After striking once and pulling away—
Jozu successfully rescued Marco.
Then he immediately turned back—
And rejoined the battle against the Blackbeard Pirates' commanders.
Marco, having learned his lesson—
Changed tactics.
He began kiting Blackbeard.
Keeping distance.
Harassing.
Avoiding direct contact.
Blackbeard, though annoyed—
Had no choice but to keep fighting.
While clashing with Marco—
He didn't forget to keep talking trash.
Ever since Marineford—
He'd been nothing but unlucky.
First, Leno stole his opportunities.
Then the Marines chased him down.
He'd been bottling up frustration for a long time.
And now—
Finally—
He had Marco.
A perfect punching bag.
Someone he could completely counter.
If he didn't vent properly—
What was the point?
"Zehahaha! Marco!"
"Where's your phoenix fire now?! Why isn't it burning?!"
Blackbeard dodged a sharp kick—
Then countered with a fist wrapped in thick darkness—
Forcing Marco back.
"Scared of my darkness?!"
The more he fought—
The more excited he became.
His greedy gaze swept across Marco.
"That Phoenix fruit of yours…"
"That's a top-tier ability too!"
Even if he couldn't use it—
His crew could.
Another massive power boost.
Marco clenched his teeth.
His chest—
Still throbbed from that earlier hit.
Being countered so hard—
Made this fight incredibly frustrating.
He couldn't commit.
Couldn't go all out.
One mistake—
And he'd be heavily injured again.
Luckily—
Years under Whitebeard weren't for nothing.
His combat experience was solid.
He kept searching—
For an opening.
But—
The battlefield didn't wait forever.
The overall situation—
Was turning worse for the Whitebeard side.
Jozu.
Vista.
They were slightly weaker than Blackbeard's commanders.
Or rather—
Because Jozu had gone to save Marco earlier—
Vista had been forced into one-vs-many.
He was already badly injured.
The balance—
Had tipped.
As for the rest of the Whitebeard crew—
They were just fodder.
"JOZU! WATCH OUT!"
Marco caught it from the corner of his eye—
Jozu's back—
Wide open.
Vasco Shot seized the chance—
And slammed a heavy punch into his spine!
"PUAH—!"
Jozu's massive body trembled.
Blood burst from his mouth.
Cracks—
Appeared across his diamond body.
He dropped to one knee.
Struggling to rise.
"JOZU!!"
Marco and Vista shouted at the same time.
They tried to rush over—
But were held back.
Blackbeard saw this—
Eyes lighting up.
His bulky body burst forward—
Shockingly fast.
"Black Water!"
He grabbed Jozu—
Who couldn't resist.
"Zehahaha!! Got him!"
Blackbeard laughed wildly.
One hand gripping Jozu's throat—
Despite Jozu struggling—
It was useless.
Blackbeard even punched him a few more times—
Like a sandbag.
"No Mythical Zoan?"
"Still—this Diamond Fruit is top-tier!"
"Perfect shield!"
He looked at the weakened Jozu greedily.
Right now—
Jozu wasn't even worth using his fruit power on.
Just Haki was enough.
To Blackbeard—
Every Devil Fruit—
Was his.
"We're brothers, right?"
"What's yours is mine."
"BLACKBEARD! LET HIM GO!!"
"Fight me instead!!"
Marco and Vista roared—
Desperately trying to break through.
But the Blackbeard Pirates—
Moved in sync.
They blocked them completely.
Blackbeard grinned cruelly.
"Marco…"
"Want to save your dear brother?"
He pointed at Jozu—
Then at Marco.
"Simple."
"Trade your life."
"You walk over here."
"No resistance."
"And I'll let him go."
"…I'll do it!!"
Marco didn't hesitate for even a second.
"Let him go! Take me instead!"
"I'll trade too!!"
Vista roared.
"Take my life!"
Other division commanders shouted the same.
A true pirate family.
At least—
Their bond—
Was real.
Jozu—
Hearing their words—
This man—
The second hardest in the world—
Tears burst from his eyes.
But he shook his head—
And roared with everything he had:
"NO!!"
"RUN!!"
"DON'T FALL FOR IT!!"
His eyes were filled with resolve.
"GET OUT OF HERE!!"
Marco and the others froze.
A terrible premonition—
Hit instantly.
"JOZU—DON'T!!"
"STOP!!"
Too late.
Jozu threw his head back—
And roared.
His entire diamond body—
Burst into unprecedented brilliance.
Even the surrounding ships—
Turned into diamond.
BOOM—!!!
From Jozu's center—
Blinding diamond light exploded outward.
Everything it touched—
Blackbeard.
His crew.
Instantly—
Transformed.
Into diamond coffins.
Frozen.
Sealed.
Unable to move.
Unable to speak.
This—
Was Jozu's final awakening.
A few seconds—
Bought with his life.
His understanding of his fruit—
Was simple:
Protection.
If killing the enemy protects his comrades—
Then so be it.
Every Blackbeard pirate—
Was sealed.
Better than Aokiji's ice.
"JOZUUUU!!!"
Marco screamed.
Jozu's body—
Turned into glittering fragments—
And scattered in the wind.
"GO!!"
Vista grabbed Marco—
Who was on the verge of breaking.
"Don't let his sacrifice be in vain!"
"MOVE!!"
The surviving Whitebeard Pirates—
Fled with tears in their eyes.
…
One day later.
A faint crack—
Appeared on a diamond coffin.
Crack… crack…
More fractures spread—
Like a web.
BOOM!!
The coffin shattered.
Blackbeard stepped out—
Covered in darkness—
Face terrifyingly grim.
One by one—
The others broke free as well.
Looking at the empty sea—
Blackbeard exploded.
"DAMN IT!!"
"DAMN YOU JOZU!!"
"DAMN YOU MARCO!!"
He roared in fury.
"I should've drained him dry with Black Water!!"
"Who the hell expected THAT?!"
He'd underestimated him.
Jozu's fruit—
Was mostly defensive.
Once captured—
Should've been harmless.
Instead—
He gambled his life—
And flipped the board.
Their victory—
Gone.
"DAMN IT!!"
Blackbeard roared again—
Before finally calming down.
Face dark.
"Set sail."
"To Wano."
"If I can't vent here—"
"I'll do it there."
As long as he didn't provoke Kaido—
It'd be fine.
…
Meanwhile—
After days of sailing—
Leno's ship—
Was nearing Pleasure District.
Within it—
Stussy hung up her Den Den Mushi.
Her expression—
Grave.
"Emperor Leno…"
"Why is he coming to a place like mine…?"
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