Chapter 274: The Decisive Battle (5)
At the deepest point within the Dark Veil—
After an hour of brutal combat beyond description, Marco the Phoenix had already exhausted every ounce of his stamina and willpower.
His vision blurred uncontrollably.
Everything before him was stained with overlapping shades of crimson.
Is… this the end…?
Too strong…
Marshall D. Teach, that traitor, had become overwhelmingly powerful.
Whether it was his abyss-like Conqueror's Haki infused with devouring properties…
His monstrous physique and strength enhanced by his mutated soul…
Or the awakened Dark-Dark Fruit ability, the "Dark Veil," which completely countered Devil Fruit users…
Teach crushed him in every aspect.
There was no hope of victory.
Logic told Marco coldly that defeat was inevitable.
That death was the only possible end.
But then—
Why was the unwillingness and rage burning inside his soul growing even stronger instead of fading away?
Why wouldn't this shattered body collapse?!
Within his blurred vision, shadows shifted.
Gradually, the darkness and Teach's figure faded away—
Replaced by an enormous, unmistakable silhouette.
A man stood proudly at the bow of a ship, draped in a white captain's coat.
His golden hair fluttered in the sea breeze.
He never turned around, yet that broad back carried the fate and trust of the entire family.
Pops…
Edward Newgate…!
"Gurararara… Marco, my son… I'll leave the rest to you…"
That familiar voice crossed through life and death itself, striking Marco's fading heart.
BOOM—!
In an instant, memories buried deep within his soul erupted forth like a flood.
The first time he boarded the Moby Dick—
That rough but accepting smile.
The countless nights sitting beside Pops during banquets, listening to stories of the sea.
That enormous figure who always stood before his sons when facing enemies.
And finally—
At Marineford, when Whitebeard pushed him and Ace away with his last strength…
That final look of trust and farewell.
"POPS…!!"
Scalding tears mixed with blood burst from Marco's eyes uncontrollably.
Yes…
Even at the very end, Pops had trusted him completely.
He had entrusted the future of the family to Marco and Ace.
How could he fall here?!
How could he betray that trust?!
He still had to protect Ace—
Protect every family member still alive!
"GRAAAAAHHHHH—!!!"
Suddenly—
An unprecedented surge of scorching power exploded violently from the deepest part of Marco's nearly depleted body.
Elsewhere—
Blackbeard Teach stared greedily at the unconscious Ace lying before him.
"Zehahaha… Commander Ace… what a waste. Such a damn waste!"
"With your talent and strength, if you'd only joined me wholeheartedly back then… even the position of vice captain of the Blackbeard Pirates wouldn't have been impossible!"
"With us working together, conquering the seas would've been easy!"
His expression turned completely cold.
"But I know… that was never possible."
"You idiots brainwashed by that old man Whitebeard only care about pathetic things like 'family' and 'honor'…"
He slowly raised his right hand wrapped in dense darkness.
A terrifying black gravitational force condensed within his palm.
A miniature black hole silently rotated there, as though even vision itself could be swallowed.
"So… if you can't be used by me…"
Blackbeard's eyes turned icy.
"Then disappear completely!!"
"Black Hole: Oblivion!!"
The black hole shot directly toward the defenseless Ace.
At the critical moment—
SCREEECH—!!!
A blazing azure light flashed through the darkness faster than thought itself.
The next instant—
Marco appeared in his complete Phoenix form.
A pair of enormous azure-gold flaming wings nearly ten meters wide spread open protectively around Ace.
The concentrated phoenix flames compressed layer upon layer, forming a shield covered in flowing golden ancient markings.
"Azure Underworld: Heartguard Barrier!"
Marco's determined shout collided directly against the black hole.
BOOOOOOMMMMMM—!!!!
Pitch-black annihilation and azure-gold flames clashed violently.
The resulting energy storm tore apart the Dark Veil itself, ripping a massive burning crack through the blackened sky.
"What the hell—?!"
Below, Blackbeard stared upward in complete disbelief.
Within the shattered heavens above—
A mythical giant phoenix with a wingspan spanning hundreds of meters floated proudly in the sky.
Every feather burned with dazzling azure-gold fire etched with ancient flame patterns.
