The Flame Meteor slammed directly into Blackbeard's location at an incredible speed. The force of the punch caused the entire island of Alteila to shudder.
"Admiral..." The Blackbeard Pirates stood dazed; they never expected the battle between Blackbeard and Ace to be so one-sided, and they knew Blackbeard could not have emerged unscathed from such a blow.
"Arara... what a terrifying strike," Aokiji remarked, visibly shaken. Beyond his shock, Aokiji fixed his gaze on Vale D. Drake, sensing a massive power hidden within him as well. Reflecting on the Paramount War, Aokiji thought to himself that the four brothers of that day had truly grown up. With Fire Fist Ace, Vale D. Drake, the rising Monkey D. Luffy, and the Revolutionary Army's number two, Sabo, their collective influence was now great enough to affect the global landscape.
"Hey, Aokiji, why exactly did you join the Blackbeard Pirates?" Drake asked with a smile, stroking his chin. "Let me guess... Blackbeard's influence is starting to gather the world's powerhouses, and you, an Admiral who searches the world for justice, must have a scale to measure all things. What are you planning to do for your sense of justice?" Drake studied Aokiji with interest, refusing to believe he joined simply out of admiration for Blackbeard.
Aokiji ignored the question and stared back. "Why did you establish the Dragon Flag Pirates? To find the ONE PIECE?"
"No, no, no..." Drake waved his hand dismissively. "That thing doesn't interest us at all."
"Oh?" Aokiji raised an eyebrow.
"However," Drake's tone turned serious, "my younger brother seems quite interested in it. Therefore, I will naturally clear the obstacles for him."
Aokiji's mouth twitched; he found it hard to believe that a crew of such formidable individuals—like Kenshin and Locke—had been formed just for fun. He suspected there were deeper secrets involved.
Suddenly, the earth shook violently, and a new sun seemed to rise over the island as golden light flooded the sky. A massive figure slowly emerged within the battlefield, expanding as it radiated a blinding glow.
"It's here—the Admiral's Vajra Form: Perfect Form!" the Blackbeard Pirates cheered, watching the spectacle with awe and reverence.
"Is that... Teach?" Vista stared in disbelief at the giant golden orb, which stood over ten meters tall. Beside him, Marco's face paled. "I heard rumors that Teach could unleash a power even he feared, one so terrible he rarely used it. I thought it was just propaganda to damage our morale, but it seems there was truth to it!". Vista's eyes narrowed as he recalled rumors that this power could easily destroy an island; he looked at the "tiny" figure of Ace standing beneath the golden light with concern.
"Zehahahaha... Ace... witness my true power!" Blackbeard's wild laughter echoed from within the golden light to every corner of Alteila.
As the light contracted, the "true face" was revealed: a muscular giant ape, over ten meters tall, glaring down at Ace. Drake's pupils shrank in shock. This version of Blackbeard was covered in golden fur and possessed eight-pack abs, but most importantly, he was encased in a golden transparent armor. While his previous armor was only a few inches thick, this version appeared to be seventy or eighty centimeters deep.
"Ace! Be careful!" Marco shouted. "The strength of that body is incomparable to before!"
Ace, being the closest, felt the surge in Blackbeard's aura clearly, yet he had not moved to stop the transformation out of pure disdain. He waved a hand at Marco and the others, smirking as he looked up at the giant golden ape.
"Teach, is this the power you waited decades for, even killing your comrades to obtain? If I crush it completely, will you finally wake up?"
The onlookers were stunned. Blackbeard now looked capable of sinking the entire island, yet Ace spoke of crushing that power without changing his expression. While the Blackbeard Pirates thought he was bluffing, many in the Whitebeard Pirates chose to believe in him.
"Just how far have you grown... show us, Ace!" Marco thought, a relaxed smile returning to his face as he realized Ace wouldn't make such a claim without absolute confidence.