"Damn it!" Blackbeard cursed through gritted teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as fury and resolve blazed in his eyes. He dared not delay for even a moment. His hands shot out like lightning, gripping tightly as he continuously poured powerful Armament Haki into them.
Just as Moke's unstoppable, peerlessly fierce slash was about to come crashing down before him, everyone held their breath and stared wide-eyed, their hearts nearly stopping from tension. Yet something utterly unexpected suddenly happened!
The crowd watched in shock at the unbelievable sight: Blackbeard, without the slightest fear, had actually caught that world-destroying blow with nothing but his bare hands! The muscles in his arms were taut, veins standing out as though they contained inexhaustible strength.
Immediately afterward, Blackbeard threw open his mouth and let out a deafening roar. With that furious bellow, his entire aura erupted like a volcano on the verge of eruption. With all his strength, he thrust both arms upward and forcibly lifted Moke's slash.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze. Moke's slash appeared to be held aloft by an invisible giant palm as it shot straight into the heavens.
With an earth-shattering boom, Moke's slash exploded high in the sky, bursting into countless dazzling lights like a burned-out star streaking across the heavens with a long tail.
At the same time, an indescribably terrifying shockwave abruptly spread from the center of the explosion, forming a massive blast of air that ravaged the surroundings with overwhelming force.
Wherever it passed, the void itself seemed to be torn apart, releasing shrill howls as though the entire world were about to be swallowed by that destructive power.
The clouds that had floated in the sky were also scattered by the impact of that immense energy, fleeing in every direction like a startled