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However, sometimes the plot may seem unchanged on the surface, but in reality, it has subtly shifted. Just like at this moment, as Moke walked towards them, the first mate of Bellamy's ship, Sarquis, who had been standing there casually, suddenly heard some faint noises. Instinctively, he quickly turned his head and glanced around. Finding nothing unusual, he turned his head back without a care in the world.

But in that instant, as if pulled by a mysterious force, Sarquis abruptly turned his head again. His gaze then locked firmly on the two knives clutched tightly in Moke's hands... It turned out that Sarquis himself was skilled in combat with knives. Although his usual weapons weren't traditional straight-bladed longswords, but rather curved blades similar to Nepalese kukri, he could still be considered a swordsman in a certain sense.

You see, for any true swordsman, the sight of a superior sword or a renowned Meito evokes an irresistible longing. Therefore, with just a fleeting glance, Sarquis's gaze was drawn in like a magnet, unable to look away. His face contorted with arrogance, and he roared, "Hey! You brat, hurry up and show me those two broken swords hanging at your waist!"

"Me???" Moke's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. He thought to himself, shouldn't this guy be looking for trouble with Luffy's coming soon? Why is he fixing his gaze on me instead?

Sarquis nodded expressionlessly and said firmly, "That's right, it's you... Hand over the knife obediently!" As soon as he finished speaking, there was a "whoosh" sound, and Bellamy and his men, Rivas, Mure, and Eddie, all turned around, their eyes falling on Moke. Their eyes revealed a hint of mockery; they had clearly realized that Sarquis had approached Moke solely because he coveted the knife in his hand.

"Heh..." Moke could no longer contain himself and burst into laughter, his voice filled with disdain and mockery. "Want my knife? If you've got the guts, come and get it yourself, but first let's see if you have the ability!" Hearing Moke's defiant words, Sarquis was instantly enraged. His eyes widened, and his expression became even more arrogant and domineering as he roared, "Hmph! You ignorant fool, do you know that my captain is a great pirate with a bounty of 55 million Beli..."

However, just as Sarquis was about to continue boasting, a gasp suddenly rang out from inside the tavern. Someone had finally recognized Moke's identity. The man, his face filled with shock, pointed a trembling finger at Moke and stammered, "He... he... he's actually the new Shichibukai —Lord Moke! And his bounty is a whopping 300 million Beli..."

"Wh... what?" This sudden news was like a bolt from the blue, instantly creating a huge uproar in the bustling crowd, deafeningly loud! The previously aggressive and menacing Sarquis and his companions turned deathly pale upon hearing the news, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as if their spines had been removed. Sarquis, in particular, stood frozen in place like a statue, completely Fudō.

It took a while for Sarquis to snap out of his daze. He swallowed hard, his face filled with terror, and his legs moved backward uncontrollably, widening the distance between him and Moke. It seemed that only in this way could his already panicked heart find some peace and a faint sense of security.

At the same time, Bellamy's expression changed drastically. His gaze, which had been filled with awe and admiration, was now completely different when he looked at Moke. He knew that Doflamingo, whom he had always idolized and worshipped, was one of the Shichibukai! And now, this mysterious and unpredictable Moke possessed a status and strength comparable to his. Thinking of this, Bellamy couldn't help but gasp, silently thinking, "Hiss..." Then, he quickly glanced at Sarquis beside him, who was terrified and utterly horrified. His thoughts raced like a windmill. At this moment, his only thought was how to find a way to rescue his imprisoned first mate from his dire situation.

"Whoosh..." But in the next instant, a cold light flashed across the sky like Inazuma! Then, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded—a horrifying wound appeared on Sarquis's chest, so deep it almost severed him in two! Instantly, blood splattered like a fountain, staining the surrounding ground red. Sarquis stared wide-eyed at the person before him, his face filled with disbelief, before slowly falling backward.

"You..." Bellamy, standing to the side, watched helplessly as Sarquis was so easily killed, his heart burning with rage. He stared intently at the murderer, his eyes seemingly spitting fire. But when his gaze met the other's, he couldn't help but tremble. Standing there was none other than Moke! At this moment, Moke stood tall and proud, exuding a Haki of domineering contempt for all living beings, like an invincible war god.

"Gulp..." Bellamy involuntarily swallowed hard, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, large beads of sweat sliding down his cheeks. Faced with Moke's powerful and suffocating aura, he felt his legs go weak, and he even had difficulty standing.

Moke glanced at Bellamy with disdain, a slight sneer playing on his lips. "Hmph, you cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong... you'll only ever be able to cower in this tiny Mock Town, lording it over and ruling the world." These words were like a sharp dagger, piercing Bellamy's heart. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, for this was the greatest humiliation he had ever suffered! But it was precisely this humiliation that ignited the wildness and madness within him, the very essence of a pirate.

"Spring Snipe..." Bellamy took a deep breath, concentrating his mind to mobilize the power within his body. In the blink of an eye, his two calves began to undergo an astonishing transformation, the muscles and bones gradually twisting and deforming, eventually turning into two thick, elastic springs!

