The darkness of the Dark-Dark Fruit carried a powerful attraction toward other Devil Fruit users.
At that moment, Light released that force without restraint, dragging Ace down from the sky toward him.
Seeing Light take over the fight, Vice Admiral Garp did not hesitate.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he leapt straight into the abyss below, intent on finishing Teach once and for all.
In the air, Ace struggled against the pull.
The distance between him and Light was shrinking quickly, and he realized escape was no longer possible.
His expression hardened as he changed tactics.
Flames erupted from his arms as he launched repeated attacks downward.
“Divine Fire, Unknown Fire!”
Streams of fire condensed into spear-like projectiles, tearing through the air as they shot toward Light.
At that moment, Smoker moved.
He no longer paid attention to the ruined Marine Base.
His body transformed into white smoke as he surged into the sky.
“White Blow!”
His smoke-formed fist struck the incoming fire spears, dispersing them before they could reach Light.
At the same time, smoke billowed beneath him, propelling him forward as he closed in on Ace.
Without hesitation, Smoker drew his Seastone jitte and swung it.
Ace, still being dragged downward, had no way to evade.
He coated his arms in Armament Haki and crossed them in front of his body, blocking the strike directly.
“White Vine!”
As Smoker passed him, his body shifted again.
Smoke coiled like a living rope, wrapping tightly around Ace from behind and restraining his arms.
“Damn it…”
Flames burst from Ace’s body in an attempt to force Smoker back.
However, their abilities clashed without a clear advantage.
Fire and smoke countered each other, neither side gaining ground.
In the next instant, Ace was pulled into Light’s reach.
The moment Light’s hand closed around him, Ace’s expression changed.
The flames within him vanished.
His Devil Fruit ability was suppressed completely.
Even Seastone did not erase his awareness of his power like this.
The sudden loss left him shaken.
Light tightened his grip around Ace’s neck, a cold smile forming on his face.
“It’s over, Fire Fist.”
Before Ace could respond, Light drove him downward with overwhelming force, slamming both him and Smoker into the ground.
The impact shattered the earth.
Smoker immediately dispersed into smoke, avoiding the damage.
Ace had no such option. Find the original chapter at g.com.
His body crashed hard against the fractured ground, sinking deep into the impact zone.
He had already suffered heavy injuries from Garp’s earlier attack.
Now, with his ability sealed and his body slammed again, the damage compounded.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his strength dropped further.
Light showed no intention of killing him in front of Garp, but he did not hold back either.
Ace needed to be completely subdued.
With one hand still gripping his neck, Light clenched his other fist, coating it in Armament Haki, and drove several heavy punches into Ace’s head.
Each blow landed cleanly.
After several strikes, Ace’s face was visibly battered, his breathing weak, his consciousness beginning to fade.
At that moment, Smoker reappeared beside them.
Wearing gloves, he swiftly secured Seastone handcuffs around Ace’s wrists, fully restraining him.
“It was smoother than expected,” Smoker said.
“Your Dark-Dark Fruit is troublesome for other ability users.”
Light did not respond immediately.
Instead, he asked, “Does his bounty count toward me?”
Ace’s bounty was five hundred and fifty million Berries.
Smoker paused, unsure how to answer.
Light let out a short laugh.
“Forget it.
Keep an eye on him.
I’ll go help Vice Admiral Garp deal with Teach.”
With a few rapid Soru steps, Light reached the edge of the abyss.
He looked down.
Darkness filled the pit, its depth impossible to measure.
Yet from within, violent impacts echoed continuously.
Each clash of fists carried the crackle of Armament Haki.
At the bottom, Teach and Garp were locked in close combat.
The confined space left no room to evade.
It was a brutal exchange of pure strength.
Blow for blow, neither yielded.
Garp’s fighting spirit was unwavering, but Teach had no intention of dying there.
He was already looking for a chance to escape.
Ace had gone silent.
That alone told him everything.
Garp, however, felt invigorated.
It had been a long time since he had fought like this.
Every punch he threw carried weight, and even the injuries he took only fueled his momentum.
Blood ran down his forehead, and a deep wound across his chest exposed torn flesh.
Teach’s claws had left their mark.
Just as Teach blocked another strike and prepared to counterattack, a strange force suddenly pulled him upward.
His balance broke.
The claws that were meant for Garp’s chest slipped and tore into his shoulder instead, drawing blood.
At the same moment, Garp’s fist smashed into Teach’s face, sending teeth flying.
Garp frowned slightly, sensing something unusual.
Teach understood immediately.
The Dark-Dark Fruit was affecting him.
Though he had not used his ability openly, he was already a Devil Fruit user.
That meant he could not resist that pull.
At the edge of the abyss, Light felt the reaction clearly.
A dangerous smile appeared on his face.
“There’s a response.
That means there’s an ability user down there.
And since Vice Admiral Garp isn’t one, it can only be Teach.”
His voice dropped slightly.
“That makes things easy.”
Light extended his hand toward the abyss.
“Enjoy this, Teach.”
A dark gateway opened before his palm.
It expanded rapidly, swallowing the entire pit.
Then, seawater poured out.
A massive surge flooded downward, crashing into the depths.
Below, Teach heard the roar of water and looked up.
Before he could react, the torrent drenched him completely.
The moment seawater touched his body, his strength vanished.
“You bast—”
Before he could finish, Garp’s fist slammed into him again, knocking him straight into the rising water.
Moments later, the abyss filled, and Teach sank beneath the surface, unable to resist.
Garp looked around at the rising water, puzzled but unconcerned.
Without hesitation, he dove in, grabbed the powerless Teach, and swam upward.