One Piece: Trainers on the Straw Hat Pirates

Immediately afterwards, two figures jumped down from the roof and into the palace.

"Hehehehe..."

"Flame Flower, it's been so long!"

In the flickering firelight, Shiki, a golden lion with spiky golden hair, a cigar in his mouth and a kimono-like garment fluttering in the wind, greeted the old woman in front of him warmly.

Chapter 243 Blackbeard: So beautiful, so beautiful, so beautiful! (Please continue reading~)

"Shiki!"

"It really was you!"

Seeing the figure suddenly appear before her, the protected Granny gently pushed away the guards, took a few steps forward with a heavy expression, and met the gaze of the Golden Lion.

Although she had already guessed when she saw the island in the sky, her heart was still filled with complex emotions when the golden lion actually appeared in front of her.

A hint of reminiscence flashed in the Golden Lion's eyes, and he uttered a sigh:

"I never imagined that after so many years, the Flame Flower, which was once sought after by countless pirates, would turn out like this."

"Time really flies!"

"You've changed quite a bit, Shiki!" Grandma remarked.

Upon seeing her old friend, perhaps reminded of their glorious past, the panic on her face vanished.

Instead, he wore an unusually calm expression.

"Why attack Amazon Lily?! You shouldn't find what you're looking for here!?"

After all, they were partners back then, and after discovering that the attacker was Golden Lion, she also had a slight thought of persuading him to back down.

However, what Grandma didn't expect was...

Just then, another burst of laughter suddenly came from the other end of the palace.

"You rascal! Hahaha, that's not necessarily true, old woman!"

"How do you know there won't be anything we've thought of here!?"

A figure wearing a navy-style black cloak and with an extremely rugged appearance suddenly emerged from the shadows.

He stepped closer to the golden lion.

"You are...Blackbeard Teach?!"

Grandma Za's expression froze, and a look of shock suddenly appeared on her face.

Although both the underworld and the World Economic Herald report indicate that Shiki is cooperating with Blackbeard.

Even their pirate alliance publicly claims to be called "Black Lion," with Blackbeard's name preceding it.

However, as a legendary pirate, Shiki's name is far too famous in this sea.

As a result, many people thought that Blackbeard was just an appendage of Shiki.

however……

Looking at the black-bearded man standing next to the golden lion, whose aura had not diminished in the slightest, Granny Zha instantly realized that the situation might not be as she thought.

Blackbeard, upon appearing, grinned maliciously and stated their purpose for the trip:

"Old woman, since you and Lord Shiki are old acquaintances, as long as you hand over the Pirate Empress Hancock, we can leave this country immediately!"

"On the contrary..."

"If you resist stubbornly, I cannot guarantee that your country will still exist after today!"

Don't forget!

"That island in the sky could fall down at any moment!"

Blackbeard stared intently at Granny Za across from him with a threatening look.

Since the Black Lion Alliance was established, Blackbeard has successfully plundered no fewer than ten Devil Fruit abilities using the Dark-Dark Fruit!

In order to continue using the power of the Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit and ensure his own safety, he secretly developed his own power...

Blackbeard also sincerely gave most of the Devil Fruit slots to the pirates who were loyal to Shiki.

His request also surprised Grandma Zha:

"Your target...is Hancock!?"

She was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that the force mentioned in the Den Den Mushi that had stopped them was probably not from the Black Lion Alliance.

However, this did not seem to improve the situation at all; on the contrary, it made it even more critical.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through my mind.

My mother-in-law immediately raised her head:

"Snake Island has never feared any enemy!"

"The Amazonian Lily Kingdom is even less likely to survive by relying on its empress who betrayed them!"

"If you think you can threaten us like this, you are sorely mistaken!!!"

Peng!

The serpentine scepter suddenly struck the ground with a deafening crash.

Suddenly, a powerful aura, unlike anything she had ever shown before, erupted from Grandma's body.

