Kaido, the father-in-law, used monster cells to create the strongest Beast.

Tashigi cried, her eyes red:

"He's so awful! He was teaching me swordsmanship so nicely last night, but in the blink of an eye..."

Ain was a few years older than Dashi and had seen more of the world.

She already had a general understanding of Luo Xing's character.

He sighed softly:

"The kindness that man showed to the woman was always based on pre-determined terms."

……

……

The first half of the Grand Line.

An island near Alabasta.

Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach, who had already found four powerful crew members—Burgess, Lafayette, Van Augur, and Doc Q—was now laughing wildly.

"Zehahaha! The era of Whitebeard is about to end, the future belongs to me, Blackbeard!"

"Ace, why don't you join my team too!"

Standing opposite the Blackbeard Pirates, the muscular young man wearing a hat with the Whitebeard flag pattern embroidered on his back was none other than Fire Fist Ace.

Ace was the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and Blackbeard was once his subordinate.

But Blackbeard killed the fourth division commander Thatch for a mere Devil Fruit. How could Ace tolerate that?

Ignoring the advice of the other Whitebeard captains, he insisted on pursuing Blackbeard alone.

Finally, they caught up with Blackbeard in the first half of the Grand Line.

Upon hearing that Blackbeard had actually invited him to join his crew, Ace couldn't help but let out a disdainful sneer.

"Teach, you're really arrogant enough to be called 2.4."

"The future is your era? Ha, laughable! You'll die right here today!"

Snapped!

A shot rang out; sniper Van Auger had fired.

The bullet pierced through Ace's body, sending up bursts of flame.

"Van Auger, it's useless, don't waste bullets."

Blackbeard chuckled sinisterly:

“Ace is a Logia-type Mera Mera no Mi user. Even in my old Whitebeard Pirates crew, he was one of the strongest.”

Fire Fist Ace twisted his neck and stretched his muscles.

"Teach, since you know my strength, then don't resist. I might be able to let you die a little more easily."

"Hahaha!"

Blackbeard let out a wild laugh.

"Ace, your Flame-Flame Fruit is indeed very powerful, but the Devil Fruit I stole from Thatch is the strongest Logia-type, the Dark-Dark Fruit!"

"Your flame is but a tiny, insignificant spark in the face of absolute darkness!"

"Do you understand, Ace!"

117. Blackbeard's plan, Im's emphasis on Luo Xing, and the whereabouts of Hades.

A cold killing intent shone through Fire Fist Ace's eyes.

A blazing fire burned on his body.

"Teach, you're a hopeless bastard!"

"fire punch!"

Ace suddenly made a move and threw a punch.

Towering flames erupted from his fist.

Blackbeard's eyes widened.

His crew members, including Lafayette and Bages, were also completely caught off guard.

Flames swept over them.

"what!"

Blackbeard screamed and rolled on the ground in agony.

His physique is very special; he can eat two Devil Fruits, but the pain his body endures is twice that of an ordinary person.

As everyone knows, the Flame-Flame Fruit can't kill people.

Blackbeard and his crew quickly got up.

Aside from a bit of grime on his face, he was fine.

Blackbeard, panting heavily, stared at Ace:

"Ace, you're still as impatient as ever. Whitebeard never told you that someone with your personality can't accomplish anything great!"

"Whitebeard still wants to push you to the position of Pirate King? I think he's senile, you..."

Before Blackbeard could finish speaking, Ace let out a roar:

"A bastard like you doesn't deserve to mention Old Man 19's name!"

He unleashed another fiery punch.

Lafayette, Burgess, and the others quickly moved aside.

Although the flames won't kill you, they still hurt a lot.

Blackbeard didn't flinch, but instead extended a jet-black hand.

"Ace, I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"

"Dark Water!"

The pitch-black palm aimed at the flames and actually absorbed the entire massive fire.

Immediately afterwards, Blackbeard pointed his other hand at Ace.

Ace's expression changed drastically.

He discovered that his body was out of his control and was automatically flying towards Blackbeard.

boom!

Blackbeard slammed his fist into Ace's stomach.

Boom!

Ace was thrown into a wooden house more than ten meters away, looking extremely disheveled.

"Did you see that clearly, Ace!"

Blackbeard, with his two jet-black hands outstretched and black smoke billowing from his body, cackled wildly:

"This is the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, which can nullify the abilities of all Devil Fruit users. Your flames are completely meaningless in front of me!"

The Dark-Dark Fruit is known as the most vicious Devil Fruit in history, and it is extremely unique.

It can nullify the abilities of other Devil Fruits and directly attack the Logia-type user's body.

In this respect, it is somewhat similar to Armament Haki.

Fire Fist Ace wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face grim.

The Dark-Dark Fruit's bizarre abilities were truly beyond his expectations.

"Men, charge! Capture Ace!"

Blackbeard is a man who has absolutely no sense of martial ethics.

Although he might be able to take down Ace by himself, it would take a lot of effort. Why not gang up on him if you can?

To achieve one's goals by any means necessary—that is Blackbeard's life motto!

Even with all five members of the Blackbeard Pirates attacking together, Ace, despite his strength, was quickly defeated because the Flame-Flame Fruit was countered by the Dark-Dark Fruit.

He was handcuffed by Blackbeard using sea stone handcuffs.

Burgess looked at the unconscious Fire Fist Ace and asked:

"Captain, shouldn't we kill this guy? If we keep him alive, Whitebeard will definitely come to rescue him, and then we'll be in trouble."

Although the Blackbeard Pirates' ambition is to conquer the entire world, the crew is still in its early stages and is still developing.

They were still extremely wary of Whitebeard's reputation as the strongest man in the world.

Blackbeard chuckled sinisterly.

"No, Whitebeard won't come looking for us, he'll only go to the Marines. I'm going to hand Ace over to the Marines in exchange for a Shichibukai position!"

Lafayette said: