Chapter 101 Fierce Battle with Blackbeard
The thought of Red Hair made Blackbeard's expression change again.
"Hiss…"
Cold sweat had already soaked his clothes.
He took a deep breath, his eyes shifted, and instantly, he put on a harmless expression, loudly saying to Lin Ning:
"Lin Ning! I admit your strength!!!"
"Let's shake hands and make peace!!"
"After all, there's no deep-seated hatred between us; there's no need for us to fight to the death here, right?"
Blackbeard suppressed the unwillingness in his heart, trying to appear calm, even forcing out a stiff smile.
"We can totally pretend nothing happened. You go your way, and I'll go mine. How about it?"
"We… originally had no grievances!"
However—
Lin Ning's face showed no expression.
He merely looked down at Blackbeard coldly, his gaze indifferent and full of disdain.
"Heh…"
Lin Ning suddenly chuckled lightly, shaking his head in a sneering manner, then raised his eyes, his gaze piercing Blackbeard like a sharp blade!
"Black Fatty, you're truly a joke."
Blackbeard's smile froze, his eyelids twitched slightly, vaguely sensing something amiss.
"Didn't you just say you wanted to annihilate our Straw Hat Pirates?"
"Didn't you also say you wanted to crush every bone in my body, then kill my companions one by one in front of me?"
Lin Ning's eyes were cold, his tone without a ripple, yet it was even colder and more ruthless than the darkness of Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit!
"Black Fatty…"
"Who do you think you are? You say fight, and we fight; you say make peace, and we make peace?"
"What do you take us for? What do you take me for?"
Blackbeard's face was unbelievably thick-skinned; facing Lin Ning's cold sneer and sarcasm, he didn't show the slightest embarrassment.
Instead, he burst into a "Jiehahaha" laugh, a grin revealing several large teeth stained yellow by alcohol.
"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! Jiehahaha, we just got acquainted through fighting!"
He raised both hands, adopting a "friendly" demeanor, as if the person who had just shouted about crushing Lin Ning's bones and annihilating the Straw Hat Pirates wasn't him at all!
But—
"Enough talk, fight!"
Lin Ning didn't bother to listen to his nonsense, suddenly taking a step forward, and the ground beneath his feet instantly cracked into spiderweb-like fissures!
Boom—!!
Lin Ning's arms bulged with veins, and the halberd in his hand was swung in a full circle, emanating endless black and red lightning.
Under full-power Conqueror's Haki Coating, it radiated a destructive aura as it struck towards Blackbeard.
Black and red lightning crisscrossed the sky, tearing through the air, and violent currents swept across the battlefield!!
This halberd strike was inescapable, irresistible, aimed directly at Blackbeard!!
Upon hearing these words, Blackbeard's heart trembled violently, and a chill suddenly rose up his spine.
He finally realized—
Lin Ning would absolutely not let him go!!!
This guy simply wouldn't back down!!!
"Bastard!!!"
Blackbeard gritted his teeth, his face completely twisted, becoming dark and ferocious!
He knew he had to fight to the death!
Blackbeard clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his flesh, drawing blood. A crazed killing intent ignited in his eyes!
"Jiehahahahahaha—!!!"
"Brat! Do you really think you've got me cornered?!"
"Do you think I, Blackbeard, would give up so easily?!"
Blackbeard's body trembled slightly, his eyes ferocious, but he knew he had no other choice!
"Since you won't agree… then let's see who dies here!!!"
He suddenly spread his arms, and the violent dark power surged again, like countless malevolent spirits roaring ferociously, trying to break free from the suppression of Haoshoku!
But it was useless; under the suppression of Lin Ning's super strong Conqueror's Haki, Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit ability weakened.
Lin Ning's lips curved slightly upward, revealing a cold smile.
"Black Fatty, you only want to fight for your life now?"
Boom!!!
Lin Ning held the halberd, its entire shaft wrapped in Haoshoku, like a god or demon descending!
"Die for me—!!!"
Blackbeard's face became incredibly solemn, his gaze fixed on Lin Ning's attack!
"Come on!!!"
Blackbeard roared, his right fist covered in his full-power black and red Armament Haki, air currents surging, as he met Lin Ning's halberd!!
Boom!!!!!!
Two terrifying forces collided fiercely!!
Black and red lightning burst forth from the point of impact like divine punishment, tearing the sky in half.
A massive shockwave swept across the entire Jaya Island, the ground directly collapsing, streets and buildings instantly turning to dust!
Lin Ning stood unmoving, his hands tightly gripping the halberd, Haki raging like a furious storm!
Blackbeard gritted his teeth, the ground beneath his feet directly collapsing dozens of meters, his legs sinking deep into the earth, his body almost shattering from the impact!
But… he managed to take that halberd strike head-on!!
Lin Ning snorted coldly, veins bulging on his arm, and swung the halberd again.
Violent Conqueror's Haki, entwined with black and red lightning, unleashed destructive power, sweeping towards Blackbeard once more!
Blackbeard roared, swinging his fist to meet it, and the entire world trembled wildly under their battle!
"Boom!!"
"Bang!!!"
"Crack—!!"
The two clashed for hundreds of rounds, each collision erupting with a sky-shattering roar!
On Jaya Island, the ground shattered, deep pits were everywhere, mountains collapsed, and the sky trembled!
Their battle had completely transformed this island into a Shura Hell!!
Blackbeard's physique and Haki were indeed formidable; under Lin Ning's unreasonable Conqueror's Haki Coating, he was still able to stubbornly hold on, not collapsing immediately.
But… screams were incessant!
"Ah ah ah ah—!!"
Every time Blackbeard blocked an attack, he would be shaken, screaming repeatedly, his entire body covered in blood!
But he still gritted his teeth and persevered, a crazed Battle Intent burning in his eyes!
His might, surprisingly, grew stronger the longer the battle continued!!
But—
Even so, he still couldn't stop Lin Ning's advance!!
Finally, after a direct head-on clash, the two separated, creating distance!
Both were breathing heavily!
The high-intensity battle caused immense physical exhaustion; Lin Ning's Conqueror's Haki Coating was extremely draining.
And Blackbeard, in order to resist Lin Ning, dared not relax for a moment; his Armament Haki had almost reached its limit!
"Cough… cough…"
Blackbeard gasped for breath, covered in blood, the flesh on his right arm already torn open, bones faintly visible!
His face was ferocious, staring intently at Lin Ning, but… a hint of fear had appeared in his eyes.
Because… he had discovered something utterly despairing!!
Blackbeard's eyes widened, filled with disbelief!
"What a joke…!!"
"How are this kid's wounds… healing so fast?!!"
He had clearly left many scars on Lin Ning's body.
But now, all the wounds were scabbing over and healing at a visible rate, and some had even completely recovered!
"This… What kind of recovery power is this?!!"
"How can I even fight like this?!"
Blackbeard felt his worldview was about to collapse!
His own recovery power was already top-tier, but compared to Lin Ning, he was simply left far behind!
What kind of monster was this guy after all?Chapter 102 Overlord Halberd Technique. Overlord Emperor's Slaying
Blackbeard's face was grim, his fists clenched, veins bulging on his forehead. He endured the intense pain throughout his body, his eyes flickering.
Continuing to fight... he had almost no chance of winning!
He had to retreat!!!
Blackbeard's eyes shifted, and he began to plan his escape route.
But—
Lin Ning had already seen through his thoughts. A cold smirk played on his lips as he slowly raised his halberd, and his Conqueror's Haki surged again!
"Black Fatty... you want to run?"
"Too late!!!"
"Today, you're dead!!!"
Lin Ning's gaze was as cold as a blade, fixed intently on Blackbeard's every Move. He clearly saw that—
A desire to retreat had already appeared in Blackbeard's eyes.
This guy... wants to run.
But how could Lin Ning let him escape?!!!
Lin Ning had felt Blackbeard's killing intent towards the Straw Hat Pirates from the very first moment of the battle.
If he hadn't been stronger, if the Straw Hat Pirates hadn't had him.
Blackbeard would have already slaughtered all of them, using their corpses as stepping stones to become a Shichibukai!
This man was ruthless and utterly malicious!
He would absolutely not leave any survivors!
The Blackbeard Pirates were already the mortal enemies of the Straw Hat Pirates. It had to be a fight to the death for one side, with no possibility of compromise!
Lin Ning slowly raised the halberd in his hand, and intense black-red lightning danced on its blade.
The powerful Conqueror's Haki Coating released destructive power, and the surrounding air was high-frequency vibrated, forming circles of distorted ripples!
Blackbeard, today—you will surely die!!
Lin Ning had made up his mind to kill him at all costs.
The sinister look on Blackbeard's face grew darker. He realized Lin Ning's determination; he realized he had no way out.
This young pirate actually wanted to fight to the death!
He didn't understand why this brat possessed such terrifying martial Dao will!
He didn't understand why a newcomer, a young man who had just debuted, could push him to such an extent!
Blackbeard's face was twisted in a savage grimace, his eyes wild with rage, and he roared:
"Brat!!!"
"Don't think that just because your Haoshoku can suppress my Dark-Dark Fruit, you can be so arrogant!!!"
Blackbeard's fury was overwhelming, filled with unwillingness and venom!
"My Dark-Dark Fruit!!!"
"The Fruit I painstakingly schemed for decades, is actually completely suppressed by your Haoshoku!?"
Blackbeard roared inwardly. He had always believed that he was the chosen one, and his Dark-Dark Fruit was the most vicious and powerful Fruit in the world!
But now, his Fruit ability was inexplicably crushed by Lin Ning's Conqueror's Haki, unable to even unleash its true power!
All of this... he found it hard to accept!!
This was unreasonable! This was abnormal!
Throughout the entire sea, those who possessed this level of Haoshoku were few and far between!
Even among the great pirates of the New World, few could completely suppress the Dark-Dark Fruit!
But now, he, Blackbeard, had actually encountered an unknown brat here... "Why!!!"
"Why did I encounter such a Prodigy!!!"
"This guy... is he really just a young pirate?! He doesn't seem like a newcomer at all!!!"
"Damn it!!!"
"Since you want to fight to the death, then let's fight to the death!!!"
A violent glint reignited in Blackbeard's eyes. He took a deep breath, adjusting his mindset.
He had decided... to fight to the death!!
Even if it cost him his life, he would kill Lin Ning!
He laughed maniacally, snarling:
"Brat, let me show you—the will of an old pirate who has roamed the seas for decades!!!"
Blackbeard was covered in blood, but he exuded an Aura even stronger than before.
He had finally abandoned all reservations and entered a desperate battle mode!!
Lin Ning saw this and a cold smirk appeared on his face.
"Very good."
"Black Fatty, it seems you've finally made up your mind."
Lin Ning's halberd vibrated, with endless Conqueror's Haki Coating and black-red lightning dancing, exuding an Aura of destruction!
Blackbeard roared, his inner Aura instantly surging, his muscles tensed, like an Awakened ferocious Vicious Beast!
He suddenly gathered all his strength into his right fist, accompanied by the burst of red lightning.
Extremely dense Armament Haki surged wildly, directly covering his entire arm!
"Boom!!"
Blackbeard's Armament Haki, under extreme burst, actually became several times stronger!
Because of his determination to give his all, Blackbeard's Armament Haki had become much stronger.
His right fist was completely engulfed by the pitch-black Haki, and black-red lightning exploded wildly.
Even the surrounding air was compressed to its limit, creating visible distortions!!
This was Blackbeard's strongest attack, giving his all!
"Brat!!!" Blackbeard roared, his violent Aura sweeping across the heavens and earth!
"Die by this punch!!!"
The next second, Blackbeard threw his punch fiercely!
This terrifying punch, with exploding airflow and burning air, carrying destructive power, slammed towards Lin Ning!!
This was his Peak strike without using his Fruit ability!!!
Lin Ning's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Facing Blackbeard's strongest strike, he didn't hesitate in the slightest. He exerted force with both arms, condensing all his power to the limit!
"Hegemon Halberd Technique—Hegemon Emperor Execution!!!"
"Om—!!!!"
With Lin Ning's low roar, the halberd instantly transformed into a black stream of light, piercing directly towards Blackbeard's fist with astonishing speed!
This new Move was different from the previous violent slashes!
It was no longer a swing, no longer a sweep, but an extremely fast thrust!
"Whoosh!!!"
The black halberd blade tore through the air, like a Black Dragon emerging from its abyss!
"Sizzle—!!!"
Extreme Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki Coating intertwined wildly, and the tip of the halberd was enveloped by ultra-high-density energy.