Although her aura wasn't particularly strong, the determination in her eyes made the Golden Lion glance at her a few more times, his expression shifting slightly.

Blackbeard, however, single-mindedly focused on his own goals and ruthless in achieving them, grinned, revealing a cruel smile:

"No wonder he was once a member of the Rocks Pirates!"

"His aura is truly extraordinary!"

"only……"

"I'm not just saying that as a joke!!!"

Blackbeard suddenly reached out, and a vortex of dark mist suddenly appeared in his palm.

In an instant, Grandma Za felt an incredibly strong suction force while standing still.

The elderly woman was sent flying without any resistance, landing in Blackbeard's hand and having her throat gripped.

"Oh, Grandma!"

Upon seeing this, the leopard-print guards shouted in alarm.

Already injured and then hit by a falling wall, she was now struggling to move on her own, let alone save Grandma from Blackbeard.

"Thief, hahahaha..."

Blackbeard let out his signature villainous laugh, which made even his ally, Golden Lion, look a little strange.

His collaboration with Blackbeard was initially just a passing fancy.

However, ever since they breached Impel Down and the special effects of Blackbeard's Devil Fruit ability were revealed, Shiki has already gained too many benefits from Blackbeard.

Over time, he even became somewhat reluctant to sever ties with this partner.

As for Blackbeard...

Although what he really wanted to do was kill Shiki and obtain his Float-Float Fruit power.

After failing to find a good opportunity and seize it for a long time, he had no choice but to settle for second best again...

White beard—Crimson—Golden Lion—

After some compromise, he finally set his sights on Empress Hancock!

Having thoroughly studied the Devil Fruit encyclopedia, he understands the special abilities of some Devil Fruits better than anyone else!

The Love-Love Fruit was a Devil Fruit that had been on his hunting list for a long time!

Although it is far less powerful than the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, less agile than the Float-Float Fruit, and far less magical than the power wielded by that red brat...

However, the Love-Love Fruit is a rare Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that is comparable to Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits and possesses the abilities of multiple Devil Fruits!

The power of the Love-Love Fruit can be divided into two stages...

The first stage, as Hancock usually does, is to give people an extremely strong charisma, constantly radiating a powerful spiritual energy that influences others.

The second stage is that everyone affected by the Devil Fruit user will be turned into a stone statue by the power of the Love Love Fruit!

Moreover, this stone statue can only be deactivated by a contemporary ability user.

Even other users of the Love-Love Fruit do not have the ability to break the stone statue.

In other words, turning a person into a stone statue is equivalent to having complete control over a person's life and death!

Although, from the perspective of deterrence, the Sweet-Sweet Fruit is far less effective than the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and the Float-Float Fruit.

but!

What Blackbeard truly valued... was not the petrifying combat ability of the Love-Love Fruit.

Although the petrification ability sounds incredibly powerful and offers a lot of room for maneuver...

The real reason Blackbeard was interested in the Love-Love Fruit was actually the fruit's effect, which could enhance his personal charm!

After all, there has never been a method of cultivating mental power in the world of One Piece!

And mental strength is an extremely important attribute for Devil Fruit users.

Whether it's the use of Devil Fruit abilities, the awakening of Devil Fruit abilities, or even the strength of Conqueror's Haki, it's all closely related to mental strength.

For Blackbeard, Hancock's use of the Love-Love Fruit was simply a waste of its potential!

Her straightforward and brutal fighting style reveals that Hancock merely uses the Love-Love Fruit as an amplifier for her beauty.

I've never seriously cultivated this fruit's ability!

Blackbeard had already planned that once he obtained the power of the Love-Love Fruit, his first step would be to vigorously develop the fruit and amplify his mental strength.

Then, taking this opportunity, he could use the power of the Love-Love Fruit to make the pirates in the Black Lion Pirate Alliance more inclined to his side!

This is actually a major reason why Blackbeard dares not separate from Shiki.