With the changes of the times, or perhaps version updates, different strong individuals have completely different views on what it means to be powerful.
Kaido loves the powerful abilities of Zoan-type but also values the strength of Haki, whereas Blackbeard is obsessed with powerful Devil Fruit abilities.
Before the emergence of the strange abilities attributed to the "Lineage Factor" in the Beasts Pirates, Mythical Zoan had always been regarded as an even rarer Devil Fruit than Logia-type. In addition to the physical enhancements they provide, the unique abilities brought by Mythical Zoan are also incredibly powerful.
The pursuit of various powerful abilities is one of the reasons Blackbeard yearned for the Dark-Dark Fruit. With its ability, he can steal the abilities of other Devil Fruit users, breaking the rule that a Devil Fruit randomly respawns in a certain location after its user dies.
If recruitment fails, he will target Delia's ability instead—this was part of his plan from the beginning.
"There are five in total... Okiku! Get ready to fight!"
Kikunojo looks like a woman, but his combat strength is more than sufficient. After all, he is an NPC from a late-stage instance, proficient in both types of Haki and skilled in swordsmanship, making him more than capable of handling ordinary enemies.
Delia wasn't worried about him being a burden when bringing him along. With Kikunojo's strength, he could easily be an officer in a New World pirate crew.
"I understand..."
These people were not his former comrades, so Kikunojo naturally had no hesitation in attacking. To him, Delia could at least be considered a friend, whereas Blackbeard and his crew were purely enemies.
"You guys are going to pay for disturbing my vacation! Let me teach you how to greet someone politely!"
Zzzzt... Zzzzt...
Electricity crackled around Delia's fingertips. The bright flashes of lightning were so dazzling that others could hardly keep their eyes open, even in broad daylight. With her five fingers slightly spread, Delia swung her palm toward Blackbeard.
Crack! Crack!
Thunder roared in broad daylight as several dark clouds gathered in the sky. As Delia's palm moved, the lightning followed, and multiple bolts of lightning crashed down from above, striking toward the members of the Blackbeard Pirates.
"Dodge!"
The falling thunder forced them to scatter into the distance. Burgess and Van Augur were relatively fortunate—the lightning aimed at them was not as intense. Though they were in a sorry state, they still managed to dodge them.
Blackbeard, who was the main target, wasn't as lucky. Dense lightning surrounded him like an Electroweb. After dodging the first two bolts, the subsequent lightning struck him directly.
"Ah!
It hurts, damn it, it hurts so much!"
Boom!
"Pain! Pain... it hurts!"
Struck by the lightning, Blackbeard let out a painful wail, showing not a shred of dignity as a powerhouse. He rolled on the ground in a pathetic manner, screaming in agony as if that could somehow lessen the pain.
His reaction completely dumbfounded Delia. In the New World, there were hardly any pirates who could claim they had never been injured. Even top-tier powerhouses were bound to lose a part or two—Yamato was no exception.
Throughout her growth, she had broken her arms multiple times. Though the one who hurt her the most had always been Kaido, that didn't change the fact that she had suffered numerous injuries.
Delia was certain that even the children training on Onigashima wouldn't react this miserably when injured.
How did a guy like this even have the guts to challenge Whitebeard's bottom line?
"My impression of you was already low, but now it's dropped into the negatives. Just what makes someone like you talk so big?"
"You all get back! This woman isn't someone you can handle right now!"
Pushing away his subordinates, Blackbeard panted heavily as he struggled to stand back up. He had just been screaming tragically, but he didn't seem to have any actual injuries—only some charred marks on his body.
A moment ago, Burgess and the others had tried to help him up, but the residual force of Delia's lightning was still present. As these people, who had also been struck by the lightning, drew near, they inadvertently triggered a powerful static charge, causing secondary damage to Blackbeard.
"Ahaha... ha... there's nothing I can do about it. This is the price I pay."
"The Dark-Dark Fruit may be a Logia-type, but it's different from other Logia-types. Not only can I not transform to evade attacks, but it also absorbs all attacks."
"Whether it's swords, bullets, or your lightning, the damage they cause will all be absorbed by me. As a result, the pain I feel is twice that of others."
"I see. No wonder you don't look too injured. But tell me—do you always have the habit of wasting time chatting with your enemies?"
"Zehahaha! This is my way of showing sincerity."
"As expected of the No. 4 of the Beasts Pirates—you're strong. Your ability is impressive. Are you really not interested in joining me? I can save you a senior officer position in the Blackbeard Pirates."
Even at this moment, Blackbeard still wanted to recruit Delia, but Delia had absolutely no interest in it.
"I've already told you, I don't feel any spark with a guy like you. It's much more practical to trade you in for money with Whitebeard."
"Doubling the pain? Only a lunatic like you would have such a masochistic tendency."
"What a pity—you can't kill me. And this unique fruit is the most vicious power in history!"
Darkness surged out from Blackbeard's body. Under its effect, the attacks Delia had inflicted began to disappear at a visible speed. At the same time, the darkness continued to spread outward.
"Run! The captain is about to go wild!"
Seeing the darkness spreading from Blackbeard's body, Burgess and the others began fleeing into the distance. Along the way, they also had to carry Doc Q, who looked as if he was about to die from illness, along with his horse.
"Okiku, you should step back too. This guy... is a bit dangerous."
Luxray gave Delia a strong intuitive warning. At this moment, the fur on her back stood on end, and her body was signaling a premonition of danger.
"Be careful..."
Kikunojo was well aware that Delia's ability was far superior to his own. To avoid holding Delia back, he turned his focus to other members of the Blackbeard Pirates, preventing them from causing trouble from behind.
As for the residents who originally lived here, they had already fled when the battle started. Now, they were watching the situation unfold from a distance.
...
Blackbeard didn't care about anyone else. He had absolute confidence in his ability and was now showing it off.
"Zehahaha! Darkness is gravity, a force that attracts and devours everything, an infinite gravity that spares not a single ray of light! Your lightning is no exception to the devouring darkness! Black Hole!"
Like a river, the darkness engulfed everything around it. The boundless blackness formed a greedy swamp. Trees, rocks, houses, metal—everything twisted and shattered before vanishing into Blackbeard's darkness, leaving behind nothing but a barren land.
"This is dark gravity—a formidable power gained through pain."
The darkness extended into the sky, and the objects absorbed by Blackbeard formed into a massive sphere, floating above Delia as if it could come crashing down at any moment….
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