Like a meteor capable of destroying stars, it slammed into Blackbeard with irresistible speed!
"Boom—!!!!"
At this moment—
Blackbeard's strongest punch and Lin Ning's Hegemon Emperor Execution violently collided in the very center of the battlefield!!
Instantly, all sound in the heavens and earth disappeared!
Endless destructive energy erupted!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and everyone on the battlefield widened their eyes, holding their breath!
"Bang!!!!!"
The next second, an extremely terrifying energy shockwave exploded, soaring into the sky!!
Black-red lightning raged wildly, tearing through the sky, directly piercing through the clouds!!
The entire Jaya Island, with the two as its center, trembled and cracked directly!
"Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!!"
Centered on the point of impact, endless Qi blasts swept wildly like a tsunami, destroying everything!!
Countless buildings on the island instantly turned to dust, smoke filled the air, and giant rocks tumbled about!!Chapter 103 The Straw Hat Crew's Determination to Become Stronger
On the battlefield, Lin Ning and Blackbeard's life-and-death battle had reached a fever pitch!
Black and red lightning tore through the sky, and the aftershocks of Haki shattered the earth; the entire Jaya Island trembled frantically and was torn to pieces by their collision!
Outside this tumultuous battlefield, the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates were also watching nervously!
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji stood at the very front, hands clenched, their eyes fixed on the two combatants in the battle!
Their bodies instinctively wanted to rush forward and support Lin Ning!
But... they couldn't help!
Lin Ning and Blackbeard's battle... had completely surpassed their level!
At this moment, a strong sense of unwillingness rose in the hearts of the three!
Their companion—Lin Ning—was fighting alone, locked in a death struggle with Blackbeard, a great pirate from the latter half of the Grand Line!
But they... could only stand there and watch!
This was too humiliating!
Luffy lowered his head, his fists clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his palms, and blood slowly dripped!
He had never felt such intense anger... anger at himself!
He... couldn't fight alongside Lin Ning!
"Zoro... Sanji..."
Luffy's voice was low and firm, breaking the silence.
Zoro and Sanji's gazes trembled slightly; they felt the change in Luffy's aura.
At this moment, Luffy became more serious than ever before!
"From now on... we can't be like this anymore."
Luffy slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with unprecedented determination!
"Lin Ning is our companion; he can fight alone for us!"
"But we... cannot let him face powerful enemies alone anymore!"
"We must catch up to him!"
"We must become stronger!!!"
"We can no longer just stand here and watch!!!"
Luffy's voice, like a thunderclap, exploded fiercely in the hearts of Zoro and Sanji!
"Ah..."
Zoro took a deep breath, then he curled his lips into a sneer full of Battle Intent.
"Exactly my thoughts!"
Sanji exhaled softly, his eyes suddenly sharp, and he nodded solemnly!
"That's right... we must become stronger."
The three had firm gazes, their fighting spirit burning more fiercely than ever before!
Just then, in the center of the battlefield, Lin Ning and Blackbeard's strongest attacks collided completely!
"Boom!!!!"
The entire world... seemed to fall into a brief silence at this moment!
Immediately after—
"Bang—!!!!"
A destructive shockwave, like a storm, swept wildly in all directions!
Black and red lightning crisscrossed the heavens and earth, tearing through the sky!
The air blast exploded, soaring into the sky, and the entire Jaya Island trembled frantically, as if it were about to be completely torn apart by this destructive power!
"Rumble rumble rumble—!!!!"
Rocks hundreds of meters high were instantly shattered, and the seawater was directly churned into towering waves!
The aftermath of the battle swept over everything!
The Straw Hat Pirates were all forced back by this terrifying shockwave, barely managing to steady themselves!
Nami covered her hair with both hands, blown askew by the storm, and shouted in terror: "It's... it's too terrifying!!"
Usopp huddled into a ball, trembling: "This... this isn't a human battle at all!!!"
Robin frowned, her expression extremely solemn: "...Can Lin Ning really win?"
And Chopper directly hugged Zoro's thigh, clutching on tightly!
But—
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji showed no panic!
They stood firm, fists clenched, their eyes fixed on the center of the battlefield!
This battle concerned the lives of all of them!
And even more, their future!
