The mountains of Drum Island loomed faintly in the blizzard, the entire isle seemingly frozen in an eternal winter.
When the Blackbeard Pirates reached the castle atop the mountain, a rotund figure shot out like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the snow and kicking up a cloud of white.
Teach narrowed his eyes, recognizing the wretched figure as none other than Wapol, the man they sought.
Not far away, a straw-hat-wearing youth charged out of the castle with fierce momentum.
"Gomu Gomu no... Rocket!"
Luffy's arms stretched enormously, smashing towards Wapol with tremendous force.
However, just as the fists were about to connect, a black shadow flashed. Teach caught Luffy's attack with a single hand.
"Zehahahaha! Little brother, so impatient. That's no good."
Wapol scrambled up from the snow, laughing excitedly. "Good citizens! You are fine citizens! Help me kill these ruffians, and I'll make you captain of the royal guard!"
The Straw Hat crew instantly went on high alert. Although they didn't know Teach, the oppressive aura emanating from him made everyone instinctively sense danger.
"Luffy, be careful. This group is no joke," Zoro warned seriously.
"I don't care about all that. I just need to know they're enemies," Luffy charged out without fear. "Gomu Gomu no..."
But before he could finish, Burgess's fist, wrapped in Armament Haki, sent him flying.
"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts!" Luffy held his head, rolling around in the snow.
"You're made of rubber! How can you feel pain?!" Zoro asked, incredulous.
"Still worrying about others?" Van Augur took aim and fired a bullet at him.
Zoro's pupils contracted sharply. He swung his sword at maximum speed, striking the bullet.
Yet, the bullet was harder than steel. The blade merely altered its trajectory slightly. In the end, the bullet still blossomed into a spray of blood on his shoulder.
"Moss-head!" Sanji was about to charge over when Lafitte's cane pressed against his throat. Blood trickled down his neck.
"Three seconds," Doc Q said weakly, checking his watch. "Weaker than expected."
"Zehahahaha! They're just a bunch of rookie pirates, after all," Teach laughed, not placing much importance on defeating them.
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp huddled together, the [Weakling Trio] screaming in terror. "Why are monsters like this appearing in the first half of the Grand Line?!"
They had even easily defeated Buggy, the ruler of the East Blue. Was the gap between the Grand Line and the East Blue really that huge?
"Zehahahaha!" Teach laughed triumphantly. "Not bad, little girl. I did indeed come from the latter half of the Grand Line."
A shadow flickered in his eyes. "To escape someone's pursuit... but soon, I won't need to hide anymore."
"Pursuit?" Nami's eyes widened in disbelief. "There's actually someone who can pursue a strong person like you?!"
Her survival instincts instantly skyrocketed. Clasping her hands together, she shouted, "Lord who is pursuing them, please appear quickly!"
Burgess laughed uproariously. "Uiihahaha! What are the odds of that? You think shouting will summon the pursuers..."
Before his words finished, a colossal fireball over a hundred meters in diameter fell from the sky, instantly blasting the Blackbeard Pirates away.
Scorching flames swept across the snowy ground. Ice and snow evaporated rapidly under the intense heat, the entire area transforming into a sea of fire.
The corner of Teach's mouth twitched slightly, 'Did Burgess's mouth have some prophetic power? They actually came.'
But he didn't sense that terrifying presence he feared, which eased his mind somewhat.
Three figures stood in the sky. Ace spoke solemnly, "Teach, you should know the consequences of betraying Captain..."
Before he could finish, a familiar voice came from below.
"Ace! Ace!" Luffy waved his arms excitedly, jumping up and down.
Nami also recognized Ace, cheering joyfully. "You're that lord's companion from back then!"
Ace also found it quite remarkable. "Luffy, and that bullied little girl from back then... why are you guys here?"
"Luffy, who is he?" Sanji asked.
"He's my brother, Ace," Luffy grinned widely. "Ace is really strong."
Nami nodded repeatedly. "We're saved."
"We can catch up later. Right now, it's debt-collecting time!" Enel tilted his head, his cold gaze fixed on Teach. "You have quite the nerve, daring to betray Captain."
Teach gave an awkward laugh. "I didn't really betray him. I just thought the Yami Yami no Mi was a burden on Captain. I couldn't bear to see him go down the wrong path, so I risked everything to steal the fruit."
Ace laughed. "So, according to you, Captain should thank you?"
Teach rubbed his hands together. "If Captain needs the power of the Yami Yami no Mi, I'm willing to eat it and become his tool."
Cavendish scoffed. "Captain doesn't need a cursed sword that bites its master."
Teach's smile gradually faded, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. "So you're not giving me a chance?"
Ace shrugged nonchalantly. "Come back with us. See if Captain gives you a chance."
"Then you're sentencing me to death!" Teach roared. "My loyal crew! The moment that decides our fate has arrived!"
He charged at Ace, leading the way.
Van Augur tried to snipe, but a bolt of lightning from Enel struck him, leaving him charred and collapsed.
Doc Q's germ attacks were utterly useless. Enel's lightning purified everything.
Lafitte's hypnotism targeted Cavendish, but it only stimulated his alternate personality. A single sword stroke severed Lafitte's cane.
Burgess, however, followed Teach loyally in the charge, only to be blasted dozens of meters away by Ace's [Fire Fist].
"This is the crew you recruited? You thought this bunch of garbage could stop us? I don't know what you were thinking," Ace sneered.
Luffy and the others stared dumbfounded. These powerful enemies who had rendered them helpless moments ago were now being crushed so easily by Ace and the other two.
Teach's face darkened. He hadn't expected his highly-touted crew to be defeated so quickly.
"Looks like I have to defeat you myself!" Teach advanced through Ace's flames, his fist wrapped in Armament Haki forcibly dispersing the fire.
Cavendish's sword descended like cascading moonlight. Enel's golden staff summoned heavenly thunder. Countless lightning bolts transformed into a violent sea of lightning raining down from the sky.
Teach displayed agility completely at odds with his corpulent frame, moving gracefully through the sea of lightning before punching Cavendish away.
"Zehahahaha! Aside from Captain, you brats aren't enough to make me fear..." Teach laughed heartily. He could finally use his true strength.
Yet before his words finished, the combined assault of the three descended.
"Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor!"
"Divine Punishment: Heavy Thunder!"
"Beautiful Sword: Stardust Prince Slash!"
Flames, lightning, and sword light interwove into a destructive storm of blades. The entire snowy plain instantly collapsed.
Teach roared, blocking desperately. His strength surpassed any one of the three individually, but facing their combined attack, he was ultimately overwhelmed. The destructive torrent blasted him away, smashing him heavily into a distant ice cliff.