Chapter 1633 Teach angrily rebukes Ace

The dark power that Blackbeard Teach displayed, capable of devouring even the strongest Haki and Tremor-Tremor, was like a powerful counterattack, vehemently denying Whitebeard's claim that Haki trumps everything.

The facts are clear: at least in the face of the extremely bizarre power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, even Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki could not overcome it.

This may reveal a more cruel truth: the idea that Haki can overshadow Devil Fruit abilities may be a false proposition, or at least conditional.

Its validity is contingent on either the Devil Fruit user's development being too superficial or the matching degree being insufficient, failing to tap into the true potential of the ability.

Either the opponent's domineering cultivation, whether in quality or quantity, has already overwhelmed them, creating a dimensional gap, which is why they can forcefully overcome skill and dominate.

When Blackbeard Teach uttered the long-unheard title "Old Man," a title laden with complex grudges, once again, it coincided with the approaching dusk and a chilly, salty sea breeze sweeping across Marineford Bay.

The wind dispersed some of the smoke and dust, and also ruffled Teach's messy black hair, causing it to stand up wildly.

He no longer wore his signature black captain's hat; darkness, like a living cloak, silently surged around him, making his now unrestrained face exude an indescribable sense of oppression.

At this moment, with just his aura and the power he had just displayed, he was enough to say no to 99% of the people in the world.

"Rocks..."

The white-bearded man stared at the figure in the wind, his eyes momentarily glazed over, and murmured softly, "Your son, he's finally starting to resemble you..."

That face bore a striking resemblance to the madman in my memory who unleashed a massive wave of bloodshed in God Valley, forcing both the Navy and Roger to join forces to deal with him.

The chaos represented by that name, long buried by the dust of time, now seems to cast an ominous shadow once again through this traitor.

Now Blackbeard has used force to forcibly pull Whitebeard back to the negotiating table.

The image of the dead Thatch flashed through Whitebeard's mind, bringing a sharp pang of pain to his heart.

As a father, he is facing an extremely painful choice: to fight to the death against this dangerous and rebellious son for the sake of hatred for a dead son, even if it might delay the opportunity to rescue Ace.

Should we suppress our anger for now and look ahead, cooperating with this untrustworthy yet powerful rebellious son as a temporary measure to ensure Ace's rescue?

Marco, standing beside Whitebeard, rarely sensed the struggle emanating from his father. As the captain of the First Division, he understood his father best.

He knew his father's feelings for Sachi, and he was even more aware of how much his father valued Ace.

Marco's eyes flickered slightly as he quickly weighed the options in his mind: temporarily cooperating to rescue Ace, and then settling scores with Teach later, was not an entirely unacceptable option.

One's stance can be flexible, but one's goals must be clear.

Not only Marco, but many of the Whitebeard Pirates' captains and crew members also turned their gazes to the towering figure, holding their breath and waiting for their father to make the final decision.

"Teach—!!"

Kneeling on the execution platform, Ace still stood tall, letting out a hoarse roar of anger as he glared at Blackbeard in the air.

"You villain stained with the blood of your brothers, I would rather die than cooperate with scum like you!"

He suddenly turned towards Whitebeard and shouted with all his might, "Father, don't break your principles for my sake. Blackbeard is not trustworthy. Don't listen to his tricks."

Ace's roar, like the final weight, pressed heavily on the scales of Whitebeard's decision.

He looked up at the execution platform and saw his adopted son, whose eyes were stubborn and resolute in the face of death. He felt an overwhelming pity for him, and he knew he couldn't ignore Ace's opinion.

Before Whitebeard could respond, Teach let out a piercing sneer, interrupting him and casting a mocking glance at Ace on the execution platform.

Teach's voice pierced through the noisy battlefield, clearly reaching everyone's ears, "Ace, it seems you haven't suffered enough under Whitebeard's protection. You've become so comfortable that you've forgotten the most basic laws of this sea."

The smile on his face vanished, leaving only undisguised sarcasm: "Only by surviving can you have a future. Once you die, you have nothing. Your principles, your hatred, are nothing in the face of death!"

"You've been so engrossed in that ridiculous family pirate game that you actually think you're something special?"

Teach's tone grew increasingly sharp, "It seems the blood left in your body by the Pirate King Gol D. Roger really didn't have any effect at all."

"Besides bringing you this death warrant-like face, what else does it have? Cowardice, naivety?"

Teach's voice suddenly rose, and a dark aura surged forth, "On this sea, strength speaks, and the strong are respected!"

"Without strength, your persistence is a joke, your principles are a burden. Like you now, what can you do besides raging incompetence on the execution platform?!"

This merciless barrage from a distance was like a bucket of ice water poured over Ace's burning rage.

He swallowed back what he wanted to say, leaving only a face flushed with extreme anger and the sting of some painful truth.

To put it bluntly, when it comes to sophistry, Ace is an honest man in front of Teach; otherwise, he wouldn't have been fooled for so many years.

Teach's words were cruel, yet they struck a chord with certain stark realities.

Ace did indeed spend the most important period of his life growing up in the relatively warm family of the Whitebeard Pirates.

To some extent, he was indeed used to a comfortable environment and was well protected.

He may never have truly faced the ultimate law of the jungle in this ocean.

Even now, he is locked on the execution platform, his life hanging by a thread, while the fate of the situation is decided by the monsters below who truly possess the power to shake the world.

The sea breeze continued to blow, carrying the chilling echo of Teach's words, across the frozen battlefield, and all eyes once again focused on the silent Whitebeard.

What decision will this strongest man in the world make amidst the multiple pressures of losing his son, the urgent need to save him, the betrayal of his son, and the most fundamental law of survival in this vast ocean?

Is it about upholding morality and principles, fighting Blackbeard to the death at any cost, even if it means risking Ace's life?

Or should we compromise for now, walk with the devil, and exchange that for Ace's chance to live, leaving the reckoning for later?

His choice will determine the final outcome of the Battle of Marineford, and may even influence the tide of an entire era—one step to heaven, one step to hell.