Chapter 202: 202. Smile Fruit, Teach's Mentality Collapses

Words : 1317 Updated : Oct 6th, 2025

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari ---------- In Thatch's room. "What...?" Teach gasped, his voice heavy with realization. "Sure enough, the worst has happened." Damn Thatch, he cursed inwardly. Why didn't he listen to reason? All he had to do was hand over the fruit, and everything would have been settled. Thatch could have walked away from the Whitebeard Pirates without any further trouble. But now... he had crossed the iron rule of Whitebeard's ship. There was no doubt he would face the consequences. Teach grimaced, thinking of Whitebeard's inevitable wrath. The image of their captain going berserk sent a shiver down his spine. In his plan, even if he got the Dark-Dark Fruit, it was still too soon to challenge Whitebeard directly. "But... there's no turning back now," Teach muttered, his gaze shifting to the Devil Fruit resting on the table. There was no regret in his eyes, only determination. As long as he had it, nothing else mattered—not even Whitebeard's fury. "This is my path," he murmured, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "From now on, I'll become Blackbeard and take Dad's place!" Early the Next Morning The usual lively and cheerful atmosphere aboard the Moby Dick was gone, replaced by an air of seriousness and tension. "Stop it, Ace!" "Calm down!" "Father already said this is a special case—we don't need to investigate further!" "Let me go!" Ace shouted, struggling against the crew members holding him back. His fury burned as hot as the flames he wielded. "That bastard was my subordinate! If I let this go, how will Thatch rest in peace?!" The commotion was enough to draw Whitebeard's attention. Seeing his sons in turmoil, he spoke with a commanding presence: "Ace." The single word silenced the arguing pirates and stilled Ace's furious movements. All eyes turned to their captain. "Let it go, just this once." Though his tone was calm, there was an unmistakable anger simmering beneath it. Whitebeard's expression was heavy, his brow furrowed as if weighed down by a foreboding sense. "I have an ominous feeling about this," he admitted, his voice low. Ace clenched his fists, his anger unabated. "That man killed one of our own and ran off!" he shouted. "After all the years Dad has cared for him, he repays us by throwing dirt on your name?!" Nothing enraged Ace more than seeing Whitebeard's reputation tarnished. In his heart, Whitebeard held a place as important as Luffy. "I can't ignore this. I'll make him pay!" With that, Ace jammed his cowboy hat onto his head and leapt from the Moby Dick. "Whoosh—" Blazing flames erupted from beneath his feet, propelling his specially-crafted boat like a fiery arrow across the open sea. Despite Marco and the others shouting for him to stop, Ace didn't look back. "Father, I'll go after him!" Marco declared, ready to take flight in his phoenix form. "No need, Marco," Whitebeard said, his voice heavy with resignation. "Let him go." Marco hesitated, confused. "But—" "You know Ace's character," Whitebeard interrupted softly. "Even if you bring him back now, he'll find another way to leave. That boy's as stubborn as a raging fire." The crew fell silent, acknowledging the truth in Whitebeard's words. Ace's determination was as fierce as the flames of the Mera-Mera Fruit—once he decided on something, no force could hold him back. Whitebeard watched Ace's fiery figure disappear into the horizon. His trust in Ace, combined with a deep, unshakable unease, left him standing silently on deck. Damn you, Teach... Around him, the rest of the crew clenched their fists in frustration. They could feel their captain's sorrow, his regret. Whitebeard's love for his crew was absolute, and they all knew it. That's why so many of them called him "Dad" without hesitation. ------- Whitebeard's Second Division Commander, "Fire Fist" Ace, had set out alone. In the New World, such a move from a prominent pirate was not unusual, but Ace's solitary journey carried a sense of mystery and ambiguity. "Fire Fist Ace, leaving the Whitebeard Pirates on his own," Robin reported after receiving the information from shadow guard. She relayed the news to Alex without delay. "And according to the intelligence, Fire Fist's demeanor along the way has been furious and irritable," she added. Hearing this, Alex smirked, his lips curling upward. "Everything is unfolding according to plan. The fuse for the end of this era has finally been lit. It's just a shame I won't witness firsthand the culmination of Teach's years of scheming, only for him to end up with a Smile fruit instead." Robin, sharing his sardonic humor, replied with a faint smile. "That would indeed be a regrettable sight to miss. Let's hope he doesn't lose it completely and decide to throw himself into the sea." Robin had a sharp mind, honed not just through books but also by the influence of Alex's strategic outlook. This often led her to darkly humorous observations about others' predicaments. "Shall we send Run and the others to pursue Fire Fist?" Robin asked. She knew Ace's temperament and was familiar with the contingency plans surrounding him. Considering that Teach might gain new strength from a Devil Fruit, additional measures might be necessary. "Leave it to your discretion," Alex said casually. "But there's no need to rush. Next year will mark the true beginning of the big events." Alex's tone grew serious. "Teach isn't someone to underestimate. He's a man who once left a mark on Red-Haired Shanks, after all. A patient, calculating character like him won't squander his newfound strength easily—especially with his unique physique." Still, Alex couldn't ignore the possibility of complications. His concern wasn't about Teach losing to Ace but about whether Teach would abandon the plan to become a Warlord of the Sea if the fruit turned out to be the wrong one. One Week Later Ace had made no effort to conceal his movements in the New World. His actions drew widespread attention, especially after the shocking news broke: a member of Whitebeard's Second Division had killed the captain of the Fourth Division. The revelation caused an uproar across the seas. A name like "Teach" was now spoken with both shock and fury. Violating the Whitebeard Pirates' ironclad law by killing a fellow captain was unthinkable. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the world, Teach was venting his frustrations on an isolated island far from Whitebeard's territory. Teach, ever-cautious, had not eaten the Devil Fruit immediately after his escape. Knowing Whitebeard would inevitably send someone after him—especially the reckless and fiery Ace—he waited until he was beyond reach, hiding on a remote island before consuming the treasure he had coveted for so long. But as he finally devoured the fruit and laughed triumphantly, the darkness he had dreamt of for decades failed to materialize. Instead, something horrifying began to happen. His body started changing, taking on strange structural alterations. "W-What's going on?! This isn't the Dark-Dark Fruit!" Teach's voice wavered between confusion and terror. He could feel unfamiliar fangs forming along the sides of his mouth, something entirely unexpected. "This... this is an Zoan Fruit?! Impossible!" He staggered backward in disbelief, his mind racing. He had studied the Dark-Dark Fruit's appearance for nearly thirty years. There was no mistake—how could it turn out to be a Zoan-type? He couldn't accept it. Desperation took him to the coastline, hoping for answers. But when he caught his reflection in the sea's surface, the truth shattered him completely. Under the bright sunlight, a grotesque wild boar stared back at him—a reflection of his transformed state.

Chapter 202: 202. Smile Fruit, Teach's Mentality Collapses

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