The storm raged, the battlefield shattered.
But amidst this destructive aftermath of battle—
The three main forces of the Straw Hat had already quietly made a decision!
They would not fall behind again!
They... would become stronger!!
Next time... they would fight alongside Lin Ning!!!
The air on Jaya Island seemed to be completely solidified, even the raging winds paused at this moment, and the entire world seemed to be left with only the halberd in Lin Ning's hand—
Crisscrossed with black and red lightning!
But at this moment—
The halberd was no longer a wildly sweeping battle-axe, no longer a giant hammer that destroyed everything!
Instead—
A divine spear, extremely sharp, piercing through heaven and earth!
—Hegemon Emperor Execution!!
"Whoosh!!!!"
Lin Ning's figure vanished in an instant, turning into a black afterimage, and a violent wind pressure exploded the moment he stepped!
The entire space was torn open by the rapidly piercing halberd, creating a deep crack!
His target was directly Blackbeard's fist!
Red lightning burst from Blackbeard's fist, and his entire arm seemed to become a black and red war hammer at this moment!
Blackbeard's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared in a low voice:
"Brat!! Don't get too arrogant too soon!!"
"Do you think my Haki can be easily crushed by you?!"
Blackbeard's heart was full of madness and confidence!
His Armament Haki was a top-tier existence in this sea, and he would never lose!
But the next second—
"Pfft!!!"
Blackbeard's pupils suddenly dilated, and the arrogance on his face instantly froze!
The moment the tip of the halberd touched Blackbeard's right fist—
There was no pause whatsoever!
Blackbeard's Peak Armament Haki couldn't even withstand it for a moment!
It was directly—completely pierced through!!!
"Crack!!"
Blackbeard's right fist, like it was made of paper, was forcefully pierced through by the tip of the halberd!
Blood gushed out wildly!
Blackbeard's right fist was already larger than an ordinary person's head; for a normal person, this blow would probably have directly shattered their arm, or even caused them to explode and die!
But even so—
Blackbeard's right fist was completely crippled!
He let out a tragic scream, his entire arm trembled violently, and he could barely feel its existence!
However, the true killing intent of Lin Ning's move—
Had just begun!
The halberd was unstoppable; after piercing Blackbeard's right fist, the momentum of the blade did not diminish, and it went directly towards Blackbeard's left chest!
"Pfft—!!!"
The halberd pierced Blackbeard's left chest with extreme precision!
The entire blade completely entered Blackbeard's body, and violent black and red lightning exploded frantically, tearing at Blackbeard's flesh!
Blackbeard's pupils began to dilate, his frantic expression completely collapsed, replaced by pain and fear!
He felt... the approach of death!!!
The power of the halberd had not weakened in the slightest; under Lin Ning's powerful arm strength—
It directly lifted Blackbeard's massive body—high into the air!
Blackbeard's huge body, over three meters tall, was firmly impaled in mid-air by the halberd, like prey waiting to be slaughtered!
At this moment, Blackbeard looked exactly like a dying beast, pierced by a hunter's halberd, completely losing the ability to struggle!
His feet twitched frantically, and a large amount of blood gushed from his mouth!
However, because the blade of the halberd was still piercing through his chest.
Blackbeard's blood did not gush out completely, but slowly seeped from the wound!
He could no longer let out any roars, only painful groans escaped his mouth!
At this moment, Lin Ning, holding the halberd, impaled Blackbeard—like a demon god standing between heaven and earth!Chapter 104 The Blackbeard Pirates' Demise
The battlefield fell into a dead silence.
Only Blackbeard's blood dripped from Lin Ning's halberd, sliding down the blade onto the shattered ground.
It made a crisp yet incredibly heavy sound.
Blackbeard's massive body was impaled in mid-air, blood constantly overflowing from his mouth, his eyes gradually unfocused, gasping in pain.
He lost!
This arrogant, ambitious man was utterly crushed by Lin Ning in an extremely domineering manner!
In the distance—
The members of the Blackbeard Pirates were completely stunned!
Their expressions gradually shifted from shock to horror and disbelief!
"H-how is this possible?!"
Van Auger's sniper rifle almost slipped from his hands, his face frozen into an ashen gray, cold sweat dripping like rain from his forehead!