Its form was elegant and divine—
Yet terrifyingly majestic.
This was completely different from Marco's previous phoenix transformation.
"That aura… this form…"
Blackbeard's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
One terrifying realization escaped his lips involuntarily.
"The Mythical Zoan… Phoenix Fruit…"
"AWAKENED?!!"
"How is that possible?!"
Marco had possessed this fruit for over twenty years without ever crossing that final threshold.
Why now?
Why at the very brink of destruction had he achieved this impossible evolution?!
But reality gave Blackbeard no time to dwell on it.
High above—
The awakened Phoenix Marco stared coldly down at Blackbeard with burning azure-gold eyes.
Then he slowly spread his massive flaming wings.
FWOOOOOSH—!!!!
Countless azure-gold feathers rose into the sky.
Each one contained terrifying heat and regenerative power.
Within moments, the entire shattered sky was filled with endless blazing feathers like a celestial sea of fire.
"Secret Art: Heavenly Azure Featherfall!!"
Marco's voice descended like divine judgment.
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING—!!!
The endless rain of azure-gold feathers shot downward like meteor showers of divine flame.
The heavens themselves were engulfed in blue-gold fire.
It looked like the end of the world.
"DAMN IT—!!!"
Blackbeard's expression changed drastically.
He could clearly sense that every feather contained awakened phoenix power—combining overwhelming destructive heat with near-immortal regenerative properties.
He roared immediately:
"Black Vortex: Full Expansion!!"
BUZZ—!!!
An enormous sea of darkness erupted from Blackbeard like a volcanic explosion, spreading outward into a giant swamp of darkness that surged toward the descending feathers.
SSSSHHH! BOOM! RUMBLE—!!!
Azure-gold flames and devouring darkness collided violently in midair.
The sky above the island split into two opposing worlds—
Blue-gold above.
Pitch-black below.
A catastrophic painting of destruction unfolded across the heavens.
Energy storms ravaged the island as the ground cracked and melted apart.
"ZEHAHAHAHA—!!!"
After the initial shock faded, Blackbeard burst into laughter once more.
But this time, excitement and greed filled his voice.
"Marco!! I never expected you to awaken at a moment like this!! What a wonderful surprise!!"
"But inside MY darkness, you still can't escape!!"
"Can't you see it?! This is true power!!"
"Join me, Marco!!"
"With your awakened strength and my darkness, we could conquer everything!"
"Whatever Whitebeard gave you—I can give you twice as much!"
"Why die here for a dead man and a bunch of doomed fools?!"
…
But at that exact moment—
BOOOOOOM—!!!!!
A massive explosion suddenly erupted less than twenty meters away from Blackbeard.
A cannon blast?!
The sudden third-party attack shocked everyone on the battlefield.
Before anyone could react—
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!!
Countless cannon blasts echoed from the island's shoreline like drums of death.
"That direction…?!"
"Warships!!"
"It's the Marines—!!!"
"Why are the Marines here?! How did they even know about this place?!"
Panic spread rapidly across the battlefield.
Both the Blackbeard Pirates and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates felt chills run down their spines.
The mantis stalks the cicada…
Unaware of the oriole behind it.
And among everyone present, Blackbeard's expression changed the most dramatically.
"The Marines… those damn vultures…!!"
The Whitebeard remnants were just about to fall.
His victory was right in front of him.
And now the Marines appeared to steal the spoils?!
But what truly shook him—
Was the gigantic warship approaching from the sea.
A dog-headed battleship.
At the front of the deck stood a figure wearing a dog hat, spinning cannonballs in both hands like windmills.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA—!!!"
His wild laughter overwhelmed even the sound of cannonfire itself.
"Ace—!! You troublesome little brat!! Your grandpa's here—!!!"
"Hurry up and get over here before I beat the hell out of you!!"
That iconic dog hat.
That absurd throwing style.
That familiar shouting voice.
Everyone on the battlefield turned toward that figure simultaneously.
Then came collective gasps.
Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
Hero of the Marines.
"Iron Fist" Monkey D. Garp—!!!
Blackbeard's face looked utterly miserable.
The duck he had already cooked had not only flown away—
It might even drag the entire pot away with it.
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