Teach's death!

The seas of the New World are far wilder than those of the Four Blues.

The waves were high, the wind was strong, the sky was dark, and the clouds hung low.

Ban walked on the sea surface, his steps slow.

He didn't take a boat; he simply walked forward on the crest of the waves. His greyish-white immortal robe billowed to one side in the wind, and his Six-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan spun quietly.

He is perceiving.

The New World isn't a huge place, but it's not small either. If the leader of one of the Four Emperors wanted to hide, he wouldn't be able to find him just by looking.

You don't need to use your eyes to see freckles.

His Observation Haki was spread very wide, covering an area of hundreds of nautical miles around.

Every island, every reef, every ship was within his perception.

He was searching for someone's scent.

Teach's aura is too peculiar. The combination of the Dark-Dark Fruit and the Titan Giant power is like a pot of burnt soup; you can smell it from a great distance.

Ban walked for half a day and stopped outside an unnamed deserted island.

There is a natural cave on the north side of the island, the entrance of which is hidden by vines and pebbles and cannot be seen from the outside.

But Madara's Observation Haki had already penetrated it.

There were people inside the cave, their breathing was erratic and rapid, like a swarm of ants that had been poked.

More than one.

Besides Teach, there were seven or eight other presences, all moving and in a state of panic.

Ban stood on the sea, looking in the direction of the cave, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Found you."

Inside the cave, Teach was banging on the table.

"Hurry up! Bring everything you can! Where's the boat? Is it ready?" His voice was loud, echoing back and forth in the cave, causing pebbles to fall from the stone walls.

His clothes were wrinkled, his beard was unkempt, and his signature maniacal laugh was long gone, replaced by a tense, almost taut anxiety.

"Captain, the ship is ready, it's in the bay behind!" An officer ran in, panting.

"Where's the food? Where's the water? Has it all been loaded?"

"It's installed! But Captain, where are we going? The New World is so big, and there are Uchiha Clan members everywhere—"

"How the hell would I know where to go!" Teach slammed his hand on the stone table. "Let's get out of here first! That Ban, he promised to bring my head back within five days. Five days! Today is the last day! He could come at any moment—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

The air outside the cave suddenly changed.

The change was subtle; it wasn't sound, it wasn't light, it was air pressure.

The air in the entire cave seemed to be gripped tightly from the outside, and everyone's chest tightened.

Teach's Observation Haki went into overdrive for a split second; he saw a vision.

Outside the cave, a person stood on the sea.

A greyish-white robe, scarlet eyes, and Six Tomoe swirling in his pupils.

The man was looking in the direction of the cave, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Teach's face turned pale instantly.

"He's here." His voice was hoarse. "He's here."

Ban didn't rush into the cave.

He stood outside, hands behind his back, waiting.

The cave was in complete chaos.

Teach was shouting something inside. The cadres were running, some were moving things, some were looking for weapons, and some had already sneaked out the back exit.

Ban listened to the sounds inside, his expression remaining unchanged.

He waited for a while, then stepped into the cave.

He wasn't walking fast.

The vines and pebbles automatically parted to make way for him, and he didn't reach out to push them aside.

When they entered the cave, Teach was standing inside, holding a knife in his hand. Behind him stood five or six cadres, and two or three others were gone, presumably having run away.

When Teach saw Ban walk in, he instinctively took a step back.

Then he stopped and held the knife horizontally in front of him.

"Madara Uchiha." His voice trembled slightly, but he was forcing himself to speak. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Madara glanced at him. "Wait for me?"

"You think I'm just going to sit here and wait to die?" Teach grinned, a forced smile that twitched at the corner of his mouth. "I'm Marshall D. Teach! I've been around in the New World for years, I've seen it all! You think I'd kneel down and beg you just because you've come here?"

Ban didn't reply. He just stood there, looking at Teach.

Teach waited a few moments and, realizing that Ban showed no intention of making a move, began to speak even faster.

"How about I make a deal with you? Spare my life, and I'll tell you the secret of the Dark-Dark Fruit. You don't know what's hidden inside that Devil Fruit, do you?"

The World Government tried to study this for many years but couldn't figure it out. I know. I can tell you—"

"No need," said Ban.

Teach got stuck in her throat.

"Natsu has research data," Ban said. "He knows what your Dark-Dark Fruit is. You don't need to tell him."

Teach's face twitched.

His hand gripping the knife was sweaty; the handle slipped slightly, but he tightened his grip again.

He took a step back, then turned to the cadres behind him and yelled, "What are you all standing there for! Charge!"

The cadres exchanged glances, and two of them, steeling themselves, charged forward.

Ban watched them rush towards him but didn't move. When the two men reached him, he flicked his fingers.

