Blackbeard

The pull of darkness and the force of space collided, unleashing a massive shockwave like a nuclear explosion. Black-and-white currents spread outward in rings, sending magnificent ripples sweeping in every direction!

From within the darkness, Blackbeard darted out. His right hand curled into a claw, the dark gravitational force in his palm spiraling into shape. "Black Vortex!"

Even Buggy could not resist that powerful pull, his body involuntarily dragged toward it. He swiftly drove one foot through the ground as a pivot, raised his other leg, and swept out a crescent-shaped white current straight at Blackbeard's hand!

The flying current arrived in an instant. Blackbeard's expression shifted slightly, and he did not dare take it head-on. He hurriedly retreated, intending to raise his hand and use Black Vortex again as he dodged.

But Buggy gave Blackbeard no such chance. He unleashed Tempest Kick after Tempest Kick, slash-like air currents constantly forcing the latter to reposition and evade.

Although Blackbeard's power of darkness could absorb attacks, he suffered twice the pain of an ordinary person. Unwilling to take that risk and receive the attacks with his body, he instead tried to find an opening in Buggy's defense.

"Critical."

Hundreds of fine white lines across Buggy's body instantly fused together. Without hesitation, he entered his strongest state.

Under normal conditions, when a fist was thrown, the force in the muscles inevitably dispersed in every direction and canceled itself out. But in the "critical" state, every muscle, organ, tissue, and even hair on Buggy's body exerted force in the same direction, allowing him to unleash power several times greater than normal.

Shave!

Buggy vanished from where he stood. Blackbeard's pupils abruptly contracted. He exerted all his strength, yet his body could only turn slightly backward.

Boom!

In an instant, a tremendous force struck