Jones writhed inside the swirling black mist, but it held him like a vice. No matter how violently he thrashed, the darkness refused to give him even a centimeter of freedom.
At Marine Headquarters, observers recorded the scene with grim faces.
"Be careful of Teach's black mist. Do not let yourself be caught by it," Tsuru warned. Her eyes narrowed. Jones's raw physical strength ranked among the rare elites of the seas, yet he remained hopelessly trapped. That alone proved how troublesome Teach's Darkness was.
Intelligence officers immediately wrote her words into the record.
Across the world, other factions watched with equal seriousness.
Far above the battlefield, the giant eagle that Jones had once been could no longer remain in the sky. Its wings beat desperately, but its massive form sank as if pulled downward by an invisible weight. Teach's air currents were not responsible. Something else was dragging the creature from the heavens.
"What is happening?" countless spectators whispered.
On the Flying Pirates' ship high in the Sky Kingdom, a pirate stared at the scene and spoke with dawning recognition. "This looks a bit like the Captain's ability."
Shiki nodded slowly. "It is different from my Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, but the nature feels similar."
"Downward gravitational pull," Rhein, the Golden Lion's scholarly first mate, concluded almost instantly. "The Yami Yami no Mi is tied to absorption, which is a form of gravity. He is creating a field that drags everything toward him."
Shiki chuckled. "Terrifying ability."
The moment did not last long. Teach raised his hand and called out one chilling phrase.
"Darkness Assimilation."
In an instant, everything buried beneath the black mist sank and vanished. Buildings collapsed into the abyss. Stone dissolved into nothing. When the smoke cleared, only a barren wasteland remained.
Seeing this in person, rather than comparing photographs, struck the world with far greater force. The sound alone rattled through their bones. When the darkness receded, Teach stood in the center of devastation, laughing wildly, while Jones lay in ruin, his tentacles shredded.
The black mist had engulfed the entire palace, even though Teach had stood on the eastern side. If this was already his range, then the true limit of his power remained unknown.
When Teach released what he had swallowed, the palace returned to the surface as countless fragments, ground to dust. The guards trapped inside had been crushed into mangled remains. Even hardened warriors felt fear creep into their hearts. If they were swallowed by this darkness, survival would be impossible.
"Captain, seeing it again, the power of this move is still unbelievable."
"Flying is useless. Once that field spreads, you can only escape early and hope you are not within range."
"As expected of him. To use a technique like this right after eating a Devil Fruit is unbelievable."
This ability bordered on unsolvable. Flight meant nothing, because gravity dragged everything downward. Anyone caught in the mist lost all movement, and even Jones, strengthened by his Ancient Zoan and immense natural power, could not break free. That was proof enough that very few people in the world could resist Teach's pull.
The mist spread with frightening speed. Many spectators wondered whether there was any viable way to avoid it. Perhaps someone could, but facing Teach directly meant contending with the gravity, the restraint, the oppressive field, and Teach's overwhelming physical might all at once.
Most assumed the fight would continue for hours. Jones had remarkable endurance. Yet the reality surpassed every expectation.
Teach met Jones's strongest attack head-on. Somehow, the blow vanished as if swallowed, another effect tied to his new ability. It was another kind of restraint, one even more exaggerated. Even when Jones shifted his form or shrank his body, he could not slip free.
Teach stepped forward, delivered a single decisive thrust, and pierced Jones's heart.
The simplicity made it all the more terrifying. One restraint followed by one fatal strike, and the war came to an end.
Strong individuals who watched could not help but tense. That thrust carried an offensive force few could claim to withstand.
The message was clear. No one should allow themselves to be taken by Teach's Darkness. It was strange, overwhelming, and almost impossible to counter, especially when paired with his monstrous combat strength.
Even as the battle concluded, the spectacle left a deep impression. The subtle background music, the impact of the visuals, and Teach's brutal efficiency carved the moment into their memories.
The members of the Nightfall Pirates gathered and displayed themselves before the world. All young, all powerful, all brimming with energy. The world realized with a slow chill that this crew possessed tremendous potential.
Observers finally began to understand how far they had underestimated Teach. They had misjudged Jones's power, and by doing so, they had misjudged Teach even more.
When the crew assembled, eyes across the world locked onto Redyat, the unfamiliar youth standing at Teach's side. His speed, his confidence, and his proximity to the captain spoke louder than any introduction. His strength was unmistakable.
"Investigate that man immediately," Sengoku ordered.
"Hahaha, he looks familiar somehow, but I do not remember meeting him," Garp said as he scratched his head.
Many felt the same strange familiarity, yet none could place it.
Teach grinned at Redyat. "Looks like you have been exposed. Everyone will notice you now."
Redyat shrugged, completely at ease. "I expected this. It is fine."
The Nightfall Pirates then revealed their treasure. Hundreds of millions of Berries glittered under the light, stacked in a mountain of gold and jewels. Seeing it with their own eyes nearly blinded the spectators.
This much treasure could buy a kingdom.
The image shifted one final time. Teach stood wreathed in black mist, coat billowing behind him, claws extended, his wild grin promising chaos. His overwhelming strength seared itself into their memories.
Above the image, two words formed slowly, towering over everything.
Dark Emperor.
The title carried an undeniable weight.
Marshall D. Teach. The Dark Emperor.
The sea trembled.
Those who watched felt lingering unease long after the screen faded. Teach, and the Nightfall Pirates he led, had proven themselves able to reshape the era.
Many who once mocked the newspapers now fell silent.
And the video's ripple had only just begun. Admiration flooded the seas. Countless dreamers felt their blood ignite. Some aimed to follow Teach's path. Others wished to join his crew.
The Great Pirate Era surged again, spinning even further out of control.
"Gurarararara. Dark Emperor, is it? The brat has grown," Whitebeard laughed on the Moby Dick, finishing an entire bottle of sake in one long swallow.
"That guy," murmured Gecko Moria on Gecko Island. The image shook him to the core.
After a long silence, he clenched his fists. "He is already that strong? I will not fall behind."
He had entered the New World early in the great conflict between pirates and Marines. He seized an island, crushed the crew that ruled it, and began building his own power. His growth was rapid, his ambition fierce. Now, seeing Teach's strength, he knew the gap had only widened.
"Hahahaha. He got stronger? Good. We will fight again if fate allows it."
On a savage beast island in the New World, Douglas Bullet watched with blazing excitement. His aura crackled with intensity.
For two years, Bullet had challenged the strongest forces in the world. Whitebeard, Shiki, Garp, Big Mom, Kaido, Caesar, Apophis, John, Silver Axe. Wins and losses scattered among them, but he survived every battlefield. Now, he trained to push himself beyond even that.
"Hey, how can I compete with him? This is insane," Buggy muttered on an island in the East Blue. His eyes were wide as he watched Teach's devastation. "My strength is not enough. I need another two years."
Buggy had grown stronger, taller, and more muscular. Behind him, his newly gathered crew waited aboard the ship he had purchased and modified.
"Captain Buggy, are we setting sail?"
He tightened his fists. "The Nightfall Pirates already left the East Blue soon. So what is there to fear?"
He turned with renewed confidence and shouted, "My little ones, Captain Buggy is here. Prepare to set sail!"
His personality had shifted drastically, molded by newfound strength and ambition.
"Damn Shanks. You are definitely still in the East Blue. I will find you and give you the beating you deserve for making me lose the chance to seek treasure at sea," Buggy muttered.
With that goal burning bright, Buggy set sail beneath the wide blue sky. Even with all his growth, the pain of being unable to swim remained his greatest frustration. And Shanks, the man he blamed for that fate, would soon face a very motivated Buggy.