The sword light fell, not only tearing through the darkness but cleaving the sea in two as well. A chasm-like channel formed, and seawater poured down into it.
Even the souls unleashed by Big Mom were shattered outright beneath that sword light.
Taking advantage of the moment, Marco hurriedly brought Ace back aboard the Moby Dick.
In terms of strength, neither Marco nor Ace should have been defeated so quickly. It was simply that Big Mom had kept a low profile for so many years, and neither of them understood the Soul-Soul Fruit's abilities. That was why they had suffered such a setback during their first exchange.
Even if Whitebeard had not intervened just now, the two of them would at most have been injured. They would not have been instantly defeated.
"That sword light..." Blackbeard's attention was clearly not on them. As he stared at the channel carved through the sea, his expression turned ugly, as though he had recalled some unpleasant memories.
Farther away, a red pirate ship appeared. The pirate flag fluttering in the wind revealed the identity of its arrival.
"Just as I thought," Blackbeard muttered. "Red-Haired Shanks!"
The ship was extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, Shanks's vessel had drawn near. As the sword energy dissipated, the channel slowly vanished as well, and the sea naturally rocked in its wake. Fortunately, all the ships here were large, so they were not greatly affected.
"Whitebeard, it's been a long time," Shanks said with a smile, waving at Whitebeard.
Whitebeard merely gave a haughty snort. "You really haven't changed at all. Always so eager to join the excitement. I never invited you here to help."
Knowing Whitebeard's awkward temperament, Shanks was not offended. He simply smiled. "Yes, yes, I decided to come on my own.