The moment Ainz spoke, Blackbeard's laughter came to an abrupt halt.
He could feel that the aura emanating from Ainz was completely different now—an overwhelming, domineering presence.
Blackbeard had only ever sensed such a terrifying force from Shanks after he became an Emperor.
"Damn it... Could this be the stronghold of some hidden power in the New World? Why does a monster like this exist here?"
Seeing Blackbeard fall silent, Ainz continued, "What's wrong? Have you lost the courage to strike?"
"Captain!" Burgess, who had just returned to his position, was about to charge at Ainz, but was stopped by Augur.
"Burgess, this is not someone we can handle. Let the captain deal with him."
"If we make a move, we'll die," Laffitte added, his expression grave as he stared at Ainz.
Noticing that even the two most perceptive members of his crew were afraid of this man facing their captain, Burgess lost the will to fight.
He wasn't brainless—he just preferred not to think too much.
"Liberation!"
Gritting his teeth, Blackbeard released Narberal from the darkness he had absorbed her into.
As soon as she was freed, Narberal flew to Ainz's side. "Lord Ainz, this subordinate has failed in her duty. Please punish me."
"Enough, rise, Narberal."
Just as she stood up, Narberal turned toward Blackbeard with rage. "You filthy worm—!"
"Stop, Narberal." Ainz halted her in an instant.
"I was reckless!" Narberal obediently stepped back behind Ainz.
Though she desperately wanted to crush these filthy bugs who had made her fail before Ainz, his command was absolute.
"Why do you hesitate, pirate? Are you mocking the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick?"
'This line is so embarrassing…' Ainz thought internally.
He slowly approached Blackbeard. With each step, the overwhelming magical aura he deliberately released shattered the ground beneath him.
"Why… Why is a monster like you appearing in the first half of the Grand Line?" Blackbeard's frustration was evident.
Though he had finally obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit he had schemed for so long, he was still far from reaching the level of an Emperor.
Against an opponent like this, he knew even staking his life wouldn't be enough.
But he was unwilling to accept this. He had worked so hard—he had killed Thatch, barely escaped from the New World, and his grand plans were just beginning.
"Make your move. If you manage to entertain me, I might spare your life."
Blackbeard realized that his gamble had worked. This man, despite his terrifying strength, had no idea who he was.
If Ainz knew, he could simply take Blackbeard's head and instantly gain Whitebeard's favor. Instead, he was standing here talking. That meant there was a chance.
"Black Vortex !"
"So it's a darkness-based ability? Hmph, it seems this Devil Fruit power is rather crude compared to true magic—relying on a single power alone."
To an undead supreme being like Ainz, the Dark-Dark Fruit's energy was nothing more than nourishment.
"Hellfire."
With a simple incantation, Ainz cast a spell that burned away Blackbeard's darkness.
"What—?" Blackbeard's eyes widened in shock.
Originally, he had thought Ainz to be a Haki or swordsmanship-based fighter like Mihawk or Garp, which was why he had given up resisting, seeking another way to survive.
But now—this man was a Devil Fruit user?
"In that case… Maybe I can actually kill him! But what kind of power is this? It even negated my Dark-Dark Fruit."
"Your body is quite interesting." Ainz placed a hand on Blackbeard's shoulder, channeling his magic to probe his body.
(With his revival ring, Ainz had no fear of a sneak attack. Otherwise, his cautious nature would never allow such recklessness.)
He discovered that Blackbeard's body had been completely transformed by the dark energy. In Yggdrasil terms, he had the traits of a high-tier race, akin to a Level 10 Dark Demon.
The moment Ainz touched him, Blackbeard nearly lost control of himself.
As a "Darkness Human," any Devil Fruit user who touched his body without using Haki would have their powers nullified.
But now—
Even after activating his ability, Ainz remained completely unaffected, as if he weren't a Devil Fruit user at all.
"Seems like this guy isn't as simple as he looks," Ainz mused, sensing the dark energy trying to creep through his armor.
"Scorching Flame."
Fire was one of the most effective elements against darkness. Though holy magic was an undead's weakness, basic fire magic was still within Ainz's repertoire.
"Argh! It hurts!" Blackbeard screamed, rolling on the ground as the flames seared him.
"Consider this a lesson." Ainz watched coldly as Blackbeard writhed in pain. After a few seconds, he withdrew his magic.
Having learned his lesson, Blackbeard no longer dared to make any sneaky moves.
Before acquiring the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his greatest fear had always been opponents who didn't rely on Devil Fruit powers alone.
...
"Very well. You may leave."
The moment Ainz said this, Blackbeard wasted no time. He and his crew immediately fled the island.
"Lord Ainz, why did you let those vermin go?"
"Narberal, if we want the name of Nazarick to spread across this world, pirates make for excellent messengers."
Ainz gazed at the retreating figures of Blackbeard and his crew.
"Go, spread the name of Ainz Ooal Gown across the seas."
Ainz understood that simply hunting down weak pirates on this tiny island wasn't enough to build his reputation.
Blackbeard and his crew had enough strength to be useful messengers. Besides, Ainz had learned some interesting information from them.
"Though it's a shame to let such 'materials' go..." he mused, he ultimately allowed them to escape.
"Come, Narberal."