Nika Teach!

In the center of the ruins of Hachinosu, the air pressure seemed to be suddenly lowered by an invisible hand.

The eerie drumming continued—

"Bang... bang... bang bang..."

Like a heartbeat, yet more like the rhythm of some ancient life awakening.

With each thud, the earth trembled, and even the air seemed to hum.

Ace was the first to notice something was wrong, and he suddenly looked down. "Something's not right... This sound—it's coming from underground!!"

"Underground?!" Zoro's gaze sharpened, his Right Hand gripping Enma tightly, his Haki surging from his body.

Kuina planted her toes firmly, instantly hovering in mid-air, her icy gaze sweeping towards the deep pit. "... This aura... it's not something a human could possess."

Even Luffy's half-dragon body slightly contracted, golden light flashing in his dragon eyes. "This oppressive feeling is strange... it's like Roy during the Paramount War..."

"--boom!!"

The crater, hundreds of meters deep and engulfed in flames, suddenly exploded!

The scorching magma was evaporated into white mist, and waves of energy swept in all directions, Shockwave debris and flames flying.

A deafening laugh echoed from the depths of the sea of fire:

"Thief--hahaha!!"

The next moment, a massive white figure shot into the sky from the deep pit—

Teach.

He floated in mid-air, his entire body enveloped in a layer of pale white light.

The original pitch-black Swamp energy vanished without a trace, replaced by a flowing energy that blended black and white.

The energy was like liquid, or like mist, swirling and churning around him.

And that originally messy black hair and thick beard had completely faded to pure white, fluttering wildly in the wind.

Clothes, cloaks, gloves... all were assimilated by energy into pale white patterns, radiating a cold light.

Teach Nika Form!

He looked down at his pale hands, his voice hoarse yet filled with a frenzied joy. "So that's how it is..."

"Is this... the Awakening power of Paramecia...?"

The air suddenly became still.

Ace's pupils contracted, and flames flickered around him.

Even Luffy stopped smiling and stared at the strange figure.

"Suffered that kind of attack... and emerged completely unharmed?!" Kuina's voice was unusually filled with astonishment.

"That's impossible!"

Zoro responded in a deep voice, the black mist on Enma stirring restlessly, "Even Sea Kings would be reduced to ashes by that kind of attack!"

Hearing their gasps, Teach grinned, revealing his signature menacing smile, and looked down.

"Thief--hahaha!!"

His pupils were now clearly black and white, but instead of pure black, they were milky white interspersed with swirling dark light patterns, as if they could devour one's vision.

"Ace —I really have to thank you!"

He pointed at Ace, his voice booming with an eerie echo.

"If you hadn't cornered me, I would never have been able to touch this level of power!"

"Roy —he misjudged him!!"

Ace looked up, his eyes filled with shock and anger. "What did you say?"

Teach laughed loudly, the sound shaking the sea.

He thought the Gum-Gum Fruit was just an ordinary juggling fruit, but he never expected—

"This fruit itself represents the ultimate form of 'bearing' and 'devouring'!"

He stretched out his hands, and the Swamp and rubber energy in his palms intertwined, forming a strange spiral halo.

"When I connect with heaven and earth--"

"I can even 'rebound' natural forms!"

His long, flowing white hair Hunting Roar in the flames, and his arrogant laughter echoed unrestrainedly.

--Right now.

"--Slash the Wave!!"

Zoro and Kuina roared at almost the same moment!

Two terrifying sword energies, one green and one red, ripped through the sky.

A green storm of Shura rose from the ground, while crimson blades slashed down from the sky!

The two sword energies intersected and converged, aiming straight for Teach's heart!

"Boom--!"

The air currents between heaven and earth were compressed into a vacuum, but just as the sword energy was about to strike—

Teach surprisingly didn't dodge.

Instead, he burst into laughter and went to greet them!

"Hehehe!! Good heavens--just in time!!"

"What?!" Zoro and Kuina's pupils constricted sharply!

Teach suddenly raised his arms, and a burst of white light erupted around him!

His pale hands actually caught the sword energy!

That sharpness that was originally capable of tearing through steel and shattering mountains—

At this moment, however, they were swallowed and enveloped by the rubbery energy in his palm, and were forcibly tamed in his hands like two wildly dancing whips of light!

"Are you kidding me?!" Ace gritted his teeth in horror, flames leaping wildly from his shoulder.

Luffy's dragon eyes widened suddenly, and his voice changed. "He actually caught Zoro's sword aura?!"

Even Zoro was stunned for a moment, his face full of disbelief. "That was my—slash?!"

Teach swung his arms, laughing maniacally, "Thief—hahaha!! Thank you for the gift!!"

"Rubber Wave Cutter!!"

"Boom!!"

He actually flung the two sword energies back, transforming them into a double-helix energy vortex that crashed down on Ace on the ground!

"Damn it!" Ace roared, instantly transforming into flames and soaring into the sky!

Two sword energies struck the spot where he had been standing, causing the ground to collapse instantly. The crater created by the explosion resembled a volcanic eruption, with flames shooting hundreds of meters high!

Ace surged in the air, Ace's rage boiling!

With one Teach aimed at Teach in mid-air, the flame in his palm suddenly condensed into a golden fireball, and then he pushed it out forcefully!

"Flame Emperor - Firefly Spiral!!"

Countless Fire Pillar intertwined in the air to form a swirling vortex of flames, the fire roaring towards Teach like a spiraling star ring!

"Ha ha ha! Well done--!"

Teach grinned maliciously and raised his right foot, his leg extending hundreds of meters in an instant, his rubbery sole shimmering with a dark purple Swamp glow.

"Rubber Black Stamp!!"

"Boom!!"

His kick was powerful, accompanied by the booming of Armament Haki lightning patterns, which directly dispersed the oncoming fire Shockwave. The flames shattered into thousands of sparks, forming a dazzling star curtain in the air!

Before Ace could react, Teach had already spun around on the spot, his arms swelling and muscles bulging, Armament Haki and Awakening energy intertwining.

The arm suddenly stretched to tens of meters long, instantly twisting into a spiral!

"--Rubber Dark Star Gun!!"

The air completely collapsed under that punch!

Ace's pupils contracted; it was too late to dodge.

At that very moment--

"Whoosh--!"

A pink afterimage flashed past in an instant!

" --Luffy?!"

A look of surprise flashed in Ace's eyes.

Luffy used his Dragon-Man Form's explosive speed to block Ace's side and shoved him aside with both hands!

"Don't just stand there like an idiot!!"

"Bang--!"

Teach's rubber fist landed squarely on Luffy's head!

In that instant, the air exploded and lightning flashed—

Luffy's head was completely rubberized, bouncing up as if hit by a star, accompanied by a comical yet eerie "starburst" sound, before being blasted directly into the ground!!

"Boom!!"

Dust and smoke billowed into the sky, the ground collapsed for hundreds of meters, and debris flew everywhere!

Ace's expression changed drastically, and he roared angrily, " --Luffy!!"

Zoro and Kuina turned around at the same time, their eyes flashing with shock and anger.

However, before they could act, Teach in the air had already spread his arms again amidst the white light, his laughter shattering the sky:

"Thief--hahaha!!"

"Come on! This battle has only just begun!!"