Bellamy carefully controlled his balance, slowly pressing his spring-like legs towards the ground. As his legs made contact with the ground, a large amount of elastic potential energy began to accumulate continuously, like a volcano about to erupt, containing endless energy.

When his elasticity reached its peak, Bellamy suddenly released his legs, unleashing all the stored energy in an instant. The immense explosive force propelled him forward like a cannonball, hurtling towards Moke with lightning speed.

However, faced with such a fierce attack, Moke remained unusually calm and composed. He stood Fudō, like a towering mountain, unbreakable. Just as Bellamy was about to reach him, Moke suddenly stretched out his right hand and, with Inazuma speed and precision, grabbed Bellamy's neck as it flew towards him.

It must be said that Bellamy does have some potential. Unfortunately, compared to a powerhouse like Moke with absolute strength, that potential is utterly insignificant. If he could properly develop and utilize his abilities, he might have achieved something great in the future, but now it seems it's all too late.

With a crisp snap, Moke easily broke Bellamy's neck with a slight twist. Bellamy didn't even have time to scream before his life came to an abrupt end. Immediately afterward, Moke tossed Bellamy's body out of the tavern like a piece of worthless trash. Bellamy's body arced through the air before crashing heavily onto the street outside, raising a cloud of dust.

Outside the tavern, pedestrians came and went on the bustling street. Blackbeard, ship's doctor Doc Q, and navigator Lafitte happened to walk to the tavern door at that moment.

With a muffled thud, a figure was thrown heavily out of the tavern and landed right in front of Blackbeard and his crew. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Bellamy, that arrogant and domineering fellow.

Blackbeard's face showed a hint of surprise upon seeing this, but he quickly regained his composure and remained silent. Lafitte, on the other hand, frowned slightly, seemingly taken aback by the scene. Doc Q, still looking sickly, let out a weak groan.

Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded. The three of them suddenly trembled slightly, and then, as if gripped by an invisible hand, they were involuntarily turned in the same direction—the direction of the tavern.

Their gazes focused on the interior of the tavern almost simultaneously, as if driven by a mysterious force. The open door was like a giant Black Hole, radiating an irresistible allure. It was like a passage to an unknown world, tempting people to explore the secrets and stories hidden within.

Through this door, one can clearly see the scene inside the tavern. Wooden tables and chairs are arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern, colorful paintings hang on the walls, and a warm fire burns in the corner. However, these seemingly ordinary scenes become exceptionally captivating because of that mysterious power, as if every detail contains unknown secrets.

As you pass through the door, the first thing that catches your eye is a tall, imposing man. He stands there like a mountain, exuding a powerful aura that is impossible to ignore. His eyes, in particular, are like two bolts of Inazuma piercing the night sky, sharp and dazzling. In just a moment of eye contact, you can feel the boundless majesty and power contained within them.

That's right, this man is none other than Moke recently rose to become one of the Shichibukai! When Blackbeard first saw him, he was involuntarily stunned for a moment, clearly surprised to encounter this newly risen powerhouse here. However, this astonishment only lasted for a brief moment, and soon the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, outlining a ferocious and twisted smile.

A burst of unrestrained, maniacal laughter rang out, Blackbeard's distinctive voice echoing through the air. "Zehahaha... I really never expected to run into you in such a small place, the newly appointed Shichibukai — Moke!" At this moment, the initial surprise in his eyes was gone, replaced by blazing hostility and undisguised greed. It was as if Moke before him wasn't a powerful opponent, but a precious treasure waiting to be plundered.

You see, this Moke in front of him is no pushover. Back then, he was the one who personally defeated and killed the once invincible Crocodile, thus successfully ascending to the throne of the Shichibukai. In that case, if he could get rid of this Moke, wouldn't that mean he also had a chance to take his place and become the new Shichibukai? Thinking of this, the fire of desire in Blackbeard's heart burned fiercely.

However, Blackbeard wasn't too concerned about Moke's multiple Devil Fruit abilities. In his view, no matter how many abilities Moke possessed, they would all meet a bad end when faced with his Dark-Dark Fruit. After all, the Dark-Dark Fruit was said to be able to counter all other Devil Fruit Ability!

Moke's brows furrowed tightly, forming a deep frown. His gaze was fixed on Blackbeard, and the intense killing intent emanating from Blackbeard's eyes seemed to pierce through the air, sending a chill down the spines of those around him. Even the most foolish person could easily sense the killing intent emanating from Blackbeard at this moment.

Moke thought to himself, "Could this guy Shinuchi to fight me here?" Suddenly, as if struck by a realization, he Satori. Yes, at this very moment, Blackbeard was undoubtedly eyeing the coveted position of Shichibukai. Moreover, given his ambition, he was certainly aiming to achieve his ulterior motives by attacking Impel Down. Therefore, the current situation was clear— Blackbeard was using him as a stepping stone on his path to success, attempting to use his head as a bargaining chip for his own gain!

However, who exactly gave Blackbeard such audacity? Moke sneered. If Blackbeard had already obtained the legendary Tremor-Tremor Fruit, perhaps he would have some reservations. But right now, without the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, how could he possibly be afraid of Blackbeard? As he pondered this, Moke's right hand unconsciously moved slowly to his waist, gently gripping the hilts of the Sandai Kitetsu and Shusui swords.