Blackbeard! Their Captain! The fearless man, almost invincible in their eyes, had actually been defeated?!
What chilled them even more was... he was defeated too thoroughly!
He didn't even have room to resist; he was directly pierced through the left chest by Lin Ning's halberd, like a prey waiting to be slaughtered, humiliatingly suspended on the weapon!
This was even more terrifying than being killed directly!
Van Auger gritted his teeth, watching his Captain covered in blood, and a hint of panic finally appeared on his face.
Since its establishment, their Blackbeard Pirates had never encountered such a crisis!
And now, their Captain... was he really going to die here?!
Van Auger asked in a deep voice:
"Doc Q, the Captain was pierced through the left chest... is there still a chance for him to survive?"
Doc Q's face was also incredibly stiff; normally, he looked sickly and uninterested in anything, but at this moment, his hands were trembling slightly.
He stared complexly at Lin Ning's devil-like back in the distance, slowly exhaled, and said in a low voice:
"Who knows... let's hope for a miracle."
Van Auger's pupils contracted slightly.
All of them knew Blackbeard's extraordinary vitality and recovery.
But... facing Lin Ning's full-powered Advanced Armament Haki halberd through the chest, could Blackbeard still survive?!
The members of the Straw Hat Pirates finally relaxed at this moment!
Their comrade, their partner—Lin Ning, won!
"Lin Ning won!"
Luffy was the first to react, clenching his fists tightly, raising them high, and shouting excitedly!
The excitement on his face was impossible to hide, as if it wasn't Lin Ning who had personally defeated Blackbeard, but him!
"Hahahaha!!"
"Lin Ning is truly too strong!!"
Zoro also grinned, his eyes full of Battle Intent and admiration!
"Truly terrifyingly strong..."
This time, Lin Ning's strength once again brought him immense shock.
This made a stronger obsession rise in Zoro's heart: he also wanted to become stronger!
Sanji took a deep drag from his cigarette, looked in the direction of the battlefield, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, and said in a relaxed tone:
"It's finally over."
Although he spoke lightly, the gaze hidden beneath the smoke was full of awe.
Nami jumped up happily, saying proudly:
"I told you, don't worry, Lin Ning will definitely win!"
Usopp also let out a long sigh of relief, the cold sweat on his forehead had already soaked his bandana, and he patted his chest, saying:
"Phew—I almost died of fright... I thought we were going to be wiped out..."
He knew in his heart that if Lin Ning lost, none of them would have survived!
And now—
They won! They survived!
Chopper jumped up excitedly, pouncing on Usopp and celebrating with him!
Robin also stood not far away; her usually calm face was now filled with deep shock!
She was the only one who didn't cheer, because her heart... had been completely shaken by Lin Ning's power!
She looked at the man in the distance, holding a halberd, single-handedly impaling Blackbeard, like a demon god descending, and a strong shock couldn't help but surge in her heart.
"This guy... always manages to surprise people..."
She murmured to herself, her voice barely audible.
Since joining the Straw Hat Pirates, she had always paid attention to Lin Ning.
But even so, Lin Ning's performance again and again still far exceeded her imagination!
"Strong... like a monster..."
If Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji of the Straw Hat Pirates all had the potential to become Peak powerhouses... then—
Lin Ning was already an existence standing at that level!
She didn't know Lin Ning's limit, but she understood one thing:
If Lin Ning continued to grow... the future world would surely be shaken by him!
"Cough... cough..."
Blackbeard half-opened his eyes, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, almost falling into a coma.
He could feel his life rapidly draining away.
If no miracle happened, he... was doomed to die!
But just then—
Lin Ning's Observation Haki had already detected the approaching danger.
His gaze sharply condensed, as if he saw a glimpse of the future; he already knew that someone was rapidly approaching the battlefield, targeting him!
It's an enemy!
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Ning's arm muscles bulged, and he violently swung Blackbeard's massive body.
Like wielding a war hammer weighing several tons, he directly smashed it towards the sky!
"Boom—!!"
Almost instantly, the swift dark figure hadn't even had time to launch an attack before it was met head-on by Blackbeard's massive body.
The two collided violently, and the dark figure was directly struck down, falling heavily to the ground!
"Urgh ah—!"
