Now It Was Even Harder to Watch

Lafitte remained silent, while Doc Q watched the scene unfold with a speechless expression. Blackbeard, whose face was already quite ugly, looked even more repulsive now. Trying to recruit his crew was undoubtedly a tremendous insult to any pirate captain, a blatant provocation.

Blackbeard's eyes widened in fury as he roared viciously, "You're courting death!" In an instant, he swiftly extended his left hand, activating the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit. A jet- Black Hole, shaped like a vortex of a fan, suddenly appeared in his palm. The Black Hole emanated a terrifying aura, seemingly capable of devouring everything in its path.

Seeing this, Moke, who was standing not far away, changed his expression slightly. In that instant, he felt an extremely powerful and irresistible suction force coming from the Black Hole, like an invisible giant hand, desperately pulling him towards Blackbeard's direction. Knowing the plot of this anime well, he knew very well that this was Blackbeard's signature move - Dark Water!

This Dark Water technique truly lives up to its name; its power is beyond imagination. Utilizing the infinite gravitational pull of Black Hole, it can firmly attract enemies, and no matter how far apart they are, escape is impossible. Even with the speed of light, it's difficult to break free from this terrifying attraction.

Furthermore, upon contact with a Devil Fruit user, the user's Devil Fruit ability suddenly becomes ineffective! This peculiar ability can also absorb attacks from the fruit, albeit only within a small area. Undoubtedly, such a technique is a nightmare for those who rely on Devil Fruit Ability; it's no exaggeration to say it's the nemesis of Devil Fruit users! However, it's important to clarify that this person with such extraordinary skills is not like Ace, who purely relies on his Devil Fruit Ability to fight...

A roar erupted, "Armament Hardening!" In an instant, a torrent of Armament Haki surged forth, rapidly enveloping every inch of his skin. This powerful force acted as an unbreakable barrier, effortlessly blocking the terrifying allure of the Dark-Dark Fruit from his body...

"Ah... this..." Blackbeard, witnessing this astonishing scene, was speechless, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. Even in the New World, where powerful figures abound and the Wind Rises are ever-present, even after years of struggling in Four Seas Might-Shaker Whitebeard Pirates, he had rarely encountered someone whose entire body was enveloped in such dense Armament Haki. For a moment, Blackbeard was at a loss, completely bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Because of this stroke of genius, his Dark-Dark Fruit, the key to his dominance, had instantly lost nearly half its power.

Just then, Moke, who had been standing Fudō, finally made a move. With a flick of his wrist, the Sandai Kitetsu was drawn from its Inazuma in an instant, accompanied by a crisp sword ringing through the sky. Immediately afterward, Moke's figure flashed, and he sped away like a ghost at an unimaginable speed. In the blink of an eye, he had entered a state of dazzling high-speed movement. When everyone could see Moke's figure again, they found that he had already silently appeared behind Blackbeard.

"Pfft..." A muffled sound rang out, and a deep, gruesome wound appeared on Blackbeard's broad, thick chest! In an instant, scalding crimson blood gushed out like a burst dam, splattering all over the ground, and the air was filled with a strong, pungent smell of blood.

Seeing this, Moke, standing not far away, couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a barely perceptible contemptuous smile, "Hmph, just as Whitebeard said. This Blackbeard is far too arrogant... It's only our first encounter, yet he dares to be so careless and negligent."

However, unexpectedly, despite suffering severe injuries, Blackbeard seemed to feel no pain whatsoever. His already small and narrow pupils suddenly contracted, followed by a deafening burst of maniacal laughter. "Zehahaha..." The laughter echoed through the sky, reverberating throughout the entire space, sending chills down everyone's spines.

After laughing, Blackbeard suddenly turned around, his legs suddenly exerting force, and he shot forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, he had flashed behind Moke like a ghost, his speed was simply unbelievable!

It must be admitted that even though Blackbeard doesn't yet possess the Dark-Dark Fruit that strikes fear into the hearts of the world, his displayed skills and strength alone make him someone no one should underestimate. After all, this ruthless character who could leave a deep scar on Red-Haired Shanks' handsome face is no ordinary person.

