Teach stared at Ace and swallowed hard.
Ace's words echoed in his mind, "Do you want to know what kind of Devil Fruit you can attract?"
Teach hadn't expected that one of the key figures in the Entei Pirates, a fleet destined for greatness, could be one of the two women most likely to dominate the seas in the future, after Big Mom.
The chef of the Entei Pirates, and a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Zoan - Suzaku form, was none other than Raki!
The fact that the Suzaku fruit, standing at the pinnacle of all Devil Fruits, had been drawn to Raki with the help of Ace's mysterious ability was astonishing.
In this world, powerful women are much rarer compared to powerful men. Women are born with weaker physical strength, and this natural disadvantage often leaves them lagging behind men in the three major power categories that define strength at sea: Devil Fruit abilities, martial arts (swordsmanship), and Haki.
Even the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, is famed more for her beauty than her strength.
The only woman who has truly ruled the seas is the "Natural Destroyer," Charlotte Linlin, known as Big Mom—the captain of the Big Mom Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, and a user of the Soul-Soul Fruit.
If Big Mom hadn't become preoccupied with bearing children and hosting tea parties after becoming one of the Four Emperors, her strength wouldn't have declined, leaving her body bloated and her powers diminished.
Had she continued training, her power might not have ranked lowest among the Four Emperors.
And while her Soul-Soul Fruit is strong, compared to Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit or Kaido's Fish-Fish Fruit - Mythical Zoan - Azure Dragon form, it doesn't offer the same raw boost in combat power.
The difference between Devil Fruits can be as vast as night and day.
A strong Devil Fruit can instantly elevate a user to Warlord level, while the top-tier fruits can grant Admiral-level strength just through the fruit's abilities alone. The Soul-Soul Fruit couldn't achieve that on its own.
Still, Big Mom remains the only woman to have truly dominated the seas—until now.
The rise of Emperor Ace has introduced the world to two women who could one day rival Big Mom's power.
One of them is Raki, wielder of the Bird-Bird Fruit - Mythical Zoan - Suzaku form.
The other is Nami, who shocked the world during the Entei Incident when she, along with Rayleigh and Issho captured Admiral Kizaru after a fierce battle.
The reason Raki and Nami are seen as future contenders to rule the sea lies in their Devil Fruits.
The Suzaku form of the Bird-Bird Fruit is as legendary as Kaido's Azure Dragon form and is regarded as one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in existence.
Once fully awakened, it grants its user the power to reach Admiral level.
Even though Raki hasn't shown signs of possessing Conqueror's Haki, it's clear that as a member of Ace's crew, her future is bright. With Ace's leadership—a man hailed as the dominant figure of this era—no one doubts that Raki will develop formidable Armament Haki.
With the top-tier Suzaku Fruit and her inevitable mastery of Armament Haki, Raki is almost certain to rise to the level of the Admirals of the current era, known as the strongest generation.
The key to this incredible rise lies in the Bird-Bird Fruit - Mythical Zoan - Suzaku form!
Ace, known for hunting down powerful Devil Fruits, has already obtained fruits like the Door-Door Fruit used by Nojiko and the Sand-Sand Fruit, now wielded by Vivi.
It's no secret that Ace hunted these fruits from CP9 agents and Crocodile, a former Warlord of the Sea.
During the Flame Emperor incident, it was revealed that Nami's Thunder-Thunder Fruit, one of the most powerful Logia abilities, had been taken from a man named Enel, who once proclaimed himself a god on Sky Island.
Teach had assumed that Ace had similarly hunted down the top-tier Bird-Bird Fruit - Suzaku form, like the others.
But he was wrong.
Ace not only had the ability to hunt Devil Fruits but could also enhance someone's ability to attract a specific Devil Fruit.
That was how the mythical Suzaku Fruit had been drawn to Raki.
Teach's Observation Haki confirmed what he saw—Raki had no extraordinary qualifications on her own. Without Ace's influence, she would never have been able to acquire such a powerful Devil Fruit.