At this critical moment, a sharp "whoosh" suddenly rang out! The sound, like a sudden Zhou Yu, shattered the silence, startling everyone. However, to everyone's surprise, the one who launched the first attack was not either Moke or Blackbeard, who had been the focus of everyone's attention, but Lafitte, who had been standing silently beside Blackbeard all along!

In the blink of an eye, the strangely shaped cane sword tightly gripped in Lafitte's hand, like a venomous snake suddenly emerging from its lair, was drawn from its sheath in an instant! The blade, gleaming with a cold, icy light, drew a sharp arc through the air, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, and pounced straight at Moke, who was inside the tavern, with the force of a thunderbolt!

Faced with such a sudden and incredibly swift attack, Moke remained calm and composed, not even lifting an eyelid. Just as the sword was about to strike him, his right hand moved slightly like a ghost, and the renowned blade known as the Sandai Kitetsu was drawn from its Inazuma in the blink of an eye!

In an instant, a flash of cold light streaked across the night sky, like a dazzling shooting star, bright and dazzling yet carrying a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine! Wherever this cold light passed, the air seemed to be torn apart, emitting a piercing shriek that sent chills down one's spine!

At the same moment, Lafitte's muscles tensed, and the veins in his arms bulged. With all his might, he swung his incredibly sharp greatsword, creating a Gale wind as it slashed fiercely at Moke like a tidal wave! This attack was so powerful that it seemed to tear through the void, and even the air itself seemed to be cleaved open in its path.

However, something unexpected happened. When this unstoppable and ferocious slash collided with the Sandai Kitetsu in Moke's hand, it made a crisp "crack" sound, as if fragile paper had met a sharp blade, and was easily cut in half in an instant. The broken blade flew through the air, Shine with cold light, before finally falling helplessly to the ground.

Witnessing this, Blackbeard, who was watching from the sidelines, was taken aback. His pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face. After all, Lafitte was a capable subordinate he had personally recruited with great care! Blackbeard knew Lafitte's true strength all too well. This Lafitte was undoubtedly a true Swordmaster; his swordsmanship was exquisite, comparable even to the most renowned division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Admittedly, if we were to compare Lafitte to the top fighters of the Whitebeard Pirates, such as the strongest division commanders like Marco and Ace, then there might indeed be a certain gap between them. After all, the strength and combat skills of those top fighters were honed through countless life-and-death battles, and their use of Haki had reached a level of consummate skill.

However, even under these circumstances, with his formidable strength, Lafitte still managed to carve out a resounding reputation for himself in the Wind Rises, highly skilled, and endlessly dangerous New World. His name Shine as brightly as a star in the night sky, inspiring fear and dread in countless people.

However, who could have predicted such an outcome? In that split second, Lafitte's all-out attack, which was originally as powerful as a thunderbolt and sharp enough to easily cut through hard steel, became like child's play in front of Moke, instantly losing all its power and Intimidation force! It was as if it had become a fragile wooden stick that a child was casually swinging around, so soft and powerless that it could not bring even the slightest bit of substantial harm or threat to Moke.

At this moment, as Blackbeard refocused his gaze on Moke, a strange expression, never before seen in his deep, unfathomable eyes, involuntarily surfaced. This expression contained both extreme shock and disbelief at witnessing the scene before him, and a hint of fear that was impossible to completely conceal. Simultaneously, a wild and incredibly powerful aura began to surge forth from within Blackbeard's body, rapidly spreading outwards. He stood tall, head held high, chest ramrod straight, firmly planted on the ground, appearing like a towering, majestic mountain peak, inspiring awe and deterring anyone from approaching. Yet, beneath that seemingly arrogant exterior, a subtle, barely perceptible wariness shone through.

His sharp, hawk-like gaze, icy and chilling, swept rapidly across the people around him, as if trying to glean any useful information or detect any potential danger from their expressions. He said in a deep voice, "Lafitte, step back! This guy is beyond your current capabilities." With that, he took a step forward without hesitation, standing firmly in place like a mountain.

At this moment, his deep, abyss-like eyes were fixed on the man named Moke in front of him, and he slowly uttered a few words: "Shichibukai... Moke..." Upon hearing this, Moke's lips curled up slightly, forming a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown. Then, he flashed out of the tavern and went straight to Blackbeard.

Moke said with a playful tone, "Marshall D. Teach, so you used to be a member of the second division of the Whitebeard Pirates. I heard that you cruelly murdered Thatch, the fourth division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, in order to obtain the legendary Dark-Dark Fruit. Now, the entire Whitebeard Pirates are on a crazy hunt for you... Under such difficult circumstances, you still have the audacity to provoke me?"

At this point, Moke suddenly changed the subject, turning to Lafitte beside him with a sly glint in his eyes, and continued, "Hey, Lafitte, why don't you come and join me! Following this guy won't lead to any bright future... Coincidentally, my pirate crew is short of a good navigator! How about it, consider it?"