Opening the Seventh Gate, Beating Blackbeard Senseless!

"Captain!"

Burgess was terrified out of his wits. He wanted to step forward and help, but the bizarre aura radiating from the black flames forced him back again and again!

"What kind of flames are these?! Why is this happening?!"

Blackbeard Teach roared in terror, frantically slapping at the black flames on his chest, trying to put them out!

But it was useless!

The black flames seemed to possess a life of their own, burning hotter and fiercer!

"Darkness! Swallow it for me!"

He abruptly activated the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, turning his palm into a sheet of darkness and grabbing at the black flames on his chest!

He wanted to use his darkness to devour these bizarre flames!

However!

The instant his darkness touched the black flames!

"Sizzle—!"

A faint sound rang out!

His darkness had actually... been ignited by the black flames?!

"No—!!!"

Blackbeard let out a despairing howl!

Not only had his darkness failed to devour the black flames, it was like adding fuel to the fire, making them burn even more fiercely!

The searing pain instantly multiplied severalfold!

"Why?! Why is this happening?! My darkness... why can't it devour these flames?!"

Blackbeard completely panicked!

He could feel his life force being madly devoured by the black flames!

If this continued, he would be burned alive!

"No! No!! I absolutely can't die here!!"

Suddenly.

Driven to the depths of despair, Blackbeard's eyes turned bloodshot and veins bulged across his forehead. Unconsciously, he erupted with every last bit of his Conqueror's Haki!

Hum—!!!

A powerful blast of will exploded outward from him!

Under the forceful impact of that Conqueror's Haki, the pitch-black flames flickered violently, their blaze visibly dimming!

"What?!"

"These flames can only be dispelled with Conqueror's Haki?!"

Though shocked, Blackbeard felt hope for survival rise within him and pushed his Conqueror's Haki even more frantically!

Sizzle... sizzle...

Finally!

After Blackbeard had nearly exhausted all of his Conqueror's Haki, the cluster of black flames that had burned on his body for so long, bringing him endless pain and terror, suddenly trembled before... reluctantly going out.

All that remained on his chest was a massive, charred scar, horrifying and reeking of burnt flesh!

"Huff... huff... huff..."

Blackbeard Teach collapsed onto the deck, gasping heavily. His entire body was soaked in cold sweat, his face filled with the relief of surviving death and terror that had seeped into his bones.

For that brief instant, he had truly thought he was going to die!

This brat...

This brat's flames...

They were fucking unnatural!

They were fucking terrifying!

The way he looked at Lynn was now completely filled with fear!

This was no promising talent at all!

This was a monster through and through!

A freak even more outrageous than Kaido!

Burgess watched with his heart pounding, not even daring to breathe.

Right now, he only wanted to get as far away from that little monster as possible!

Blackbeard had just breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he had finally escaped with his life.

Suddenly.

A childish voice, yet one that sounded like a death sentence, softly rang out beside his ear.

"Gate of Opening."

Blackbeard Teach's body abruptly stiffened!

He laboriously raised his head and looked toward the tiny figure floating in midair.

Lynn's small body sank slightly, and his childish face bore a solemnity utterly unfitting for his age.

Green steam began to rise from his body.

Blackbeard Teach's pupils shrank to pinpoints!

He remembered!

The most terrifying part of the legends surrounding the "Demon Child," Lynn!

That blood-red steam!

That world-destroying power!

"No... don't!"

Blackbeard screamed almost instinctively, his voice filled with unprecedented terror!

He wanted to run!

His only thought now was to escape that little monster! The farther away, the better!

But even as he screamed, Lynn moved faster!

In fact, while he had been using Amaterasu to burn Blackbeard and taking advantage of his opponent's chaotic screams, Lynn had already successfully taken the letter.

Almost the instant the letter landed in his hand.

[Ding! The host has successfully intercepted Rockstar's letter!]

[Mission reward: Massive Stamina Cap, issued!]

An incomparably vast warm current instantly surged through Lynn's entire body!

His stamina bar began skyrocketing like it had been pumped full of steroids!

The unprecedented feeling of fullness made Lynn almost moan in comfort.

And almost at the same time, the system mission appeared in his mind once more.

[2. Defeat a combatant at Shichibukai level or above head-on. Mission reward: one random ability from the myriad worlds.]

A combatant at Shichibukai level or above...

Lynn's black eyes shifted slightly, his gaze falling on Blackbeard Teach below, who had just recovered from the agony of Amaterasu and was staring up at him in terror.

Wasn't this guy a ready-made target?

Although Blackbeard had not yet become one of the Four Emperors, and had not even obtained the title of Shichibukai.

He had defeated Ace. He definitely possessed strength at the Shichibukai level!

If Lynn took him down, wouldn't the mission be complete?

With that thought, Lynn no longer hesitated.

"Gate of Healing... open!"

The childish voice rang out again, yet it was like the death knell of the Grim Reaper, striking Blackbeard and Burgess in their hearts!

The green steam grew even thicker!

Lynn's aura once more soared wildly!

"Gate of Life... open!"

"Gate of Pain... open!"

"Gate of Limit... open!"

"Gate of View... open!"

In one smooth motion, Lynn opened six gates in succession!

The steam rising from his body gradually changed from pure green to pale blue, carrying a trace of scorching heat!

Waves of terrifying power rippled outward like tangible waves, battering the nerves of everyone present!

"No! No! No! Stop him!"

Blackbeard Teach let out a hysterical roar!

He could clearly feel it: every time that little monster said the word "open," the aura emanating from his body increased exponentially!

If he was allowed to continue, Blackbeard would definitely die!

"Brat! Die!"

Burgess snapped out of it as well. Though he was terrified, his instinct to survive drove him to unleash all his strength!

He leaped into the air.

The muscles on his thick arm bulged, veins protruding like little snakes. His Shockwave Elbow Strike, containing all his strength, tore through the air with a piercing shriek as it smashed viciously toward Lynn!

He refused to believe such a tiny body could withstand this blow!

However.

Faced with the two men's desperate struggle, Lynn's face remained completely expressionless.

Those black eyes were as calm as an ancient well.

Seventh Gate!

"Gate of Wonder... open!"

Boom—!!!!

The pale blue steam abruptly surged!

It almost solidified into an energy cloak, forming a visible blue whirlwind around his body!

The incomparably terrifying aura made the waters around Blackbeard's pirate ship churn violently, and even the sky seemed to darken by several shades!

Burgess's immensely powerful Shockwave Elbow Strike was just about to hit Lynn.

Lynn did not even turn his head.

Bang!

Burgess only felt as though he had struck an indescribably hard wall of steel.

Crack!

A bone-breaking sound that made one's teeth ache rang out clearly!

"Aaargh—!"

Burgess let out a miserable scream. His thick arm, which he had always taken pride in, twisted and warped grotesquely like a pretzel!

The mere aftershock of the protective steam had crippled one arm of the fighting champion!

"How... how is this possible..."

Blackbeard Teach's eyes bulged wider than bells, and the expression on his face could no longer be described as mere shock!