The newcomer let out a muffled groan, his body crashing uncontrollably to the ground, dust flying, and broken stones scattering!
Meanwhile, Blackbeard, who was swung by Lin Ning as a weapon, was directly sent spitting blood by the recoil.
He fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string, his huge body rolling on the ground, finally collapsing face down.
He couldn't even let out a scream, his life unknown!
In the distance, Van Auger, Doc Q, and others witnessed this scene, their pupils suddenly constricted, their faces changing wildly!
"It's Lafitte!!"
Van Auger couldn't help but exclaim.
Lin Ning then clearly saw the newcomer, a mysterious person with wings!
Lafitte saw Blackbeard's tragic state, that arrogant, fearless man.
Now covered in blood, barely alive on the ground, with a huge penetrating wound in his left chest, leaving almost no chance of survival!
Lafitte's pupils contracted slightly, his face extremely grim.
"Damn it... this is no place to linger."
He immediately made a judgment.
"If we don't retreat immediately, Blackbeard will surely die!"
Lafitte no longer hesitated, he suddenly leaped, instantly flashing beside Blackbeard, placing one hand on his shoulder, and slightly raising the other hand!
"Whoosh!!"
His wings suddenly spread, feathers vibrating violently, and a strong current of Qi erupted in the air!
The next second, he directly soared into the sky with Blackbeard!Chapter 105 Post-War
"Trying to escape? It's not that easy!"
Zoro's eyes turned cold, he stomped his foot, quickly drew his sword, and a One-Sword Style slash erupted!
A powerful Sword Qi tore through the air, striking towards Lafitte's back like lightning!
"Bang!!"
However—
Lafitte reacted incredibly fast. A slight smirk appeared on his lips, and the staff sword in his hand instantly unsheathed!
He flicked his wrist, the long sword sliced through the air, and the Sword Qi, like a thread, instantly shattered Zoro's slash into nothingness!
Zoro's pupils constricted slightly, and his expression changed.
"This guy's swordsmanship... is not simple!"
The next second, Lafitte's figure suddenly accelerated, disappearing directly into the clouds!
Seeing Lafitte successfully rescue Blackbeard, Van Auger and Doc Q in the distance no longer hesitated!
Van Auger supported the injured Burgess, while Doc Q called for his horse!
"Now!"
The three quickly mounted their horses. Doc Q gently patted the horse's neck, and the horse suddenly spread a pair of huge wings, flapping them to fly high, soaring straight into the sky!
They didn't look back, flying rapidly away into the distance!
They knew... they had lost this battle, completely and utterly lost!
Lin Ning did not pursue.
His arms hung down, his halberd gently propped on the ground, his breathing was heavy, and the muscles on his body twitched slightly after the fierce battle.
This battle was too intense!
Especially the use of Hegemon Emperor Execution, which had almost completely drained his stamina!
Even he was already utterly exhausted!
"Lin Ning!"
The Straw Hat quickly gathered around him. Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Robin all looked at him with concerned eyes.
"Are you okay?!"
Lin Ning smiled faintly, shook his head, and his voice was steady and calm:
"Don't worry, I'm not dead yet... just exhausted."
Only then did everyone relax and let out a sigh of relief.
Nami looked relieved: "That's great... you really scared us."
Usopp wiped away cold sweat: "Oh my goodness! That battle just now... it was a monster-level battle!"
Chopper immediately went forward to check Lin Ning's physical condition, and only after confirming that there was no serious injury did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Robin stood not far away, quietly looking at Lin Ning, a deep sense of shock in her eyes.
"Lin Ning... how much stronger can you get?"
This was not the first time she had been shocked by this man.
And Zoro tightly gripped his sword, his gaze burning, his Battle Intent high!
"Lin Ning... we can't fall behind."
"After this battle, we must become stronger!"
Zoro's words made Luffy and Sanji's eyes narrow as well.
"That's right!"
Luffy clenched his fists and shouted excitedly:
"We... must become stronger!"
Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, glanced in the direction where Blackbeard and the others had disappeared, his tone carrying a hint of unwillingness:
"What a pity... they got away."
"However, having been defeated, they won't be a threat the next time we meet them."
Zoro crossed his arms, his eyes sharp as blades, and said coldly:
"Next time we meet... it won't be this result."
The passion of the battle had not completely faded, and everyone silently vowed in their hearts to become stronger!