Two fingers were flicked out, and the first person's knife flew out of his hand. The second person was sent flying backward, crashing into the cave wall and sliding down, where he lay motionless.

The remaining cadres threw down their weapons and ran away.

Teach shouted from behind, "Come back! You bunch of useless things—" but as he shouted, he himself took a step back.

The spots remained unmoved.

Teach retreated deeper into the cave, his back against the stone wall, where there was no way forward.

He looked around, then gritted his teeth and threw the knife on the ground.

His body began to swell.

Titan Giant Form.

Dark purple skin spread from his arms to his torso, his muscles bulged, and his bones cracked.

His body was so large that he couldn't fit in the cave; the stone walls cracked from his weight, and loose stones rained down.

He roared and ripped the cave ceiling off with his fists.

Sunlight streamed through the breach, illuminating his massive, over ten-meter-tall Titan Giant body.

"I'll fight you to the death!" he roared, throwing a punch at Ban.

Ban tilted his head slightly.

The fist grazed his face and slammed into the stone wall behind him, causing the entire wall to collapse.

Smoke and dust rose, and Ban tilted his head in the smoke and dust, looking at Teach, the giant.

That's it?

Teach's second punch came.

This time, Ban didn't dodge. He raised his hand to block, catching the fist in his palm without moving an inch.

Teach's fist was pressed against his palm, and he couldn't push it in.

He pressed down, but Ban's hand didn't bend.

He raised his hand, and Ban's hand followed suit.

He flung it to the side, and Ban's hand followed suit.

His fist was stuck to Ban's palm, as if it had been welded in.

"The Dark-Dark Fruit," Madara said. "Titan Giant. Two Devil Fruit. You're far inferior to Kaido."

Teach's face contorted.

Ban loosened his grip.

Teach took a few steps back, panting heavily.

He looked around, then suddenly reached behind him with his right hand and drew a long black sword. Strange patterns were engraved on the blade, which gleamed with a dark purple light.

That was Famous Sword he had acquired from somewhere, which he usually kept hidden on his person and wouldn't take out until the very last moment.

"Dark Night!" He raised his sword and slashed down.

Madara glanced at the sword. "Muramasa?" He recognized it. "The weapon of the Twenty Kings, how did it end up in your hands?"

Teach did not answer.

He raised his sword and slashed horizontally with great force.

Ban dodged to the side, the blade grazing his shoulder and slicing off a piece of his clothing.

Teach followed up with a vertical slash, and Ban stepped back half a step, the blade grazing his nose as it fell.

Teach swept the blade across again, and Ban bent down, the knife passing overhead.

Teach slashed seven or eight times, each slash faster and more vicious than the last.

Ban retreated seven or eight steps, each step just barely missing the hem of his clothes, without ever touching him.

"The sword is good," Madara said, "But it's a pity the person wielding it is not."

Teach was breathing even harder.

His Titan Giant Form was shrinking, and his dark purple skin was peeling away piece by piece.

Those few strikes had drained his energy; the burden of carrying two Devil Fruit was too great.

He bent over, the tip of his knife resting on the ground, and looked up at Ban.

"What... what exactly do you want?"

"Not so great." Madara walked up to him. "Had enough fun?"

Teach looked up.

His face had lost its previous frenzy, leaving only a blank expression.

He knew he couldn't escape.

Madara stood before him, his Six-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan spinning quietly, a slight smile still playing on his lips.

"Five days," Ban said. "Today is the last day. I'm taking your head back."

Teach opened her mouth.

He might want to say something; perhaps he wants to beg for mercy, or perhaps he wants to hurl a curse.

Madara didn't give him that chance.

The blade of Susanoo sliced cleanly across Teach's neck.

Ban sheathed his knife, bent down to pick up Teach's head, and examined it.

Then he picked up the Muramasa again and weighed it in his hand.

"Take this back with you too." He carefully put away the head and the knife, walked out of the cave, and walked back across the sea.

He didn't concern himself with what happened inside the cave.

He didn't chase after those cadres who ran away.

He never pursues anything.

When Ban arrived at the gates of Mary Geoise, it was just getting dark.

He came across the sea, his greyish-white robe stained with salt, and his hair was disheveled by the sea breeze.

He was carrying a small, round cloth bag in his left hand, with dark red stains seeping through the bottom.

He held a long, black-sheathed sword in his right hand. The sheath was engraved with ancient patterns, and the hilt was wrapped in old cloth, making it look quite old.

The Night Owl Guard on duty at the city gate stood up straight and saluted when they saw him.

Ban waved his hand and placed the cloth bag by the city gate.

"Find a nail and hang it up."

The Night Owl Guard on duty paused for a moment, then glanced down at the cloth bag.

He reached out and lifted a corner, glanced at what was inside, then closed it again and turned to look for nails.

Ban leaned the Muramasa against the wall and stood at the city gate to wait.

The nail has arrived; it's quite large, made of iron.

The Night Owl Guard moved a wooden ladder, found a spot on the crossbeam of the city gate, and hung the cloth bag on it.

The cloth bag hung from the beam, swaying slightly in the evening breeze.

Ban looked up at it, then nodded.

"Alright."

He picked up the Muramasa and led him into the Holy Land site.

When they arrived at the entrance of the hall, Natsu was already waiting inside.

He stood beside the throne, holding a scroll in his hand, and was reading it.

I looked up when I heard footsteps.

"You're back."

"Five days." Madara Muramasa to the ground, the scabbard striking the stone pavement with a loud thud. "Not enough."

Natsu put down the scroll and glanced at the knife in his hand. "Teach's?"

"Hmm. I just brought it back." Madara picked up Muramasa, held it horizontally in his hand, and glanced at it.

"One of the Twenty Kings ' weapons is called Muramasa. Teach somehow got it and ruined it in his hands."

Natsu walked over, took the Muramasa from him, and pulled out a section of the blade to examine it.

The blade is dark and does not reflect light, with extremely fine lines on the edge, as if carved by flowing water.

He glanced at it for a few moments, then sheathed the knife.

"Good stuff. Keep it. Put it in the Treasure Vault later, along with the other Twenty Kings Weapon."

Ban handed him the sword, then took a few steps in the hall and sat down on a step.

He walked for five days. Although he didn't fight much, the sea in the New World was difficult to navigate. The wind and waves were rough, and there were many reefs. He also had to use his Observation Haki to find people, so he was mentally exhausted.

Natsu put Muramasa aside and glanced at him sideways.

"His head is hanging at the city gate?"

"It's over."

"Morgans ' reporters will probably be here to take pictures tomorrow," Natsu said. "Perfect, a picture for the front page."

Ban snorted but didn't reply.

Natsu walked over from beside the throne and stopped next to the step where Ban was sitting.

Did Teach say anything before he died?

"You talk too much nonsense," Madara said. "You wanted to trade the secret of the Dark-Dark Fruit for my life. I told him it wasn't necessary, that he had the research data. He got angry, pulled out Muramasa, and fought me a few times with it."

How many cuts?

"Seven or eight strikes," Madara thought for a moment. "His swordsmanship is quite wild, with a brute force. However, it has too many flaws, relying entirely on the foundation of his two Devil Fruit. Once that foundation collapses, his swordsmanship falls apart."

Natsu nodded.

"His dual Devil Fruit weren't exactly a legitimate path to power. The Dark-Dark Fruit the Titan Giant —both are top-tier, but the combined strain is too great. He's only managed to hold on this long because his body is bearing the brunt of it."

Ban tilted his head slightly. "You've studied his Devil Fruit?"

"I've done some research," Natsu said. "The White Zetsu's intelligence network is quite comprehensive. They have records of everything Blackbeard has done since his debut, including what moves he's used, what battles he's fought, and how he developed his Devil Fruit."

I watched it several times and realized that the compatibility between his Dark-Dark Fruit and Titan Giant Fruit is actually quite poor; the two Devil Fruit drain each other's energy. That's why he always needs a long recovery time after a battle."

After listening, Madara snorted. "So he still managed to become one of the Four Emperors; he's got some skill."

"I do have the skills. I just chose the wrong path," Natsu said.

The hall was quiet for a while.

Ban stood up from the steps and patted the hem of his clothes.

"I'm going back now. Izuna Uchiha just revived, I haven't gone to check on him yet."

"Izuna Uchiha has already started running on his own," Natsu said. "The day after you left, he left the lab and gave all the people in the research institute a good scolding."

Yesterday, they even sent over a new, improved surgical technique, saying that after being resurrected, his mind was clear, and the areas that were previously blocked were now clear.

Ban's lips twitched slightly. "With his personality, being cooped up in the Impure World Reincarnation for those few months must have driven him crazy."

"That's right," Natsu said. "I've read the plan he sent; it's very detailed and much better than the previous one. He said that after finishing things here, he's going back to the Ninja World to renovate the Uchiha Clan's old residence."

Ban didn't respond. He took two steps toward the door, paused, and tilted his head.

"A few members of Teach's pirate crew escaped. Should we give chase?"

"No need," Natsu said. "Those who ran away were just small fry; they can't cause any trouble. Besides..."

He paused, then said, "It's better to keep them. Let them run around and tell others how Blackbeard died. That's more effective than us spreading the word ourselves."

Spot nodded, pushed open the door, and went out.

As he walked out along the corridor, he passed the city gate and glanced up at the cloth bag hanging on the beam.

The evening breeze was still blowing, and the cloth bag was still swaying.

He looked away and continued walking.