehehe-- Ace! My body can even bounce back flames!!"
Teach roared and threw a punch!
"Oakuma Spiral Collapse!!"
That punch sent the Swamp churning and swirling, the black mud spinning into a vortex in the air, merging with the rubbery, expansive force of the punch.
It formed a black tornado capable of devouring all energy, even sucking in light!
Ace reacted incredibly fast in mid-air, his arm jerking as the flames transformed into a flowing spiral, the platinum flames resonating with his Haki to create a high-temperature, distorting airflow!
"Boom!!"
Their fists collided head-on in mid-air.
The air collapsed instantly, and a giant crater was created in the center of Hachinosu, allowing seawater to flood in!
The flames transformed into countless rays of light that scattered in all directions, while the churning mud flow devoured the energy.
The two forces tore at each other, intertwined, and devoured each other, forming a destructive energy sphere!
"Hehehe--!"
Teach laughed wildly, his body not immediately vaporizing in the high temperature, but instead twisting and rebounding like rubber, "bouncing" some of the flames back!
Ace's eyes narrowed, and flames surged back up his arm.
"It can actually... reflect flames?!"
Teach, blood trickling from his mouth, still laughed maniacally, "Zehaha—this is the power of fusion! I can 'swallow' everything—and then 'bounce' it back!!"
His right arm shot out like a liquid serpent, covered in Armament Haki, the black mud spiraling out and transforming into a spinning giant hammer!
"Oakuma Black Hammer--!"
Ace roared in response, and flames surged upwards.
"Flame Emperor Yan - Blazing Heavenfall--!"
"--boom!!"
The two forces collided once more, causing the center of Hachinosu to collapse completely, with flames and black mud erupting like pillars from the sky.
The intense heat and the chilling cold intertwined in the air, forming a destructive double helix that illuminated the entire night sky of the New World.
Luffy, Zoro, Kuina, who were in the distance, all stopped and looked at the towering flames that resembled the gates of hell.
At that moment, the battle between Ace and Teach had already transcended the simple matter of victory or defeat.
This is the ultimate clash between fire and abyss, light and darkness, freedom and greed!
High in the sky, as the storm tore through the clouds, a blurry figure slowly appeared in the air.
He looked down at the Battlefield torn apart by black and red, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"Teach..."
"Can you truly Awakening?"