Portgas D. Ace's ability to attract Devil Fruits was truly terrifying.
Teach did not doubt the truth in Ace's words.
This man, who stood at the pinnacle of the current era, possessed a Conqueror's Haki that was unrivaled across the seas.
What a man like Ace says can definitely be trusted.
If Teach could get this man's help, could he attract the Devil Fruit he has long desired? The one he has been waiting for as a loyal son of Whitebeard—the one called the most vicious ability in history: the Dark-Dark Fruit!
As soon as the thought of that Devil Fruit surfaced in Teach's mind, Ace, Shanks, and Whitebeard all noticed something strange.
Teach's emotions suddenly shifted, creating an odd and unsettling atmosphere.
A person's emotions can fluctuate—they can feel happy, angry, or sad. It's natural for various emotions to arise at the same time, and they can be perceived as part of one person's emotional state through Observation Haki.
But Teach's emotional swings were different this time.
They were entirely disjointed, as if multiple distinct emotions from different people existed within him.
Shanks narrowed his eyes at Teach, suspicion creeping in.
"Sure enough," Shanks thought to himself, "this is your true face, Teach!"
That carefree, desireless persona had always been just a mask. Beneath it lay a monster with immense ambitions—a hunger like an abyss, seeking to devour everything in its path.
Shanks knew of such a creature—someone with the most dangerous bloodline on the seas, a being capable of consuming multiple Devil Fruits.
"Is that why you're so drawn to certain Devil Fruits?" Shanks mused. "That's why Ace's words made you lose control, even if just for a moment."
The emotions Teach had momentarily lost control over, confirmed Shanks' suspicions. He now knew the truth of Marshall D. Teach's identity.
He came from the most dangerous bloodline on the seas!
"Hahaha, Mr. Ace's words are intriguing, but I have no need for a Devil Fruit," Teach said, chuckling while scratching his head. "I have no ambition to eat one. If I did, I'd become a landlubber, and that would be a real inconvenience. Look at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, called the ultimate man. Wasn't it the weakness of his Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Buddha form that allowed you to catch him of guard, Mr. Ace, and lead to his defeat?"
Teach's emotions had only spun out of control for a brief moment. If Shanks hadn't already suspected something, or if Ace hadn't known Teach's true nature, it would have gone unnoticed. Even the most advanced Observation Haki couldn't easily detect the fragmentation of Teach's emotions.
Even Whitebeard, simply sensed something strange in Teach's mood swings for a moment but didn't pick up on the deeper issue.
"Gura la la la! Your strategy to defeat Sengoku was indeed brilliant, Ace!" Whitebeard roared with laughter, brushing off Teach's odd behavior.
Whitebeard's laughter was a sign—he was still defending Teach. This wasn't surprising to either Ace or Shanks. Until Teach fully revealed his true colors and committed an unforgivable act, Whitebeard would continue to stand by him as his son.
"Don't worry, Teach," Ace said, his lips curling into a slight smile. "Even if you attract a Devil Fruit, it's still your decision whether or not to eat it. I'm curious to see what kind of fruit would be drawn to you."
The carrier of the Dark-Dark Fruit in this era was standing right in front of him, and there was no way Ace would let him slip away.
As for revealing his own ability to help others attract Devil Fruits? Ace, having reached the pinnacle of the sea with king-level strength, wasn't concerned at all.
For those not strong enough, revealing such information could be seen as a weakness. But for someone like Ace, who can rule the seas, strength was a form of deterrence.
Among the Four Emperors, everyone knew the details of their powers. And it was precisely this openness about their overwhelming strength that caused the mere mention of their names to strike fear into countless strong individuals across the seas.
"I'm curious too, Teach," Shanks added with a grin, the corners of his mouth curling up. "Can you show me what you've got?"
Teach's cheerful smile faltered, freezing in place.