Facing the menacing Blackbeard, Moke reacted with lightning speed. Without hesitation, he swung his Sandai Kitetsu, the blade flashing with unparalleled power as it met Blackbeard's attack head-on. This strike was swift, precise, and incredibly steady, flawlessly blocking Blackbeard's thunderous blow.

However, just when everyone was convinced that Moke had successfully resolved the crisis, an unexpected turn of events occurred! In an instant, Moke seemed to have suffered an incredibly heavy blow; his body trembled violently, and he involuntarily Rewind-Rewind several steps, barely managing to steady himself. Clearly, the direct confrontation with the Blackbeard had subjected him to a considerable impact, causing his entire body to be sent flying like a cannonball.

After flying more than ten meters, Moke finally managed to regain his footing. He nimbly somersaulted in the air and landed steadily on the ground, facing Blackbeard. At this moment, Moke's expression became extremely solemn. He narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "It's Armament Haki Emission..." If his own Armament Haki hadn't been strong and resilient enough, this single attack would have been enough to severely injure him and cause him a great loss.

After this fierce exchange, both Moke and Blackbeard instantly became alert and cautious. After all, they had each tried to test their opponent before, but both had failed and gained no advantage. Therefore, they no longer dared to underestimate each other.

Moke slowly drew his Shusui Blade from his waist, gripping it tightly in his hand, assuming a fighting stance ready to launch a fierce attack. At the same time, eerie and mysterious purple flames flickered in his eyes, and he roared, "Two Sword Style — Dragon Fang!" With this roar, a sinister and terrifying Ghost Aura suddenly erupted from his body, rapidly coalescing and transforming into a ferocious and terrifying giant Ghost Dragon. The Sandai Kitetsu and Shusui in Moke's hand were positioned precisely at the Ghost Dragon's fangs, gleaming with a chilling light like two deadly fangs.

In the next instant, Moke's eyes hardened, and without the slightest hesitation, he moved abruptly, like an arrow released from a bow, rushing forward at incredible speed. His speed was astonishing; he seemed to transform into a dazzling Inazuma of lightning, pouncing towards Blackbeard with overwhelming force. This pounce carried an overwhelming, unstoppable momentum, like a ferocious beast opening its blood-red maw to tear its enemy to shreds.

As Moke charged forward, a thrilling and suspenseful life-or-death struggle officially began! He swept forward with unstoppable momentum, leaving no one in his path unimpeded. Even the surrounding air was forcefully cleaved apart, forming two sharp gusts of wind on either side of his body, howling and sweeping backward.

Facing the menacing Moke, Blackbeard remained fearless and shouted, "Armament Hardening!" In an instant, his hands were covered with a layer of jet-black Armament Haki, gleaming with a chilling light. Then, he pushed off with both feet, his entire body leaping into the air like a cannonball, directly meeting Moke's attack head-on.

In the blink of an eye, a deafening "bang" resounded as Moke's twin swords clashed violently with Blackbeard's iron-hard fist. Time seemed to freeze as both unleashed their full power, their immense strength colliding and intertwining to create wave after wave of surging Shockwave that swept outwards like raging torrents.

"Boom!" A deafening roar echoed continuously. Wherever the Shockwave reached, the once solid ground could no longer withstand such terrifying force, cracking and shattering, raising clouds of dust. The entire street was completely destroyed in the blink of an eye, unrecognizable. The shops on both sides of the street were not spared either, including the once bustling tavern, which crumbled into ruins in an instant. The wrecked remains of the houses were lifted high into the air by the violent Shockwave, then fell like raindrops, creating huge craters.

Another incredibly powerful Shockwave struck, carrying a devastating force, and slammed into the already shattered object. With a deafening roar, the already precarious structure instantly disintegrated, turning into countless tiny fragments that flew in all directions.

The pirates inside the tavern were completely powerless to resist. Like leaves in Gale, they were easily carried into the air by the terrifying Shockwave. Each Shockwave inflicted unimaginable damage on these pirates.