This battle made them realize that the powerhouses of the Grand Line were far more terrifying than imagined.
Although Blackbeard was defeated, if he survived, he would definitely become even more dangerous.
At this moment, Luffy suddenly frowned, looked at Lin Ning, and said with some reluctance in his tone:
"Hmph, what a shame! I wanted to personally knock that guy flying next time."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ning gently shook his head, his gaze profound, and slowly said:
"My last move was my strongest single-target attack currently."
"It was an ultimate piercing damage, directly penetrating Blackbeard's left chest."
At this point, he paused slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"Normally speaking, he most likely won't survive."
When everyone heard these words, they fell silent for a moment, all feeling a sense of shock.
Just as everyone was still thinking, Nami suddenly remembered something, her beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and she spoke:
"Oh, right, Blackbeard said before—"
"Tomorrow at noon, directly south of Jaya Island, there will be a Knock-Up Stream leading to Sky Island."
Robin nodded gently, elegantly crossing her arms, and added:
"Yes, Blackbeard did say that at the time."
Upon hearing this, Usopp immediately showed a suspicious expression, his brows tightly furrowed, and he said nervously:
"He wouldn't be lying to us, would he?"
Zoro closed his eyes and slowly said:
"Unlikely."
He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as he looked around at everyone:
"After all, at that time, Blackbeard already thought he had us cornered, so he wouldn't lie about something like this."
His words made everyone's hearts stir. Indeed, with Blackbeard's arrogant and conceited personality,
Under circumstances where he believed victory was certain, there was no need to deliberately fabricate information about the Knock-Up Stream.
Nami stretched, a confident smile gracing her lips. She crossed her arms and said proudly:
"It doesn't matter!"
"If the Knock-Up Stream really exists..."
"With me, the Genius Navigator, we'll definitely make it to Sky Island!"
When everyone heard Nami's confident declaration, their spirits immediately lifted, and the light of anticipation ignited in each of their eyes!
Luffy even jumped up excitedly, raising both hands, and shouted loudly:
"Alright!! Let's go!!"
"Target — Knock-Up Stream!!"
The next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, the going merry was already sailing directly south of Jaya Island.
The azure sea shimmered, and the sea breeze gently blew, but on the deck of the Straw Hat Pirates, it was a busy scene.
"Faster, faster! Zoro, hurry up!"
"Sanji, help me adjust the sails, and check the thermometer, please!"
"Lin Ning, measure the water depth, and remember to be detailed!"
Nami stood at the bow, holding a pen and a nautical chart, excitedly shouting commands, her eyes filled with excitement.
Lin Ning, Zoro, and Sanji were being ordered around by Nami!
Zoro complained with an annoyed expression: "Hey, hey, why do we combatants have to do these chores?"
Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, shrugged helplessly: "No choice, Miss Nami's orders are absolute!"
Lin Ning smiled calmly and said nothing, as it wasn't a difficult task anyway.
After a busy morning, Nami was writing and drawing in her notebook, seriously analyzing the changes in ocean currents, wind direction, and air pressure.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she jumped up excitedly, shouting loudly:
"I understand!!"
Everyone was startled by her sudden voice and stopped what they were doing, looking at her.
"What do you understand?" Luffy looked bewildered.
Nami excitedly pointed to her notebook, her eyes sparkling with light:
"I know the principle behind the formation of the Knock-Up Stream!"
"The Knock-Up Stream doesn't appear out of nowhere; it's an extreme natural phenomenon!"
Nami picked up her pen and circled an area of the sea on the nautical chart, explaining rapidly:
"Beneath the sea area directly south of Jaya Island, there's an active underwater volcano!"
"This underwater volcano continuously releases high-temperature gases and geothermal energy, causing the seawater temperature to rise sharply!"
"Due to the special geological structure of the crater, the erupting energy is sealed within an underground cavern!"
"When the underwater pressure reaches its limit, the entire cavern acts like a giant water gun filled with high-pressure water!"
"Then — bang!!!" Nami suddenly waved her arm, mimicking a towering water column.
"Once a crack in the volcano's crater is torn open, the accumulated high-temperature water will instantly erupt, forming a super water column that shoots straight into the sky!"
"This is the Knock-Up Stream!"