The raging sea calmed, and the cloudlike black mist that had blotted out the sky gradually dispersed.
At some point, the sun had sunk below the horizon. A last wash of sunset stained the western sky a dusky yellow, while a crescent moon already hung in the Klein-blue sky to the east.
"Whew-that should do it."
Clap! Clap!
Only after his Observation Haki confirmed that Teach had fallen completely silent did Lina stop and breathe a sigh of relief. He clapped his hands in satisfaction, landed, and walked toward the crater that had been blasted beyond recognition.
Heat still rose from the scorched earth, along with wisps of smoke. The instant his feet touched it, he could feel the searing heat even through his soles.
"A-da-da-da! Hot, hot!"
Luffy yelled as he hopped frantically from side to side, his feet burned red and swollen, his clothes in tatters.
Seeing Lina approach, Luffy rolled his eyes, pointed at his nose, and shouted indignantly:
"You burned me half to death, you bastard! Were you trying to kill me too?!"
"You're still alive? Tch."
Faced with Luffy's accusations, Lina merely scoffed and turned his face away regretfully.
"What a shame. I almost got my turn as captain."
"What?!"
Luffy's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped before he shouted furiously:
"I knew you did it on purpose, you bastard! Dream on! You're not getting the captain's position!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You make it sound like anyone actually wants to be captain."
Lina picked at his ear and headed straight into the depths of the crater.
Teach lay motionless, his flesh split open all over his body, the blood and meat baked into charred scabs by the intense heat.
There were no screams, no black mist spreading across his body to absorb his