One by one, the pirates became dazed and unfocused, as if their souls had left their bodies and they had completely lost consciousness. Some fainted and fell straight down from the sky; others flailed their arms and legs wildly in the air, but could not change their fate at all.

However, Lafitte and Doc Q, having sensed the danger in advance and evacuated quickly, temporarily escaped the most dangerous area. Even so, they were still unable to completely avoid wave after wave of powerful Shockwave.

As a powerful Swordmaster, Lafitte was able to barely withstand the impact of these Shockwave thanks to his superb swordsmanship and agile movements. Although his body trembled slightly from the impact, he did not suffer any significant damage overall.

In contrast, Doc Q's situation was much worse. He was already unattractive, with a very ugly face, and now, under the ravages of the Shockwave, his face was even more grotesque, like a distorted, ghostly face. Not only that, but a streak of bright red blood hung from the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating that his internal organs had suffered serious injuries.

Despite this, Doc Q's eyes were filled with relief. He coughed violently as he stammered, "Cough cough... that was close... thankfully we retreated quickly enough, otherwise, with my strength, I probably wouldn't have been able to withstand such a terrible aftershock."

Lafitte, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. To be honest, even with his abilities, he wouldn't dare approach the location of the two people locked in fierce combat. The energy fluctuations there were far too intense; a slight misstep could result in being pulverized.

"Hahahaha..." The two were locked in a stalemate when the bearded, dark-skinned man suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. His signature maniacal laughter echoed in the air, sending chills down everyone's spine.

"I must say, kid, I really didn't expect you to be able to hold your own against me for so long. I underestimated you. Based on the strength you've shown, you're enough to rival the so-called strongest under the Four Emperors!" Blackbeard grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, the young man known as Moke narrowed his once bright, star-like eyes slightly, like a narrow slit through which a cold light shone. He slowly lowered his voice and said, "The strongest under the Four Emperors? Could it be someone like Charlotte Katakuri (Katakuri), possessing powerful Observation Haki and the Mochi Mochi Devil Fruit Ability, a terrifying being capable of Future Sight? Or perhaps someone like Marco (Marco), possessing the Phoenix Fruit power, able to be reborn from fire, and whose strength is unfathomable?"

Upon hearing Moke's words, Blackbeard's hideous face twitched violently, then a chilling smile crept across his lips. Accompanying this cold laugh was a deafeningly arrogant roar, "Hehehe! Vice- Blackbeard? Hahaha, I must say, that title is quite fitting! But... even if you truly possess such abilities, today, here, you are destined to become a soul lost beneath my longsword..."

Before he could finish speaking, Blackbeard trembled violently, and an extremely terrifying aura erupted from his body, sweeping outwards like a raging storm. Moke, standing opposite him, was the first to bear the brunt of this powerful force. In an instant, Moke's expression involuntarily changed slightly.

However, just as everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to Moke in the arena, secretly wondering if he could withstand the crushing pressure from Blackbeard, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded before them without warning! Moke's body trembled violently, followed by a dazzling burst of light that instantly enveloped him. At the same time, an incomparably powerful Conqueror's Haki, no less potent than Blackbeard's, erupted from Moke like a volcanic eruption!

"Crack crack crack..." A deafening roar resounded as the two Conqueror's Haki collided violently in the air like two roaring dragons. Hanabi flew and Lightning Flash Thunder. They intertwined and refused to give way to each other, just like two extremely ferocious ancient beasts engaged in a life-or-death battle. Each collision caused the space to tremble violently, and the surrounding air was forcibly torn apart in this earth-shattering clash, forming visible black cracks.

Blackbeard, witnessing this scene, froze instantly on his previously arrogant and smug face, as if frozen in place. His pupils contracted sharply, shrinking to pinpoints, a deep look of shock and disbelief appearing in his eyes. He stared blankly at Moke before him, his lips trembling slightly, muttering to himself, "How... how is this possible? You can actually exude such a terrifying aura of a king? Could it be... that you also possess the potential to become a supreme ruler?"

