Like a Fully Drawn Bowstring

Blackbeard's legs bent slightly, like a fully drawn bowstring, taut as though they might snap at any moment. His body leaned forward slightly, his center of gravity entirely on his feet, as if waiting for the right moment to shoot forth like an arrow released from a bow.

Suddenly, it was as if a powerful force had launched him away. His entire body shot backward like lightning. He moved so fast that he resembled a black bolt streaking through the void, making his movements impossible to see clearly.

Once, Blackbeard had been filled with desire for the powers of Devil Fruit users. He had longed to draw those with special abilities to his side and turn them into his own strength. Yet at this moment, that desire had been completely replaced by fear. He only wanted to get as far away from Moke as possible—ideally, to disappear from this world at once.

No, even more desperately than before! It was as if endless terror had swallowed his heart. The fear surged like a raging flood, continuously battering the defenses of his mind. His body completely lost control and began trembling involuntarily. Every muscle felt as though it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, unable to move.

At the instant Blackbeard desperately retreated, Moke moved like a ghost, entering a high-speed state in an instant at a speed beyond ordinary imagination. His figure streaked through the air like lightning, leaving behind a blurry trail. He was so fast that the naked eye could not catch him at all.

Blackbeard's pupils suddenly contracted as he inwardly cried out in alarm. In that instant, his Observation Haki was pushed to its limit, and he could clearly sense Moke's movements. His gaze flashed like lightning as he swiftly turned toward the left,