"Break..." With this roar, Moke's already wide eyes now seemed to spit fire, as if he wanted to burn the enemy in front of him to ashes. He opened his mouth, and a thunderous roar suddenly exploded from his mouth, making the eardrums of everyone around hurt, and even the leaves of the trees in the distance trembled from the sound wave.

In that instant, the terrifying power that had been dormant within Moke erupted like a long-suppressed volcano finding its outlet, bursting forth with overwhelming force! He gripped his twin swords tightly, their blades gleaming with a chilling light, like the scythes wielded by the Death God, carrying unparalleled might and unwavering resolve, and with thunderous force, he slashed straight at Blackbeard's fists!

In an instant, Hanabi flew, and dazzling light burst forth like brilliant fireworks in the night sky. The sharp sound of metal clashing pierced the heavens and resounded through the clouds, causing everyone present to involuntarily tremble. Even more astonishing was that Moke's twin blades had actually pierced through Blackbeard's supposedly indestructible Armament Haki on his fists! Under the powerful impact, two deep wounds appeared on Blackbeard's fists, flesh torn open, revealing white bone—a horrifying and shocking sight!

Blood gushed out from the gruesome wound like a burst dam, instantly staining Blackbeard's hands crimson, flowing down his arms and dripping onto the ground, forming pools of scarlet blood. However, Blackbeard was, after all, a top-tier warrior who had experienced countless battles and was a veteran of many campaigns. Faced with such a sudden turn of events, his reaction speed was beyond imagination.

Just as Moke's twin blades were about to completely sever his arms, Blackbeard made a decisive move without hesitation. With a swift movement, he retracted his fists with incredible speed. Had it not been for his timely and decisive action, his fists would likely have been mercilessly severed by Moke's unparalleled swordsmanship, leaving him crippled for life!

Blackbeard staggered back several steps, quickly creating a safe distance between himself and Moke. His gaze towards Moke was filled with astonishment and disbelief, as if he were looking at the most terrifying monster in the world. After a long while, he finally recovered and muttered to himself, "Your Armament Haki..." His words betrayed an undisguised shock.

Faced with Blackbeard's astonishment, Moke merely smiled faintly. He thought to himself: the Armament Haki he possessed was no ordinary weapon; it was inherited from the once-renowned Great Swordsman — Ryuma. Back then, Ryuma, with his unparalleled swordsmanship and incomparably powerful Armament Haki, roamed the Four Seas, invincible. Especially his ability to coil the famous Shusui into a jet- Black Blade—that power was simply heaven-defying! Just imagining it was enough to feel the terrifying pressure that filled one with dread.

"Black Vortex ..." Blackbeard knew that his opponent was unfathomably strong, and there was no point in continuing to probe. So, he did not hesitate and decisively unleashed his ultimate move. He knelt on one knee, supporting himself firmly on the ground with one hand. Then, a dense, almost tangible dark aura surged from his palm and spread rapidly in all directions.

Anyone or anything touched by this darkness was inevitably drawn in by the powerful suction, and then slowly descended. The dark shadow sank rapidly, as if pulled by an invisible, enormous gravitational force, its speed increasing until it finally merged completely into the endless darkness, disappearing without a trace. In the blink of an eye, the once bright battlefield was completely shrouded in a thick and eerie darkness, as if it had suddenly fallen into a bottomless abyss.

Seeing this scene, Moke's expression changed slightly. He knew very well that if he were to be swallowed by this terrifying darkness, catastrophic consequences would await him. Thinking of this, he dared not hesitate or slack off for even a moment. He immediately pushed off the ground with both feet, and the powerful explosive force propelled him straight into the sky like an arrow, trying his best to dodge this fatal blow.

Moke moved with lightning speed, instantly appearing high in the sky. Then, he used his Geppo ability, hovering steadily in mid-air. It's important to know that Blackbeard's attack is extremely powerful; anyone unfortunate enough to be sucked into that darkness will be subjected to endless, overwhelming forces from all directions, its power comparable to a small Black Hole. In the original story, when Blackbeard demonstrated this ability to Ace, he used it alone to instantly reduce an entire town to nothingness. This shows the terrifying nature of this attack is simply unimaginable! Therefore, how could Moke dare to underestimate it?